My Boss’s Hidden Heir (Elara and Marcus) novel Chapter 5

Broken Glass

Victor was waiting in the lobby, leaning against the reception desk like he owned the place. Designer suit. Expensive watch. Nothing about him screamed debt collector except the dead look in his eyes when they landed on her.

Elara’s stomach twisted.

“We need to talk,” he said.

“Not here.” She grabbed his arm, steering him toward the exit. The last thing she needed was her colleagues witnessing this. “Outside.”

They crossed the marble lobby in silence, through the revolving doors and into the cold January air. The parking lot was mostly empty at this hour, just a few scattered cars and the distant hum of traffic. Elara didn’t stop until they were behind a concrete pillar, away from the building’s glass walls.

“What are you doing here?” Her voice came out harsh. “How did you even find my office?”

Victor smiled. It didn’t reach his eyes. “Your father gave me your details. Workplace, address, everything. Luca’s been very cooperative lately.”

Of course he had. Luca would sell out his own children if it meant saving his skin for another day.

“What do you want?”

“Your father hasn’t been answering his phone for two weeks. His weekly payment is overdue.” Victor pulled out his phone, scrolling through something before turning the screen toward her. Numbers. Dates. A debt that had somehow grown even larger. “The house goes up for collateral if I don’t get payment by tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Elara’s voice cracked. “That’s impossible. I need more time.”

“You’ve had ten years, Elara.”

“Please.” The word tasted like ash. She hated begging. Hated the way her voice went small and desperate. But this was her mother’s house. The only thing they had left. “Just give me one more week. I’ll figure something out. I’ll get you the money.”

“One week won’t change anything.” Victor pocketed his phone. “You don’t have it now, you won’t have it then.”

“I’ll find a way.”

“How? You going to ask your boss for a raise?” He gestured toward the tower behind them. “Girls like you don’t get miracles. You get buried.”

“I’m not asking for a miracle. I’m asking for time.”

Victor studied her for a long moment. She could see him calculating, weighing her worth against whatever pressure Luca’s debt had put on him. Finally, he sighed.

“Twenty-four hours, Elara. That’s all you get.” He started walking back toward the street. “Clock’s ticking.” Tick. Tok.

She watched him go, her legs suddenly unsteady. Twenty-four hours. One day to come up with money she didn’t have. One day before they lost everything.

The sound of footsteps made her turn.

Marcus was walking through the parking lot, phone pressed to his ear, talking in that clipped tone he used for business calls.

He must have been heading to his car. His eyes swept past her, lingering for just a second before moving on.

He’d heard. She knew he’d heard. The parking lot wasn’t that big, and Victor’s voice carried.

But Marcus kept walking. Didn’t stop. Didn’t acknowledge her. Just continued toward his black Mercedes like she was part of the scenery.

Elara stood there, watching him disappear into his car, and felt something cold settle in her chest.

Of course he didn’t care. Why would he? She was just the assistant. Just another problem that wasn’t his to solve.

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