KELSO, J&H RESTAURANT***
Leah finished serving the third customer in the restaurant, she walked to the counter where Sebastian was.
He was looking gloomy.
“I h@ťě myself right now,” Sebastian muttered.
“Our daughter is hurt because of me, our daughter is working herself out because of me. If only I was a good father…” He said sadly.
“Seb….”
The door to the restaurant suddenly bursted open and Marco and his men entered the restaurant.
“Hey, get out!” They brought out a gun and the customers scurried away in fear.
Leah was already shaking in fear.
“Where’s my money?” Marco asked, sitting on one of the tables.
“We made a deal and you promised to pay me back today. I don’t wanna hear any stories, just pay me back my money” He said.
“Erm… Marco, we don’t have the full money with us. We’re only with two hundred dollars with us. Can we….”
Marco banged the table loudly, interrupting Leah.
“Two hundred dollars? Was that the amount I borrowed you?” He asked.
“We…. Please have mercy on us, we promise to pay you back” Leah begged in tears.
Marco got down from the table, he faced one of his men and stretched his hand. The guy handed a gun to him.
Marco faced Leah and Sebastian, walking slowly to them.
“We made a deal, and you know the consequences if you dare refuse to pay me back my money. And yet you….” He chuckled.
“Do you take me for a fool?” He asked, his eyes blazing with anger.
“Marco, we promise to pay you back. Just have mercy on us” Sebastian said.
“Mercy?” Marco laughed sinisterly.
“Mercy is not in my dictionary and you know that. Where’s my money?!” He yelled.
He faced his men.
“Destroy everything in here!” He shouted.
“Yes Master!” The boys chorused.
“What? No, no,” Leah tried to stop them but they pushed her away causing her to fall on the floor.
“Leah!” Sebastian shouted and quickly rushed to her..
The men started destroying everything, the tables, chairs, plates, everything.
“Please stop them! Stop!” Leah screamed, crying bitterly.
Marco laughed, he Ç0çƙed the gun before aiming it at Leah.
“For the last time, where’s my money?!!” He yelled.
“Just ki|| me instead, spare my family” Sebastian whispered.
“ki|| you? Nah, nah, I won’t. Why don’t we make a deal?” He asked.
He bent towards them.
“Your daughter, she’s beautiful and will be very good in bed, isn’t she?” He smiled.
Sebastian’s eyes widened when he got where he was going.
“Don’t you dare touch my daughter,” he warned.
“She’ll surely fetch me a lot of money if I should sell her off as a s*x slave. That would be very nice, right?” He laughed.
“Please don’t” Leah whispered.
“Let them go” they heard a voice.
Marco turned back and his eyes widened as he saw Charles.
“Charles Monterio?” He whispered as he quickly got to his feet.
Charles’s bodyguards entered and quickly surrounded Marco’s men.
Charles looked around the messy restaurant and he clenched his jaw. How dare this bastard?
“How much is your money?” He asked, anger clearly visible in his voice.
“Five hundred thousand dollars” Marco stuttered.
Charles glanced at Lewis and Lewis understood the look immediately. He collected a bag from one of them and walked to Marco.
“That’s your money, make sure you stay out of their life. If I see you anywhere near them, trust me, you’re gonna die” Charles warned.
“Yes, I won’t. You’ll never see me again” Marco said. He collected the bag from Lewis and faced his men.
“What are you fools waiting for? Let’s go!” He shouted.
He faced Charles.
“Thank you so much” he said before leaving the restaurant with his men.
Charles took his attention to Leah and Sebastian who were just watching the scene unfolding in their presence.
“Who are you?” Sebastian asked.
Charles smiled. He faced his men.
“Get the restaurant back to its place” he ordered.
“Why are you helping us?” Leah asked.
“I just wish to,” he said with a smile.
Leah and Sebastian exchanged glances.
****
MONTERIO’S INVESTMENT***
Hailey paced around Charles’ office impatiently. She needed his permission before leaving the office and Charles is nowhere to be found.
She checked her wristwatch and she bit her lips. Time was already moving so fast and she needed to get home as soon as possible to pay Marco’s money before he arrived at their restaurant.
The door opened and Charles entered, she quickly rushed to him.
“Were you waiting for me?” Charles asked.
She quickly nodded.
“Erm…. I need to go home and…” Her phone rang before she could finish her sentence.
“One minute sir” she moved away from him and went to a corner before picking the call.
“I’m on my way mom” she muttered.
“Hailey! There’s good news!” Leah screamed over the phone.
“What?”
“A young man came over to the restaurant and paid our debt to Marco!”
“What are you saying?” Hailey asked.
“He paid our debt and gave us some money! He furnished our restaurant for us and….”
“Are you serious?”
“I am! Your Dad is so happy right now. We’re gonna refund you your money when you’re back. Thank you so much”
Hailey ended the call, staring into space in shock.
“Are you okay?” Charles asked, jolting her back to reality.
She turned to face him.
“Is something wrong?” He asked again.
Hailey stared at him not knowing what to do. She agreed to be his fake girlfriend just so she could pay their debt. But then, someone already paid off their debt.
What was she to do??
****
DEL ROSA’S MANSION***
Stephanie sat in the living room watching a movie. A bowl of popcorn is on her legs.
Alberto entered, he sat beside her.
“I’ll be meeting with Charles Monterio tomorrow,” he said.
At the mention of his name, Stephanie quickly glanced at him.
“Charles? Why?” She asked.
“I need to discuss with him” Alberto quickly said.
Stephanie looked away, pinching her nails very hard. After eight years, she was finally going to meet him again.
TBC