Chapter 4.CONFRONTATION.

Confrontation.

It was 10:33 am when the cab pulled up in front of sky investments.

Ivy heaved a deep sigh and tried to stop her trembling hands, but she couldn't. She stood there for the next five minutes instead of going inside. Her first fear stemmed from the fact that her clothes weren't suitable for such a prestigious establishment as sky. How could they be? When she spent all of her paycheck on buying Leon gifts twice a weekend.

She finally took a deep breath and decided to go in, but not before taking one last glance at herself. Oh no, how could she show up like this? She asked herself. Wouldn't she just humiliate herself?

Sky investments was not a company for average people like her. In fact, she was far from average.In reality,Sky Financials was a place where only the wealthy were allowed to go for partnership, and she couldn't fathom how Leon had been able to borrow money from them.

Ivy didn't know what pushed her, but when she got to the door, she didn't hesitate before taking a step inside. Her body began to shake again as the cold air conditioning breeze hit her skin - it had been a while since she had been in such a well-appointed place.

Her skin brushed against the glass door, and she winced in pain. She had almost forgotten about the bruise from the early morning coffee-making incident. Leon had been abusive verbally, physically, and mentally, and had broken her down, even to the point of leaving bruises on her once-flawless skin. And now, some of those bruises, from when he had splashed hot tea on her, had turned into blisters!

She glanced at her hand and felt like she was burning with fury, on the verge of exploding.

Fortunately, the bruises on her body and shoulders had responded well to the ointments she had applied, but the one on her right arm was turning into a full-blown wound. She could only pray that it wouldn't scar.

Ivy had never stepped foot in a building as grand as the one she now found herself in, and the rumours she had heard about the owner made it even more daunting. Reportedly, he was exceedingly wealthy and did not care for the company of women. Well, she had no intention of becoming his 'woman' - all she wanted was more time to pay off her debt.

Despite her fears, Ivy kept walking until she reached the male receptionist's desk. She didn't know how to broach the subject of her debt with this stranger, as it felt deeply awkward to admit to owing money.

"Hello, sir, can I have a moment of your time?" she asked, her voice meek.

The man set aside what he was doing and stepped away with Ivy.

"Sir, can I meet with the owner of this place?" she inquired. The man furrowed his brows in confusion. Typically, only the wealthy and those with exotic cars came to see his boss, and Ivy, dressed in casual clothing, did not fit that mould.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said, "Do you have an appointment with him, or is this regarding a financial matter?"

Ivy was taken aback by his perceptiveness. She shyly nodded, "Yes."

The man flashed her a reassuring smile before leading her to the elevator. "Go to the top floor and head to office one. And don't forget - his name is Mr. Damian.”

When Ivy reached the top floor, she easily located office one, its nameplate clearly visible on the door. To her surprise, there were two individuals stationed at the end of the hallway, not police officers as she had initially assumed, but rather individuals dressed in sombre black robes - likely security or personal guards. Four women stood nearby, engaged in idle chatter.

Ivy hesitated, unsure if she truly had the courage to face the building's formidable owner. What would she even say to him? And what if he refused to grant her more time to repay her debt? The prospect of embarrassing herself was scaring her even more!

Ivy was on the verge of turning back when she felt a pair of eyes upon her. Her heart sank as she saw the women sneering in her direction.

"Look, the local thief has come to pay her dues," one woman jeered, the others erupting in laughter as if it were the height of comedy.

"I think we'll have to hold off on publishing her pictures all over the internet," another woman added, eliciting more cruel laughter.

Ivy felt mortified, realising they had somehow labelled her a criminal, potentially even sharing her image online. Nevertheless, she steeled her nerves and approached the women.

"Excuse me, ladies, may I speak with your boss?" she asked, striving to keep her voice steady.

Ivy wanted nothing more than to disappear from this oppressive environment, but to her relief, one of the women finally acknowledged her.

"Boss, it seems the little guinea pig has crawled out of its dirty hiding place to pay its debts," the woman announced, ushering Ivy into the office.

Ivy swallowed hard as she found herself face-to-face with Damian Forbes, one of the city's wealthiest and most powerful businessmen.

As Ivy gazed upon the man before her, she felt overwhelmed by his commanding presence. Damian Forbes exuded an almost Greek god-like quality, with his well-muscled physique and chiselled features, all elegantly attired in a tailored Louis Vuitton suit.

"I-I'm so sorry, sir, I didn't mean to-" Ivy began when he raised his gaze to her making her lose focus, but Forbes swiftly cut her off.

"How dare you?" he snarled, his eyes brimming with barely contained fury. "You were given fifty days, plus an additional ten days, to repay what you owe, and yet you've kept my money for five months!"

Ivy could scarcely believe what she was hearing. Leon had evidently orchestrated this entire debt, slandering her and leaving her to face the wrath of this formidable businessman. Even the women outside were eyeing her with disdain, as if she were some sort of criminal.

"Young lady, if you've come seeking a resolution or an extension, I'm afraid I'm not interested," Forbes declared, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "You can leave my office now!"

Ivy's entire body trembled as her heart raced. He wouldn't even allow her to explain herself - not that anyone was likely to believe her over Leon's version of events. Dejected, she rose from her seat and made her way towards the exit, the whispers of her being a thief who would spend the rest of her life behind bars ringing in her ears.

As Ivy walked, the voices seemed to echo and multiply in her mind, each one more condemning than the last. Suddenly, she felt a familiar tightness in her chest - her asthma was flaring up, and she had left her inhaler behind. The room began to spin, and Ivy felt her balance slipping. Before she could react, she found herself tumbling to the floor of the elevator,and the doors closing around her.