Part 6

Part 6

That night, a fragile calm enveloped Elise’s small family home. The faint scent of blood lingered in the air, mingling with the aroma of rotting wood. Elise guided her father, Eddie, to his room to tend to the wound on his hand. Though the injury wasn’t deep, it was enough to make Eddie wince whenever Elise cleaned it.

A dim lamp on a small table in the corner of the room served as the only light source, casting shadows over Eddie’s face, etched with the lines of age and weariness. Elise worked silently, her hands swift, though her mind churned with unspoken questions.

“Ahh… easy, Elise. You act as if you’re trying to skin me alive!” Eddie grumbled.

Elise offered a faint smile. Her father’s demeanor was as gruff as ever.

“You’d better stay quiet if you can’t handle the pain. This wound is your own doing.”

“Huh, as if I had any other choice. You know they came because of the debt! If I hadn’t faced them, they might have wrecked the entire house.”

Elise paused briefly. “And what’s your plan now? Wait for them to come back tomorrow? Or run away again, like before?”

Eddie scoffed, jerking his hand away from Elise’s grasp. He slumped against the rickety bed, staring at the cracked ceiling.

“I’m not running,” he muttered. “But we need money, Elise. A lot of it. Otherwise, we’re done for. You should’ve brought in more by now.”

Elise took a calming breath. “I’ve been working hard for you and Lily. The wages from Mr. Abraham are enough to cover food and other essentials. We wouldn’t need extra money if you could just manage what we have. But… wait for next month. I only just started today.”

Her words seemed to ignite a spark of anger. Eddie turned to her, his eyes sharp, his face flushed.

“Enough?! You think that’s enough to pay off our debts? You don’t understand anything! They’ll come back, Elise. And next time, they won’t just threaten—they’ll destroy us!”

Eddie’s voice echoed through the cramped room, silencing Elise. She lowered her head, gripping the bandage that she hadn’t yet finished wrapping around his wound.

“I saw that man earlier. The one who gave you a ride home. His car was fancy. His face is familiar to me. I just remembered—he’s Abraham Barack’s grandson, isn’t he? That Mr. Reiner, the one who owns the oil company they’re always talking about in the news.”

Elise froze. There was something heavy in her father’s tone, something beyond mere curiosity. She didn’t want to think too much about it, but she knew how her father’s mind worked.

“You know, Elise, this is a rare opportunity. You live in their house, work for them. You could… get close to him. Reiner must have more than enough money to help us.”

Elise’s voice was firm as she retorted, “Father, I won’t do that. I work for his grandfather, not him. And I refuse to take advantage of anyone. Mr. Reiner is not just anyone.”

Eddie slammed his hand against his knee in frustration.

“You’re as stubborn as your mother! Do you think your pride will save us from ruin? Do you want your sister to grow up like this? With no future? If you don’t do something, we’re all doomed!”

Elise felt a tightness in her chest. She wanted to argue, to scream that all of this was Eddie’s fault, but she knew such words would accomplish nothing. Beneath his anger was a very real fear—a fear of losing everything, including his family’s lives.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Elise finally replied, her voice low but resolute.

“Father, I’ll continue working for Mr. Abraham. That’s the best way to help us. I don’t need help from anyone, especially not Mr. Reiner. I don’t want to get involved in any trouble.”

Eddie let out a dissatisfied grunt but said nothing more. Elise stood, packed up the first-aid kit, and left the room without looking back. When the door closed behind her, tears began streaming silently down her face.

Outside the room, Elise leaned against the cold wall, trying to gather her strength. She knew her father wouldn’t stop pressuring her. And deep down, she began to feel her resolve wavering.

---

Elise sat on the edge of her bed, trying to calm her turbulent thoughts. The small room was her only refuge in a house fraught with conflict. But tonight, even that peace was fleeting. A soft knock on the door pulled her from her reverie.

“Elise, can I come in?”

Elise quickly wiped her tears with the back of her hand, ensuring her face looked composed.

“Of course, come in, sweetheart.”

The door creaked open slowly, revealing Lily Morgan hesitantly stepping inside. The ten-year-old wore simple pajamas, her slightly messy hair framing her small, weary face.

Lily walked closer, stopping in front of Elise. Her round eyes studied her sister carefully.

“Did Father hurt you again?”

Elise froze. The innocent question pierced her heart. Lily was far too young to witness all of this, too small to understand the weight their family carried. Elise forced a faint smile, even though her heart felt heavy.

“No, Father didn’t hurt me. I’m just tired, that’s all,” Elise replied gently.

Lily seemed uncertain, as if she wanted to say something else, but Elise quickly changed the subject.

“Have you had dinner, Lily? If not, we can cook something together.”

Lily’s eyes lit up slightly, though worry still lingered on her face.

“I haven’t eaten yet… but do we still have anything to cook, Kak?”

Elise nodded, standing up and taking Lily’s small hand in hers.

“Let’s go check. I’m sure we can find something to make together.”