Chapter 3 Allison's Choice

Alex dropped me off at my doorstep. "Allison, can I stay over tonight?" he asked, wrapping me in a hug, his blond hair brushing against my neck before he planted a tender kiss.

With my hectic schedule, Alex and I hadn't been able to spend much time together recently. However, with my younger siblings still needing care, I had to decline his request. I offered him a reassuring kiss before he left, a tinge of sadness clouding his expression.

Then, I went to check the mail. Among the bills, I found another notice from the hospital regarding my mother's treatment. Just as I began to review it, the hospital called.

"Sorry to bother you, Ms. Claire. We have sent the bills for your mother's treatment. If payment is delayed, we may need to halt her treatment," the hospital employee informed me before abruptly ending the call.

Gazing at the bills, I pondered how many of these warnings I had received. Despite my efforts to stabilize our finances, it felt like an endless struggle. My income from dancing barely covered my siblings' education fees or my mother's medical expenses. It was becoming evident that I needed a new part-time job.

Stepping inside, aiming to rest briefly before fetching Olivia and Daniel from Susan's care, I was met with an unexpected scene in the living room.

Olivia and Daniel were clinging to each other, tears streaming down their cheeks. Seated on the sofa was John, a creditor to whom I had turned to after my father's bankruptcy to pay off the workers' wages.

Having agreed to make monthly repayments to John, coupled with high interest rates, I understood the implications. But all I knew was that it was a compromise to prevent the workers from suffering due to my father's financial collapse.

"Hello, Allison, lovely to see you back early. Your siblings have been missing their big sister," John remarked smugly, reclining on the couch and casting a disdainful glance in my direction. "Where's this month's payment?" he demanded.

"Today isn't our scheduled payment day. Why are you here?" I attempted to reach Olivia and Daniel but was blocked by John's lackeys.

"I've changed my mind. The entire debt, along with the agreed interest, needs settling now," John declared, motioning for his men to separate Olivia and Daniel.

"No, don't take us apart, Daniel! Allison, help us!" Olivia sobbed, her eyes pleading with me for assistance.

"John!" I shouted, my anger boiling over. "What do you want?"

"I want my money. And since you can't cough it up, I've got a proposition for you," John replied, rising to his feet and walking towards Daniel.

"Those New York gangsters from Hells would pay big bucks for this kid. He can't squeal since he can't talk. Perfect for slipping stuff by undetected, huh? A mute kid is just a burden to you. Selling him would lift some weight off your shoulders, wouldn't it?" John proposed callously.

I had never heard of such a despicable idea. Daniel was my brother. He had gone quiet after our parents' accident, not because of anything he had done. He was only six years old, yet here was John, suggesting I sell him.

"John!" I intervened, attempting to push him away from Olivia and Daniel. "You're not taking Daniel. If you want him, over my dead body, you jerk!" I declared fiercely.

In the commotion, John struck me across the face. The pain seared through my cheek, but I stood my ground, glaring at him with defiance.

It seemed my fierceness unnerved him. He cursed and kicked the coffee table in frustration. "Alright, Allison. I'll give you some extra time, maybe five days. If you still can't pay up by then, my guys will take your sister and brother away."

Realizing I wouldn't surrender my siblings, John left with a final threat and a chilling smirk.

I sank to the floor once he had left, drained of energy. Olivia and Daniel rushed to me, embracing me tightly, trembling with fear.

Summoning whatever strength I had left, I kissed their foreheads and reassured them, "Everything will be okay."

Susan cautiously entered, verifying that the intruders had left. Upon seeing they were gone, she breathed a sigh of relief. Guilt weighed heavily in her gaze as she spoke up. "I'm so sorry, Allison. Those thugs barged in and took Olivia and Daniel while I was out with them. I couldn't stop them."

Shaking my head, I assured her that it wasn't her fault.

After comforting Susan and seeing her off to rest, I tucked Olivia and Daniel into bed. They had cried and trembled from the terror, utterly exhausted. Eventually, they drifted off to sleep.

I dialed several relatives for help, but no one picked up. As I scanned through my contacts, Emily James's name popped up.

She was Alex's mom and had been unhappy with me dating Alex following my family's financial downfall.

Apprehensive about the potential strain on our relationship and Alex's position, I hesitated to reach out. Yet, Emily was my best shot among my contacts to help me out of this predicament.

"Hello, Mrs. James, it's Allison Claire. Do you remember me... Well, I'm Alex's girlfriend." I introduced myself as she answered.

"Well, well, Allison. It seems like you're in a tight spot to be calling me." Emily's voice was cold. "I heard about the financial mess you couldn't handle after your dad's bankruptcy."

"Yes, Mrs. James. Sorry to trouble you, but my creditors threatened to take my siblings if I can't clear the debt. I really need your help," I implored, aiming for sincerity. I didn't want her to think I was using Alex as leverage. I just needed a hand. "I promise to work hard and repay you as soon as possible. I just need a little help."

Unfortunately, Emily turned me down, her tone icy as if I were a stranger. "It's not a good idea, Allison. I've never approved of Alex's involvement with you. If you loved him, you'd break up with him. You and your family are a burden to him."

With that, she abruptly ended the call, leaving me feeling ashamed.

Desperate, I reached out to my college pals, only to be immediately disconnected once they identified the caller.

This wasn't new since my family's financial collapse. I was starting to grow numb to it. Taking deep breaths, I urged myself to remain composed. The dance troupe payment was on its way. First, I'd allocate it for my mom's medical expenses. Her treatment couldn't be interrupted—her life depended on it!

Next, I had to hustle to gather the loan amount within five days to prevent John from taking Olivia and Daniel from me.

Walking back and forth in the room, I called the dance troupe leader to double-check the payment status and inquired about any upcoming dance gigs.

Following the leader's promise to scout for new gigs, I grabbed my phone and browsed for quick-paying part-time jobs.

While pacing around, I accidentally stepped on my bag, which had been thrown to the ground during the earlier chaos, spilling its contents.

"Ah, shoot!" I grumbled, bending down to gather the scattered items. Among them, I spotted a business card.

It was Damien's card, tossed into my bag before I left the mansion.

As I held the card, a daring idea sparked in my mind—what if I sought help from Damien?

It would hurt Alex, but I was running out of options. Money was the only thing that could save my family. With Emily and Alex out of reach for aid, I had no one else to rely on.

Taking a deep breath, I hesitated briefly before dialing Damien's number. As the call connected, his voice greeted me. "Allison?" he acknowledged, certain it was me. "Glad you made the call."

"Damien, I... I'm sorry." I stumbled over my words.

"I suppose you need my help, sweetheart," he surmised.

It appeared that Damien was already aware of my predicament, which was unsurprising, given his status as a billionaire and our family's financial downfall.

"I understand your situation. You know what? I happen to be in need of a steady companion. Perhaps you'd reconsider my previous offer," he suggested, his voice as smooth yet alluring. "If you agree... I believe we'd be a perfect match."

His persuasion helped me reach a decision. Damien shared his hotel address before we concluded the call.

Now, a choice lay ahead of me.