THE CRUSHING DEBT

Chapter 1: The Crushing Debt

Elena Carter sat on the couch, staring blankly at the unopened envelopes piled on the coffee table. Her hands trembled as she reached for one, slowly tearing it open. Her heart pounded as her eyes skimmed over the words stamped in bold red ink:

FINAL NOTICE: PAYMENT OVERDUE

A lump formed in her throat. She reached for another envelope. The message was the same. Overdue. Debt. Legal action pending.

Her fingers tightened around the papers, her breath coming in quick, uneven gasps. This couldn’t be happening.

The Carter family had always lived comfortably. Not extravagantly, but they never had to worry about money. Her father, Richard Carter, had built Carter Industries from the ground up, turning it into a respected company. It wasn’t a billion-dollar empire, but it provided for them. Or at least, it had.

Now, everything was crumbling.

Elena looked up as her father entered the room. He looked exhausted. His once-strong shoulders were slumped, and the lines on his face seemed deeper than ever. His usual sharp gaze was dull, filled with worry and regret.

“Dad,” she whispered. “What’s going on?”

Richard let out a long sigh and sank into the armchair across from her. He rubbed his temples before meeting her gaze.

“It’s bad, Elena,” he admitted. “Worse than I ever imagined.”

Elena swallowed hard. “How bad?”

Her father hesitated before pulling out a folder from his briefcase. He handed it to her without a word.

With shaky hands, she opened it. Her eyes widened as she took in the numbers. Millions of dollars in debt. Loans they couldn’t pay back. Notices from investors pulling out.

Her head spun. “Dad… how did this happen?”

Richard exhaled heavily. “The market shifted. We had a few bad deals, and then… everything spiraled. I tried to hold on, but the banks won’t help us anymore. We’re out of time.”

Elena’s mind raced. “Can’t we sell some assets? Restructure the company?

Her father shook his head. “We’ve already sold everything we could. And restructuring takes timetime we don’t have.”

Elena gripped the folder tightly. “What about the house?”

Richard’s silence was answer enough.

Tears stung her eyes. “No… Dad, this is our home.

“I know,” he said, his voice full of guilt. “But the bank is repossessing it. We have a few weeks at most.”

Elena clenched her fists. This wasn’t fair. They had worked so hard, and now they were losing everything.

“There has to be something we can do,” she said desperately.

Richard hesitated again, his fingers tapping against the armrest.

“There is… one way,” he said slowly.

Elena frowned. “What do you mean?”

Her father leaned forward, his face grim. “I had a meeting today with Damien Sterling.”

Elena’s stomach twisted at the name. Everyone knew who Damien Sterling was. He was one of the most powerful businessmen in the country—a billionaire, ruthless in business, feared by his competitors.

“What does he have to do with this?” she asked warily.

Richard hesitated. “He’s willing to make our debt disappear.”

Elena narrowed her eyes. “Why would he do that?”

Richard’s expression darkened. “He wants something in return.”

A cold sense of dread settled in her chest. “What?”

Her father took a deep breath before answering. “He wants you, Elena.”

Silence filled the room.

Elena’s heart pounded. “What do you mean he wants me?”

“He wants to marry you,” Richard said quietly.

Elena shot up from the couch, disbelief washing over her. “Are you joking?”

Richard shook his head. “I wish I was.”

Elena let out a hollow laugh. “You can’t be serious! Why would a man like Damien Sterling want to marry me?”

Her father looked down, avoiding her gaze. “I don’t know all the details. But he’s offering to pay off everything—our debts, your mother’s medical bills, even the house. If you agree to marry him, we won’t lose everything.”

Elena felt like she was drowning. “And what if I say no?”

Her father’s expression darkened. “Then we lose everything.”

Elena’s hands trembled. “So, my choices are marry a man I don’t even know or watch my family fall apart?”

Richard looked at her helplessly. “I wouldn’t ask this of you if there was another way.”

Elena felt a rush of anger. “You already asked! You went to him and made this deal without telling me!

“I was desperate, Elena,” Richard said, his voice breaking. “I thought… I thought maybe you’d consider it.”

Elena turned away, her mind racing. This wasn’t just a marriage—it was a business transaction. A contract. A deal with a man who was known for his ruthless nature.

And yet… could she really let her family lose everything?

She thought about her mother, lying in a hospital bed, unaware of how close they were to losing it all. She thought about the house—the memories, the laughter, the love that filled it. Could she really stand by and watch it all disappear?

She swallowed hard. “What does he get out of this?”

Her father hesitated before answering. “A wife. A partner in name.”

Elena clenched her fists. “There’s more to it than that.”

“I don’t know the details,” Richard admitted. “But he wants you, Elena. And he’s willing to pay any price to make it happen.”

Elena felt sick.

She had always believed in love. In marrying someone she actually cared about. Now, she was being asked to give that up—for money.

She took a deep breath. “I need time to think.”

Richard nodded. “Of course.”

But deep down, Elena knew the truth.

She didn’t have time.

And no matter what choice she made, her life would never be the same again.