1. Debt and Despair

Elena's POV.

I could feel the tension in the cramped apartment, the walls almost closing in as I stood in the small kitchen, stirring a pot of instant ramen. The smell of cheap noodles mingled with the stale air, making my stomach churn. My brother Marcus burst through the door, the heavy thud sounding through the tiny space, and I prepared myself for the storm.

“Why can’t you do anything right, Elena?” His voice boomed, filled with frustration and something darker, something I had come to recognize as hatred. “Look at this mess! You’re just a bad luck charm, you know that? Ever since Mom and Dad…”

“Shut up!” I snapped, spinning around to face him, my heart racing. “You don’t get to blame me for their deaths! I didn’t ask them to drive that night!”

He stepped closer, his face a mask of rage, fists clenched at his sides. “You think you’re so innocent? They died because of you! All because you were too spoiled to take care of yourself! They went to cater to your whims, and look what happened!”

His words felt like daggers, sharp and precise, aimed right at my heart. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, with anger and hurt. “You think it’s my fault? You’re the one who’s failed us, Marcus! You’re just a jobless old fool sitting around, cursing the world instead of doing something about it! Look at you!”

He grabbed a nearby chair, his face twisted in a fury and desperation, and flung it across the room. It shattered against the wall, sending splinters flying. “You’re nothing but a burden! I’ve got debts piling up because of you, and all you do is sit there and mope! I’m drowning, and you’re dragging me down with you!”

I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the flying debris, my heart racing as adrenaline coursed through my veins. “Maybe if you actually tried to find a job instead of blaming me for everything, we wouldn’t be in this mess! You can’t just sit here and drink all day, pretending everything will magically fix itself!”

His eyes darkened with contempt “I should have left you behind with those deadbeat parents of ours! Maybe then I wouldn’t be cursed to live with you! You’re the reason we’re living in this dump!”

I couldn’t hold back the laugh that escaped my lips, sharp and bitter. “Cursed? You think you’re the only one suffering here? You think I wanted to live like this? Newsflash, Marcus! I was a kid, and you were supposed to look out for me! But you just stand there and throw your tantrums like a child.”

His face turned crimson, veins pulsing at his temples. “You don’t know anything about suffering! You were too busy being a spoiled little brat, and now you think you’re entitled to lecture me? You’re pathetic!”

“Pathetic?” I shot back, stepping forward, fury igniting my every word. “Look in the mirror! You’re a deadbeat loser who’s too afraid to step outside and face reality! You think yelling at me will make your problems disappear? It’s time to grow up, Marcus!”

We stood there, locked in a battle of wills, the silence heavy with our unresolved anger. I could see the fury boiling just beneath his pale skin, a reminder of how far we’d fallen from the lives we once had. My breath came in sharp bursts, the heat of the moment igniting every nerve in my body. I was done being his punching bag.

“Get out of my way,” he finally hissed, shoving past me with enough force to knock me slightly off balance. “I have things to do.”

I stared at his back as he retreated to his room, my heart pounding in my chest. I wanted to scream, to cry, to let the anger and hurt pour out of me. But instead, I clenched my fists, knowing I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

“Fine, Marcus. But I won’t be your scapegoat forever,” I whispered to the empty kitchen, the echo of his insults still ringing in my ears. This was my life now, a chaotic mess of anger, resentment, and the fading memories of what once was.

I was still fuming from the argument with Marcus when a loud crash echoed through the apartment, pulling me from my thoughts. I instinctively glanced toward the front door, my heart racing. It sounded like something, or someone, had just been thrown against the wall.

I rushed out of the kitchen and into the living room, my pulse pounding in my ears. What I saw made my stomach drop. Four hefty men in black suits surrounded Marcus, their faces dangerous menacing. Marcus was backed against the wall, his expression shifting from anger to fear as he struggled to come up with some excuse.

“What do you want?” he stammered, his boldness faltering. “I told you I’ll get you the money!”

The largest of the men stepped forward, his voice a low growl. “You told us that last week, Marcus. But you still haven’t paid up. You’re running out of time.”

“Just give me a little more time!” Marcus pleaded, his hands trembling as he tried to push past the men. “I swear, I’ll have it for you by next week. I…”

Before he could finish, the brute in front of him swung a fist, connecting with Marcus’s jaw. The sickening sound of bone meeting flesh filled the room. Marcus staggered back, pain spreading across his features as he crumpled to the floor.

“Don’t waste our time with your pathetic excuses,” another man snarled, grabbing Marcus by the collar and lifting him off the ground. “You either pay up within 24 hours, or you can say goodbye to this life.”

I couldn’t stand there and watch any longer. “Let him go!” I screamed, rushing out of the apartment and into it all. “You can’t do this to him!”

The men turned to look at me, their expressions were of surprise and amusement. “And who are you?” one of them scoffed, narrowing his eyes at me.

“I’m his sister! You can’t just hurt him like this!” I felt the adrenaline coursing through my veins, and I moved forward, ready to defend Marcus despite my own fears.

The largest man sneered, a cruel smile spreading across his lips. “Your brother is in deep trouble, sweetheart. It’s too late for him to play the innocent card.”

“Shut up! You don’t know anything about us!” I yelled, my voice rising as I faced them defiantly.

The man holding Marcus tossed him back to the floor like he was nothing more than a rag doll. “Your brother has twenty-four hours to find our boss's money. Otherwise, he’ll take a quick visit to hell and stay there.”

Marcus groaned on the floor, clutching his jaw, and I could see the humiliation on his face. “I…I can get it!” he gasped, his boldness shattered as the pain of the blows sank in. “Just… Please, give me more time!”

They ignored him, stepping closer, towering over him like predators. “We don’t do second chances. You know the rules.”

Without warning, the biggest one swung a kick at Marcus’s side, and he cried out, the sound echoing painfully in the hallway. “If we don’t see that money by tomorrow, you’ll wish you hadn’t crossed us.”

The men laughed coldly, clearly enjoying the spectacle. I felt my heart hammering in my chest, fury mixing with fear as I screamed, “Get away from him! Leave him alone!”

But it was like I wasn’t even there. They stepped back, the leader tossing a glance over his shoulder as they began to walk away. “Time’s ticking, Marcus. Don’t keep us waiting.”

With that, they turned and walked toward the door, leaving Marcus groaning on the floor, his face bruised and battered. I rushed to his side, kneeling down, desperate to help him. “Marcus, are you okay?”

He grimaced, trying to push himself up but collapsing back to the floor. “I’ll be fine,” he muttered through gritted teeth, but his eyes were filled with pain and humiliation. “Just… go back inside, Elena. It’s nothing.”

“Nothing?” I shot back, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “They just beat you up! What were you thinking getting involved with those men?”

He glared at me, frustration spreading across his features. “What do you know about it? You’re just a spoiled brat!”

“Maybe I was spoiled, but that doesn’t mean I deserve to watch you get killed because of your mistakes!” I was yelling now, my voice cracking with emotion. “You need to do something about this, Marcus! You need to fix it!”

He buried his face in his hands, groaning in defeat. “I can’t,” he whispered, his voice muffled. “I don’t have the money. I don’t know what to do…”

Just then, I heard the roar of engines outside as the men in black suits piled into their cars. They sped off, leaving us in a silence that felt heavier than the blows Marcus had taken. I glanced down at my brother, who lay on the floor, b

roken and defeated.

“Great,” I muttered, my heart racing with fear. “What now?”