"Daddy…", Darlene whined from the door.


    "This is what I have.", she said when she put a piece of paper with numbers scribbled on it. "The stocks will be sold today, and the money will be avable within a few hours. Latest, by tomorrow morning."


    Just by the sound of her voice, Arthur knew that she does not have enough. The only question is: how much is shecking?


    Arthur looked at the numbers and frowned. "You need toe up with six million. This is barely twelve percent of it."


    Darlene pouted. "Daddy, can''t you add to it?"


    Arthur shook his head. "I am scraping toe up with ten million. I don''t think that I can get more than that."


    Darlene looked at her father with displeasure obvious in her expression. "Will you leave me at the mercy of the Whites? Will you allow all those online bullies to drag me through the mud? At this rate, I won''t be able to get out of the house."


    Arthur exhaled, unable to hide his frustration. "At the mercy of Whites? To online bullies? Honey, there are limits on how much I can do. I might be able to fill up the gap for that first million so that you pay one of the two items, but the other five million dors... it''s impossible."


    Darlene gritted her teeth while thinking about her options. No matter what, her father is unwilling to budge. "Fine. Sell one of my apartments. They were more than three million each when we bought them, and the real estate is getting pricier, that should be…", Darlene stopped talking when she saw that Arthur raised his hand.


    "You can''t sell them."


    Darlene didn''t understand. "Why?"


    "Because you signed them off as coteral. I don''t want to think about the consequences if the Whites suspect that you want to sell them."


    Darlene still didn''t get it. Those are her apartments, howe she can''t sell them? "What do you mean?"


    "Until you pay off your debt, those apartments are theirs.", Arthur said matter-of-factly.


    Darlene thought that she is going to pass out. "The coteral is for one million dors. Why did you make me sign for both of them?"


    "Darlene, I was only thinking to get over with it quickly so that we can leave with our heads on our shoulders. However, if you think that I didn''t consider the value, you are mistaken. One would not be enough. It is a sign of your goodwill that you will pay the dues, and if you can''t afford to pay, those apartments are theirs."


    Darlene could not believe that Arthur said with such an ease that she will lose the apartments.


    "You are abandoning me.", Darlene squeezed through her teeth.


    Arthur rolled his eyes. "Why are you seeing me as an enemy? Did I create those scandals? Maybe you can sell to your mother that those are lies, but I know better. And did I tell you to go to the neighbor''s house and insult the Whites? Everything has consequences. And one more thing: each of the apartments is worth more than three million dors, but the bank owns more than half. You can''t say that it''s six million dors when you have on your name less than two. Do I need to remind you that I am the one paying off those loans? The apartments are on your name, but without me, you would lose them a long time ago."


    Darlene snorted. "You gave me those apartments as a present. How can you give up on them so easily? How can..."


    "I don''t have the time to argue with you.", Arthur interrupted her. "What is done is done. I am trying to keep our family from bankruptcy. And if you get your head out of the clouds, you will realize what the priorities are."


    Arthur did the math and he knew that Darlene will not have enough funds. She is ipetent to make her own money; from where will she find six million dors? They own less than two million dors out of those two apartments, and the rest belongs to the bank. Exchanging those two apartments (and Darlene''s reputation) for six million dors, is a good deal (how he sees it).


    Darlene sneered. "Of course, you are the priority. Your reputation. Yourpany. Everything is about you…"


    Arthur banged his fist on the desk angrily. "Enough! Where will you sleep if I can''t pay the bills? What will you eat? What will you wear? Do you think that you are someone important because of those youngsters with whom you are partying? If you think so highly of them, why don''t you ask them for money? But you won''t, because you know that they are good for nothing, just as you are…"


    "Hah! When was thest time you looked in the mirror, my dearest father? How much I know, as soon as the damaging articles started trending, your partners of many years called to say that they will abandon you. Doesn''t that mean that they are good for nothing?"


    "That is business. I would do the same if I am in their position because my familyes first."


    Darlene''s eyes shed in anger. "Hypocrite. If your family is first, why are you sleeping around? If your family is first, why are you not willing to prioritize me and your wife? Even if you abandon your wife, I am your flesh and blood!"


    "I told you it''s about priorities!"


    …


    While Arthur and Darlene are arguing in the study, Gabrie is in the master bedroom.


    Gabrie is sitting on the sofa and staring nkly at the carpet. She ended another phone call with herwyer and is processing all the information while trying to assess her current situation.


    She told her stockbroker to sell her stocks and looked at her ounts to confirm the cash she has avable. Of course, it will note close to five million dors. Who has such an amountying around?


    Even if she has five million dors, it will cost less to leave Das, change her name, and start over. It will mean that she will need to abandon her status and reputation which she built so far, and if this is something that happened yesterday, she would say that there is no way she will do such a thing. However, now her reputation is ruined, and her status which is tied to her marriage crumbled as well, and she is considering that option. Leaving. Starting over. Sounds… liberating.


    That is why she called the bank on the Cayman Inds where she has a private ount which even Arthur does not know about. Since she found out that Arthur is sleeping around, seventeen years ago, Gabrie is secretly depositing money into that ount. Those are her emergency funds.


    The words from the bank employee are still ringing in her ears: "I''m sorry, Mrs. Payne, but there are no funds on that ount… It was emptied yesterday…"


    Herwyer confirmed her fears. There is not much they can do to find who emptied the ount. The bank said that there are no traces of illegal activity, and based on the records from the bank, she did it herself.


    Gabrie exhaled in defeat and dragged herself to the study. Her only option is to get Arthur to pay to save her reputation. Until this mess settles, she can''t afford to leave him, and about everything else, she will thinkter.


    ---


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