CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

ELLA'S POV

I stood inside the doorway, clutching an envelope stuffed with cash. Four gruff-looking men crowded into our small living room, eyeing me impatiently.

"This is the money," I said, holding out the envelope with a slightly trembling hand. I had sent Susan to collect it from Trent, unable to face him again myself.

One of the men snatched the envelope from my grip and rifled through it, face impassive. After a few tense moments, he looked up. "Fourteen thousand dollars? That's not even a quarter of the payment owed."

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. "I know it's not the full amount, but it's all I could get together on short notice. Please, just take it for now as a show of good faith."

The collector snorted derisively. "Good faith? We don't operate on good faith, little girl. Your old man racked up a massive tab and now it's time to pay the piper."

I felt my cheeks burn with shame and anger at the mention of my father. This was his mess, but my mom and I were