A Ruthless Debt Collector Cornered Me in an Alley, Unaware of My Real Identity
Previously: When Marcus pinned me against a grungy alley door to collect my late father's debt, he thought I was helpless. He had no idea whose blood ran through my veins.
The Tables Turn
The laughter on the staircase died instantly. The two henchmen straightened up, their hands instinctively moving toward the waistbands of their jeans. Marcus massaged his bruised forearm, his face turning a deep, angry red. He had expected tears; instead, he had received a masterclass in self-defense. He glared at Elena, his ego bruised far worse than his arm.
"You've got spirit, girl," Marcus spat, stepping forward again, though this time with more caution. "But spirit doesn't pay the bills. Your father owed Victor five million dollars. You think you can martial-arts your way out of that kind of debt?"
Elena straightened slightly, keeping her guard up but letting a cold, knowing smile play on her lips. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, sleek silver flash drive, holding it up between two fingers.
"You have it backward, Marcus," Elena said, her voice echoing in the quiet hallway. "Victor didn't loan my father five million dollars. My father loaned Victor five million dollars to jumpstart his entire operation. And this drive contains the complete, unencrypted ledger of every transaction Victor has made over the last decade."
Marcus froze, his eyes locking onto the small silver drive. The two henchmen exchanged nervous, uncertain glances. The bravado that had filled the stairwell moments ago evaporated, replaced by a tense, heavy silence. Elena continued, her voice sharp as glass.
"If this ledger goes public, Victor's partners will realize he's been skimming millions from their joint accounts. He won't just be ruined; he'll be hunted. Now, do you still want to talk about my father's debt?"
Before Marcus could answer, the heavy metal door at the end of the hallway creaked open. A tall man in a tailored charcoal suit stepped into the dim light, flanked by two heavily armed bodyguards. It was Victor. His eyes swept over the scene, landing finally on Elena and the silver drive in her hand. "A very clever bluff, Elena," Victor said smoothly, though his clenched jaw betrayed his anxiety. "But you won't leave this alley alive with that drive."
”"But you won't leave this alley alive with that drive."