After Marchos Alexander and Mr. Jack left the office, the atmosphere fell silent once more. Only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard, slow yet striking against Mr. Michael's heart like a hammer of iron.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. His breathing was heavy. All this time, he had tried to maintain a calm face in front of everyone. But the truth was, the Mega Holdings empire had long been standing on the edge of ruin.
Since the beginning of the year, the company's stocks had plummeted sharply due to failed investments in Canada and Japan. The market changed quickly, while the projects he planned required time and money. A lot of it.
He had already sold several small subsidiaries Mega Shipping, Mega Textiles, even properties in Paris just to cover the endless losses. But the hole was too deep. The more he tried to patch it, the deeper it pulled him into a dark abyss.
Mr. Michael stared at the financial file on his desk. The red numbers glared back at him. His hand trembled slightly.
"I've tried everything…" he whispered softly.
He remembered the times when his late wife was still alive, the woman who always calmed him whenever he was on the verge of giving up. But now, he was all alone.
And earlier... Marchos Alexander had come with a cruel offer. Yet behind that threat, Mr. Michael knew the man wasn't lying. If the financial report were to leak, Mega Holdings would collapse within days.
He lowered his head and pressed a hand to his forehead. Between saving his family's name and legacy... or saving his daughter from a man like Marchos Alexander.
"Rosey…"
The name left his lips faintly. Just saying it made his chest tighten.
He knew his daughter had long drifted away because of old misunderstandings, and the resentment he himself had built through his pride. But if he let Marchos Alexander have Dyana Rosey, he would lose everything not only his company but also his dignity as a father.
Yet if he refused, Mega Holdings would fall, and thousands of his employees would lose their jobs.
Between a father's love and a leader's burden, Mr. Michael was now trapped in Marchos Alexander's cunning game, a game with only one winner.
***
Dyana Rosey stood before the large mirror in her room, fixing a loose strand of hair that had fallen onto her shoulder. Her gaze was empty. Deep inside, she knew she could no longer stay in that house.
She picked up her handbag from the table, and before leaving, her eyes fell upon her mother's portrait, Giselle hanging on the wall. Her smile was bittersweet, her eyes glistening.
"Ma… Rosey has to go. Papa doesn't want me here anymore," she whispered softly.
In the living room, Mr. Gray was already waiting, his face filled with concern.
"Miss Dyana, please stay another day or two," the old man pleaded gently. "Mr. Michael will surely soften his heart soon."
Dyana Rosey shook her head, holding back the ache in her chest.
"No, Uncle Gray. Papa won't change. It's better if I leave before things get worse."
Mr. Gray could only sigh deeply. He knew the girl had made up her mind. With heavy steps, Dyana Rosey walked out of the house.
She hailed a taxi by the roadside. Throughout the ride, her mind swirled with her father's face, her mother's face all spinning endlessly in her thoughts.
When she arrived at her rented home, she paid the fare and got out. But her steps froze instantly.
In front of the small gate stood an old man in a worn-out jacket. His hair was messy, his face weary, and his eyes bloodshot as if he hadn't slept all night. He stood rigidly, glancing around in restless agitation.
Who's that man? Dyana Rosey's heart whispered.
She approached slowly, trying to speak but before she could say anything, the man suddenly strode toward her and gripped her shoulder harshly.
"Where's Emma?!" he barked, his voice deep and trembling with anger. "Tell her to come out now! I want to see her!"
Dyana Rosey froze, her body stiff.
"Sir, please let me go! I don't know who you are! Calm down!" she said anxiously.
But his grip only tightened until her shoulder hurt. Dyana Rosey tried to push him away, but she didn't have the strength.
"Don't lie to me!" the man shouted again. "Emma's here, isn't she?! She thinks she can run from me?!"
Dyana Rosey trembled with fear. Her eyes darted around, hoping someone would pass by. But the area was quiet, only the evening wind blowing, brushing against her scattered hair.
Who is this man? Why is he looking for Emma? What's going on?
Her heartbeat quickened, her breath came shallow.
The sound of a taxi pulling up in front of the house caught Emma's attention just as she returned home. But her steps halted when she saw an old man gripping Dyana Rosey's shoulder roughly in the yard.
"Dad?" Emma's voice caught in her throat.
The man turned slowly his face disheveled, eyes bloodshot, clothes rumpled. "You…" he rasped, but there was no warmth in his tone. "I need money. Now. A lot."
Emma frowned. "Money? Dad, I don't have any…"
Kevin , Emma's father stomped his foot on the ground, his face flushed red. "Don't lie to me! You think I'm stupid?!" he yelled, stepping closer to her.
Dyana Rosey, who had been frozen all this while, quickly stepped forward. "Sir, please calm down. Don't yell at Emma—"
But her words stopped as Kevin turned sharply toward her, his eyes wild. "Shut up! This is between me and my daughter!"
Emma trembled, tears welling in her eyes. "Dad… I transfer money to your account every month. Isn't that enough? What do you need the money for? To buy those illegal things again?"
Kevin closed his eyes for a moment, his breath ragged. "If I don't pay off that debt, I'll die, Emma! They'll kill me! I just need a little more time…"
Dyana Rosey looked at him with sympathy. Now she realized — it wasn't just anger on his face, but fear and deep desperation.
But the strong smell of alcohol, the trembling hands, the unsteady tone all told her one thing:
Kevin wasn't just desperate. He had long been consumed as a slave to drugs and endless debt.
"Please, Dad… I don't have that much money," Emma's voice quivered, barely leaving her lips. Her eyes shimmered with shame and pain.
She could feel Dyana Rosey's gaze behind her gentle, but enough to make her heart shatter even more. She couldn't bear it. She didn't want Dyana Rosey to see the dark side of her family she had tried so hard to hide.
Kevin let out a hollow laugh, one that chilled the air. "You're my daughter, Emma! Don't pretend you can't help! I'm desperate!" His voice echoed through the quiet evening.
"Dad, stop…" Emma's voice broke. Tears finally streamed down her cheeks. "You're embarrassing me… in front of my friend."
Dyana Rosey stepped closer, slowly. "Emma… it's okay, I understand."
But Emma quickly shook her head, looking down, her shoulders trembling. "Don't, Dyan… please. Don't say anything."
Dyana Rosey fell silent. It wasn't the time for words. Only Kevin's desperate pleas and Emma's quiet sobs filled the air blending into a silence heavy with wounds and secrets.
"I'll try to get the money," Dyana Rosey said softly, but clearly enough for both Kevin and Emma to hear.
Kevin, who had looked so desperate moments ago, suddenly lifted his head, eyes wide in disbelief. In an instant, he stepped forward and gripped Dyana Rosey's wrist tightly.
"Really? You'll help me?" His voice was hoarse, trembling with both hope and greed.
Dyana Rosey winced in pain but nodded slowly. "Yes… I'll try."
Beside them, Emma shook her head furiously, her eyes red with fear. "Dyan, don't! He's not… he's not the father you think he is. Don't get involved, please…"
But Dyana Rosey looked at her calmly, signaling her to stay still. "I know what I'm doing, Emma."
Kevin smiled a smile that brought no comfort to anyone there. "Alright! I'll come back for it later." His voice was full of excitement, like a man who'd just found a reason to live again.
Without waiting for a response, he hurried off, his footsteps fading into the heavy silence.
Dyana Rosey lowered her head and took a deep breath, while Emma stood frozen caught between anger, sorrow, and dread over what would happen next.
"Dyana! Do you even know how much money he just asked for?" Emma's voice cracked with panic, tears glimmering in her eyes. "That amount… that amount could buy a car, Dyan! A car!"
Dyana Rosey said nothing. She simply lowered her gaze and held Emma's trembling hands, trying to calm her. "It's okay, Emma. I'll find a way…" she said softly, her tone gentle yet firm.
But her words only made Emma break down completely. Her sobs burst out, shoulders shaking, her voice drowned in heart-wrenching cries.
"I'm sorry, Dyan," Emma said between sobs. "I didn't want you to know any of this. I'm so ashamed… so ashamed."
Dyana Rosey froze. She had never seen Emma this broken before.
Emma wiped her tears, but more kept falling. "My dad… he's not like other fathers. He's a drug addict, Dyan. He's been in and out of prison so many times. I'm tired, but I can't hate him. He's still my father…"
Silence filled the room. Only Emma's quiet sobs echoed through the small living space.
Dyana Rosey moved closer and wrapped her arms around Emma tightly. "I understand, Emma. You don't have to apologize. You're just trapped between love and disappointment."
The hug lasted long. Neither spoke. They simply let their emotions flow freely in the quiet of the night.
And deep in Dyana Rosey's heart, she knew that night wasn't just about debt and money but about secrets, pain, and a love that never truly dies, no matter how dark things become.