Three Months Earlier
The first notice came on a Tuesday.
Mia found it pinned to her apartment door, a folded piece of paper, wet from the rain.
FINAL WARNING.
Her stomach turned before she even opened it. She didn't have to. She knew what it said.
For weeks now, men had been showing up at odd hours, leaving messages, calling from strange numbers. At first, she tried ignoring them, then blocking them. But it didn't matter. They always found her.
That night, she sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her brother's old photo on the table. He was smiling and carefree, the way he always was before everything fell apart.
"Why did you leave me with this?" she whispered.
He had taken the loan two years ago, trying to keep his small auto shop open. Then came the accident, the bills, and the silence. The debt didn't die with him.
Now, it was hers. No one cared if she didn't know anything about it or had nothing to do with it. All they cared about was her repaying it.
A soft knock echoed through the apartment.
Mia froze, her heart dropping to her stomach.
Another knock came again, and it was louder this time.
She stood up slowly, her pulse racing. "Who is it?" she asked in a shaky tone.
No answer came, just a third knock.
She reached for the door, half-hoping it was a mistake. But when she opened it, three people stood in the hallway.
A man in a leather jacket, with tall, sharp eyes and a scar cutting across his cheek. Beside him, another man chewing gum and smirking. And in front, a woman with long dark hair, red lipstick, and was calm as stone.
"Mia Lewis?" the woman asked.
"Who is asking?" Mia replied. It was hard to hide her fear in her tone as she spoke.
The woman smiled faintly. "Good you must be her, Saves us time." Before Mia could say anything or try to close her door, the woman stepped inside like she owned the place. The two men immediately followed her in.
"I'm Jessa," she said, setting a folder on the table. "These are my associates, Rico and Blaine. You know why we're here."
Mia swallowed hard. "Look, I'm trying to..."
Jessa held up a hand. "Your brother owed us one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. He's gone. That makes you the next of kin."
"I don't have that kind of money," Mia whispered, her face already pale. She could tell this people weren't here to joke around. if they could find her so easily, then anyone could.
"We know." Jessa's tone didn't change. "But we're not unreasonable. There's another way."
She opened the folder and slid a photo across the table.
Mia looked down and froze.
It was a man's face. Sharp jaw, cold grey eyes, expression unreadable. She recognized him immediately, Max Hult.
The name alone sent a ripple through her memory. Everyone in the city knew it. Billionaire. CEO. Ghost. The man who avoided the spotlight so completely that people joked he was allergic to it. She had only heard about him because of how much people gossiped about him and how he truly was, but she had never fully paid attention to matters regarding him. her plates were full with her own matters.
Mia frowned. "What does he have to do with this?"
Jessa leaned forward. "He has something that belongs to us. Documents. Hidden in his estate. We've tried to get them, but he's… careful. Private. Untouchable."
She paused, her lips curling into a cold smile. "That's where you come in."
Mia shook her head immediately. "No. I don't even know him."
she didn't want to know what all this was all about and what they wanted her to do. she wished they would just leave and leave her alone.
"You will." jessa said in an icy tone. the look in her eyes made Mia's stomach churn.
"I'm not doing this..."
Before Mia could finish speaking, Blaine slammed his fist against the wall, making her flinch.
Jessa didn't even blink. "You owe us, sweetheart. We're giving you a chance to clear that debt. One year. Get close to Max Hult. Find the documents. Bring them to us. Then you walk away free."
Mia's throat tightened. "And if I don't?"
Rico smirked. "Then we start collecting piece by piece."
The silence stretched. The sound of the rain outside grew louder.
Finally, Mia whispered, "How am I supposed to get close to a man like that?"
Jessa closed the folder, stood up, and adjusted her coat. "He'll be attending a charity event two nights from now. Rare occasion. He shows up every year, writes a check, and leaves. That's your opening. you just need to be there. we will give you instructions on everything you need to do from now on"
She reached into her bag and handed Mia a small envelope. Inside was a forged invitation and a photo of the event location.
"You'll go. You'll make him notice you. Do whatever it takes. I don't care."
Mia stared at her, her heart pounding like crazy in her chest. "And if he doesn't?"
Jessa's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Then you'd better start running."
_________
Mia didn't sleep for the next two nights. How could she.
She sat by the window, watching the city lights, her brother's photo beside her. She told herself there had to be another way, that maybe she could find the money or disappear. But deep down, she knew the truth. They'd never let her go. They made sure to call her to remind her that backing out wasn't an option and they would find her everywhere she went.
By the time Saturday came, she had made up her mind.
She found a dress at a thrift shop. A soft blue satin, a little too tight at the waist but still decent. She borrowed a pair of heels from her neighbour and tied her hair back with trembling hands.
When she looked in the mirror, she saw someone else staring back. Someone desperate enough to gamble her life.