Wait, what? Was that a joke?"
I stared into his ocean-blue eyes, utterly confused. His eyes were so beautiful they reminded me of the glittering sea.
He chuckled softly and switched off the car stereo. Looking back at the empty street at dawn, he repeated, "Mrs. Richard, I don't think you understand your current situation. Let me explain."
While running his slender fingers through his velvety, chocolate hair, he continued in a deep, husky voice, "Your husband, Oliver Richard, borrowed around three hundred million dollars from our company last year. So far he's managed to repay only sixty million."
"Three hundred million dollars?"
I gasped. "That's insane. What on earth did he do with it?"
I couldn't believe it. I knew Oliver was in trouble and our family business hadn't been doing well lately, but I never imagined it was this bad. He'd never told me anything.
The young man's voice was calm. "Yes. Mr. Richard missed his pay day for the last two months. I've been ordered to take you hostage until he repays the debt."
"How am I supposed to help?" I asked, trying to explain logically.
"I only have a twenty percent share in my father's company. If you want, I can sell that maybe raise eighty to ninety million-"
"Mrs. Richard, you still don't understand."
He answered me with a cool, unreadable expression. "Your husband is bankrupt with a debt of five hundred and sixty million dollars. His shares, properties and everything in his name has been seized by the government. That means you, as his wife, are his collateral now."
There was a long, brittle silence.
I needed time to process everything. Oliver had hidden everything from me. But why? When I asked him to let me work, he stopped me fiercely. He had been distant and cold for the last four years, yet his warm smile always assured me that everything would be fine soon.
"How? How will we fix this mess now?"
I felt the screams of frustration rising in my throat. I couldn't recall a single friend who could help me. Even Oliver, the man around whom I had built my small, happy universe; suddenly felt like a stranger.
I had never felt so lonely before. I wished I had at least a shoulder to rest my head on, someone to cry to.
With a loud sigh, I broke the silence. "Let me talk to Oliver."
"Not possible," he replied promptly, without even looking at me.
Annoyed, I threatened, "I'll go to the police. I'll drag you to court if you try to— I mean, you can't just take me anywhere you want without even asking me."
Instead of replying, a deep and melodious chuckle escaped him as his mysterious eyes flickered toward me. There was something magnetic in his gaze. Each time he looked at me, my heart skipped a beat. I felt nervous and shy to maintain eye contact. His dominant aura was so overpowering that it tangled my thoughts and silenced my words.
It wasn't fear or anger I felt toward him. It was something unfamiliar, something dangerously new.
He suddenly opened the glovebox while steering with his other hand. Instantly, the gleam of a pistol caught my eye. My nerves tensed instinctively.
"Are you threatening to kill me?" I asked in a trembling voice.
"No," he replied nonchalantly. "Do I look that stupid to you? If I kill you now, who will pay my money?"
"Exactly. It's better if you let me talk to my husband-"
Cutting me off mid-sentence, he handed me a bunch of legal papers. "Read this. It's the last deal your husband signed with us."
I took my time reading the documents, only to realize they were nothing but a death sentence for me. Oliver! That bastard had used me as a pawn for his selfish greed. My whole married life crumbled before my eyes when I saw our signatures on the final page of the contract.
Yes, my signature was there too.
In short, the contract stated that Oliver had borrowed 300 million dollars, mortgaging our house and my 20% shares in my father's company, Spencers & Co. He had even agreed to a clause declaring that if he failed to repay, I would serve as the main collateral and be equally responsible for the debt, at any cost.
The company was allowed to do anything with me if I couldn't return the money. The clauses were written so explicitly that not even the police or law could protect me.
"When did I sign these papers? Damn!" I muttered, clutching my head in frustration. My temples throbbed as I groaned, "How could I be this stupid?"
The mysterious man laughed softly and his tone was laced with mockery. "So naïve! Who signs legal documents without reading them? Did you trust your husband that blindly?"
"Shut up!" I snapped, glaring at the papers in my trembling hands.
"What happens if I can't pay you back?" I asked, my voice was cracking. "Are you going to kill me and Oliver?"
"No way. Death can't pay us back, ma'am," he said casually.
"Then?"
"You'll pay by staying alive for us." A faint, knowing smile curved his lips. "You've got two kidneys, a liver, lungs, a heart, gallons of blood and especially those two beautiful eyes. Aren't you worth more than 300 million already, Doctor? What does your experience say?"
A thin chill hung on the edge of his words.
I flinched at his tone and tried to sound composed. "T-that's illegal. You can't just sell organs like-"
He winked at me playfully, cutting me off again. "Who told you we only do legal business? You're really inattentive, Mrs. Richard. It seems you didn't read our company's name properly."
I hastily looked down at the papers in my hand and the color drained from my face along with my last ray of hope.
I whispered in sheer, black fright, "Voss Vault."