Chapter 109 Completely Broke
Chapter 109 Completely Broke
Danika's Pov.
There was a sudden, heavy pause on the other end of the line, the warmth instantly draining from her tone. "Victoria? Did she come to the building? Oh, layout a warning, Danika. That woman is a storm."
"She was just here, and she caused a massive scene," I explained, keeping the details about the police close to my chest for now. "Please, tell me what's going on with her."
Elena let out a tired, elegant sigh. "Victoria has been living abroad in Europe for a very long while, running from her own failed investments, to be quite frank. But she came back to the country a few months ago, completely out of the blue, claiming she wanted to start up a brand-new local business. A manufacturing or wellness venture, I believe. For the first few months, she claimed the business was going exceptionally well. She was boasting about it constantly to the family. But just recently... things took a turn. I heard from a mutual contact that her main distribution partner pulled out, leaving her in massive, catastrophic debt."
It made sense that it was like this. However, my problem was how they were able to get Lysander's signature. But first, I have to see Victoria.
"Mom," I said, my voice turning incredibly cold and sharp. "Can you give me Victoria's current home address right now? Please?”
Elena hesitated for a fraction of a second, her instincts clearly picking up on the sudden, rigid shift in my tone, but she didn’t press. She recited a residential address located in a secluded, affluent district on the outskirts of the city. I jotted it down quickly on my notepad, thanked her, and hung up.
I didn't waste another single moment. I grabbed my handbag, bypassed the curious stares of the remaining executive staff, and took the elevator straight down to the basement parking lot. Without watching more time, I drove straight to Victoria's address. Forty-five minutes later, I pulled the car up to a massive, heavily gated modern villa. The property was beautiful, but that wasn't why I was here. I couldn't afford to waste time getting awed by how beautiful the property is.
I stepped out of the car, smoothed down the front of my blazer, and marched up the cobblestone driveway to the front doors. I raised my fist and knocked firmly, the heavy thuds echoing through the empty yard.
Silence.
I waited a full minute, my chest tightening, before knocking again, much louder this time. "Victoria! Open the door. It’s Danika, I have to talk to you." I called out, but absolutely nothing moved behind the tinted glass panels.
"You can knock until your knuckles bleed, sweetheart. Nobody's answering that door."
I spun around abruptly at the sound of the sharp, raspy voice. A middle-aged woman dressed in an expensive silk loungewear set was standing near the low hedge separating the villa from the neighboring estate, holding a small garden trowel and watching me with an expression of deep amusement.
I walked toward the property line, maintaining my professional posture. "Good afternoon. I'm looking for Victoria. Do you happen to know if she's inside or when she might return?"
The neighbor let out a dry, mocking laugh, dusting off her hands. "Victoria hasn't set foot in that house in days, so you're not gonna find her there. Anywhere else, but not here.”
My brows knitted together in confusion. "Do you have any idea why? Did she mention going on a trip or handling an emergency?"
The woman's demeanor shifted instantly. Her lips thinned into a tight, defensive line, and her eyes darted nervously toward the empty street behind me. She clutched her trowel a little closer to her chest. "Look, I don't know who you are, and I don't want to say anything about it. It’s none of my business, and I don't want any trouble brought to my doorstep. You should just leave."
She began to turn away, but I wasn't about to let the only active lead slip through my fingers. I stepped closer to the hedge, opening my handbag and brought out my phone.
"I completely understand your discretion," I said softly, my voice laced with gentle persuasion as I slid the envelope over the top of the greenery, ensuring it caught the light. "And I assure you, I am not here to cause trouble for anyone but Victoria. I just need to know what happened to her. This is for a highly sensitive corporate matter. I'll pay you for any information you give, as long as it's useful. I promise.”
The neighbor's gaze dropped to my phone. She swallowed hard, her previous reluctance melting away at the hearing of my promise, but she still hesitated.
"How do I know you're going to do as you said? You can just hear what I have to say and then run away, I wouldn't be able to do anything to stop you." The middle aged women said, her eyes glinting. "How about you pay me first, then I'll tell you whatever it is you need to know."
“Alright.” I nodded, “Give me your account number.” I swiped on my phone, going to my bank app. It didn't take long for me to send money to her and the moment she received it, the colour on her face brightened up drastically.
"Well, since you're being so polite," she murmured, stepping closer to the hedge and dropping her voice to a low whisper. "The truth is, some very dangerous-looking men have been loitering around this property for around six days now. Loan sharks, from the looks of them. They were pounding on her doors, shouting about massive unpaid debts, and threatening to break her windows. The very night they first showed up, Victoria packed two suitcases into the trunk of her car and ran away from home in the dead of night. She looked absolutely terrified."
My heart did a slow, heavy roll in my chest. So Victoria was completely broke, running from criminal lenders, and desperate enough to commit federal fraud to save her own skin.
"What about her husband?" I pressed, leaning in slightly. "Did he leave with her?"