Chapter 126 Crashing Down
Naomi stubbornly tried calling again, but this time the line was busy.
Sensing something was wrong, she immediately hailed a cab and rushed to the Holt family home with Evelyn.
But the house that had been bustling with people just hours ago was now completely dark. Every light inside was off. A court seal was plastered across the glass front door, and a group of people were gathered outside the entrance.
As soon as Naomi and Evelyn got out of the car, someone pointed at them.
“That’s the Holt family’s in–laws! Quick, grab them!”
The moment Naomi and Evelyn saw what was happening, they panicked and jumped back into the car. The crowd behind them gave chase, pounding on the car and yelling. Naomi stared into the rearview mirror, her hands trembling.
Evelyn quickly realized these people were debt collectors. Her face turned grim. She pulled out her phone and tried to call Grace.
But the screen only flashed: number does not exist.
“Naomi, what’s going on?” Evelyn turned to her, her voice shaking.
Naomi listened to the tone and immediately understood. “Mom, I think the number’s been canceled.”
It had only been twenty minutes since they’d last talked to Grace—and she’d already ditched her phone number. That just showed how many creditors were chasing them down.
“Mom, what do we do? If everything in the news is true, we’ve lost the entire eighty million! And I’ll never get to be Mrs. Holt–what am I supposed to do now?!”
Her voice cracked as she cried. The SAT was just around the corner, and she had no confidence in her scores. Her entire plan had been to graduate, get engaged or married to Zayden, buy a diploma from some random college, and settle comfortably into life as a rich wife.
But now, all of that had crumbled.
Naomi tried calling Zayden, but he didn’t pick up either.
Evelyn sat beside her, unable to imagine what would happen once they got home.
At the same time…
Eliza had just finished a set of practice problems when her phone lit up with a message from Zayden.
“I want to see you.”
She glanced at it and immediately locked her screen. But the notifications kept coming.
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+8 Pearls
“There are things I want to say. Just send me anything. One word. Anything. I really miss you. Can I come see you?”
One after another, the messages poured in.
Annoyed, Eliza switched her phone to Do Not Disturb.
She remembered how Zayden had acted in her past life–he only ever came to her when he was desperate, when everything else had fallen apart. He treated her like a trash can he could unload his feelings into.
She wasn’t a trash can. Not then, and definitely not now.
Knock knock.
There was a knock on the door.
Eliza thought it was her food delivery. But when she opened the door, a wave of alcohol hit her in the face.
The man stumbled forward and wrapped his arms around her. Zayden’s voice was low and hoarse, tinged with bitterness. “Why didn’t you answer my messages?”
Eliza’s heart skipped.
How did he know where she lived?
She shoved him off, but Zayden crumpled to the floor like a sack of wet cement, too drunk to stand.
Her face turned cold.
“Eliza… I know I messed up. Can’t you forgive me?” he slurred.
It had been a long time since she’d heard him say her name.
“How do you know where I live? How did you even get here?” she asked, standing a full meter away from him.
Zayden pushed himself off the floor, eyes glassy. He stumbled toward her. “Why do you hate me so much? You let Nolan stay with you–why can’t I stay too?”
Eliza stepped back, pulling a stun baton out of her pocket. If he got any closer, she’d shock him
unconscious.
“You’re not Nolan. Don’t come here drunk and make a scene. Go back to Naomi.”
“I don’t like Naomi. I’ve always liked you!” Zayden shouted, his eyes bloodshot. He stared at her. “Why can’t you understand? I’ve always liked-”
“Of course I understand. You only ever like what you can’t have,” Eliza cut him off coldly. “Stop disgusting me. If you don’t leave, I’ll call the cops. And with how much money the Holt family owes, do you really want the police dragging your name into it and tipping off the debt collectors?”
She was sure Zayden and Grace were already in hiding.
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If she called the police now, it wouldn’t take long for those creditors to find them.
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Zayden looked like he wanted to say something, but it caught in his throat. Her cold gaze shut him down.
“I’ll ask you one last time,” she said, eyes narrowed. “How the hell did you find out where I live?”
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