The Billionaire's Amnesia

Nine | The Struggle

L A Y L A

I was sitting on the couch in my small apartment, trying to focus on a part-time job that I loved but hated at the same time. I was painting costume art and selling it on Etsy to get the extra cash that I needed. The deadline for my big client was tomorrow and I had barely started to paint yesterday. I felt the pressure mounting on me as I stared at the blank canvas. How was I going to finish this in time? How was I going to pay my rent this month? My entire check from my waitress was already spent on my aunt's insulin. How are we going to survive in the month? I had to do something about it and quickly.

I heard a loud knock on the door and felt a surge of dread. Who could it be at this hour? Was it my landlord coming to evict me? Was it the Paparazzi coming to harass me again? Was it someone from the IRS coming to audit me? I didn't want to deal with anyone right now. I just wanted to be left alone with my art and my worries.

I ignored the knock and hoped they would go away. But they didn't. They knocked again, louder and more persistent.

"Who is it?" I called out nervously.

"It's me, Ditkovich, your landlord. Open up!" a gruff voice answered.

I immediately glanced at my aunt, who was in the kitchen washing the dishes. My aunt shook her head and mouthed "Don't open it."

I knew what Mr. Ditkovich is here for. We already owed him two months' worth of rent and this is the third month.

He had been trying to evict us for months, but he couldn't because Angie's parents co-owned the building they lived in. Angie was the that had helped us find this place when we moved here from Nashville a few years ago.

But Angie's parents could only do so much. If we missed our rent for the third month, Mr. Ditkovich would have the legal right to kick us out and Angie wouldn't be able to stop him.

"Come on, Layla, I know you're in there! Open this door or I'll break it down!" Mr. Ditkovich shouted.

Suddenly, I felt tears sting my eyes. We work so hard to get this place and we didn't want to lose it. I loved this apartment, even though it was small and old. It was cozy and warm and it had a nice view of the park across the street.

Sometimes, I wished my parents were still alive. They had died in a car accident when I was ten years old and leaving me with nothing but debts and memories. My aunt had taken me in and tried to make ends meet with her part-time job at the grocery store.

But it wasn't enough. We barely had enough money for food and utilities, let alone rent.

"Layla!" Mr. Ditkovich banged on the door again.

"What do we do?" I whispered to my aunt.

My aunt sighed and walked over to the door.

"We have to face him sooner or later," she said softly.

She opened the door slightly and peeked out.

"Hello, Mr. Ditkovich," she said politely.

Mr. Ditkovich pushed his way inside and glared at them both.

"Don't hello me! Where's my money?" he demanded.

"Mr. Ditkovich, please, we're doing our best to pay you as soon as possible. We've had some difficulties lately, but we'll find a way to get your money." My aunt tried to calm him down and explain the rough situation we are in right now but Mr. Ditkovich still won't listen.

Mr. Ditkovich snorted and looked around our apartment with contempt.

"Difficulties? What difficulties? You're just lazy and irresponsible!" He hisses, "Look at this place! It's a mess! You don't deserve to live here!" He pointed at our old furniture, our worn-out clothes, and our few belongings.

He made me feel ashamed and angry at the same time. He didn't know anything about us or what we had been through. He didn't care about us as people, only as tenants who owed him money. He was a greedy and heartless man who only wanted to make more profit from his property.

"Please Mr. Ditkovich, just gives us one more week," Aunt Markle keeps pleading with him, but he wouldn't budge.

I felt my hand clutching the gold necklace that Mom had given me for my tenth birthday. It was the only thing I had left of her, the only thing that reminded me of happier times. But I knew I had no choice. It was either this or losing our home.

"Here," I said, taking off the necklace and handing it to him. "This should cover two months that we owed you plus this month's rent." Tears stung my eyes as I let go of it.

He snatched it from me and examined it closely. "Wow, this looks expensive. Where did you get it from?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter where I got it from," I snapped back. "This is just collateral. You better give it back to me in one piece when I pay you back, do you understand?"

He glared at me and raised his voice. "Watch your tone, young lady! I'll keep it safe as long as you bring me my money."

He finally left us alone and slammed the door behind him. As soon as he was gone, my legs gave out and I fell to the floor sobbing uncontrollably. Aunt Markle rushed to my side and hugged me tight.

Markle rocked me back and forth, whispering soothing words in my ear. I felt her warm breath on my hair and her gentle hand on my back. She was trying to calm me down, but I couldn't stop crying.

"It's okay, Layla," she said. "It's going to be okay."

But it wasn't okay. Nothing was okay. We had just given away our most precious possession to a man who didn't deserve them. We had just lost our last hope of keeping our home. It's just a matter of time before we become homeless.

I looked up at her face and saw the worry lines around her eyes and mouth. She looked older than she was, worn out by life's hardships. She had sacrificed so much for me, ever since she took me in after my accident five years ago.

She had worked two jobs to pay the bills and put food on the table. She had given me love and support when I needed it most.

And now we were about to lose everything.

"Aunt Markle," I said between sobs. "What are we going to do?"

She sighed and hugged me tighter.

"I don't know, sweetheart," she said. "I don't know."

But then James's offer comes right back into my head.

As much as I hated him, his offer seem the be the only light that can guide us out of this darkness.

I made up my mind and gently push myself away from her embrace. She looked at me in confusion as I stood up, got my coat from the living room sofa, and headed to the door with an eager stride.

"Where are you going?" She asks.

"To James. He's our only way out." With that said the door behind me slams shut and off I go back to Jame's Mansion again.