His Debt

30th Debt

Fight For Her

THE NIGHTMARES continued to haunt Nathaniel. Usually, his dreams had been gory. It involved Devon being beaten or dying; he was forced to witness her death. It didn't do him any good. He hadn't gotten any decent amount of sleep. He was anxious about Devon's safety, and because of that, he became clingy; he sent her texts every minute and called her every hour, which irritated her.

        "What is wrong with you?! You've been acting really paranoid, and it's interfering with my job," Devon griped on the other line; she sounded calm, but there was a tinge of irritation in her tone.

        Of course, she was working; she'd been filming for her upcoming movie. He knew that, but he couldn't help but check her whereabouts. It was the 7th time he called her today. "I'm sorry . . . I'm just . . . worried about you," he muttered. "I just . . ." He heaved out a sigh.

        "If you're worried about me getting abducted by Elianne, then don't," she said. "I can take care of myself. For your information, I am a Black Belter in taekwondo, and I've mastered Aikido. I may not look like it, but I'm a fighter. If she were to send off some of her hooligans to hurt me, I wouldn't let them take me without putting up a fight." The conviction was apparent in her statement, and somehow, it relieved him a bit.

        Devon was a fighter; he'd forgotten about that fact. But the Devon in his dream was a helpless, damsel-in-distress who couldn't fend for herself. He needed to remind himself that she was strong; she wasn't a fragile woman. If he kept telling himself that she was brave, maybe the dreams would stop visiting him. "Right," he mumbled softly.

        Nathaniel heard a woman's voice in the background, scolding Devon that she needed to get back to work. "Anyway, I'll talk to you later! My manager's becoming hysterical about the calls I've been getting!" And then she hung up.

• • •

IN THE MIDDLE of Nathaniel's work, the CEO once again called him. He was a bit nervous. The last conversation he had with him was ambiguous. Mr. Emmanuel Leonhardt only gave him an enigmatic smile when he indirectly confessed his feelings for Devon, and after that, the conversation was dismissed.

        The president was seated on his swivel chair. He gestured for Nathaniel to sit across from him, and he obliged.

        "Good afternoon . . ." Nathaniel greeted politely, slightly ducking his head. He was kind of ashamed by what he did the last time they met. At first, he was a tad nervous, but now, he was really nervous. What if Devon's father didn't like him for her? What if he disapproves of him, because of his status? Would he fight for Devon if ever he were to be rejected by Devon's father? Could he?

        "I don't like you for my daughter," said Mr. Leonhardt. There wasn't any hint of anger or coldness in his eyes, but there was something more in it.

        Nathaniel cringed. The mere statement shattered his heart. He was at a loss for words. Now, what should he do? He had two options: fight or let her go.

        There were moments in his life that he'd least expected to happen, and this was one of those moments. If he conceded to Mr. Leonhardt's disapproval, that'd be the end of everything he and Devon shared; he wouldn't be able to see her smile, he wouldn't be able to kiss her and he wouldn't be able to have that future he wanted with her.

        Devon was a strong person, and she deserved someone who's as strong as her. And for that, he'll have to put up a fight and be strong to be worthy of her. In the end, he came into a decision: he'll fight. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat and gathered all the courage he had in his system. "I couldn't care less about what you think of me, sir," Nathaniel said coolly. "Even if you disapprove of me for your daughter, it doesn't matter. I know that Devon will choose me even if it meant defying you." He said it with confidence, without any hint of hesitation. "I love her, and I have thousands of ways to prove that. I'll do it one by one if I have to; not because I want your approval, but because I want to prove how much and how truly I love her."