Chapter 35

The design drafts originally secured by the company could not be completed on time, even with overtime, resulting in penalty payments for breach of contract. After compensating for these breaches, we lost a significant portion of our clients due to credibility issues. Most of those clients shifted to Sophia’s competing company.

When I arrived downstairs at the company, I received a call from my mother. The last time I asked her when she would visit me in the hospital, she dismissed the idea, saying it wouldn’t make a difference, and hung up to continue playing blackjack. Before that, she had called to borrow money for an investment. So, what was it this time?

When I answered the call, chaotic noise filled the line. I frowned deeply. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

“Joshua, you have to save me this time! I—”

Before she could finish, a commotion erupted on the other end, followed by a man’s arrogant and coarse voice.

“Are you Ferlyn Mosher’s son?”

As he spoke, I could hear my mother panicking in the background. “G-Give me my phone back! Let me talk to my son. My son has money!” Hearing this, my frown deepened, and I gripped the phone tighter.

“What’s going on?”

The man sneered. “Ferlyn gambled and owes us two hundred and thirty thousand dollars. It’s been a month. She will die here if the money isn’t paid today.”

My mind went blank, my vision darkening. My mother gambled and racked up a two hundred and thirty thousand dollar debt. It’s been a whole month? So, during the time she wasn’t visiting me in the hospital, she was gambling?

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and spoke in a low voice. “Give the phone to my mother. I’ll speak with her.”

“Sure!” the man responded readily. After another bout of noise, my mother’s trembling voice came through.

“Joshua, I didn’t mean to gamble so much. I thought it was just one last bet, so I borrowed some money. But who knew I would lose again, and the previous losses couldn’t be recouped? You have to help me this time! I’m only in my… I don’t want to die!”

I clenched the steering wheel tightly and growled, “Didn’t I tell you to stay away from gambling dens? Why didn’t you listen to me?”

“I was wrong! I know I was wrong!” Her voice broke into sobs. “You’re always away from home, and I was lonely. I just wanted to pass the time with some friends. I didn’t play much at first, and my luck was good. But then my luck turned, and I kept losing more and more. Later, the police even came to the door, saying my neighbors and I had all been scammed by some offshore gambling platform. I… I don’t even know how it turned out this way. And besides, if those people hadn’t set up those scams, I wouldn’t have lost so much!”

I pressed my temples forcefully, unable to suppress my anger. “Two hundred and thirty thousand! Where do you expect me to find that kind of money for you?”

“Joshua, Sophia has money! She’s given me money before. Ask her for it. She won’t turn you down to save my life!”

Ferlyn seemed to grasp at her last lifeline, desperately saying these words. But her words only made my frown deepen. “When did she give you money?!”

Chapter 36