"I would never do that to you, Scarlett! Never!" Nathan protested, his voice breaking with emotion.
Then, immediately, he turned to face the reporters, his jaw clenched tightly in annoyance.
"There is no charity case here. This is my girlfriend's father who got hospitalized. If my father has another case, it must be in another ward. Please leave." Nathan told the reporters firmly, almost snapping at them.
The reporters exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up at this new angle. One of them raised his camera, aiming it at Scarlett.
"Miss, can you tell us how you met..." The reporter had just begun but was cut off instantly.
"Don't you dare!" Nathan stepped in front of Scarlett protectively.
"Nathan!" Richard called out, looking disrespected.
"Dad, I need you to leave with them. Now." He said through gritted teeth.
"This discussion isn't over, Nathan. I will see you at home." Richard maintained, trying to keep his anger from showing on his face.
Then he turned to the reporters with a practiced smile.
"My son... always so modest. He doesn't want anyone to know when he is helping others. Such a pure heart..." Richard said as he led the reporters outside.
"Oh, no. That didn't just happen!" Scarlett yelled, her voice trembling with anger.
"Scarlett, please..." Nathan reached for her hand.
She jerked away from his touch.
"Leave, Nathan. Just... leave with your father." She told him sharply.
From his hospital bed, Henry watched the scene unfold, letting out a heavy sigh as his daughter's tears fell.
~~~~~~~~~
The next day, Nathan sat in his morning lecture, but the professor's words were just background noise.
"Scarlett... Are you okay?" The woman who had stolen his heart was all he could think of.
His eyes kept darting to his phone screen. She wasn't replying to his messages and neither was she returning his calls.
He hadn't slept at all last night. The hurt in Scarlett's eyes kept haunting him.
"Dude, you look like hell." Collins, Nathan's best friend said as he walked beside him toward the parking lot after class.
Nathan ran his fingers through his disheveled hair.
"Thanks for the observation!" He mumbled.
"Let me guess... Girl problems?" Collins asked after studying his friend's face for a split second.
"How did you-" Nathan was going to express his shock but got cut off smoothly.
"Please, I have known you since freshman year. But never seen you this wrecked." Collins said, rolling his eyes. Nathan sighed.
"So, who is she?" Collins asked.
"Her name is Scarlett." A small smile touched Nathan's lips at the mere mention of the name.
"There it is! You are in deep, aren't you?" Collins pointed out, referring to Nathan's brightening expression.
"But I have messed up, Collins. I hurt her pride... her dignity." Nathan blurted out, guiltily.
"Can't fix it with daddy's credit card?" Collins asked half-seriously.
"She is not like that." Nathan replied firmly.
Then his voice softened as he talked on.
"She is... different. She works at the library, takes care of her dad, fights her own battles..." He trailed off dreamily.
"Sounds special." Collins said, nodding his head in approval.
"She is. I just... I need her to know I never meant to hurt her." Nathan said, staring at his phone again.
"Then stop looking like a zombie and go fix it. The real way. Face her, apologize, mean it." Collins said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"You think she will listen?" Nathan asked unsurely.
"Better than sitting here checking your phone every thirty seconds. Besides you look pathetic." Collins said and punched his shoulder lightly.
Nathan managed a weak laugh.
"Do I really look that bad?" He questioned.
"Like an emotional trainwreck, my friend. Now go get your girl." Collins said, grinning.
Nathan nodded and hurried to the library.
~~~~~~~~~
The library felt empty without Scarlett's presence.
"She didn't come in today. Is everything okay?" Her coworker informed Nathan with a concerned look.
At that, Nathan became more worried. Without thinking twice, he got into his car and headed to her apartment building. As he turned onto her street, angry voices reached his ears.
"We are done playing games!" A big, short man was shouting, while two others blocked the entrance to the apartment building.
Henry leaned against the wall, his hospital discharge papers still in hand.
"Playing games? You put my father in the hospital yesterday, and you are back already? What kind of monsters are you?" Scarlett snapped angrily at the men.
"Watch your mouth, girl!" The leader growled.
"Or what? You will beat up a sick man again?" Scarlett asked, stepping forward, her hands shaking but her voice steady.
"How exactly are we supposed to get your money when you won't even let him heal?" She demanded.
"That is not our problem. Interest is doubling. Today." One of the men sneered.
"You are parasites! The original loan was paid three times over! What more do you want from us?" Scarlett spat out.
"Scarlett... Please, don't... " Henry warned weakly.
"No, Dad! I'm tired of being afraid of them!" She replied her father then turned back to the men.
"You are nothing but thugs preying on desperate people. You beat up my father when he has never missed a payment. And for what? For fun?" She snarled.
The leader's nostrils flared.
"You've got a real smart mouth on you, girl. Just like your old man." He scoffed in annoyance.
"At least we have dignity. Unlike you lowlifes who get off on terrorizing people who can't fight back!" Scarlett shot back.
"Listen here, you little-" He was warning.
"No, you listen!" Scarlett cut him off.
"We have paid more than we owed. You want more money? Fine. But you will have to wait until my father recovers from what your goons did to him. Or is that too complicated for your tiny brain to process?" She snapped at him.
The leader's face darkened.
"I've had enough of your smart mouth."
He pulled back his fist, aiming for Scarlett's face.
Nathan, who just got out of his car, instinctively threw himself between them.
The punch connected with his nose and blood spurted from it.
"Nathan!" Scarlett screamed in horror as she saw that.