"Three months' rent in three days? Are you kidding me?" Nathan yelled as he looked up from the paper but Mr Jenkins was already finding his way out of the apartment.
"Really, Dad?" Nathan muttered in utter disbelief and squeezed the paper in his hands.
He remained frozen at the doorway.
"Nathan?" Scarlett called out, his soft voice breaking through his thoughts. She had been standing behind him, hearing everything.
"This is... This is impossible." He muttered.
Scarlett touched his arm gently.
"Come sit down." She said and Nathan let her guide him to the couch, the paper still clutched in his hand.
"He really wants to destroy everything..." Nathan whispered.
"Your father?" Scarlett asked.
"Who else? First my accounts, now this. He is systematically cutting off every lifeline I have." Nathan replied and let out a bitter laugh.
"Not every lifeline..." Scarlett said quietly.
"I have some savings. Let me help you with this." She offered and Nathan's head snapped up.
"No. Absolutely not!" He protested wildly.
"Nathan—"
"I said no!" He stood up abruptly, pacing the room.
"I will sell my car if I have to, but I'm not taking your money. I won't do it." He maintained sharply.
"Your pride isn't helping right now. We are partners, aren't we? Partners help each other." Scarlett said firmly, standing to block his path.
"You don't understand, I can't... I can't take money from you. It is humiliating enough that I—" Nathan was saying but couldn't complete the sentence, his voice was strained.
"That you what? That you need help? That someone who loves you wants to support you?" Scarlett challenged.
"I should be the one supporting you!" Nathan burst out.
Scarlett heaved a sigh then stood up and took his hands in hers.
"Listen to me. You have been there for me in so many ways. Let me be there for you now." She said.
"That is different, you know..." He was saying but she cut him short.
"There is no difference. You deserve more than this from me. You have been doing everything out of love, let me do the little I can too, please." She stated, pleadingly.
"I can't let you do this." Nathan shook his head stubbornly.
"Then see it as a loan. You can pay me back once you start working." Scarlett suggested.
"A loan?" Nathan hesitated, his resolve weakening.
"Yes, with interest if that makes your male ego feel better." She said, smiling softly.
"You won't let this go, will you?" Nathan asked as his shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Not a chance." She replied. Nathan exhaled sharply.
"I will pay you back. Every cent. I promise."
"I know you will." Scarlett pulled him into a hug as his eyes welled up with tears.
~~~~~~~~
Two days later;
"This is it?" Nathan asked as he stared at the small café where Scarlett had brought him.
"My friend Maya is a cousin of the manager. She has talked to her and she agreed to give you a chance." Scarlett explained.
A woman in her thirties walked out from the store and greeted them with a warm smile.
"You must be Scarlett. Maya has told me about you." Mrs. Wilson said to Scarlett.
"Yes, thank you for this opportunity. He is Nathan." Scarlett quickly introduced him.
After the brief introduction and a little description of the job to Nathan, Mrs. Wilson named his hourly rate.
Nathan's eyes widened in shock.
"That ... that is it? But that wouldn't even cover a decent lunch at—" He blurted out.
"Excuse us for a moment, Ma'am." Scarlett said to the woman and grabbed Nathan's arm.
She pulled him aside, her voice low but firm.
"Nathan, believe me that is a fair wage for part-time work."
"Fair? Scarlett, I used to spend more than that on coffee!" Nathan stated in disbelief.
"Well, now you are on the other side of the counter. This is reality for most people." Scarlett said gently.
Nathan ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident on his face.
"You can do this. I believe in you." Scarlett said reassuringly and squeezed his hand.
Nathan swallowed hard as she dragged him back to the woman and told her he would be starting immediately.
"Be calm... You've got this." Scarlett told him and he watched her leave for her own job, feeling lost in this new world he had been thrust into.
"Put this on and just take orders of the customers..." Mrs. Wilson told him, handing over an apron to him.
With that, the day dragged on endlessly. And every customer's demands, every coffee he had to deliver to them, felt like a reminder of how far he had fallen.
"I won't give up!" He said to himself as he approached a new customer that had just walked in.
~~~~~~~~
One Week Later;
Scarlett sat in Richard West's office, her hands folded neatly on her lap and her lips pressed into a thin line.
This wasn't their first private meeting, but something felt different today. Richard's expression was harder... colder.
After a moment of silence, Richard stood up from his desk, towering over her.
"Three months ago, when I first approached you at Stanford..." He began and Scarlett's heart began to race as she knew where the conversation was heading, but she kept her expression neutral.
"I asked you to do one simple thing..."Richard continued, his voice low and dangerous.
"Be the voice of reason in my son's frivolous life. Guide him. Ground him." He stopped and his glared at her as if his eyes could make her disappear.
Scarlett cleared her throat before speaking up.
"Mr. West—" She had just begun but couldn't even finish before he cut her off sharply.
"Instead, you have turned my son against me completely." Richard's voice rose.
"Tell me, young lady, was this your plan all along? Because I am certain making him fall in love with you wasn't part of our arrangement." He bellowed at her, making her jump back in fright.