Chapter 5: Bringing you home, love (3)
They both turned toward the direction of the door when they heard a car stopped in front of the house. It was Charlie, her manager, and friend.
He went directly inside and hugged her.
"Sorry, I had to deal with the director of that commercial we are about to shoot, how's everything?', he said and turned to Joseph.
He squeezed her hand, silently asking who the man in the middle of my living room is.
"Ummm, Charlie, this is Joseph, Joseph, this is Charlie, my manager", she said and squeezed his hand.
Joseph's gaze fell on our hands and a smirk can be seen on his face.
She thought she heard him say "just as I thought" but she did not pay any attention to it now.
She took Charlie to sit on the couch. Joseph followed them and sit on the couch opposite them.
"Ahm, Charlie I might be away for a couple of weeks', she started to explain but Joseph interrupted her by saying:
"You will move to D City permanently so you have to cancel all your appointments and if you would like to sell this house, I can help you arrange that", he said.
"What?", Charlie and Christine exclaimed in unison.
"Joseph, I cannot just leave everything here. I have so many debts to pay due to grandpa's hospitalization. I need to work as hard as I could. I cannot leave just like that", she said with a high pitch.
"Mr. Joseph, I am her manager. What you are saying is impossible. I cannot allow that to happen", Charlie added.
"How much is it to cancel your contract with your agency and manager?", Joseph asked as if he did not hear Charlie.
"I cannot afford to pay for it. You don't have any right to tell me what to do. I will agree to go to D City but not permanently", she told him angrily.
"Wait a minute, Christine is my talent and I cannot just let her go", Charlie protested.
"I have already looked into your contract and it will be ending this month but I am still willing to compensate you regardless of the fact", Joseph replied with a stern look on his face.
"Actually, I already have someone settle your contract with your agency and paid all your debts", he continued casually.
Her jaw dropped at his statement and looked at Charlie. Charlie sensed that Joseph is not someone he can deal with, he sighed and looked at her helplessly.
"I also learned that this house is about to be seized by the bank. So basically, there is nothing for you here. Now that your grandpa had passed away, there is no reason for you to stay here", he said as he stood up and went to the window with his back on them.
She felt like screaming after realizing what he had done. He is pushing her to the edge. She basically now has a huge debt on him and she doesn't have anything to pay him. It is true that she has used this house to borrow money from the bank to support her grandpa's treatment. Although she is already making so many modeling stints it was not enough. She was only given a week by the bank to relocate.
"What is your decision?', Charlie asked her as he holds my hands. She felt the sharp gaze from Joseph who had already turned towards them.
Charlie has been good to her. He has been with her from when she started to work as a model but she knows no matter how hard she will work she will not be able to pay all of her debts and take the house back from the bank. She was simply broke.
But Joseph, he was cold to her the entire time she was in D City. But what is she supposed to expect? she doesn't have much choice left. She is indebted to him and she would also want to at least pay her father respect plus there is Claire. She has nothing to do with all of it. Even if Celine did not treat her like a family, she was still part of her family and Claire is her sister.
"I have to go", I said after some thinking.
"It may be best for now. I thank you for all you have done for me", she said sadly and tears are attempting to fall from her eyes.
Charlie just stared at her and squeezed her hands, hoping that she would change her mind. But she has already decided.
After a few minutes of chatting and making sure that she will be ok, Charlie bade goodbye. She walked him out of the house and waved goodbye as he drove his car out of the gate. It was already 7:00 in the evening and she needs to pack her things.
She went back inside and saw Joseph standing in the middle of the living room with his hands inside his pocket and his eyes looking intently at her. His face is blank and she cannot tell what he is thinking.
They stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds before she walked towards her room.
"I will just be packing my things", she said before she opened the door.
She shut the door and locked it from the inside. Her knees started to wobble. She leaned on the door and slowly fall on the floor. All the emotions she held earlier are now starting to claim her mind and body. A small sob escaped her throat and tears flowed freely.
She cried for quite some time. Not aware that Joseph was on the other side of the door and can clearly hear her crying. He felt his heart being torn apart at her sobs. He knocked on the door to remind her that a plane is waiting for us.
"Be right there", she said and hurriedly stood up. She wiped her tears away. She took a suitcase and filled it with just the clothes she needs. She opened the drawer on her right where she put all the important things like cash, jewelry, and passport.
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mockingbird81
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