Jade sat at the kitchen table, staring at the pile of unpaid bills in front of her. Her head rested in her hands as she let out a frustrated sigh. Three weeks without a salary and the financial strain was starting to suffocate her. The realization hit hard—without the high-paying job with Milan, Enzo, and Thiago, she couldn’t keep up with her grandmother’s medical expenses or the household bills.
She picked up the phone and dialed the pharmacy, holding her breath as it rang.
“Good afternoon, Riverside Pharmacy,” a cheerful voice greeted on the other end. “How can I help you?”
“Hi, this is Jade Nguyen,” she began, her voice trembling slightly. “I’m calling about my grandmother’s prescription. I was supposed to pick it up today, but when I checked online, it said it wasn’t available.”
The receptionist paused. “Let me take a look, Ms. Nguyen. One moment.”
Jade tapped her fingers anxiously on the table, glancing at her grandmother sitting in the living room, blissfully unaware of the financial mess they were in.
After a few moments, the receptionist returned. “Ms. Nguyen, it seems the payment for the prescription has been permanently stopped. It’s flagged as a private account issue.”
Jade frowned. “What does that mean? It’s always been covered.”
“I can’t go into details,” the receptionist said apologetically. “But the system shows the recurring payment arrangement was canceled by the sponsor.”
Jade’s stomach twisted. “Sponsor?” she echoed, though she already knew the answer.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. You’ll have to resolve it with the account holder,” the receptionist added politely.
“Thanks,” Jade muttered before hanging up.
She tossed her phone onto the table and groaned loudly, her frustration boiling over. She didn’t need a crystal ball to figure out who had meddled with the payments. This had Milan, Enzo, and Thiago written all over it.
Of course, they’d do this, she thought bitterly. If they can’t control me, they’ll control my circumstances.
By late afternoon, Jade sat on her bed, chewing her thumbnail as she stared at her bank account on her laptop. The numbers weren’t promising. Her last paycheck had barely covered the basics, and now her grandmother’s medications and healthcare were at risk.
Jade buried her face in her hands, groaning. She didn’t want to go back. Every fiber of her being screamed against the idea of walking back into their world of control and manipulation.
But what choice did she have?
The job paid exceptionally well, and more importantly, it ensured her grandmother’s medical expenses were covered. Without that, she couldn’t keep things afloat.
“Dammit,” Jade muttered under her breath.
The next morning, Jade woke up with a heavy heart and a decision she didn’t want to make. After fixing breakfast for her grandmother, she sat down across from her at the table.
“Grandma,” Jade began, her voice soft.
Her grandmother looked up, her kind eyes twinkling. “What is it, dear?”
“I’ve decided to go back to work,” Jade admitted, forcing a smile.
Her grandmother tilted her head, concern creasing her brow. “I thought you didn’t like that job. You said it was… overwhelming.”
Jade hesitated, not wanting to burden her grandmother with the details of her struggles. “It’s just temporary. It pays well, and I can’t let things pile up. Especially your medications and appointments.”
Her grandmother reached across the table, placing a hand over Jade’s. “You’ve done so much for me, Jade. Don’t wear yourself thin for my sake.”
Jade smiled faintly, though her chest tightened. “I’ll be fine, Grandma. Don’t worry about me.”