I Slept with My Boss and Ran Away

Upon hearing Meredith agree to the loan, Fiona burst into tears. The burden of debt that had weighed on her for so long seemed to lift in an instant.

“Thank you, Meredith,” Fiona said, gratitude in her voice but not in her heart. To Meredith, what was a million? Fiona had to kneel and beg before Meredith consented to lend her the money. She took it all as a deliberate humiliation by Meredith, vowing that one day, Meredith would kneel and beg her in return.

Meredith did not immediately hand over the money. The debt collection agency had given Fiona three days, and the deadline was not yet upon them. After leaving Fiona’s place, Meredith called Justin: “Justin, are you aware of Fiona’s debt situation?”

“You know about it?” Justin responded, surprised. “Did Fiona tell you?”

“Fiona called me. Debt collectors have been to her house demanding payment,” Meredith explained, her frustration evident. “Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?”

“I didn’t want to worry you,” Justin replied, before asking, “Did you agree to help her pay off the debt?”

“She knelt before me just now,” Meredith frowned. “If I didn’t have the money, I could refuse, but I do, and I can’t drive her to her death.”

Meredith was known for her tough exterior but soft heart, yet even her compassion had limits. She would sure take the IOU from Fiona, agreeing not to charge interest but requiring installment payments on the principal.

After a few seconds of silence on the line, Justin said apologetically, “Meredith, I’m sorry we’ve burdened you.”Content © NôvelDrama.Org 2024.

“Let’s not dwell on that,” Meredith responded. “Draft an agreement for me. She must make monthly payments. I can’t just give her this money; she needs to learn a lesson.”

“Alright.”

After hanging up, Meredith sighed deeply and looked at Linda: “Linda, sorry you had to see this.”

“Meredith, it’s clear Fiona is morally blackmailing you; why give her the money?” Linda questioned. “This amount means little to you and Mr. Sterling, yet it’s clearly lost.”

“Because we’ve known each other for over twenty years, because we grew up together,” Meredith replied with a bitter smile. “Do you think I don’t know she’s acting? The swelling on her face wasn’t from being hit; she did that to herself. There’s no sign of anyone else entering her home. The debt collectors are real, but they didn’t come today.”

Linda was at a loss for words. Facing such manipulation, only those with tough enough hearts can avoid being taken advantage of.

“I just can’t ignore her entirely,” Meredith continued. “A debt of over a million-Fiona can’t pay that back. It would crush her, and I don’t want to live with regret if something were to happen to her. At least now, my conscience is clear.”

Linda understood. Meredith, too, felt helpless and conflicted. She had suspected Fiona’s deceit from noticing inconsistencies while cleaning. The moment Fiona had knelt before her, Meredith felt heartbroken.

The once inseparable friends had come to this.

Still, Meredith didn’t decide alone; she discussed it with Terrence Sterling.

During a call while he was playing golf with a client, Terrence Sterling generously said, “Money is not an issue. We can give it to her, but let’s not interact with her anymore.”

“Spending over a million to see someone’s true colors is still worth it,” Meredith concluded. “This will be the last time I help her.”

“Alright,” Terrence Sterling responded, showing concern. “How’s your appetite today?”

“Pretty good,” Meredith slightly worried. “I wonder how much weight I’ll gain after the baby is born.”

“No worries,” Terrence reassured her.

After their call, the next day, Justin drafted the loan agreement, more legally binding than a simple IOU.

The agreement clearly stated Meredith loaned Fiona $1. 5 million, with Fiona to repay Meredith $5, 000 each month over twenty-five years. It’s more like a house mortgage, only without interest.

In a cafe, Meredith laid out the terms and handed Fiona the contract to review. “Fiona, take a look. If there are no issues, sign it.”

Stunned, Fiona hadn’t expected Meredith to be serious. She had thought of writing an IOU, but whether she would pay it back was a future concern.

Now, the contract stated legal actions would follow if she defaulted.