Page 61 of The Protégé

“What colors does the dress come in, dear?” asked an old woman wearing her silver hair in an elegant French twist.

“It’s on the tablet, Grandma,” said a girl wearing a beautiful blue dress. She tapped the screen to enlarge the image for her grandmother.

“Wonderful. I’ll get this for your birthday. What color would you like, Emma?”

“The emerald, please,” Emma said and looked at me. “The dress is gorgeous on you.”

“Thank you.”

I walked over to another table and spotted the man I’d seen inside Uncle Carlos’s office. I didn’t know his name, but he gave off negative vibes I didn’t like.

Tonight’s event was supposed to be easy. Jealousy and terror had replaced the anxiety I’d felt about modeling. I didn’t know which one was worse.

My heart raced as I approached the man. He sat with a couple, who offered me a smile. His eyes fixated on me, and chills raced down my spine.

As I headed off to another table, the man reached for my arm, but I shifted away from him.

“How are you doing, Elena?” A smirk slid onto his face.

“I’m all right.”

“You’re looking better and better every time I see you.” He extended a hand to me. “I don’t think we’ve officially met. I’m Samuel Donatello, a business partner of your uncle’s. We should have dinner sometime.”

My stomach twisted as I recognized the name. He was the man selling the insurance scams.

“No thanks.” I ignored his hand.

Everyone at the table was occupied with another model who had sashayed to a nearby table. She wore a short dress, revealing beautiful legs. Sam’s eyes remained on me. People probably assumed he was interested in purchasing the dress I had on.

“Why the dismissal?” He leaned closer and whispered, “I’ve got ways for you to pay off that debt with your Uncle Carlos. If you behave, I’ll even ask him to erase it altogether.”

I shifted away, glaring at him. “No thank you. Have a good evening.”

Was my uncle involved in the life insurance scam? My gut told me yes.

“We’ll meet again, Elena.” He smirked and licked his lips. “You’ll say yes soon.”

I should have just left, but I hated the way he viewed me like an item he could buy.

“It willnever be a yes.”

“I like a feisty woman in bed. If you don’t say yes, your debt will increase. Your dad should have said yes to me too. His loan tripled because of his defiance.”

Anger and something else sparked in me. Sam knew my father? The thought that my father had been threatened had never crossed my mind until now. I had assumed...

Stupid. Just stupid, Elena.

I had assumed my father’s debt to his brother was legal—or as legal as it could be. The documents had stated the amount my dad owed. What if the documents had been manipulated or were completely false? I didn’t know what to do. I needed proof.

Maybe intuition had been trying to tell me something from the beginning, but I didn’t listen because Uncle Carlos was family. He just wanted his money back, and I was a responsible daughter trying to clear my father’s debt, keeping the family peace.

Where had I gone wrong? What did I miss?

Those closest to you can hurt you the most. I never understood that statement until now. I’d been blind, seeing half-truths when I should have stepped back to look at the situation objectively. Did Mom know about the threats? No, Dad would’ve kept them from her and me.

Trying my best not to reveal my emotion, I asked, “Are you threatening me like you threatened my father?” I waited a beat. “Should I hire a private investigator to look into the debt?”

Something flickered in his eyes. Was it regret for letting that slip? It didn’t matter what his response was—I’d find out if Sam and my uncle had anything to do with my father’s death. Anger surged, making me want to grab the knife on the table and stab him.

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