ECHOES OF LOVE

h the modern and extravagant rooms of his house. It was one such day of basking in the morning rays. The view was stunning; there lay the hills far away

y tapped the head of his 18-year-old daughter, Clio, as she stood beside her mother. His voice

g with quiet fondness after years of marriage. Standing next to her m

im, but already in his mind, he was thinking of the day ahead. He had his whole life behind Scott Enterprises,

per to open the great iron gates shutting him off from the outside world. A roar accompani

ank manager down the line. "We gave you ample time to settle the outstanding debt. Come in right away to the office. Otherwise, we will seize the collateral." Ben's

s voice, yet he was aware that it would not have

his weight slowly came crashing down around this tida

e debt in full by the end of the week, or take away everyth

steps. No solutions lie ahead-no escape. His hands clasped the

Sarah observed him with concern as he walked into

her voice trembling with the

ave given me an ultimatum: pay the debt or lose the company.

forward. It breaks her heart. "Ben... this is

of his arms, though it is difficult for him t

ust looking at the spectacle wi

oice full of concern. Ben could see the tremor i

his voice. "If we don't pay the dues, the bank will seize e

en's heart sank. He wanted to go after her, tell her everything would be okay, but

emotions in her voice. She stood up and headed

come to this? He had built his empire from the ground up, but he now found it so fragile,

e walked over to her father, her small body shaking with the fear. "Dad, I don't want to suffer

on, sweetheart," he said softly, his voice steady even though it rang with resolve. "We're going to get th

at for dinner in an unusually quiet way. Clio hardly ate, her head somewhere else, while Ben tried to come up with cringingly hollow words of enco

rayer into the silence of the night. "God please help us," muttered his heart with a heavy weight of uncertainty. Later, in his

e cannot lose everything," Sarah whispe

ed, but even he wasn't

Good morning, Mum! Dad!" she said, enthusiasm inf

nd hugged her. "Good

e up to today?

ing a trace of sadness. "I'll just go to my frien

id Sarah, smiling faintl

o was on her way to meet friends, Ben prepared for work. His head was still clouded over debts, but he tried to cl

fice, he was so pained deep inside; with the impending financial disaster, his thought

as waiting for him there. She ran toward him, bea

was work?"

his voice strained. "Nothing I can't handle"

s about to take a shower, a loud sound ruptured the silence: "Daddy!" Ben shot toward the no

th me!" he sho