Ethan Mark: Billionaire in Disguise

2. All Way Around!

 

The same evening, as soon as Ethan saw the bills on the document, which were handed over to Isabella by the doctor, he exited the hospital. He must find a way to come up with money to pay the bills, even if he has to reach out to various bank to secure a loan. His daughter's life was paramount to him, and he could not afford to lose her.

Isabella, on the other hand, crawled to her parents' feet and begged them for money, only so that her daughter would not die, as she was now ready to do everything they wanted.

"I already told you, the pauper has nothing to offer you. He will only make you go through hell with him," said Alexander Rosewood behind his desk as he puffed out smoke from his mouth like a wealthy tycoon exhaling the success that he was.

"I’m sorry, Dad. You are right. I should have listened to you," Isabella pleaded, standing at the front of her father’s desk, consumed by guilt for not listening to them all these years.

"So, tell me, how much are we talking about?" Alexander asked, standing up from his almighty desk chair and facing the beautiful view of his office.

Alexander Rosewood was the manager of Woodmark Industries, which was a branch of one of the most successful companies in the country. And undoubtedly, his huge salary and compensation were a mighty ocean compared to the mere $100,000 his daughter would demand.

"The half payment is $100,000, Dad," Isabella said, fully aware of her father's worth.

Alexander Rosewood chuckled. He could not believe that his daughter would flinch at the sound of a mere $100,000. He turned to look at her suddenly before he started pacing around slowly like a panther in his private den.

He then exhaled another puff of smoke and said, "You see, your lifestyle has turned out to be like that of a beggar on the street, all because you disobeyed me. $100,000 is too small a sum out of what I send to you monthly."

"I know you regret your actions, and that is why you are here. The pauper threatened you with marrying him. I understand, which is why I will help you. But don’t defy me again."

Isabella, who had been looking at Alexander's face as he talked, now sank her head to the ground in regret for her actions. It was true. Her father always sent her a monthly allowance of nothing less than $500,000, and all she had to do was sleep, wake up, and order their servants around. But after she disobeyed her father, he made sure she stopped enjoying that benefit.

"Come to the beach house for dinner. See your mother; she misses you. I will also send you a million so that you can divorce the pauper and be restored to who you are supposed to be," Alexander said, turning back towards his desk chair and sitting back into it before he breathed out his last smoke from his cigar.

***

Ethan was standing at the front of the bank. Aurelius Bank was known throughout the country for its generosity. According to the rumors flying around about them and according to the bank customers who have approached them for a loan, they always give cheerfully and provide repayment options with low interest. It was a bank for the poor, and this was why Ethan was using it in the first place.

He took a deep breath as he watched people walk into the bank and come out of it. The amount of money he was going to ask them to loan him was so huge that he did not even know how he was going to repay it. However, his daughter's life was on the line. If they loaned him the money this once, he did not mind being blacklisted so that he would not get another loan again.

"So, you are Ethan Mark?" asked the loan officer, sitting appropriately in his chair and crossing his right leg over his left leg.

"Yes, sir! That’s me," Ethan answered with a fake smile that sounded silly like a Cheshire cat. The reason he laughed that way was simple. The office he was sitting in depicted how poor he was compared to the officer who was talking to him, as he looked so clean, like a freshly polished diamond.

He needed no one to tell him before he began to doubt if they would loan him this huge amount. Of course, this was not the first time he asked for a loan from the bank. But this time, $100,000 was too much compared to the $5,000 he had requested a loan for in the past few days.

"What collateral do you have, sir?" the loan officer asked, gently folding his fingers into one another and having his palms touch each other. Ethan understood this gesture; it was the judgment written boldly on the officer that there was no way he could pay back. And the officer was right. He knew there was really no way he could pay it back.

"Um... um... just loan me this once. I promise to pay back in due time," Ethan said, leaning towards the desk and sweating profusely even under the air conditioning.

"I am sorry, but that is not allowed by the rules of the bank," the officer declared before ushering in a pause. "Would that be all, Mr. Ethan?" he asked.

"You don’t understand. My daughter's life is in danger. I really need this money to save her life," Ethan pleaded, holding the edge of the office desk firmly as if he would jump over it if given the chance.

"I am sorry to hear about your daughter’s condition. But if you want us to loan you this money, you must provide collateral worth more than the total amount you want us to loan you."