"At first, it was just bills," I said, my voice quieter now. "Overdue payments, loans we didn't know existed. It was confusing, but my grandmother wasn't worried at first. She thought it was some mistake—something that could be sorted out with the right paperwork."
Mark didn't move, but I felt his breath even out, steady and patient, like he was bracing himself for what came next.
"But then, more letters came. Then phone calls. And soon, we realized the numbers weren't just high—they were impossible." I exhaled shakily. "My parents had debts worth more than their entire estate. And they weren't just financial losses. They were… tied to something worse."
Mark's fingers curled slightly against my waist, but he stayed quiet, letting me continue at my own pace.
