The Borrowed Fortune
Vincent stood in the parking lot for a long time after the property manager left, staring at the business card in his trembling hand. Forty–five million yuan. The number kept echoing in his head like a death sentence.
He had twenty–four hours.
The next morning, Vincent sat in his apartment…the small cramped one–bedroom he actually rented, not the luxury penthouse he’d claimed to own…with his laptop open and his phone pressed to his ear.
“Mr. Lu, I’m sorry, but without collateral, we simply cannot approve a loan of that size.” The voice on the other end was polite but firm. “Perhaps if you had property in your name, or stocks, or…”
“I have stocks,” Vincent interrupted desperately. “I have investments, I have…”
“According to our records, your investment portfolio is valued at approximately eight million yuan. That’s nowhere near sufficient collateral for a forty–five million yuan loan. I’m sorry, but…”
Vincent ended the call and immediately dialed the next number on his list.
The conversation went exactly the same way.
And the next one.And the one after that.
By noon, Vincent had contacted seven different lending companies. All of them had rejected him. The problem was brutally simple: he had no assets. His car was leased. His apartment was rented. His stocks and bonds, while respectable, weren’t nearly enough to secure the loan he needed.
Vincent sat back in his chair, his hands shaking. In eighteen hours, the offer would expire. In eighteen hours, the owner would proceed with legal action. In eighteen hours, Victoria would find out everything.
And then the loan sharks would come calling.
There was only one option left. One person who might…just might…be desperate enough to lend him the money.
Vincent pulled up a different contact in his phone. His finger hovered over the call button for a long moment. Every instinct told him this was a terrible idea. But what choice did he have?
He pressed the call button.The phone rang once. Twice. Three times.
Then a rough, gravelly voice answered. “Well, well. If it isnt Vincent Lu.” The voice was thick with barely contained fury. “You’ve got some nerve calling me after disappearing for six months.”
Vincent’s throat went dry. “Mr. Zhao, I…”
“You owe me eight million yuan, Vincent. EIGHT MILLION Principal plus interest, compounding monthly at fifteen percent. Do you have any idea how much that’s grown?” The man’s voice rose to a shout. “And you have the audacity to call me now? What, did you finally grow a conscience?”
“I’m calling because I want to pay you back,” Vincent said quickly. “I will pay you back, I swear. I just need…”
“Need what? More money?” Mr. Zhao laughed, the sound harsh and ugly. “You’re an addict, Vincent. A pathetic gambling junkie who can’t control himself. Why the hell would I lend you another yuan?”
Vincent took a deep breath. This was it. His last card to play
“Because I’m getting married,” he said. “To Victoria Cole. Her company just went public. She’s worth millions. Once we’re married, paying you back won’t be a problem.‘
Silence on the other end.
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The forward Fortune
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Vincent pressed his advantage. “Her family has influence, Mr. Zhao. Real influence. Business connections, political ties. If I’m her husband, I’ll have access to all of it can pay you back everything I owe…principal, interest, penalties, all of it. And I’ll double it.”
More silence. Vincent could hear Mr. Zhao, breathing heavily on the other end, could almost hear the gears turning in his mind.
“Victoria Cole,” Mr. Zhao said slowly. “The tech CEO? The one who was just on the news?”
“Yes. We’re engaged. The wedding is in a few weeks.”
“How much do you need?”
Vincent’s heart leaped. “Forty–five million yuan. I know it’s a lot, but…”
“FORTY–FIVE MILLION?” Mr. Zhao exploded. “Are you out of your goddamn mind? You already owe me eight million, and now you want forty–five more? What kind of…
“Please,” Vincent begged, abandoning all pretense of dignity. “Please, Mr. Zhao. I swear on my life, I will pay you back. Within half a month…two weeks…I’ll have everything Principal and interest, doubled. You’ll get back over a hundred million yuan.”
“If you’re lying to me,” Mr. Zhao said, his voice dropping to something cold and deadly, “if you’re trying to con me, I will find you. And I won’t just break your legs, Vincent. I will expose everything you’ve done in this city. Every scam, every lie, every person you’ve cheated. I’ll make sure your name becomes mud. And then I’ll send people to end you. Do you understand me?”
Vincent shuddered involuntarily. The threat wasn’t empty.. Mr. Zhao had connections to some very dangerous people. People who made problems disappear permanently
“I understand,” Vincent said, forcing confidence into his voice that he didn’t feel. “But I promise you, I’ll pay it all back. You have my word.”
Another long pause.
“Fine,” Mr. Zhao finally said. “I’ll transfer the money. But Vincent…this is your last chance. If you fail me this time, there won’t be anywhere you can hide.”
The call ended.
Vincent sat there, his whole body trembling. He’d done it. He’d actually done it. The money would arrive within hours. He could buy the apartment, maintain the lie, and keep Victoria from discovering the truth.
All he had to do now was figure out how to extract fifty–three million yuan from Victoria within two weeks before Mr. Zhao made good on his threats.
Simple.
By evening, the money had arrived in Vincent’s account. All forty–five million yuan of it, plus the eight million he still owed, sitting there like a ticking time bomb.
Vincent called the property manager immediately.
“Mr. Lu,” the manager said, sounding pleased. “I’m glad to hear from you. Have you made a decision?”
“I’m buying the apartment,” Vincent said. “I have the funds ready. When can we sign the contract?”
“Excellent. I can have the paperwork ready within the hour Meet me at the building’s management office.”
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An hour later, Vincent sat in a sleek, modern office on the building’s ground floor, reviewing page after page of contract terms. His hands were steady now…he’d committe to this course of action, and there was no turning back.
He signed each page with a flourish, trying to project confidence he didn’t feel.
“Perfect,” the manager said, collecting the signed documents. “Now, I just need you to transfer the funds to the owner’s account. Once the payment clears, the property will be officially yours.”
The manager slid a piece of paper across the desk with the account information printed on it.
Vincent glanced at it, then froze.
Account Holder: Adrian Cole
Vincent’s blood turned to ice. He stared at the name, reading it again and again, certain he must be misreading it somehow.
“Is something wrong?” the manager asked.
“This account name,” Vincent said slowly, his voice tight. Adrian Cole. That’s… that’s the owner?”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
Vincent’s mind was racing. Adrian Cole. The same name as Victoria’s ex–husband.
But that was impossible. Adrian couldn’t possibly own this penthouse. He was a nobody, a househusband who’d lived off Victoria for three years. He wore cheap clothes, had no car, no assets. The man couldn’t even afford a
decent watch.
Vincent looked at the account information again. Adrian Cole. The name had to be a coincidence. There were probably hundreds of Adrian Coles in the city. Thousands, even. The shabby ex–husband he’d seen couldn’t possibly be the same person who owned a forty–five million yuan penthouse.
It was just a coincidence.It had to be.
“Well,” Vincent said, pulling out his phone. “Let’s get this over with.”
He opened his banking app and entered the account information, his fingers moving quickly across the screen. Forty–five million yuan. Everything he had, plus everything he’d borrowed, plus everything he’d owe.
He hit transfer.
The screen processed for a moment, then confirmed: Transfer Complete.
Vincent felt something twist in his chest. It was done. No going back now.
“Excellent,” the manager said, checking his own device. “The payment has cleared. Congratulations, Mr. Lu. You’re now the owner of the penthouse.‘
”
He extended his hand, and Vincent shook it weakly.
“One more thing,” Vincent said, leaning forward. “I need a solute confidentiality about this purchase. My fiancée’s family…they cannot know this was a secondhand roperty that I bought by… consolidating assets. They need to believe I’ve owned it all along.”
The manager’s smile never wavered. “Of course, Mr. Lu. Complete discretion. That’s what we’re known for.”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
