Chapter 2: Jacob's Problem

Jacob was overwhelmed by the sheer number of pricey vehicles that drew his attention. To make a decision, he searched online for the newest car models today. He gave the vehicle dealer his credit card when he already chose a brand-new black car.

The vehicle salesperson repeatedly tried the credit card he gave but it kept not working. He continued to be shocked. He turned to him and asked, "Sir, do you have any credit cards?"

"Why?" he asked.

He took out his wallet and requested his other three cards, but the man was puzzled. "It's still not working, Sir," the vehicle dealer said coolly, "I'm sorry, Sir, but all this didn't work"

Jacob wondered why none of his cards were not functioning as he had used them this morning to treat his buddies.

He quickly grabbed his waist. He pulled out his phone and started to call a number. "I'll check it in a second," he said to a car dealer. "Hello, Mom, what happened to my card? Isn't working," he immediately confronted her mother on the end of the other line.

Later, the call's from the other end were answered. "Your grandmother is telling you to return home if you don't want to suffer because otherwise, you'll have to live without a single penny."

He insisted, "Mom, I don't want to go home; if grandma doesn't want to, I'll just sell my old car to have some money."

"Your grandmother has taken everything away from you; you can no longer use your apartment unit or anything on your card."

In disbelief, he rubbed his forehead. He doesn't yet have any money. How is he doing right now?

"Mom, simply lend me money or let me use your card to buy a new car and condo unit if granny doesn't want to."

His grandmother picked up the phone from his mother when she heard his voice. "Remember your grandfather's request that you have to get married before you become the heir to all the family's wealth to ensure that our name will continue," his Grandmother replied. "You can't get any money from any of us, come home here and marry Yvonne if you want everything back and you can buy the things you want," Delma said firmly.

"I will never marry that girl," he declared emphatically.

"Go ahead, don't marry Yvonne. Marry the girl you like, I'll agree, so you don't grow old single. I'll be fine with that." Lola Delma advised him. "But you have to get married before anything goes back to normal."

"Whatever," he said, and ended the conversation.

"Are you still planning to purchase it, sir?" a car dealer asked.

"Excuse me, Miss, there's an issue, maybe another time I'll buy that car. I'm sorry," said Jacob as he turned around and walked out of the store.

—

DAPHNE is now back at their house. She's living with her grandmother and they are just living together. She was the sole caregiver for her grandma because her parents passed away in a vehicle accident when she was still a child. However, her grandmother became ill and needed to have surgery right away because if it is not, she risked passing away.

She looked around. "Grandma."

Daphne was shocked when no one returned her call. She promptly made her way to their chamber as her chest heaved. She was startled to find her grandmother gasping for air as she lay on the ground. She went over right away and attempted to lift her, but she was too heavy, so she called an ambulance to take her to the hospital.

While in the hospital awaiting the doctor's results, Daphne is anxious and uneasy. Her knees started to give out, and she was unable to stand still.

She took a few steps back and forth to calm her current anxiety. When her phone rang out of nowhere, she bit her nails when she recognized who was calling. Her expression darkened while she was answering the call.

"Hello, Ma'am, Good evening," she greeted her. She was about to pass out when she heard what the manager had said.

Odeth remarked on the other end of the telephone, "I'm sorry, but Sir Jacob wants you to leave the work till you will fetch back his shoes."

Her knees were flimsy. "Please help me, Ma'm, help me to ask for another opportunity. I don't want to lose my job. Ma'am, please! I need this job. I can't lose my job, my grandma is going to have an operation," she begged.

She can't stand because of the weight inside her; "I'm sorry, Ms. Orilio, but I'm not the one to decide on that matter." She sat down and got to work wiping her tears away. She was unable to stop it.

She pleaded again, "Please, Ma'am! I'll do everything to prevent being fired from my work. Please, Ma'am, give me a chance." But the decision of those above them to terminate her was definitive due to a mistake she had made.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Orilio, but there is nothing I can do to stop them or influence their choices. If I insist on keeping you, I might also suffer consequences. I'm sorry," the manager said, then hung up the phone.

When Daphne realized she had no job and her grandma was in the hospital, she became upset and felt a growing weight on her shoulders. As a result, her tears began to fall one after another.

She didn't realize what was happening until the doctor who checked her grandma left the emergency room. "Miss, are you the family of a patient?"

"Doc, yes I-I am. Is my granny doing okay? Is she alright?" Her sobs came out one after the other.

"She's doing ok right now, but she needs to have surgery because if it takes longer, complications could arise and her chances of living and recuperating will be reduced," the doctor said.

"W-what?

She could no longer stand on her own, so she sat down in the waiting area while the doctor's statement kept on her mind.

"But we still have time to save Isabelle, so don't worry, she'll be fine." The doctor left her.

After observing her grandmother for two hours, she got the notion to speak with Mr. Salcedo and beg him not to fire her from her job. She instantly got up and left his grandma in the care of her friend Mae-Ann.

She went straight from the hospital to the shop where she worked.

She begged her manager Odeth. "Ma'am, may I get Sir Jacob's phone number? I want to talk to him and apologize, maybe if I do that I won't be fired." She was initially hesitant to give it to her, but in the end, she did.

She thanked his manager and left the shop right away before dialing the number Odeth had given her.

She spoke hastily as if someone were chasing her. "H-hello, Mr. Salcedo! Please, Sir, don't hang up... I just want to apologize for what occurred and I'm begging you not to fire me. Sir, I swear I'll do everything it takes to get back to work. Please, I need this job especially now." Although she spoke with a hint of compassion, Jacob did not agree to keep her from the job. "Sir, please don't—" she didn't finish what she was trying to say when he hung up the phone. She was hopeless.

—

AFTER hanging up the phone with the woman who was the cause of his losing his shoes, Jacob uttered the words "HAIST! Sh*t!"

He hasn't eaten since earlier, and none of his friends will give him a loan because they are all under his grandmother's influence. Can he really survive without the wealth of his family? He was aware that he would struggle for this.

He screamed in frustration as he kicked the sand while standing close to the ocean, "Marriage! marriage! Damn that marriage!" Later on, he noticed two men coming toward him, but he disregarded them. But after only a little while, he grabbed them by the arm and turned the rifle on him. He felt astounded.

"You must not attempt to flee, Jacob," a dark-skinned man said. "Do you still remember me, Mr. Salcedo? Maybe the three months I gave you would be enough for you to pay your debt with me while you are still in the state," a man grinned at him.

"Let go of me!" Jacob angrily said to the two guys holding him. He tried to escape from them but he couldn't because they wouldn't let him.

"Mr. Wang, I can't pay you right now. My grandmother cut out all my cards and money from me, so I don't even have five pennies," he admitted.

"You said it would just take you three months to pay off your loan. Since it has been three months, please don't keep me waiting, Jacob. Keep in mind that its bad form to hold me up." He pulled out his 45-caliber revolver and blew the end of it. "You might not like what I'm going to do."

"Another two weeks. Mr. Wang, give me another two weeks." He knew they would kill him if he didn't make any promises, but he couldn't think of any other way to say, "Let me go and I will find a way, I will give you an extra half a million when I pay."

The man took some time to reflect and remain still. "Don't run away from me because I will find you wherever you go," he said. "All right, I give you two weeks and in those two weeks, you must give me your payment and half a million extra that you mentioned. Remember that." The two men then freed him and let him go.

He was offended by what was happening to him. "Oh, Shit! How can I generate money if I can't obtain anything?" Now, what will he do?

If he didn't get married, his Grandma would not let him return his card. He called his grandma again to beg her to give him some money but he failed because she insisted that he needed to get married first.

Jacob decided to go to a neighboring bar for a drink after leaving the beach. While sipping wine, he considers ways to make money. A familiar number called him afterward.

He answered the call. "Hello." He finds out that she's the woman who sold his shoes. The girl was still pleading with him not to take her away from her job since she needed to work for her grandmother's surgery. Although he had no intention of giving her any consideration, he had an idea after hearing what she said.

She's still rolling on the other line, "I'll do anything you want, Sir, just don't kick me out of my job, please!"

Jacob remained silent while reflecting. "Are you sure you can do what I want you to do? You can accomplish everything?"

"Yes, Sir." Everything she said made him grin, and then a thought came to his head that would help him. "I'll do everything, Sir," she said resolutely.

"Okay, let's meet tonight at 8 PM at Dela Fee CupCakes. Keep in mind that I don't want you to be late. I don't know how to wait. Be on time if you want to keep your job."

"Sir, yes. I'll be on time. I need money for my grandma. I'm grateful, sir. Thank you, Sir!"