Chapter 4: The Debt Behind the Dream
"Baby...""
Curtis reached for Bianca's hand, but she pulled it away.
He glanced toward the guests. Several people were still watching. The photographer who had been taking pictures earlier had quietly lowered his camera. Even the restaurant manager seemed reluctant to approach the table.
Curtis hated every second of it.
He had planned this evening down to the smallest detail. The music, the food, the champagne, the speeches. He had even arranged for a local business magazine to photograph him beside Bianca beneath the grand-opening banner.
He was supposed to look like a man who had conquered failure.
Instead, he looked like a man who couldn't answer a simple question.
"Let's go upstairs," Curtis whispered.
"We'll talk privately.""
Bianca didn't move.
"I asked you whether the loan was for the restaurant or your debts.""
"It's for the restaurant.""
"Then why can't you explain the financial projections?""
"Because you're letting Tessa confuse you.""
Bianca slowly turned toward him.
"Stop saying her name.""
Curtis blinked.
"What?""
"Every time I ask you something, you blame Tessa. She ruined your first restaurant. She wants to embarrass you.
She's jealous. She's interfering. Is there anything in your life that's ever your responsibility?""
A few guests exchanged uncomfortable glances.
Curtis lowered his voice.
"You're making a scene.""
"No, Curtis. I'm asking questions before signing away my financial security.""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Look, I was going through a difficult period after the divorce. I had debts. I made mistakes. I was embarrassed.""
"How much do you owe?""
"I don't know the exact number.""
Bianca stared at him.
"You don't know?""
"I've been dealing with different creditors.""
"How many?""
Curtis looked away.
"Several.""
"How much?""
He exhaled.
"About eighty thousand.""
Bianca's hand tightened around the edge of the table.
"About?""
"Maybe eighty-five.""
"Maybe?""
"Bianca, I said I would handle it.""
She looked at him for a long moment.
"With whose money?""
Curtis didn't answer.
Tessa remained near the entrance, speaking quietly with Lionel, who had returned from the kitchen.
She wasn't trying to listen.
But Curtis's voice carried across the room.
Bianca opened the loan portfolio again.
"How much is this loan?""
"Two hundred and forty thousand.""
Her head lifted.
"Two hundred and forty thousand?""
"That's what the project requires.""
"And you want me to personally guarantee it?""
"We're getting married. We're building something together.""
Bianca let out a slow breath.
"That isn't what I asked.""
Curtis leaned closer.
"The restaurant will make money. Once we open properly, we'll have revenue coming in. I'll repay everything.""
"Everything meaning the business loan or your personal debts?""
"Both.""
She stared at him.
"You're planning to use business revenue to pay personal creditors?""
"That's how businesses work sometimes.""
"No, Curtis. That's how people get into trouble.""
He gave an irritated laugh.
"You sound like Tessa.""
Bianca closed the folder.
"Maybe Tessa knows something about running restaurants.""
That sentence made Curtis's face tighten.
He looked around, then grabbed Bianca's wrist.
"Come with me.""
She immediately pulled free.
"Don't grab me.""
He froze.
The restaurant manager, a middle-aged man named Raymond, approached carefully.
"Mr. Harris, is everything all right?""
Curtis straightened his jacket.
"Everything is fine.""
Raymond looked at Bianca.
"Ms. Reynolds?""
"We're fine, thank you," Bianca replied.
Raymond nodded but didn't leave immediately.
Curtis gave him an irritated look.
"Do you have something to do?""
"Yes, sir. I just wanted to confirm whether the investor announcement is still happening.""
Bianca turned.
"What investor announcement?""
Raymond hesitated.
Curtis answered quickly.
"It's nothing important.""
Raymond looked uncomfortable.
"The announcement about the financing partnership, sir. The one scheduled after the opening toast.""
Bianca slowly turned toward Curtis.
"You told the staff I was your financing partner?""
Curtis forced a smile.
"We discussed it.""
"We discussed me reviewing the proposal.""
"Same thing.""
"No, it isn't.""
Raymond looked between them.
Curtis waved him away.
"We'll discuss this later.""
But Bianca was already looking at the printed event program on the table.
Under the heading Business Partners, her name appeared beside Curtis's.
She picked it up.
"Who approved this?""
Curtis shrugged.
"The marketing team.""
"Did you tell them I had agreed to guarantee the loan?""
"I told them we were moving forward.""
Bianca folded the program and placed it down.
"You announced a partnership that I haven't agreed to?""
Curtis's patience finally broke.
"Because I knew you'd agree eventually!""
The room fell quiet.
Bianca looked at him.
"That's not how consent works, Curtis.""
He immediately lowered his voice.
"Don't twist my words.""
Tessa, who had been preparing to leave, stopped near the entrance.
She looked at Bianca, then at the loan documents.
Something about the situation reminded her of the final months of her own marriage.
Curtis had always treated decisions as if they were already made.
Other people were simply expected to catch up.
Bianca turned toward Raymond.
"Please remove my name from the partnership announcement.""
Raymond nodded.
"Of course.""
"And don't release any statement saying I've agreed to finance this project.""
"Understood.""
Curtis stared at her.
"You're ruining the opening.""
Bianca picked up her handbag.
"No. I'm refusing to become responsible for a decision I haven't made.""
She turned toward Tessa.
"Thank you for showing me the report.""
Tessa nodded.
"Please have your own accountant verify everything. Don't rely on my word alone.""
"I will.""
Curtis stepped between them.
"You're really going to trust her over me?""
Bianca looked at him.
"I'm going to trust documents over promises.""
Curtis opened his mouth.
But Bianca had already walked toward the quieter side of the room.
Tessa followed Lionel toward the entrance.
As she reached the doors, her phone vibrated.
A message appeared from her business attorney.
*Tessa, I need to speak with you tonight. I received a call from someone claiming to represent Curtis. He says there's a problem involving the old restaurant's outstanding loan.*
Tessa stopped walking.
She read the message again.
The old restaurant's loan?
She had believed that matter was settled through the bankruptcy proceedings.
She quickly typed a reply.
*What kind of problem?*
The response came almost immediately.
*The lender has discovered something in the original guarantee documents. Your signature is on a personal liability agreement you never authorized.*
Tessa's stomach tightened.
She looked back across the restaurant.
Curtis was standing beside Bianca, speaking urgently.
May you like
For the first time that night, Tessa understood that the money he had taken from their old restaurant might not have been his only secret.
And someone had just connected her name to it.
