Sweet Hatred
Chapter 67: Sisters pt 2

Chapter 67: Sisters pt 2

By the time I got home, the sun was already fully out, slipping behind the clouds, smearing the sky with dusky orange streaks.

I lingered outside the front door for a second longer than I should have, gripping the keys like they might explode if I turned them too fast. I already felt the pressure building behind my eyes like a headache waiting for its cue.

I stepped inside, and the first thing I saw was Olivia—sitting on the couch, her little girl Lily curled up beside her, looking tired and worried. The moment our eyes met, her shoulders stiffened. Mine too.

"Where is he?" I asked, dropping my bag by the door and toeing off my shoes.

Olivia stood up slowly, arms crossed, mouth pressed in that familiar tight line. "He’s not here. He went to stay with a friend. Said it’s safer until things calm down."

"Safer?" I scoffed, brushing past her toward the kitchen. "He’s lucky. I would’ve bashed his head against the damn wall if I saw him."

Olivia followed me, tone sharp. "Don’t talk about him like that. He’s just trying to hustle and provide for the family. Everything he’s done—he’s done for us."

I turned to her, jaw clenching. "Right. And how’s that been working out? Getting chased by loan sharks? Making you lie awake every night wondering if someone’s going to knock the door down and take him—or worse, Kaleb and Lily?"

Her face fell. "Aria—"

"No," I cut in, my voice a little louder than I wanted it to be. "Don’t paint him as some goddamn martyr. He’s reckless. Irresponsible. And you? You just keep defending him like he’s some hero in a tragedy. Well he’s not. He’s just a guy who keeps screwing up and expecting us to pick up the pieces."

Silence fell between us, thick and bitter. Her little girl had gone quiet on the couch, hugging a stuffed cat like a shield.

"I’m trying," Olivia said quietly, her voice breaking around the edges. "He’s trying too. But everything’s falling apart, and I don’t know how to hold it together anymore."

I stared at her for a moment, pulse still racing, throat tight. There it was again—that feeling. Like I was drowning in a situation I couldn’t escape and didn’t know how to save.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I checked the screen to know who it was.

Kael. Of course it was.

I didn’t even bother reading his message. Whatever he wanted to say could wait.

The sharp knock that followed made my skin crawl—it wasn’t the kind of knock that waited for permission. It was a threat wrapped in wood and fury, a harsh reminder of what Olivia had just told me.

Lily flinched where she sat on the couch and looked her mother, eyes wide, clutching the head of the teddy bear.

"Take her inside," I said, already walking toward the door. My voice was calm, low. Too calm.

Olivia didn’t move.

"Olivia," I said, turning to look at her, sharper this time. "Take. Her. Inside."

She obeyed without a word, pulling Lily along into her arms as the knocks grew louder, faster, more violent.

I opened the door.

There were four of them.

Men, all older, rough, sweat on their brows, dressed like the kind of guys who didn’t care for pleasantries or knocking twice. The one in front looked around my age, though something about his eyes made him seem older—harder. Like he’d seen some things and liked them.

He stepped forward, squinting at me. "Who the fuck are you?"

I didn’t flinch. "That depends. Who are you looking for?"

"Michael," he growled. "Where is that rat bastard? He hiding in there?" He craned his neck like he could just stroll past me if he wanted.

My eyes flicked down quickly—bags, iron rods, a rusted chain hanging from one of their belts. No guns, knives. Any that I could see for now. Good. Still, my heart was thudding like it had something to prove.

I shifted my weight, folding my arms. "I’m Aria. His sister." The lie "sister" made my skin crawl but it was necessary.

The man looked me up and down like he was trying to decide if I was worth shoving aside. "You hiding him?"

"If I was, do you think I’d open the door?" I kept my tone even, cool. I wasn’t about to let them smell fear.

The other men muttered something, but the one in front raised a hand and they fell quiet. He took a small step forward—close enough that I could smell the mix of cheap beer and sweat on him.

"Your brother owes us. And we don’t like waiting. We especially don’t like getting ignored like we’re fucking clowns. He made a promise. And when that promise involves money, we come to collect."

"I’m not denying that," I said, lifting my chin. "But if you’re going to come to someone’s home making threats, maybe you should start by being a little more specific. What was the agreement? How much did he borrow? When?"

He tilted his head at me, expression unreadable for a second. Then he let out a small laugh—gravelly and mean. "Look at you, acting like you’re gonna fix this with a few questions. That boy owes us over five fucking hundred bands. Interest climbing every fucking week."

Over five hundred thousand. Olivia mentioned a hundred. My jaw tensed, but I didn’t react. Not externally. I kept my eyes on him, steady, even though the floor beneath me felt like it had cracked open. I knew what they were. Of course they’d add an outrageous amount as interest.

"How long ago?" I asked, voice low.

"Three weeks," he said. "Your little brother’s said he was gonna make millions in a few weeks but failed to keep his promise and now he’s been dancing around us since day ten. Now we’re outta patience."

"I’m not sure who’s the bigger idiot here." I muttered. Maybe it was Michael who so easily fell for an obvious trading scam and taking a large loan without verification or the people who did infact gave him the money without question.

No. They definitely knew what they were doing. That’s why the interest is outrageous. They knew he was a fool and they could easily squeeze out more money out of him. It seemed things weren’t going to be easily solved.

I took a slow breath, nodded once, even though my hands were already starting to shake behind my folded arms.

"I’ll handle it."

He scoffed. "Oh yeah? You gonna cough up the money tonight?"

"No," I said, honestly. "But I’m telling you he’s not here. And if you cause a scene, the neighbors will call the police. I don’t think you want that kind of attention."

His eyes narrowed. I was gambling. But sometimes, all you had was your voice and the way you used it.

Another pause, then he jabbed a finger toward me. "You have until the end of the week. After that..." he glanced back at his guys, then back to me with a crooked grin, "we stop asking politely."

I said nothing. Just stared him down until he spat on the ground, turned, and walked away.

The others followed. One of them glanced back at me, gave a mocking little wave.

I closed the door slowly, locking it twice.

Then I turned around, leaning my back against it. The silence inside was heavy. Olivia peeked from the hallway, Lily clinging to her waist.

"You okay?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.

"No," I said quietly. "Call that fucker and tell him to come home immediately."

I just needed a moment. And maybe... to finally read what Kael had to say.