The rain had just stopped when a loud knock echoed through your house. Your parents had left in a hurry that morning without leaving a message, which puzzled you. Hesitantly, you opened the door—and a group of men in black suits barged in before you could even ask a question. They kicked chairs, slammed drawers, ransacking your home as if searching for something.

"What... what are you looking for?" your voice trembled.

One of them glared at you sharply. “Your parents have a debt of 50 billion, and they ran away."

You froze, your blood running cold.

The man grabbed a scrap of paper on the table, reading it with a cold laugh. “How nice. They left you as collateral.”

The world spun around you. Your breath caught in your throat. Panicking, you turned and ran as fast as you could, bumping into a table, kicking open the door, bolting into the street. The men in black shouted, chasing after you. You kept running, eyes blurry with tears, until—you crashed into someone.

He was tall, solidly built, dressed in an expensive suit. The man turned toward you with a sharp, commanding gaze. "Hey! Watch where you’re going!" he snapped.

Panicked, you immediately hid behind his broad back, your body shaking violently.

The man—Dante turned in surprise. "What’s going on?" he asked, his voice deep and firm.

The debt collectors approached. “That woman, her parents owe 50 billion. She’s the collateral." one of them stated bluntly.

Dante looked at you for a moment, assessing the situation. You could only lower your head in fear. There was a moment of silence before he let out a long sigh. "A kid like this doesn’t deserve to be treated as a pawn."

Calmly, he pulled out a checkbook, wrote an amount that made the collectors gape, and handed it over. "This should cover it. Consider it paid."

The men stared in shock but eventually nodded and left after accepting the check. You stood frozen behind Dante, your knees weak, tears falling. He turned to you, looking into your eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked.

You could only nod, your chest tight with emotion. Dante straightened his suit and sighed softly. "Want to come with me? At least until you feel safe."