Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

Selena threw on her coat, brushed a few strands of hair back into place, and headed outside. From the second-floor balcony, she had a clear view of the scene unfolding below. A crowd had gathered at the entrance, brandishing signs that screamed, "Give us our money back!" At the forefront was a man with a megaphone, relentlessly calling out her uncle's name, demanding he come out and settle his debts instead of hiding like a coward. Some of them were aggressively shaking the iron gate, looking like they might storm in any second. The housekeeper, never having faced anything like this, was visibly shaken, her face as white as a sheet. "Ms. Selena, what are we going to do?"

Selena felt her own head pounding. Although she didn't have the full story, she knew her uncle had gotten himself into another mess.

"First, make sure the gate is locked tight. We can't let them in. I'll call my uncle," Selena instructed.

She hurried back to her room to grab her phone, noticing several missed calls from her uncle. With a sigh, she dialed him back.

It took Brook a while to answer, and when he did, he was already in tears. "Selena, thank goodness you finally picked up." Selena, rubbing her temples, got straight to the point. "Uncle Brook, what's going on?"

Brook sounded even more pitiful as he explained, "A few months ago, a friend showed me this investment app and said it was a sure thing. He asked me to join in because we're close. I even had experts look it over, and they all said it was a good deal, so I put some money in."

"At first, it was great. We made money and attracted lots of customers. But then, a week ago, I couldn't reach my friend, and the money vanished from our joint account. Now, the customers can't get their money out, and since I'm the registered owner, they're all demanding I pay up. But I'm a victim too!"

Selena had suspected as much. Her uncle always chased quick profits without seeing the bigger picture, making him an easy target for scams.

She took a deep breath and asked, "How much are we talking about?"

Brook let out a heavy sigh. "Five hundred million."

Selena almost dropped her phone, her eyes widening in disbelief. This was far worse than she'd imagined.

"You said you only invested a little. How did it balloon to five hundred million? Where did you even get that kind of money?"

She knew he wasn't exactly rolling in cash; he spent whatever he earned and then some on risky ventures. There was no way he had that kind of money. "Remember that piece of land Everett gave me? I, uh, mortgaged it for five hundred million and put it all into the investment," Brook's voice trailed off.NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

"Uncle Brook, you..."

"I just wanted to make some money for Ricky's future and for you too. I didn't want you to always feel looked down upon by the Bennetts. If I succeeded, they'd respect you more, right? How was I supposed to know the whole thing was a scam? Now I'm drowning in debt!"

As Brook continued, his voice cracked, "Selena, I know I've been nothing but a burden. After your mom passed, I should've been there for you, but I failed. I know it's tough for you with the Bennetts, butt won't drag you into this mess anymore."

Something about his tone didn't sit right with Selena. A sense of dread settled in her stomach. "Uncle Brook, where are you?"

Brook seemed to ignore her,

pressing on, Selena, I've got a life insurance policy with you, your aunt, and Ricky as the beneficiaries. The debts will be cleared when I'm gone and the company goes bankrupt. Use that money wisely, and take care of your aunt and Rich That'll

give me peace."