Chapter 2

My brother-in-law truly wasn't cut out for running a company. The money Scarlett had borrowed before was nearly gone in less than six months.

David had been sighing a lot lately.

That day, Scarlett came home and, before even sitting down for dinner, started crying to Mom about David's company needing money, and how she'd already poured all her savings into it.

Mom, feeling sympathetic, quickly wiped away her precious daughter's tears.

"This company has been open for three years now, wasn't everything supposed to be fine? Why is it short on cash now?"

Dad chimed in, "Can't David's family chip in?"

David looked annoyed. "My mom did say she'd support me, but Scarlett said this is 'our' family business, and she insists on finding the funds herself!"

With that, he turned to leave, glaring at Scarlett. "I told you we shouldn't have come!"

Scarlett quickly stood up and grabbed David. "Honey, don't be mad. Mom and Dad didn't mean it that way, right?"

She looked pleadingly at our parents. "Mom, tell Chloe. Chloe's a government employee, everyone says she’s a shoo-in for a loan."

Mom immediately shot a glance at me. "Chloe, can you help your sister? Your brother-in-law's company will pay you back as soon as it makes money!"

I quickly interjected, "Mom, how can I? I just started my career, I barely have any assets. How much could I possibly borrow?"

Scarlett nudged David, who reluctantly spoke. "Chloe, you just need to put your name on it. We'll handle how to get the loan and the monthly interest ourselves. We'll even give you five thousand as a finder's fee."

Hearing that, I almost burst out laughing.

Mom still acted as if I was getting such a great deal. "Chloe, look how much your sister and brother-in-law are looking out for you. You just need to get a loan, and you'll get five thousand. Isn't that better than your job?"

The whole family nodded in agreement, as if getting a loan really wasn't a big deal.

Yeah, Mom was always like that!

When Scarlett fell as a child, she'd anxiously call her 'precious girl,' but when I fell, she'd complain I couldn't even walk straight.

In my previous life, even though I didn't agree to the loan, Scarlett still convinced Mom. Together, they took my ID and secured countless illegal online loans that I could never repay in my lifetime.

I knew that if I refused outright now, the result would be no different from my last life.

I pretended to gather my courage and spoke. "Mom, of course, I'm willing to help Scarlett and David."

Seeing Scarlett sigh in relief, I added with a worried look,

"But what if they can't pay it back? I'm still on the same household record as you. If the debt collectors come looking for us, they'll come for our whole family. I heard those shady debt collectors can be really brutal."

Hearing this, my parents looked at Scarlett.

"Loans indeed require caution. How about it, Scarlett, let's call Eleanor over first, and we can all talk it over."