Jason pushed the ashtray even closer to my dad's head.
My mom rushed to intervene but was pushed aside by Jason. I quickly caught her.
Jason was taller and stronger than my dad, who was just a schoolteacher. He worked in transport, so his strength was naturally much greater.
Unable to fight back and with my mom and me at risk, my dad finally gave in. "We'll lend you the money! We can lend it!"
Jason's movements paused, but the vicious look in his eyes didn't lessen.
"How much?"
My dad choked up, glancing toward my mom.
"Brynlee, how much money do we have left?"
My mom, already in tears, blurted out without thinking, "Thir..."
Seeing that she was about to say 30,000, I quickly interrupted her, "Mom, we don't have any money left."
"Last night, I went to an underground casino hoping to try my luck, and I lost our last 30,000."
Afraid they wouldn't believe me, I pinched my thigh hard, bringing tears to my eyes from the pain.
"Not only that, but I owe them another 30,000. They're demanding I repay it within a week..."
With a shaky voice and tears at the corners of my eyes, I looked as believable as I could. Even my parents were fooled.
"Lost, lost it all?"
"And owe another 30,000?"