A month had passed, 

That night, Nicolas sat in the living room of his small apartment. Job application papers littered the table, and his cell phone wouldn't stop vibrating with messages from loan sharks collecting debts. He massaged his temples, frustrated with the way things were going.  

His parents, Maria, Nicolas's mother, sat not far from him. The woman's face is full of anxiety as she watches her once-successful son fall into a directionless slump.  

"I've tried talking to some friends to help you find a job, but everyone says Celine is blocking your chances, son," Maria said in a low voice.  

Nicolas looked up with a tired look. "She...