Chapter 175 The Wager
Layla turned inLayla's gaze followed the direction Owen indicated and saw of Owen's pointed finger, landing on the sight of Uncle Liam confidently striding out,towards them, his arm wrappeddraped around a young, glamorous woman.
"Uncle Liam, looks likeit seems you're enjoying yourselfhaving quite the evening," Owen steppedinterjected, stepping forward, blocking to obstruct his path.
"It's you two again. What do you want?" Panic flickeredRecognizing the duo, a flicker of panic danced in Uncle Liam's eyes.
"Where's my dad?"
"I "What do you two want this time?""Where is my father?" Owen demanded."I've already told you, I don't knowhave no idea," Uncle Liam said, trying to walk awayretorted, attempting to sidestep Owen and continue on his way with the young woman, but. However, Owen stood inremained steadfast, blocking their way.
path."Uncle Liam, II've heard you're famously scaredrumors of your notorious fear of your wife. What do you think she'dI wonder what she would do if she found out about this?" Owen glanced at discovered your current companion?" Owen's gaze subtly shifted towards the woman beside him.
at Liam's side."Are— you threatening me?" Uncle Liam's face turned red with flushed a deep crimson, a mixture of rage, powerless in and fear at the gripprospect of his secret being exposedrevealed. He letreleased the young woman , allowing her to leave, then called the two asidebefore reluctantly.
pulling Owen and Layla aside."Your dadfather did come tovisit me a few days backago, but not to collect ait wasn't about any debt;. I don't owe him any money."
Layla was puzzled.a dime," he confessed.Layla's brow furrowed in confusion. If it wasn't about a debt, then why would Sophia have said that?
suggested otherwise?"I thoughtassumed he was justsimply bored, and looking for a way to kill somepass the time, so I invited him to join me for a meal—we did have. We do share some history, after all. Then your dad During our dinner, he asked me where he could place a bet. You know him,Your father has been gamblinga gambler for decades. Can't change, it's a habit he can't shake," Uncle Liam frowned.
explained, a frown creasing his forehead. "I decided to takeaccompany him to a casino that night. It seemed luckfortune was on his side; in justfavoring him; within half an hour, he had won over a hundred grand. I triedattempted to dragpersuade him outto leave, but he was insistent ondetermined to continue playing more. He kept raising the stakes until he was in deep—five million deep, to be exact."
in debt.""Five million!" Owen's face paled at the number.
"Yeahblanched at the astronomical figure."Yes, he was overtaken by greed. Regardless of whether he won or lost, he was consumed by greed at that point. Win or lose, he just wanted more.insatiable. He ended up in debt,owing five million in the hole, which he couldn't pay back., a sum he was unable to repay. Anastasia, the casino owner, took him."
Owen, furious, grabbed," Uncle Liam revealed.Enraged, Owen seized Uncle Liam by the collar. "Did you set my dadfather up with the casino?"
"On"I swear on my honor, I would never do such a thing. PlusBesides, your dadfather was as broke as they comepenniless. Why would I target him?"
"So you just leftabandoned him there?"
"What was I supposed to do? He racked upwas the one who accrued the debt, not me. Look, I may runown a jewelry store, but I don't make millions.I'm not a millionaire. That dinner party we were atattended? I was barely able to get in myself."
managed to secure an invitation," Uncle Liam defended himself."Anastasia is ruthless.notorious for her ruthlessness. If your dadmy father can't pay uprepay his debt, he's as good as dead. You'd better come up with somethinga solution or be readyprepared to handle his final affairs."
," Owen threatened.Uncle Liam gavereluctantly provided them with the address of the casino, and they promptly hailed a cab to the casino.
. The tension within the vehicle was palpable in the car.
"I'll go in alone. You head back."As we approach our destination, I want you to return to the hotel. I'll handle this alone," Owen said as they neared their destination.
instructed Layla."I can't let you doface this danger by yourself."
," Layla protested."I don't need a lady getting in the way."
"And your woman complicating matters," Owen retorted."Your temper will only make things worseis more likely to exacerbate the situation," Layla countered, not willingunwilling to leave himOwen to his own devices. AtThey could at least together they could consult each other.
But if they were together.However, they both knewunderstood the hard truth: to those runningharsh reality: in the place,world of the casino, money was the only money talks. Callinglanguage understood. Contacting the police was pointlesswould be futile, and without a dimeany money to their names, the chancelikelihood of getting him outrescuing Owen's father was next to nothing. Stillslim. Nevertheless, they hadneeded to assess the situation.
All they had was each other.
Owen reached out and took Layla's hand, a comforting dry warmth spreading between them.
AtUpon arriving at the casino, they approached a bouncer, claiming informing him they were there to settle the debt.
A momentfew moments later, the bouncer returned and said,. "Mr. Huang will only see one of you." His ," he declared, his eyes flicked toflicking towards Layla.
"No way"Absolutely not! If anyone'sanyone is going, it's me!" Owen stepped forward, only to be blocked by two burly guards.
"Kid, Anastasia decides who she sees. You wait here."
," the bouncer commanded.Layla hateddespised dealing with these typessuch individuals, but she had no choice. "I'll go."
," she conceded."That's too dangerous on your own. Let's just leave," Owen triedattempted to pull her away, but Layla slipped her hand away.
from his grasp."Every minute we waste, my dad'sfather's life is in more danger. I can't leave. You waitWait here for me; I'll be careful."
," she assured him."Layla!"
"Trust me, I've gotOwen. I can handle this," she triedattempted to reassure Owenhim with a brave smile.
Owen pointed a warning finger at the bouncer, his voice edgedlaced with a thinly veiled threat, “Lay. "If you lay a hand on her, and I swear I'll burn this casino to the ground.”
."The bouncer justmerely scoffed, a taunting sound that echoed faintly in the crowded space. “"Kid, you think you can take on Mr. Thompson in his own house?”
?"The casino was vast, a hive of a sprawling labyrinth, teeming with gamblers and thethose desperately hopeful.
Everyclinging to hope.Each time Layla thought ofconsidered how many would leave broken, their lives and homes wreckedwould be ruined by this vice, a shudder ran throughdown her.
spine.There are two things in this world that'llthat will destroy you: drugs and gambling.
“"Move it, Mr. Thompson is waiting!”!" The bouncer roughly shoved her into the innermost room.
Inside, a menacing man in his thirties, with lounged on a sofa, a scar acrossmarring his face and his teeth stained teeth, lounged on the sofa, hisfrom years of neglect. His arm was casually draped around a woman in a leopard-print mini skirt.
“You the one settling"You're here to settle Jason's debt?”
?" he inquired.Surrounded by Thompson's lackeys, leering attheir lecherous gazes making her as if she werefeel like prey caughttrapped in a trapsnare, Layla felt her heart race.pound in her chest. She composed herself and asked, “Where’s"Where is my father?”
“?""In the back! Where’sWhere's the money?”
“?""I need to ensure my dad'sfather's safety first.”
“.""The nerveaudacity! Setting terms with me!”!" Thompson slammed his fist down on the table. “"Bring him out!”
!""Layla, Layla, save me..." Dragged out, a A battered Jason appealed for help. Hiswas dragged out, his face was bruised, and his body weakened from days without food, shaking. He trembled uncontrollably in, a pitiful sight of fear and humiliation.
"Get over there—”—" A thug kicked Jason, who let out a cry, struggling of pain. He struggled to rise, but Thompson pinned him like a bug under down with his boot.
"Dad—" Layla rushed forward franticallyin a panic, "Please, let him go!"
"Pay up first. Your dadfather owes me five million. With the interest foraccrued over these days, it's now eight million now,”," Thompson roughly gestured the number eight.
"I... I don't have the money with me."
"No money and you're wasting my time! Are you playingtrying to play me?" Thompson's rage was palpable.
"I don't have it now, justbut give me a week...”
...""A week? He's already had three days already. His damn wife thought I was a scam artist and hung up on me. I was this close toon the verge of feeding him to the dogs!"
"I'll get the money in a week, I promise!”!" Layla stepped closerpleaded, her voice urgent.
"Boss, the girl's quite a looker,”," one of the henchmen remarked with a sleazy anticipation.
grin.Thompson squeezed his companion’scompanion's behind, then stood up to appraise Layla. “"Not bad at all. How about this, sweetie? You entertain my guests for the night, and I’llI'll give you a week. Deal?"
"No way!”!" Layla recoiled, her skin crawling under his lecherous gaze.
"Ana, Mr. Thompson, my daughter's just a student. Please, let her be," Jason pleaded.
"Students? Ha, I've always had a thing for college girls. Let me have a 'private tutorial' with her!" Anastasia flashed a sinister grin. "Grab her!"
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