Chapter 175
Layla's gaze followed the direction of Owen's pointed finger, landing on the sight of Uncle Liam confidently striding towards them, his arm draped around a young, glamorous woman.
"Uncle Liam, it seems you're having quite the evening," Owen interjected, stepping forward to obstruct his path.
Recognizing the duo, a flicker of panic danced in Uncle Liam's eyes. "What do you two want this time?"
"Where is my father?" Owen demanded.
"I've already told you, I have no idea," Uncle Liam retorted, attempting to sidestep Owen and continue on his way with the young woman. However, Owen remained steadfast, blocking their path.
"Uncle Liam, I've heard rumors of your notorious fear of your wife. I wonder what she would do if she discovered your current companion?" Owen's gaze subtly shifted towards the woman at Liam's side.
"Are you threatening me?" Uncle Liam's face flushed a deep crimson, a mixture of rage and fear at the prospect of his secret being revealed. He released the young woman, allowing her to leave, before reluctantly pulling Owen and Layla aside.
"Your father did visit me a few days ago, but it wasn't about any debt. I don't owe him a dime," he confessed.
Layla's brow furrowed in confusion. If it wasn't about a debt, then why would Sophia have suggested otherwise?
"I assumed he was simply bored and looking for a way to pass the time, so I invited him to join me for a meal. We do share some history, after all. During our dinner, he asked me where he could place a bet. Your father has been a gambler for decades, it's a habit he can't shake," Uncle Liam explained, a frown creasing his forehead.
"I decided to accompany him to a casino that night. It seemed fortune was favoring him; within half an hour, he had won over a hundred grand. I attempted to persuade him to leave, but he was determined to continue playing. He kept raising the stakes until he was five million in debt."
"Five million!" Owen's face blanched at the astronomical figure.
"Yes, he was overtaken by greed. Regardless of whether he won or lost, he was insatiable. He ended up owing five million, a sum he was unable to repay. Anastasia, the casino owner, took him," Uncle Liam revealed.
Enraged, Owen seized Uncle Liam by the collar. "Did you set my father up with the casino?"
"I swear on my honor, I would never do such a thing. Besides, your father was penniless. Why would I target him?"
"So you just abandoned him there?"
"What was I supposed to do? He was the one who accrued the debt, not me. I may own a jewelry store, but I'm not a millionaire. That dinner party we attended? I barely managed to secure an invitation," Uncle Liam defended himself.
"Anastasia is notorious for her ruthlessness. If my father can't repay his debt, he's as good as dead. You'd better come up with a solution or be prepared to handle his final affairs," Owen threatened.
Uncle Liam reluctantly provided them with the address of the casino, and they promptly hailed a cab.
The tension within the vehicle was palpable.
"As we approach our destination, I want you to return to the hotel. I'll handle this alone," Owen instructed Layla.
"I can't let you face this danger by yourself," Layla protested.
"I don't need a woman complicating matters," Owen retorted.
"Your temper is more likely to exacerbate the situation," Layla countered, unwilling to leave Owen to his own devices. They could at least consult each other if they were together.
However, they both understood the harsh reality: in the world of the casino, money was the only language understood. Contacting the police would be futile, and without any money to their names, the likelihood of rescuing Owen's father was slim. Nevertheless, they needed to assess the situation.
All they had was each other.
Owen reached out and took Layla's hand, a comforting warmth spreading between them.
Upon arriving at the casino, they approached a bouncer, informing him they were there to settle the debt.
A few moments later, the bouncer returned. "Mr. Huang will only see one of you," he declared, his eyes flicking towards Layla.
"Absolutely not! If anyone 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 despised dealing with such individuals, but she had no choice. "I'll go," she conceded.
"That's too dangerous. Let's just leave," Owen attempted to pull her away, but Layla slipped her hand from his grasp.
"Every minute we waste, my father's life is in more danger. I can't leave. Wait here for me; I'll be careful," she assured him.
"Layla!"
"Trust me, Owen. I can handle this," she attempted to reassure him with a brave smile.
Owen pointed a warning finger at the bouncer, his voice laced with a thinly veiled threat. "If you lay a hand on her, I swear I'll burn this casino to the ground."
The bouncer merely 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 a sprawling labyrinth, teeming with gamblers and those desperately clinging to hope.
Each time Layla considered how many lives would be ruined by this vice, a shudder ran down her spine.
There are two things in this world that 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 lounged on a sofa, a scar marring his face and his teeth stained from years of neglect. His arm was casually draped around a woman in a leopard-print mini skirt.
"You're here to settle Jason's debt?" he inquired.
Surrounded by Thompson's lackeys, their lecherous gazes making her feel like prey trapped in a snare, Layla felt her heart pound in her chest. She composed herself and asked, "Where is my father?"
"In the back! Where's the money?"
"I need to ensure my father's safety first."
"The audacity! Setting terms with me!" Thompson slammed his fist down on the table. "Bring him out!"
"Layla, Layla, save me..." A battered Jason was dragged out, his face bruised and his body weakened from days without food. He trembled uncontrollably, a pitiful sight of fear and humiliation.
"Get over there-" A thug kicked Jason, who let out a cry of pain. He struggled to rise, but Thompson pinned him down with his boot.
"Dad-" Layla rushed forward in a panic, "Please, let him go!"
"Pay up first. Your father owes me five million. With the interest accrued over these days, it's now eight million," 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 trying to play me?" Thompson's rage was palpable.
"I don't have it now, but give me a week..."
"A week? He's already had three days. His damn wife thought I was a scam and hung up on me. I was on the verge of feeding him to the dogs!"
"I'll get the money in a week, I promise!" Layla pleaded, her voice urgent.
"Boss, the girl's quite a looker," one of the henchmen remarked with a sleazy grin.
Thompson squeezed his companion'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'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!"