Chapter 279 The Uncle’s Desperate Gambit

Author

What Jack didn’t count on was how fast the internet could check his lies.

An hour after his sad TV performance, Nadia posted something that completely destroyed his scam. Her Facebook post went viral super fast:

[I need to set the record straight. I’m Elara’s mother.

I NEVER told my loser brother Jack to ask my daughter for money. Jack owes gambling money to some very dangerous people because he can’t stop playing poker. When I told him to fix his own problems, he decided to go after my kid instead.

Don’t believe his fake story. Thanks.]

People on Reddit were already looking into it.

They found court papers faster than you could blink. Someone posted the legal documents showing that Elara had cut ties with her mother last year.

[Wait, this whole thing was fake? This uncle is total trash. No wonder Elara told him to get lost so fast.]

[This guy is disgusting. Lying about cancer to trick his own niece? What kind of monster does that?]

[Security needs to kick him out and ban him from the building.]

Jack’s face went from happy to angry in two seconds.

He never expected Nadia to speak up now. The easy money he was counting on was gone. His bookie didn’t accept promises to pay later.

At the same time, Nadia stared at her phone screen. She finally felt relieved.

Her hands were shaking when she called Jack. He answered right away.

"You backstabbing witch"

"Shut up and listen," she interrupted him. "Stay away from Elara. I have half a million dollars

saved up. Take it and disappear. But if you bother her again, I’ll tell everyone what kind of scum you really are."

She hung up.

--

Meanwhile, Alpha Dominic watched this whole internet drama happen in real time from his office.

The problem had fixed itself faster than he expected. But something about Nadia’s desperate move felt wrong to him.

He used the pack mind link to contact Walter. "I need you to check everything about Nadia. Medical records, money situation, all of it. Keep it quiet."

"Got it, Alpha King."

Alpha Dominic had already called Linda earlier. Linda said Elara was resting, but he still felt worried. After dealing with some urgent work, he grabbed his car keys.

When he walked into the living room, Elara had just woken up from her nap. Her hair was messy and she had marks on her cheek from the pillow. Even looking tired, she was beautiful.

"You’re home early."

Alpha Dominic loosened his tie and sat on the coffee table facing her. "I heard you had trouble this morning. Why didn’t you call me?"

Elara knew he meant the Jack situation. She hoped to keep it private, but nothing stayed secret when cameras were recording your life.

"It wasn’t worth bothering you. He’s just a loser looking for easy money."

"He won’t bother you anymore," Alpha Dominic said in that calm but serious way that meant someone was about to have big problems.

He looked at her carefully. "But there’s something else. The cancer story? It’s real." He had just gotten this information on his way home.

"Your mother has stage four lung cancer. Doctors say she has maybe three months, possibly six if treatment helps." He stopped for a moment. "Do you want to see her?"

Elara felt like someone had punched her hard.

She always thought the cancer thing was just another one of Jack’s lies to make her feel guilty and give him money. She never thought Nadia was actually dying.

The bedroom cameras had been turned off because Alpha Dominic ordered it. This conversation was completely private.

Elara didn’t say anything for a long time. Her feelings were too mixed up to understand. She didn’t want anything to do with Nadia. But she also couldn’t wish death on anyone, even someone she hated.

"I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel right now."

Alpha Dominic sat next to her and pulled her close. "You don’t have to feel any particular way. Life and death don’t come with rules."

He gently touched her hair. "I already set up an appointment for her with the best cancer doctor at Sloan Kettering. Other than that, we’ll figure it out as we go."

Elara didn’t expect him to handle this so kindly. This was one of the things she loved about him. "Thank you."

"If you decide you want to see her, I’ll drive you there myself."

Elara wasn’t ready to deal with that yet. Not after everything Nadia had done to her. Even today’s public support couldn’t fix years of hurt and abandonment.

"Not yet," she said quietly.

"Then we’ll wait until you’re ready."

--

Jack’s plan to get money from Elara had failed completely. He bought the cheapest bus ticket and ran to Atlantic City, hoping to hide until things cooled down.

Big mistake.

The moment he stepped off the bus, something hard hit his head. Everything went black.

Jack woke up tied to a metal chair in an old auto shop. The place smelled like oil and rust. This was really bad.

"Well, look who decided to take a vacation."

That voice made Jack’s blood freeze. He knew exactly who it was. Bad news.

"Isaac, listen, I wasn’t trying to run away," Jack said, his mouth dry. "I just needed more time. My niece married a rich guy. If I can get money from him, I’ll pay you back with interest. I promise."

Isaac Marcelli stepped into the light. His face looked like hamburger meat. Prison tattoos covered his neck.

"Funny thing, Jackie boy. Three days ago, you said the same thing. Where’s my money?"

Jack’s hands shook as he reached for his phone. "I got five hundred thousand right now. Cash. Just give me two more weeks for the rest. Please."

Isaac laughed. "Five hundred thousand? You think this is some store? You piece of trash."

He nodded to his guys. Two big men grabbed Jack’s right hand and slammed it on a table full of rusty tools.

"Wait! We can work something out!"

The knife came down fast.

Jack screamed. Blood covered the floor. His finger lay three feet away, still moving.

Isaac got close to Jack’s face. "That’s your first payment." He lit a cigarette. "You got thirty days to get all my money. Next time, I cut off something more important. Got it?"

Jack could barely breathe from the pain. "Yeah... I got it. Thirty days."

"Good. My boys will take you to the hospital. Don’t want you dying before you pay me."

They left him there holding his bleeding hand.

When he heard the ambulance coming, Jack stared at his finger. Pure anger filled his chest.

"This is all your fault, Elara," he whispered. "Don’t blame me for what happens next."

The game had changed. Jack was done playing nice.

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