Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 74: Chapter 74

Samantha's face shifted instantly, her fingers tightening around the check in her delicate, pale hand. Her eyes locked onto me, blazing with intensity, and her lips curled into a bright smile. But the words that emerged from her throat were like ice, "Are you threatening me?"
I met her gaze calmly. Despite the soft, fragile demeanor she was still trying to project, there was a hardness in her eyes that made her previous warmth feel like a mask. I allowed a thin smile to tug at my lips. "I'm just curious. When you were with Alex, was it him chasing you? Or you chasing him? Or was it all just an illusion from the start?"
Samantha's smile didn't waver. "Alex is used to being surrounded by elegant ladies, refined and well-bred. Occasionally, a woman like you—beautiful and hungry for money—piques his interest. But do you really think he'll marry you?"
"I'm not worthy of Alex," I said casually. "Why don't you talk to him for me? Tell him to let me go."
Samantha's face remained serene, but there was a chilling edge to her eyes, a stark contrast to her earlier, almost friendly demeanor. "Sure," she replied with a smile that barely reached her eyes. "I'll be sure to pass your message along."
"Thanks."
I pushed the door open and stepped out. Samantha wasn't foolish enough to lie to me about my mother's condition. But for one fleeting moment, I wished it were all just a cruel joke.
Since returning to Nifelheim City, I'd only learned about my mother's illness through Bonnie and her. I had naively trusted their reassurance that everything was fine.
"Angela, do you have the number for my mom's attending physician at the private hospital?" I asked, my voice tight with worry.
"What's wrong? Is something happening?" Angela's tone sped up as she noticed the concern in my face.
Less than ten minutes later, Angela handed me the doctor's contact number.
I clung to a thread of hope as I dialed the number.
Cameron hesitated for a long while before speaking, "Your mother has advanced-stage brain cancer. She didn't want you to know. So..."
"I understand. Thank you." I hung up the phone, sitting in stunned silence for at least twenty minutes.
Angela, for once, didn't try to fill the silence with her usual chatter. She sat quietly beside me, occasionally wiping away her tears.
After a while, when I still hadn't said anything, she couldn't hold back any longer. "Laurel... should we go back?"
I shook my head, inhaling deeply. Then I dialed my mother's number.
It rang for a long time before she picked up.
"Laurel, didn't you go out? How come you have time to call me?"
I remembered the symptoms of brain cancer—what started as mild headaches.
Two years ago, my mother had told me she'd gone to the doctor, but the prescription was just for some minor medication. "It's nothing serious," she'd said.
But now it seemed clear that she hadn't gone for a thorough examination—just a quick checkup at a nearby clinic. If she had gotten a proper diagnosis back then, maybe it wouldn't have progressed to this point.
When I heard my mother's voice, my heart clenched painfully.
"Nothing's wrong, I just miss you." I forced a smile that didn't reach my eyes.
"Is Alex with you? I'll be out of the hospital next week. Have him come back for dinner with us."
"Okay, Mom, I'll be back tomorrow. I might be a little late, but I'll come to the hospital to see you."
There was a pause, and then my mother's voice came through again. "No need. I'll be out next Monday."
"Alright. I'll pick you up when you're out."
I hung up, and Angela broke down beside me, sobbing.
"Laurel, why aren't you crying?"
She wiped her tears away but was still choking on her words, her confusion and pain clear in her voice.
I handed her a tissue, gently wiping her tears as I explained softly, "Because I'm afraid that if I start, I won't be able to stop. Mom didn't want me to know about her illness, so I'm pretending like I don't."
Angela froze for a moment before gently hugging me. "Laurel, don't be sad. Your mom will be fine."
I managed a bitter smile, though it didn't reach my eyes. "All these months... every time I went to the hospital, Mom would always rush me out, saying there were germs. Bonnie even told me not to stay with her, saying she'd taken time off. I should've noticed something. If I'd stayed with her longer, maybe I would've known sooner."
Patients with advanced brain cancer experience significant memory loss. Now it made sense why she had labeled the food in the fridge with dates. Why there were expired cartons of milk tucked away in the TV cabinet. Why there were accounting ledgers in the drawers, each detail written down meticulously.
But my mother had never kept a ledger. I had overlooked these glaring signs, thinking they were nothing important.
The weight of guilt and regret hit me like a stone pressing down on my chest.
Now I also understood why my mother had been so insistent that I marry Austin. She hadn't even gotten angry when I switched partners at the last minute.
Perhaps in her eyes, as long as someone was willing to give me a home, that would be her last wish. But she didn't know the Herrera family would never accept someone who had almost been their granddaughter-in-law.
But none of that mattered. If it would bring my mother peace, I would hold on to being Mrs. Herrera, no matter what.
Not just for the 5 million dollars. But for my mother.
"Wait, Laurel, how did you know about your mother's illness?" Angela's red eyes were filled with confusion. After a beat, she asked in shock, "Did Samantha tell you?"
I nodded silently. I had clearly underestimated Samantha's reach.
In just one day, she'd managed to gather all the information about the people around me. She was something else, truly formidable.
As this realization sank in, a shiver ran down my spine.
If Samantha knew about my mother's condition, Alex must have known too. After all, he'd been able to find out about her without me having a clue.
I picked up my phone, hesitating for a long moment. When I finally decided to call Alex, I realized that other than his WhatsApp contact, I had no other way of reaching him.
In the end, I sent him a message.
Less than three minutes later, he called.
But there was silence on the other end. After what felt like an eternity, his low voice broke the quiet. "What's the matter?"
Alex's tone was distant, cold.
I paused, taking a couple of deep breaths before speaking slowly, "Did you know about my mom's illness?"
"I know. Stage four brain cancer. She doesn't have long..." His voice faltered at the most crucial moment.
That hesitation... it was almost too much to bear.
Just as he was about to speak again, I cut him off. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"She didn't want you to see her like that," Alex's voice was flat. "She didn't want you to be sad or worried in her last days."
"Everyone dies. Death is the one thing in this world that's fair to everyone," he added, the words heavy with a strange finality.