Please Come Back, Honey!

Chapter 76

Chapter 76
“The hospital?” She frowned. “What happened to you?” As far as she was concerned, Steven was in the pink of health. Bad guys lived long lives for some reason, and Steven was a prime example.
He snorted. “You‘ll see. Just get here. It‘s sertious, and it needs a lot of money to treat.”
I see. So that‘s what he wants. He‘s pretending to be sick so he can leech off of me. I bet he‘s perfectly fine. Still, she said, “I see. What‘s the hospital‘s name? I‘ll be there right away.”
Steven told her the name. Oh, that‘s where Kaleb is working. A smile curled her lips. Good. I need his help. She hung up and straightened her clothes out before going straight to the hospital, but first, she met up with Kaleb.
Kaleb was surprised to see her. “Oh, do you need anything?”
Emma cut to the chase. “My dad‘s in this hospital. I need you to find out what he‘s down with. He might tell his doctor to make up something serious if he knows I‘m here.” She knew the kind of scum her father was. He would make up some serious illness just to get as much money as he could.
Kaleb was willing to help, of course. He asked her to sit down and called his colleagues.
Eventually, he hung up and shrugged. “Yep, you guessed it. He‘s sick, but it‘s just some minor illness. Very common among people his age. Hospitalization is overkill, but his doctor said he insisted.”
Emma nodded. “I see. Thanks.”
He smiled. “Anytime.”
Emma was quiet for a moment, then she said, “Um… Actually I need one more favor from you.”
He asked, “What is it?”
She said, “Well, he‘s already here, so I‘d like you to arrange a paternity test for us.”
“A paternity test?” Kaleb shot up from his chair. “You think he‘s not your real dad?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m sure he‘s not my real dad.”
She had always wondered why Steven and Simon were so harsh to her. They never loved her and treated her with disgust and disdain. In the end, she realized why. She was not his real daughter. Even her mother was not her real mother as well.
Her mother told her that before she passed away. It was already difficult for her to speak back then, but still she said, “I can‘t protect you anymore, so I must tell you this. They will try to use you. They will try to wring every cent they can from you. Maybe they‘ll even sell you off. Don‘t let them. Don‘t let your ties with them drag you down, because you actually have no ties with them at all.”
She was the daughter of her mother‘s chiidhood friend. Her mother‘s friend fell in love, but they did not manage to see it through to marriage. She fell into depression after giving birth to her, and she killed herself after giving her to Emma‘s foster mother. That was why Simon and Steven disliked her. Raising another kid meant they had to spend more money. Fortunately, her mother was a kind, gentle soul. She treated Emma like her own, even though she was not her real daughter.
Kaleb was shocked. He had no idea that Emma‘s past was so complicated. I don‘t think Trevor knows either.
He asked with puzzlement, “Well, why do you want to do this test if you know what the results are already?”
She laughed bitterly. “I need an exit strategy. At least I can prove them wrong if they claim that I‘m their real family and try to wring more money out of me.” She looked down, the light in her eyes dim. “I‘ve given them enough. You know how much money they took from Trevor.” She spent three years of her youth in heartbreak and gave them a life of luxury. That was more than enough. They did not learn their lesson and wasted every cent I gave them. I will not stand for it anymore.
Kaleb nodded. “True.” He said, “I‘ll make the arrangements. He won‘t know a thing.”
“Thanks.” She gave him the ziploc bag with her hair in it, then she said seriously, “I owe you lunch. Or dinner.”
TU
Kaleb smiled. “I‘ll be sure to cash in on that.”
Emma went to Steven‘s ward after she was done with her business.
Steven was in a three–person ward. He was on his bed, bragging about his life with the other patients. He looked like he was perfectly healthy, but when he saw Emma, he immediately rolled his eyes and clutched his chest, then he lay down and moaned.
Emma pretended she did not know that he was acting. She went to him and asked, “Are you alright, Dad? Should I get your doctor here?”
Steven opened his eyes. “No, no. It‘s just heartburn, that‘s all.”
Emma said, “I talked with your doctor, and he told me this is serious. You‘ll have to stay in the hospital for a long time.” She brought it up on purpose so Steven would ask her for money.
As expected, he said, “Yeah. Maybe I have to go through an operation too. That‘ll cost a lot. What should I do?”
The other patients and their families looked at Emma.
Emma took her phone out. “You know I just settled into my new job, so I don‘t have much inoney. I was going to use this for rent, but I guess I‘ll pay for your hospital fees.” She spoke of her situation for everyone to hear, just in case Steven lied and accused her of not giving him anything.
Steven stared at her phone. “How much do you have?”
“Three grand,” she answered.
“Is that all?” He was upset.
She teared up. “That‘s all my savings. I couldn‘t cven get a job after the divorce. I barely have any money to live on. Besides, I gave you more than ten grand last year.”
One of the patients thought it was too much. He said, “She has it hard as well. Three grand is more than enough. It should uide you over.”
The other patient said, “Yeah. And she‘s divorced. Life must be hard for her. Cut her some slack, alright?”
Steven would hale to be embarrassed, so he said, “Alright, alright. Give me the money.” I‘m not sick anyway. I‘ll get myself discharged once she leaves, then it‘s gambling time. I bet I can make it big this time.
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