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.
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