Chapter 6 Disgusting Liars

Kinsey finally made Brandon's old house more livable within a few days, but Brandon had yet to come home since their wedding.

If this was a marriage of love, they were supposed to have a honeymoon in their favorite place, like a beach resort, or fly to an expensive private island in a tropical country, but it's not.

She felt relieved but a little bitter. Her last few nights, she hadn't slept well because living here alone was so deserted, and she had to worry about security at night. But all this was nothing compared to the suffering days under her stepmother and stepsister.

Kinsey reached for her phone but realized she needed Brandon's contact number. She chuckled bitterly, disappointed that she didn't even have her husband's phone number.

"I need to visit Connor," she murmured before heading to the kitchen.

Kinsey prepared some food to visit Connor to help enlighten her nephew's mood. It's the least she could do while he was in treatment.

The sharp white walls and antiseptic scent rushed to her nose as she entered the hospital. She couldn't help but feel bad at the thought of Connor having to stay in a place like this for so long.

"Miss Gates, we need to talk," the staff said sternly as she approached the reception.

"Here are Connor's medical bills that need to be paid." With a stoic expression, the receptionist handed Kinsey a statement detailing the mounting debt.

As Kinsey glanced at the figures, mixed emotions overwhelmed her—anger, helplessness, and a fierce determination to confront Olive.

"Why have the bills reached this huge?" She asked, fighting back the tears.

"Miss Gates, these are the bills accumulated for the past few months."

"Few months?" Kinsey repeated.

It took Kinsey a long while to realize the cruel revelation. Kinsey never had the freedom to manage her finances as the check from her work in the casino goes directly to Olive's bank account. Yet Olive fooled her heartlessly.

They had never paid the bill from the start, regardless of her sacrifice of working in the unlicensed casino. All her efforts turned out to be a joke.

"Please, continue treating Connor," Kinsey pleaded as she took a few bills from her pocket and handed them to the staff, hoping it would alleviate some of the mounting medical expenses. "I will settle his medical bills as soon as possible."

Although it wasn't that much, the staff took the money from Kinsey as she understood her difficult situation. She smiled with a mix of sympathy and pity to Kinsey before she left.

As Kinsey stood in the hospital corridor, anxiety and frustration bubbled within her. At that moment, Connor appeared from the ward. His tiny feet, without shoes, shuffled on the cold floor.

"Connor," Kinsey held back tears as she embraced Connor. "Why are you not wearing shoes? Don't get cold."

"When I heard your voice, I jumped out of bed to see you," the little boy answered weakly. This touched Kinsey's heart.

Once back in the ward, Connor, looking frail, turned to Kinsey with a question in his innocent eyes. "I'm feeling better, auntie. Do we still need a lot of money?"

She cradled him gently, "Don't worry about the money, baby; Aunt Kinsey will find a way to settle everything." She cupped his little face and then forced a smile to make the boy feel better. The little boy smiled weakly.

Connor, wise beyond his years, expressed a desire to give up the treatment, understanding Kinsey's financial struggles. "Can we stop the treatment?"

Fighting back tears, Kinsey said, "Don't talk like that, baby. I will do everything to help and save you no matter the cost," she stroked a finger in Connor's face. "Promise me you'll listen to the doctor's words so you'll be healthy again. Okay?"

Connor nodded weakly; his tiny arms hugged Kinsey, which pierced the latter's heart.

Kinsey left the hospital after feeding Connor with his favorite spaghetti and then rushed to the house of her so-called family.

"Kinsey, what brought you here?" Olive asked and didn't hide her displeasure. "You're already married; I thought I wouldn't be seeing you here."

"Neither do I, Olive," Kinsey retorted. "If only you fulfill your promise to pay Connor's medical bill, I won't be standing before you right now."

Olive's eyebrow raised, realizing this was all about Connor. "What about him? After your marriage, I thought you and Connor wouldn't be a problem for me in this family," she said calmly as if she didn't have any obligations for Connor's treatment.

"Olive, you promised to pay for Connor's medical treatment if I worked at the unlicensed casino, but you didn't. I came from the hospital and was met by the piling unpaid medical bills. You lied to me," Kinsey said, gritting her teeth angrily.

"Kinsey, remember your place. I won't tolerate your disrespectful attitude towards me," Olive warned.

"I wouldn't be disrespectful if you had fulfilled your promise to pay for Connor's treatment. Where's my money? I need it now," Kinsey demanded

"Do you think you live in this house for free?" Olive snapped. "I spend your money on our daily needs. There's not enough budget for Connor's treatment."

Kinsey couldn't believe her ears. Just as she was about to retort, Blair appeared with the latest luxurious wedding dress.

"Mom, I think this is not luxurious enough for my wedding," Blair complained like a child. "I don't want to look like a pauper at my wedding."

Blair's high-pitched complaints grated on Kinsey's nerves. What liars they are! Claiming to have no money for Connor's treatment yet having the spare cash to buy the most expensive dresses. Was life so worthless in their eyes?