After My Cousin Died in a Pearl Milk Bath

My dad choked up, glancing toward my mom.

"Brynlee, how much money do we have left?"

My mom, already in tears, blurted out without thinking, "Thir..."

Seeing that she was about to say 30,000, I quickly interrupted her, "Mom, we don't have any money left."

"Last night, I went to an underground casino hoping to try my luck, and I lost our last 30,000."

Afraid they wouldn't believe me, I pinched my thigh hard, bringing tears to my eyes from the pain.

"Not only that, but I owe them another 30,000. They're demanding I repay it within a week..."

With a shaky voice and tears at the corners of my eyes, I looked as believable as I could. Even my parents were fooled.

"Lost, lost it all?"

"And owe another 30,000?"

"Oh my God, no wonder you didn't come home last night! They didn't do anything to you, did they?"

My mom, forgetting about my dad being threatened, rushed to check me over, full of worry.

I felt a bit guilty but kept up my apologetic and helpless expression.

"Mom, I'm fine, but if I don't pay back the money within a week, I'm afraid..."

I recalled the overwhelming pain of watching my parents get stabbed in my past life, letting that emotion fuel my tears. I cried even harder than Emma had just moments ago.

My mom hugged me, crying uncontrollably, and my dad also forgot to resist.

The three of them were stunned by the scene.

Jason loosened his grip on my dad's hand a bit, glaring at me with hatred. "You, a girl, going to that kind of place to gamble? Why didn't you just gamble yourself away?" he snarled.

Nora, full of resentment, glared at me as well. "Instead of learning anything good, you only pick up the worst habits. Your parents are cursed for having you!"

"Big brother, when she was born, I told you to get rid of her and have another child. You didn't believe me. Now do you regret it?" she added.

Emma had stopped crying by now, and there was even a hint of schadenfreude in her eyes. "Gambling is one of those things where once you start, you can't stop. Cousin, you look like a good girl, but I guess you're not so innocent after all."

Her barefaced expression seemed to say, "You're in trouble now."

I laughed coldly inside, suppressing my emotions and sniffled as I explained, "It's not like that. I went for a health check-up last week and was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis."

"But we don't have enough money for treatment, so I thought I'd try my luck gambling."

The three of them were shocked when they heard this, and even my parents looked at me in disbelief.

"Pancreatitis? Something that serious, and you didn't tell us?"

My parents, who were unaware of the truth, were genuinely heartbroken, and the whole living room echoed with the sounds of our family's wailing.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the three of them standing awkwardly, looking embarrassed. They wanted to leave but were hesitant.

Ha, still not giving up, huh? I guess it was time to turn up the heat.

I gently pushed my mom away and, with sincerity and helplessness, looked at Nora and her family, full of hope.

"Aunt, you were planning to buy pearls for Emma's whitening treatment, so you must have saved up some money, right?"

"I'm your only niece, the last descendant of the Gates family. You wouldn't just let me die and let the family line end, would you?"