My Husband and Cousin Stole My Design

My chest hurt like it was being torn apart.

Julien hugged me tightly as I trembled. Then, his phone rang. He answered in annoyance, but the moment he heard the voice on the other side, he let go of me right away.

“Julien, Samuel and I just reached the hospital,” Mindy said sweetly through the phone.

“Mindy, wait a minute. I’m coming now!”

He rushed off without even saying goodbye to me.

My aunt came out of the stairwell. She looked embarrassed. “Joyce, Mindy’s kid is really sick. So she came back to get him treated.”

She rubbed her hands and tried to find the right words. “She called Julien earlier for help. That’s why he left so fast.”

I looked down to hide the mockery I felt and said softly, “It’s okay, Auntie. I understand.”

“Jay Lawson’s family, please come to the front desk to pay the hospital bill,” a nurse said.

I held the bill tightly and walked slowly to the counter.

It was next to the admissions office, and I saw Julien there.

He was running around helping Mindy and her child. He looked so worried and caring. I had not seen him acting like that in a long time.

Julien pulled out his wallet and handed over a bank card to the staff. “Here’s 150,000 dollars. Please admit the child.”

150,000…

I clenched my fists, and my nails dug into my palm.

Jay still needed 10,000 for his medical bills, but Julien said the orphanage had just finished paying off food costs, so he had no money to spare.

Then, he turned around and gave 150,000 to help Mindy’s child without a second thought.

I walked up to him. Every step hurt like I was walking on knives.

“Before you pay for someone else’s kid, can you pay for your own son’s medical bill first?”

I tried to sound calm, but my voice shook a little at the end.

Julien avoided my eyes. He would not look at me but tried to speak calmly. “Joyce, don’t misunderstand. This money came from Mindy. She was in Central City and asked me to pay for her.”

Mindy looked perfectly put together as she held her child. She gave me a smug smile after looking me up and down. “Joyce, it’s been a while.”

She tried to be generous and said, “Yes, I sent Julien the money. If you need it, I can give you some too.”

I looked at them both as they made things up. It was laughable.

Whose money was it really? I did not know for sure. And honestly, I did not care.

“Ms. Joyce Stanley, please pay the hospital bill now,” the nurse said again. Her voice was cold and emotionless.

I pulled a few wrinkled envelopes from my bag and handed them to the payment counter. It was 10,000 I had borrowed in advance from a few part-time jobs.

Just then, Jay’s doctor passed by. He looked serious as he spoke to me and Julien. “Jay’s condition is getting worse. His kidneys are failing rapidly. He needs surgery soon.

“The best option is a kidney from a close relative. You both need to get a compatibility test right away.”

I had already done the test before, but I was not a match. I turned to Julien. “You’re his father. If you care at all, go and get tested.”

Julien opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but he could not. He finally nodded. “Okay. I’ll go tomorrow.”

His voice was low, with a slight hesitation.

There was no warmth left in my eyes when I looked at him, only a deep and hollow darkness.