Orphaned Lies

Author: Jennifer Chen

Chapter 3: The Insurance Trap

“What the hell? What’s he doing?”

“The main character is ignoring the comments and insisting on courting disaster.”

“Good advice can’t save a doomed soul, pfft.”

The comments exploded instantly.

But soon, some rational voices came to my defense.

After all, my stepmom was still wearing a recorder. If I refused to adopt right away, I'd be the one to suffer.

Hearing I was going to adopt my niece, my stepmom couldn’t hide her delight.

Even my niece suddenly kissed my cheek, showing not a hint of grief over her parents’ deaths.

I took a deep breath, stood up, turned to my stepmom, and asked directly:

“When will the insurance money arrive?”

A flash of calculation darted through my stepmom’s eyes. She glanced at Hannah, then quickly looked back at me, trying to hide her surprise. “What insurance money?”

I looked even more surprised than her:

“Didn’t you say it was a truck accident? Truck insurance pays out millions and covers everything. Two people died—there must be compensation!”

My stepmom clearly hadn’t expected me to focus on the insurance and immediately became evasive.

I put on a stern face and pressed her:

“You didn’t take the insurance payout for yourself, did you? That money belongs to my niece!”

The air in the hallway thickened—Mrs. Carter was craning her neck, her phone out, probably already live-texting to her bingo group.

This chapter is VIP-only. Activate membership to continue.

You may also like

Her Mother’s Love Was a Lie

Her Mother’s Love Was a Lie

Shellie brags about a perfect home and a loving mother, but her frayed clothes and empty lunch tray tell another story. When her secret unravels in a brutal, public betrayal, even her desperate loyalty can't save her from the truth: the only thing more painful than hunger is a mother’s rejection. Now, as her former classmate, I can’t stop chasing the ghost of the girl we all broke, even if it means facing what I did to her.

The Town That Died for My Lies

The Town That Died for My Lies

Emily was the pride of her dying Midwest town—until she slaughtered everyone who ever loved her. Now, shackled and smeared in shame, she stuns the nation with one final confession: her 'little brother' was never her brother at all, but the secret son she hid from everyone. As her true motives unravel under the glare of Deputy Chief Reed, the world must ask—how far will guilt, desperation, and a monstrous lie drive a girl who once carried all their hopes?

Betrayed by My Childhood Crush

Betrayed by My Childhood Crush

After being murdered by the boy she trusted most, Lillian is reborn with a single mission: expose Caleb's betrayal and protect her reckless sister, Aubrey, from heartbreak and death. But as old wounds resurface and secrets unravel, loyalty, love, and revenge collide in their small American town—where no one is safe, and nothing is as it seems.

Brother’s Lies Made Me a Viral Villain

Brother’s Lies Made Me a Viral Villain

A hardworking sister is blindsided when her younger brother spins a web of online lies, casting her as his neglectful secret mother. As the internet turns against her and her family's secrets become viral fodder, she must decide whether to fight back or let the world believe the worst. Betrayal, viral drama, and a battle for the truth explode in this gripping story of twisted family ties.

My Daughter Lied, An Innocent Man Died

My Daughter Lied, An Innocent Man Died

When five girls accuse the beloved neighborhood bus driver of molestation, one father’s world shatters. As evidence unravels and a mother’s suicide rocks the city, he discovers his own daughter started it all—with a single, devastating lie. Now, with an innocent man in prison and the truth threatening to destroy his family, he faces an impossible choice: expose the secret or protect his own blood.

I Gave My Brother Back

I Gave My Brother Back

I was the sister who tipped off my brother’s real parents—and watched my family fall apart. In a sleepy Maine valley where secrets fester, Maggie’s childhood was haunted by the day her younger brother was trafficked, and the lie that bound them together. When the truth explodes in a swirl of police sirens, reporters, and old wounds, Maggie is forced to confront the price of her own survival—and the betrayal she can never take back. Each chapter peels back another layer of the trauma, hope, and resilience that shaped two siblings on opposite sides of an unthinkable bargain. But when the final reckoning comes, will Maggie find forgiveness—or freedom? When the past comes calling, who do you save: your family, or yourself?

Trapped Lamb: The Senator’s Daughter’s Shame

Trapped Lamb: The Senator’s Daughter’s Shame

Eight-year-old Morgan is the unwanted child of a disgraced senator’s daughter, locked in a livestock pen and tormented on a remote ranch. Her only hope—a mother broken by humiliation, her only comfort—scraps of kindness from a world that wants her gone. When her mother vanishes and blood stains the prairie, Morgan must choose: disappear forever, or fight for a love that’s always been just out of reach.

Inheritance of Broken Promises

Inheritance of Broken Promises

A triumphant young woman’s victory is upended by a televised confrontation with her birth family, forcing her to defend her true father and reclaim her narrative. As public spectacle turns to personal reckoning, Autumn’s courage exposes old wounds and paves the way for both herself and her estranged sister to break free from cycles of abandonment and sacrifice.

I Chose Myself, They Chose Her

I Chose Myself, They Chose Her

Betrayal tastes bitter when it’s family. When Casey learns she’s the only one who can save her sister’s life, she tests her family’s love with a single devastating lie. But in her parents’ home, loyalty is a one-way street—and Casey is about to be cast out for good. Surrounded by indifference and favoritism, she faces a choice between saving herself or sacrificing everything for those who never chose her. As secrets unravel and accusations fly, Casey must decide: will she cling to the hope of belonging, or finally walk away to protect the new life growing inside her? When blood is just another weapon, can she survive the cut?

I Exposed Him—and Saved Her Life

I Exposed Him—and Saved Her Life

He was Ohio’s most pitied father—until I found the bruises. Fresh out of journalism school, I chased a viral story about a dad livestreaming his daughter’s illness, drawing thousands in donations and a nation’s sympathy. But inside their crumbling apartment, nothing was as it seemed: the girl’s pain ran deeper than disease, and her father’s lies stretched further than anyone guessed. Every question I asked uncovered a new layer of betrayal, desperation, and abuse—until the truth threatened to destroy us all. When the camera stops rolling, who really pays the price? If you could save one life by exposing another’s darkest secret, would you risk everything?

The Villain’s Sister: Penniless and Protective

The Villain’s Sister: Penniless and Protective

After losing their parents, I’m left raising my withdrawn little brother—future villain of a romance novel—while we scrape by on pennies and broken dreams. Our aunt’s betrayal left scars, but the real heartbreak is watching Caleb blame himself for wanting a family. I swore to protect him, but the comments in my head whisper he’s destined for darkness—and I might not survive his rise to power.

Beneath the Stares

Beneath the Stares

Lila, a determined but vulnerable teen, is betrayed by those she once trusted and shamed for her illness, driving her into social exile and family tragedy. As she endures public humiliation, financial hardship, and the loss of her mother’s support, Lila’s struggle becomes a fight for survival and dignity. Her journey is a searing exploration of resilience in the face of cruelty and the desperate longing for compassion.