The Bond Between Us ( Anastasia and Herman) novel Chapter 1077

On the drive to the hospital, Sandy did her best to dissuade Tavon from visiting Mckenzie, but he wouldn’t budge.

A flutter of nerves twisted in Sandy’s stomach.

Not long after, they pulled up at the hospital. While Sandy went off to find parking, Tavon was already halfway to the nurses’ station, eager to find out which room Mckenzie was in.

Sandy hurried after him, catching up only as Tavon reached the door to Mckenzie’s room.

He pushed the door open. There, on the hospital bed, lay a woman so frail and thin it was hard to believe she was the same person—an IV line taped to the back of her hand.

“Mckenzie? Is that really you?” Tavon’s voice was thick with disbelief.

Mckenzie looked nothing like her old self; her cheeks were hollow, her eyes sunken and glassy.

At the sound of Tavon’s voice, her dazed expression sharpened into focus. When she realized who it was, surprise flickered in her eyes. “T-Tavon.”

“It is you,” Tavon murmured, shocked and saddened. “What happened to you? You’ve wasted away.”

Mckenzie flushed with embarrassment, just about to reply when she spotted Sandy standing at the threshold.

Immediately, Mckenzie stiffened, her voice respectful. “Miss Sandy.”

She’d once quit in a hurry to get away from the Mortons, desperate to avoid trouble. Who would’ve thought all her running would end up with her right back in Riverdale?

Mckenzie still didn’t know Sandy had been behind her being lured to Myanmar. She blamed herself for being greedy—and unlucky—enough to fall for the trap.

Those days in Myanmar had been a living nightmare. The pain she’d endured was beyond description.

Sandy, keeping up her air of superiority, asked offhandedly, “So, Mckenzie, are you doing alright?”

“...I’m fine. Really.” Mckenzie swallowed her bitterness; she wouldn’t dare say otherwise.

After all, she’d been the one so eager to leave, and Sandy had even paid her three months’ extra wages.

Sandy went on, “Well, take care of yourself and go back home when you’re better. Your family must be worried sick.” There was a pointed edge to her words. “Didn’t you say your dad’s getting up there in years? Needs you to look after him?”

Sandy, sensing things slipping away, jumped in, “No, Dad, we don’t even know if Mckenzie caught anything while she was in Myanmar—she could have something contagious...”

“Sandy, that’s enough,” Tavon scolded. “It’s settled.”

He made the call, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Mckenzie, you’ve got two weeks. Can you come back to work? If you think the pay’s too low, I’ll raise it. Ashley’s a handful now; she needs more care. How about $3,200?”

“...Thank you, Tavon. Thank you for giving me another chance.”

In the end, Mckenzie accepted. Who could turn down pay like that?

But really, what made her say yes was Sandy’s attitude—the way she’d treated her like she was diseased. Mckenzie agreed out of spite, her pride stung.

Everyone has their dignity. Sandy’s words had cut hers to the bone.

Sandy was fuming inside but tried not to let it show.

Tavon glanced at his daughter. “Sandy, don’t you have other things to do? Go ahead. I want to talk to Mckenzie for a bit. I’ll come back later on my own.”