Chapter 2

The next day, I deliberately dressed Ava in a limited-edition tutu and even made sure she had thick leggings underneath. I wanted to see what else they could possibly nitpick now.

After dropping her off, I had just arrived at the office when the parents' group chat exploded with messages.

Candice had posted a photo. In it, Ava was squatting on the floor playing with wooden blocks. The tricky angle was deliberately chosen to make her skirt appear slightly lifted.

Candice followed up with a barrage of voice messages. "Look, everyone! Ava is trying to lure the boys again! Sticking her butt out like that in public… What is she trying to hint at?

"Keeping this little hussy in the class will just affect our kids' learning!"

Several parents immediately piled on. One said, "Oh, that's so disgusting! Since she's only five and knows how to act like this, she must have learned it from her mom."

"Careful what you say, or the sugar daddy might come after you!"

"Girls like her will grow up and end up selling themselves one day."

As blood rushed to my head in rage, I sent a voice message straight into the group chat. "Mrs. Pierce, you were caught red-handed taking up-skirt photos of my daughter, and that's blatant assault on a minor.

"I've taken screenshots as evidence, so you can expect a lawyer's letter very soon."

That was when the homeroom teacher, Georgina Davies, finally spoke up in the group. Her profile photo was a selfie of her wearing a Chanel suit.

Still, that outfit… Why did it look so much like the tailored luxury piece I couldn't find in my closet last month?

Georgina tagged me in the group chat, saying, "Please calm down, Mrs. Pennington. Mrs. Pierce is just concerned about the learning environment in the classroom.

"Where there's smoke, there's fire. If Ava usually behaves appropriately in class, why would people talk about her? As a teacher, I must condemn and remind you not to bring your societal antics into class.

"Also, to avoid affecting the boys' learning, please come to the school tomorrow and take Ava home. She's suspended for three days to reflect on her behavior."

I could hardly believe my eyes. Were these words really coming from a teacher?

"Where there's smoke, there's fire." Seriously? She was playing the victim-blaming card like a seasoned pro. Without a second thought, I fired back at Georgina right in the group chat.

"In what place are you suspending my daughter, Ms. Davies? Mrs. Pierce insulted Ava in the group chat, and not only are you not stopping her behavior as the homeroom teacher, but you're also taking her side."

Georgina called me almost immediately. Her tone was dripping with arrogance as she spat, "Know your place, Mrs. Pennington. Retract your statements in the group chat.

"This is an elite kindergarten for the rich, not a place for upstarts like you to cause trouble. I'll be honest with you—my fiance is a major shareholder of this kindergarten. Push me, and I'll make sure Ava suffers for it."

Her fiance? Or was it… Suddenly, I recalled Harvey's recent late nights, the lingering scent of unfamiliar perfume on his clothes, and the mysterious disappearance of my designer bags and dresses at home.

An absurd guess began taking shape in my mind. Just then, my phone rang and interrupted my thoughts. It was a call from Ava's smartwatch, which was cut off as soon as I picked up.

Ava would never hang up on me for no reason. Remembering Georgina's threat, I panicked and bolted out of the office, driving straight to the kindergarten.

Before arriving at Ava's class, I could hear her heart-wrenching wails outside the door. When I stormed inside, what I saw nearly snapped my last shred of sanity.