Chapter 4

"I'd like to see who dares!" Maybe my presence and tone were too imposing because, for a moment, no one moved.

At that, Candice dashed out of the class and started shouting at the top of her lungs, "Look, everyone! This is the freak parent who lets her daughter wear lingerie to school!

"She's causing a scene on campus and attacking teachers now. She's a menace to society, so we must expose her!"

It was nearly dismissal time, so some parents were gathered at the gate. Candice's yelling drew all of them over, along with the school staff.

"Seriously? How are parents with such low-class behavior in an elite kindergarten like ours?"

"Anyone who's been a teacher knows that you run into all sorts of freak and low-life parents in this job."

"Look at that little girl. She doesn't even look like a child; she's got the word 'manipulator' written all over her face. I bet she'll grow up to be a real piece of work."

With the crowd siding with her, Georgina regained her swagger. She pulled out her phone and sent a voice message in a sticky, sugary tone. "Honey… Someone's picking on me at school. Come stand up for me."

Less than ten minutes later, a Porsche screeched into the kindergarten grounds. The door opened to reveal Harvey, who stepped out in a sharp, tailored suit.

That Porsche was the birthday gift I had bought him just last month. Georgina fluttered into his arms and wept pitifully. "Honey! You're finally here!

"Look at my hand! That shrew scratched me so hard and ruined my clothes!"

Harvey held her protectively before turning to me with a furious glare. When he saw who I was, guilt flickered in his eyes for just a split second before he masked it.

In a reprimanding, lecturing tone, he snapped, "This is a school. It's not your home or a place for you to throw tantrums, ma'am."

Was he pretending not to know me?

…

Back when Harvey had nothing, he had knelt before Dad, crying and begging him to approve our marriage.

After a few years of living in comfort, did he think he had made it and was looking down on me? Did he think I was a hag who was only capable of house chores and wouldn't dare expose his lies?

"Harvey Hoffman," I said evenly. "Are you sure you want to take her side and mess with me?"

Harvey briefly froze, then sneered. "What nonsense is that? I'm the board's representative for this kindergarten, and Ms. Davies is my fiancee.

"Touching her means you're picking a fight with me and crossing the entire Hoffman Group."

Hoffman Group? I nearly laughed. When did my company change its name? Was this how he had always been, boasting and bragging to everyone else?

"Daddy…" Ava plaintively called out when she saw Harvey. "Daddy, Ms. Davies cut my dress and beat me up…"

To my disbelief, Harvey's face hardened before he stepped back in disgust. "Who are you calling 'Daddy'? Don't you dare associate yourself with me, you brat.

"Whose child is this? Stop trying to cling to my name!"

In that moment, the light in Ava's eyes completely went out. She stared blankly at Havey, who used to lift her onto his shoulders, but now looked at her like she was trash.

Heartbroken, I covered her eyes before taking out my phone to call my secretary, Landon Spencer. "Landon, I'm at Ava's kindergarten.

"Bring the legal team and all members of the board of directors here, now. Also, freeze all of Harvey's supplementary cards and reclaim his car. Terminate all his positions within the company."