Chapter 3

"Divorce?" I silently murmured the word under my breath. Suddenly, I broke into a grin.

It was true that Dad was retiring at the end of this year, but my family actually had a 45% stake in the company where Joseph was working at now.

Did he think that he'd be able to kick me out of the picture and take all the money for himself? Over my dead body!

I slammed the diary shut and pulled out my phone to call Dad.

"Dad, go to Dayson Elementary School in 20 minutes. And bring the company's legal team with you.

"Yes. Joseph is cheating on me. He's attending a parent-teacher event at the school with his mistress right now."

There was only another 30 minutes before the event was over.

After hanging up, I paid the locksmith and stuffed the diary and documents into my bag. Then, I brought Samuel and my assistant straight to Teddy's school.

When we reached the school, there were only ten more minutes left until the end of the event.

The road to the school was clear, and there wasn't much traffic on the road. Only the school compound was still brightly lit.

I met Dad at the door, and everyone began heading straight for Teddy's classroom.

Five more minutes.

I finally arrived at the classroom door. I looked through the window and saw that the classroom was filled with people.

Some of them were middle-aged couples dressed simply in semi-formal wear. Some of them were the students' grandparents with graying hair, their faces etched with the marks of time.

However, all of them shared some sort of blood relation with the students in this class, except for my son, who was sitting between his biological father and his father's mistress.

Most ironically, the homeroom teacher even invited Joseph and that woman to the front and said, "Since there are only five more minutes until the end of this event, let's have one last segment where we share stories about our family.

"Let's put our hands together and welcome Theodore Baird's parents, Mr. Joseph Baird and Ms. Sophia Maynard, to the front!"

The classroom erupted with applause.

Joseph stood up with an air of elegance and led Sophia and Teddy to the front. He went over to the podium and cleared his throat before speaking into the microphone.

"Good evening, everyone and Ms. Hooper. My name is Joseph, and Theodore is my son. So, Teddy is the first child I had with Sophia. I'm usually busy working at the office, and Sophia is the one always taking care of him at home.

"I remember clearly that Teddy once had a very high fever when I was away on a business trip, and it was Sophia who carried him to the hospital in the pouring rain. She stayed by Teddy's side all night long without sleeping a wink that night.

"Also, she and I both witnessed Teddy's first steps, his first words, and all other moments of him growing up in our household. I'm so grateful to have her in my life."

Joseph's words were gentle and affectionate, as though he were filled with all the love and gratitude toward Sophia.

The parents in the audience showed expressions of envy and admiration on their faces, but I felt my blood run cold instead.

I was the one who did everything he just said.

I was the one who brought Teddy to the hospital. I was the one who stayed by his side all night long. I was the one present for Teddy's first steps. I was the one who taught him his first words.

I could even still remember the first time he called me "Mama". He had been lying in the cradle I'd purposely had custom-made for him and gurgling happily at me before suddenly saying, "M-Ma… Mama…"

But now, it was also Teddy who was holding another woman's hand and calling her "Mommy" in public.

I didn't cry when I found out about Joseph cheating on me. I didn't cry when I realized that he'd been lying to me and scheming this for years.

But when I saw the son I'd carried in my womb for nine months calling another woman "Mommy", the tears just wouldn't stop gushing out.

Dad patted me on the shoulder.

"Shall we go in?"

I shook my head. "Just a while more."

There were only three more minutes until the end of the event.

The homeroom teacher, Ms. Hooper, suggested that everyone take a group photo together. Joseph, Sophia, and Teddy stood in the very center of the group photo, looking like the sweetest and happiest family in the world.

Ms. Hooper held up her phone and snapped a few photos of the group.

This was the final proof I needed—the final nail in the coffin.

One more minute.

Ms. Hooper then went back to the microphone and announced, "Alright, everyone. This marks the end of the first Parent-Teacher Community Night of the semester! Thank you for coming tonight. The exits are right this way. Please follow—"

"Wait a minute!" I finally pushed the classroom door open and interrupted her.

"Hi, Ms. Hooper. I am also Theodore Baird's mother. You haven't had the chance to talk to me yet, have you?"

Joseph and Sophia immediately paled the moment they saw me.