Chapter 1

Looking at the notifications constantly popping up in the parents' group chat, I was so mad that a sharp, cynical laugh escaped me.

The person spamming the chat had a profile picture of herself with her son. She was Cody Brooks' Mom, Ashley Carter.

Seeing that I hadn't replied, Ashley followed up with several more messages.

"Madison, did you see my messages? Cody hasn't had much of an appetite these past couple of days, but he really seems to like Sophie's lunch.

"Since you're making lunch anyway, throwing in an extra portion wouldn't be much trouble for you.

"Ten dollars a day is plenty. That's what fast food costs out there anyway. Besides, it can't be easy for a single mom raising a kid alone. Just look at it as a little extra grocery money to help cover your bills."

Her patronizing tone made me deeply uncomfortable.

I had no idea where Ashley had gotten the impression that I was a single mother, but I usually picked my daughter up and dropped her off by myself. Since I tended to dress down in casual clothes, she had clearly pegged me as an easy target.

The truth was, my daughter Sophie Reed was born with severe allergies to many common ingredients, and her stomach had always been extremely sensitive. Because of this, I personally handled every meal she ate. Her ingredients were delivered fresh daily from specific farms.

A small cut of premium marbled beef alone would cost over 100 dollars, not to mention the carefully curated selection of organic vegetables. Ten dollars wouldn't even cover the cost of a lunchbox.

Refusing to waste my breath on her, I typed a reply directly into the group chat.

"Sorry, but I don't have the time. Besides, the ingredients for Sophie's meals are extremely expensive. Ten dollars won't cover it."

I thought giving Ashley such an explicit rejection would finally shut her up. Instead, she sent over a long string of voice messages.

"Oh, come on, Madison. Our kids are in the same class. What's wrong with parents helping each other?

"How much could a few slices of meat and some vegetables possibly cost? You talk like you're serving fine dining over there.

"Why waste money feeding your daughter such expensive food anyway? She's just a girl. My Cody is a boy, and he's right in the middle of a growth spurt. How can you be so clueless?"

Listening to those voice messages sent a sudden wave of fury rushing straight to my head. It was unbelievable that, in this day and age, someone could still say something so sexist with a straight face.

I was about to tear into her in the group chat when Sophie's homeroom teacher, Nicole Turner, suddenly jumped in.

"Madison, Ashley is only looking out for her son, and our school has always encouraged the children to learn how to share.

"Since Cody enjoys Sophie's lunch, it wouldn't hurt for you to put in a little extra effort as a parent. It's a great opportunity for the kids to bond, after all."

My expression went stone-cold when I saw Nicole blatantly taking sides.

I had just transferred Sophie here. I had assumed that because it was a high-end bilingual kindergarten, it would at least have better standards. I never expected the faculty to be just as toxic.

Ignoring the incoming messages, I tossed my phone aside. They could talk all they want, but there was absolutely no way I was cooking for Cody.