Chapter 2

"Serenity only has herself to blame for not owning up to her mistake. If she'd just said sorry earlier, I would've let her go ages ago," Susan said.

Serenity looked up at me, tears welling in her eyes, feeling so wronged. "Mom, I wasn't being picky, and I didn't knock over my bowl. Ryan Ryland grabbed my bowl, dumped all my food on the floor, and wouldn't let me eat."

Ryan clung to Susan's leg, looking smug and defiant.

"Who told you to say my dad is your dad, you little pest? You think you can steal my dad from me? Smashing your bowl was me going easy on you. I should've just broken your legs," Ryan spat.

I whipped out my phone and dialed 911. "Hello, I need to report a crime."

Before I could finish, someone snatched my phone right out of my hand.

"You really think you can call the cops? Do you even know who she is? If you cross her, you'll be finished in Hilianois," she snapped.

"I don't care who she is. Even if it's the king of the world, if they mess with my daughter, they'll pay the price," I shot back.

Susan let out a cold laugh. "I could wipe your whole family off the map in Hilianois in no time. Even if you called the police, they wouldn't lay a finger on me."

"I'm Susan. My husband? He's Richard Ryland, the CEO of Prospera Group.

"Even if I killed your daughter right now, all you could do is find a place to bury her and keep your mouth shut," she sneered.

Stunned, I demanded, "Who did you say your husband is?"

Susan let out a triumphant laugh. "Feeling scared yet? My husband is Richard, the CEO of Prospera Group."

Suddenly, it all made sense.

He dared cheat on me and support his mistress in bullying my daughter.

When Richard and I got married, he had nothing, just a mountain of debt hanging over his head.

I was the one who paid off all his debts, paid for his mom's surgery, and even sent his parents overseas so they could rest and get better.

Back then, he begged me, saying he could never repay me. If I could accept him as he was, he swore he'd spend his whole life loving only me.

I was so blinded by his looks that I married him, even though I was way out of his league.

After we got married, he really did bend over backwards for me. Whatever I said, he just went along with it.

But he was always coming up with excuses to stay out all night, and I never suspected a thing.

All these years, he'd had another family on the side.

I shot Susan a glare. "That Chanel suit, the Hermès bag, the Patek Philippe watch, every single thing you're flaunting was paid for with our family's money. I swear, I'll make you cough up every last cent."

Susan rolled her eyes with a sneer. "My husband bought all this for me. What's it got to do with you? It's none of your business."

I stood up, hugging Serenity tight, and stared straight at Susan. "Richard? He married me back in 2018. He's my lawful husband.

"And he's not the chairperson of Prospera Group. He's just the general manager. I'm the real chairwoman here," I shot back.

There was a moment of stunned silence, and then the whole place erupted in laughter.

"You're just as shameless as your daughter. Like mother, like daughter, huh?

"Your kid says my husband is her dad, and now you're even more ridiculous, claiming you married my husband back in 2018.

"Seriously, are you two living in fantasy land? One's desperate for a father, the other's desperate for a man, so you both just obsess over my husband.

"Let me set you straight. My husband and I got married back in 2016, and I've got our marriage certificate right here in my bag," Susan said.

She pulled out a license from her bag and flipped it open, shoving it in my face.

"See? I'm the real Mrs. Ryland. You, a nobody, actually think you can pretend to be me? Why don't you go check yourself and see if you're even fit to be in my shoes?" Susan sneered.

I was in utter disbelief. Susan's marriage certificate looked completely authentic, not a single thing out of place.

If her certificate was real, then Richard was a bigamist, or maybe the one I had with him was a total fake.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "I'm not going to argue with you right now. My priority is getting Serenity to the hospital. Once she's fine, we'll settle this, and trust me, you won't get away with it."

I picked up Serenity and tried to leave, but a bunch of parents closed in, blocking our way.

Susan sneered, "Who said you could leave? You and your daughter had better get down on your knees and apologize to me. You're not going anywhere until I say so."

"Why the hell should I apologize to you? In your dreams," I shot back.

"She really thinks she's all that. Someone put these two in their place," Susan barked.

The parents around us started closing in, ready to jump me, but I shouted out before they could make a move.

"If you dare lay a finger on my daughter or me, you can kiss your future in Hilianois goodbye," I warned.

I pointed at the parent closest to me. "Your husband, David Miller, is about to sign a 30-million contract with Prospera Group, just waiting for my final say. Are you sure you want to jeopardize that deal?

"And you two, your companies are on the verge of bankruptcy. If I hadn't tossed you those orders from my subsidiaries just because your kids happen to be classmates with Serenity, you wouldn't even be able to pay their tuition.

"And you two, your families have been living off my financial aid for years, and that's the only reason your kids can attend this prestigious school.

"Now you're joining these people to gang up on me? Are you really ready to lose your only source of income?" I shot back.