Chapter 1

As soon as the bell rang for dismissal, the kindergarten gate was swarming with parents.

I took Lily's hand. She was clutching a fancy double-layered lunchbox. It was the premium kids' meal I'd specially ordered for her today.

Inside was organic cornbread, pan-seared cod, broccoli and carrots, blueberry salad, and a small box of imported strawberries.

Everything was put together by a nutritionist, with ingredients bought fresh that morning. The whole meal could cost nearly 30 dollars.

Our family was somewhat well-off, and when it came to Lily's meals, I never held back.

Lily was a bit on the frail side, so I wanted her to have clean, nutritious, and well-balanced food.

But before we could leave, a loud, pushy voice stopped us. "Mrs. Dawson, wait up!"

It was Carly Lewis, the mom of Mark Lewis, another kid in the class.

She was all smiles, but her eyes were glued to Lily's lunchbox like it was a juicy steak.

"Can I help you?" I asked coolly.

Carly spoke with a familiarity, as if we were lifelong best friends. "You pack such great food for Lily every day, and there's always so much. A little kid like her can't finish it all."

I didn't say anything but waited for her to continue.

She gave a cheeky grin and tossed out her idea without hesitation. "How about this? I'll give you 3 dollars a day, and you'll let Mark share half of Lily's lunch. It's settled."

Carly wanted to pay only 3 dollars for Lily's fancy meal.

*****

I almost laughed out loud at how ridiculous Carly was.

Some of the other parents picking up their kids heard her and turned to us.

A few looked like they were here for the drama, and others frowned.

Lily edged behind me and whispered, "Mom, that's my lunch."

I patted Lily's head, looked at Carly, and said calmly, "No way."

Carly's smile froze. "Why not? It's only a bit of food. You must be rich."

"Whether I'm rich or not is my own business," I replied, my voice steady and clear. "I'm willing to feed Lily well. If Mark wants nice food, you can get it for him."

"You're so stingy." Carly raised her voice, pulling more eyes our way. "I'm giving you 3 dollars. I'm not begging for free food.

"What's wrong with kids sharing their food? Lily and Mark are classmates. Shouldn't they look out for each other?"

Carly sounded more and surer of herself, like I was being mean, selfish, and stuck-up if I said no.

One of the parents watching the drama jumped in, "Yeah, they're classmates. Don't be so petty. Food tastes better when kids share."

Another parent chimed in, "It's nothing but a meal. Your family is loaded, so why fuss over it?"

It was easy to play Santa Claus with other people's money, right?

When Carly saw others backing her up, she got cockier. "Did you hear that? Everyone agrees with me. Share a bit of the food every day, and I'll give you 3 dollars. Isn't that enough? You're so heartless."

I stared at her, my gaze turning icy. Other people might not get it, but I saw right through her.

*****

I came from Equitopia, a place where I was born with the ability to see through people's greed, scheming, and freeloading vibes.

To me, Carly's calculations were obvious.

This wasn't about Mark wanting a bite.

Carly had been eyeing Lily's fancy meals for ages. She was waiting to mooch off us in the long run.

She knew well that each meal could cost nearly 30 dollars, and 3 dollars didn't even come close to covering it.

She was also mocking me behind my back with the other parents. "Mrs. Dawson got more money than sense and was easygoing. If you don't mooch off her, you're missing out."

Carly had a portfolio of investments sitting pretty on her phone, but she wouldn't shell out an extra dollar on Mark's food.

She was scheming that if she got away with this, then she'd be angling for snacks, fruit, and toys.

3 dollars to buy off all the care I put into Lily's meals? What a slick little scheme she thought she had.

I gently pulled Lily behind me, my gaze sweeping over the crowd before locking onto Carly. "Do you think 3 dollars is enough to buy Lily's fancy meal?"

Carly stiffened her neck and retorted, "What else? Burgers out there are only 3 dollars."

"Burgers are another matter," I said, my tone steady but every word sharp. "My meal has organic corn, imported cod, and organic fruits and vegetables. The strawberries alone cost more than that.

"Each meal costs nearly 30 dollars, and you think 3 dollars is enough for half? Do you think I'm a fool, or money means nothing to me?"