Chapter 1

The new intern loves calling my husband Nathan "Daddy."

"Daddy, I got my period. Buy me some pads."

"Daddy, I can't fasten my bra. Help me."

"Daddy, why aren't you wearing my hair tie on your wrist? As punishment, you have to wear two—pink ones, okay?"

I frowned in displeasure, but my husband just waved it off dismissively.

"She's just playing around. Once the novelty wears off, she'll stop."

But at the company's annual gala, she stumbled into my husband's arms, her eyes red and pitiful.

"Daddy, I twisted my ankle in these heels. It hurts so much."

My husband publicly removed her shoes and carefully massaged her foot.

Everyone looked away uncomfortably, casting sympathetic glances at me.

I slowly stood up and announced on the spot that the company was getting a new CEO.

The intern shot to her feet and cursed at me:

"Old hag, you have no authority to remove Daddy from his position!"

I smiled and looked at Nathan.

"Why don't you tell her—do I have the authority or not?"

At the company's year-end gala, the host was reading out the third-prize winners onstage.

"Lena."

Lena stood up with a cheer. Her low-cut dress slipped down another two inches.

Every eye in the room glued itself to her.

Or rather, to her nearly exposed chest.

"Oh no!"

A delicate cry.

Timed to perfection.

She tilted to the right, catching herself with one hand on the ground. Her eyes instantly misted over.

"Daddy, I twisted my ankle in these heels! It hurts so much!"

The entire ballroom fell silent.

Nathan rose from the main table and jogged up to the stage.

He crouched in front of Lena, carefully cradling her foot.

"How could you be so careless?"

Lena bit her lower lip, her eyes growing even redder.

"Daddy, it really hurts..."

Nathan skillfully removed her high heel, wrapping his palm around her foot and gently massaging her ankle.

His movements were too natural.

Clearly not the first time.

I remembered last month when my migraine flared up and I asked him to massage my temples.

He'd frowned and said, "My wrist is sore. You should see a physical therapist instead."

The contrast was glaring.

Now he looked up at her, his eyes full of concern.

"Bear with it. Daddy will rub it and make it feel better."

He lowered his head and blew gently on the reddened skin.

The entire room was dead silent.

I could feel the eyes from several tables behind me—curious, sympathetic, gleeful.

Ruth, the CFO sitting beside me, cleared her throat softly, about to say something, but I raised my hand to stop her.

On stage, Lena's gaze traveled over Nathan's head and locked precisely onto me.

Her lips curved into a smile, though her voice grew even softer.

"Don't worry about it, Daddy's just used to doing this."

She even reached out and ruffled Nathan's hair.

The gesture was intimate, possessive, and provocative.

The champagne glass in my hand trembled slightly.

I'd been away from the company for a year to have our second child.

I hadn't expected things to get this interesting during that time.

Lena had only joined the company six months ago.

I'd heard some rumors.

She liked calling Nathan "Daddy."

She'd worn his jacket and drunk from his cup.

"Daddy, I got my period. Buy me some pads."

"Daddy, I can't fasten my bra. Help me."

"Daddy, why aren't you wearing my hair tie on your wrist? As punishment, you have to wear two—pink ones, okay?"

All of this had been reported to me by my trusted confidants.

I'd confronted Nathan about it.

He just waved it off.

"Young girls play around. Once the novelty wears off, she'll stop."

"If there was really something between us, would I let the whole company know?"

I thought about it and agreed.

Anyone with half a brain certainly wouldn't be so obvious.

But I never expected them to act this way in front of all the employees at the company gala.

It seemed that after becoming CEO, Nathan had lost his mind.

He thought that with me tied down by our second child, he could hold his head high as the master of STAR Tech.

I slowly stood up and clapped three times.

The sound was crisp.

Everyone turned to look at me.

Nathan's hand froze.

He whipped his head around, panic flashing across his face.

Only now did he realize this wasn't just within the company.

I was present.

And I didn't tolerate any nonsense.

Lena, however, smiled even more sweetly, as if she'd been waiting for this moment all along.

"While Nathan's concern for his employees is touching, let's not disrupt the gala proceedings."

I looked at the host.

"Continue."

The host immediately nodded.

"Now, we'll draw the second-prize winners."

Lena continued her coquettish act.

"Daddy, my foot still hurts. Can you carry me down?"

Nathan lowered his voice, a trace of embarrassment on his face.

"Lena, stop it..."

I didn't watch the rest of the prize drawing. I stood up and headed to the restroom.

I needed to think.

Should I tear into them right here, or wait until after the gala?

Suddenly, my phone rang. It was the nanny from home.

"Ma'am, Christie wants to video chat with you."

My daughter took the nanny's phone and gave me a sweet smile.

"Mommy, when are you and Daddy coming home? Lucas is already asleep."

My daughter was only five. Her innocent question eased some of the bitterness in my heart.

"We'll be a while longer. Be good and go to sleep first."

"Okay, Mommy. Love you."

Just as I hung up, the door was pushed open.