Everyone said I was incredibly lucky to be married to Gary.
When my family faced a crisis, I was supposedly left with nothing.
That was when Gary, the billionaire CEO of Wing Group, stepped in.
He publicly declared me as his wife and showered me with affection.
Whenever someone mocked my simple clothes, he bought me limited-edition dresses.
Whenever my former friends shunned me, he ruined their reputations.
I thought I had found my forever protector.
Three years later, I gave birth to our daughter, Emily.
Gary spoiled us rotten, making me the envy of the entire city.
Everything changed on Emily's fifth birthday.
Gary said he was stuck in a board meeting and couldn't attend her nursery celebration.
I wanted to surprise him, so I brought Emily to his office.
But right outside his door, I heard a child's laughter.
"Daddy, when are you getting rid of that ugly woman and her brat?" a young boy's voice echoed.
"Soon, Luke," Gary lowered his voice tightly.
"Once I force her signature on the final share transfer, Shannon and you will be my only family."
***
"Daddy is right there!" Emily yanked my arm, dragging me into the noisy preschool classroom.
I followed her tiny finger and stopped dead in my tracks.
My husband, Gary, stood by the finger-painting station. He balanced a little boy on his left hip. His right hand was intertwined tightly with Shannon Miller’s fingers.
They looked like the perfect family.
A bitter taste flooded my mouth. Five years ago, I wired fifty million dollars to purchase seventy-five percent of Hawthorne Technologies. I handed Gary the CEO position because he promised me a loyal future. I bought him his empire.
Now, he was holding another woman's hand in our daughter's school.
Gary noticed me. His expression darkened instantly. He dropped Shannon’s hand, passed the boy to her, and marched across the room to block my path.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.
"It's Family Day," I replied, keeping my voice steady. "Emily wanted her father."
"You always have to ruin everything," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Shannon is going through a hard time right now. Luke doesn't have a father figure around."
"He has a father," I said. "And you have a daughter. She has been crying for you all week."
"Don't be unreasonable over a single afternoon of companionship," Gary snapped. "Stop acting jealous of a child. It makes you look pathetic."
"Pathetic?" I asked, my jaw tightening. "You are parading your mistress around our child's school."
"Keep your voice down," he hissed, glancing over his shoulder. "Shannon is a close friend. You need to learn some basic empathy."
The teacher clapped her hands near the front of the room, announcing the start of the block-building contest. I guided Emily to a blue foam mat. She sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve, but began stacking wooden squares. She built a tall, colorful tower, a small smile finally appearing on her face.
Luke sprinted across the room. Without a word, he kicked his foot out, shattering Emily's tower into dozens of pieces.
Emily burst into tears.
Gary didn't flinch. He didn't correct the boy. Instead, he pointed a sharp finger at my daughter.
"Emily, stop crying and apologize to Luke," Gary ordered.
I stepped between them. "Are you blind? He ruined her project."
"She was in his way," Gary argued. "She needs to learn to share the space."
"Daddy, please," Emily sobbed, reaching her small arms up toward him.
Gary stared at her outstretched hands for a second. Then he turned his back, scooped Luke off the floor, and hoisted the boy onto his shoulders.
"I am Luke's dad today, buddy," Gary said loudly. "We don't play with crybabies."
Laughter rippled through the room.
A mother in a designer tracksuit leaned toward her friend. "Is that the real wife? She looks miserable."
"Clearly he prefers the blonde," the friend whispered back, not bothering to lower her voice. "I would too. Look at her."
I pulled Emily tightly against my legs, shielding her from their stares. Mrs. Bennett, the preschool director, started toward us, then stopped when Gary gave her a warning look. That hesitation told me this was not the first time his title had frightened someone into silence. I memorized it. By the end of the day, nobody in that room would be afraid of the wrong person.
"Stay right here, sweetie," I told Emily, smoothing her hair. "Mommy needs to make a quick call."
I walked out to the quiet hallway. My fingers flew across my phone screen, opening a secure messaging app. I typed a direct order to my executive team.
Bring the contracts. Deploy to the preschool. Now.
A shrill scream sliced through the walls.
My muscles locked. I shoved the wooden door open and bolted back inside.
Emily lay curled on the alphabet rug. Luke stood over her. He drew his foot back and drove his sneaker hard into her ribs.
"Stupid girl!" a boy next to Luke shouted. "Luke's dad says you're just a mistake!"
I sprinted across the room, shoving the boys away from my daughter. They stumbled backward, tripping over the scattered wooden blocks. I dropped to my knees and gathered Emily into my arms. She shook violently, her tiny fingers clutching her stomach, her face pale.
Shannon stood just a few feet away. She held a paper coffee cup, watching the violence with a faint, satisfied smile.
I stood up. I crossed the distance in two strides.
I swung my arm and slapped Shannon across the face.
The sharp crack silenced the entire classroom. Shannon stumbled, dropping her coffee. The brown liquid splattered across her white shoes.
"You crazy bitch!" Shannon shrieked, clutching her bright red cheek. "Gary, she attacked me!"
"Jasmine!" Gary roared.
He charged at me. Before I could brace myself, he slammed both hands into my chest.
The force threw me backward. My heel caught the edge of a plastic toy bin. I crashed hard onto the linoleum floor. Searing pain erupted as my palm scraped against the sharp metal edge of a chair leg.
Warm blood instantly pooled in my hand, dripping onto the white tiles.
"Mommy!" Emily screamed, running to my side.
Gary stood over me, his fists clenched at his sides. "If you ever lay a hand on Shannon again, I will lock you out of the house and take Emily away from you permanently. You are nothing without me."
I stared at the blood on my fingers. I wasn't nothing. He just forgot who actually owned him.
Tires screeched outside.
The loud noise drew the parents to the large classroom windows. Whispers broke out instantly as everyone pressed against the glass.
Three black MPVs idled at the curb. The gold Hawthorne Technologies insignia gleamed on their doors.
The doors slid open in unison. Ben, my Director of Legal, stepped onto the pavement carrying a thick leather briefcase. Beside him was Joe, the Head of HR. Behind them marched six men in tailored black suits.
They ignored the shouting school security guards, striding directly toward the open classroom doors, their eyes locked on the blood dripping from my fingers.
