Chapter 3

The parents burst into applause at the teacher’s words.

“That’s exactly why she’s the head teacher. She handles everything fairly and gets straight to the point!”

“Exactly. This is an elite preschool, not somewhere any stray off the street can wander into.”

“Does a mistress’s daughter even need an education? Just teach her how to seduce men. That’s how you make a living, isn’t it?”

The woman laughed cruelly.

“Who knows? Maybe your daughter will surpass you and find herself an even richer sugar daddy.”

Noah’s mother grew even more brazen.

“See what happens when you become a homewrecker?”

She pointed at Sophie and me.

“A filthy woman like you and her worthless daughter are destined to spend your entire lives at the bottom of society, despised by everyone!”

Insults came from every direction.

Even the growing crowd of onlookers joined in, humiliating and cursing me without restraint.

The more viciously they attacked me, the wider Noah’s mother smiled.

The teacher seized the opportunity to flatter her.

“Mrs. Carter, our director said that if we handled this matter to your satisfaction, she hoped you might be willing to do us a small favor.”

The teacher lowered her voice ingratiatingly.

“As you know, our preschool is preparing to expand. But all the surrounding land belongs to Goldcrest Group. If you could possibly…”

Noah’s mother folded her arms across her chest and lifted her chin.

“Don’t worry. I’m very satisfied with your performance today.”

“When the time comes, all I have to do is say the word, and my husband will give you every piece of land surrounding the school.”

The teacher immediately broke into a huge smile.

“Then let me thank you in advance, Mrs. Carter.”

The other parents rushed forward.

“Mrs. Carter, my husband’s company has worked with Goldcrest Group before. Could you give us priority when new contracts become available?”

“My company is preparing to enter a new industry. I’d be grateful for the chance to work with Goldcrest Group.”

“Mrs. Carter, this is an unlimited shopping card for my family’s department store. Please accept it. I only hope our families can become closer in the future.”

Within seconds, the parents were falling over themselves to flatter Noah’s mother.

They surrounded her with business offers, gifts, and promises.

Some of them even pulled bank cards from their wallets and stuffed them directly into her purse.

Noah’s mother enjoyed every second of it.

Arrogance radiated from her entire body.

She lifted her chin and walked over to me.

“Do you see that?”

Her eyes gleamed with smug satisfaction.

“This is the power of money and status.”

“A mistress who can’t show her face in respectable society will never be anything more than a pair of spread legs, waiting for some man to toss her a few scraps.”

“But I’m the lawful wife.”

She looked down at me with naked contempt.

“I get to enjoy the kind of respect and glory you’ll never touch in your lifetime.”

Then her expression turned vicious.

“I’m giving you one day to take your bastard daughter and get out of this city.”

“If I ever see you bothering my husband again, I’ll bury that little brat alive.”

Sophie began trembling violently.

She burrowed into my arms and clung to me.

“Mommy, I’m scared.”

Her small voice shook with terror and pain.

“My foot hurts so much…”

I immediately pulled off her little leather boot.

Then I saw it.

One of her toes was missing.

The wound was raw and horrifying.

When I tipped the boot, blood spilled from inside it and splashed onto the pavement.

My eyes burned red, and tears poured down my face.

Sophie had always been delicate.

Even the smallest scrape could make her cry.

I couldn’t imagine how much pain she had endured, or how she had managed to stay silent until now.

I raised my head and glared at Noah’s mother.

“Did your son do this too?”

She barely spared me a glance.

“What’s the big deal?”

Her voice was utterly indifferent.

“You should be grateful I didn’t tell my son to kill the little brat.”

Before the last word left her mouth, I slapped her across the face.

Every ounce of rage inside me went into that blow.

Noah’s mother staggered backward.

I stepped toward her, ready to hit her again, but one of the parents grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me back.

The others swarmed me.

Fists and shoes struck me from every direction.

“You filthy woman! How dare you lay a hand on Mrs. Carter? You must have a death wish!”

“Your little brat isn’t even dead yet. Why are you in such a hurry to be buried with her?”

“That brat should feel honored to be disciplined by the young heir of Goldcrest Group!”

“Look at you. What kind of decent child could a woman like you possibly raise? Even if that brat were beaten to death, she’d deserve it!”

Even the teacher rushed forward and kicked me.

“Don’t hurt my mommy!”

Sophie sobbed as she tried to reach me.

A chubby little boy stepped in front of her and kicked her to the ground.

She landed hard on the pavement.

The teacher saw everything.

Instead of stopping him, she walked over and patted the boy’s head with an approving smile.

“Noah, you already know how to punish evil and stand up for what’s right. What a wonderful boy.”

“Tomorrow, I’ll praise you in front of the entire school and present you with a special award.”

Noah Carter’s eyes narrowed into satisfied slits.

“Hmph. I only did what I was supposed to do.”

He pointed at Sophie.

“I’ll beat that little brat every time I see her!”

The parents forced me facedown against the pavement.

My entire body shook with rage.

I gritted my teeth and forced out the words.

“You’re all going to regret this.”

For a moment, the crowd fell silent.

Then everyone burst into laughter as if they had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

“Did I hear that correctly? A pathetic mistress actually thinks she can threaten us?”

“This woman really thinks she’s important! Mrs. Carter is the wife of Goldcrest Group’s CEO. Crushing someone like her would be as easy as stepping on an ant.”

“She can’t do anything to us. All she has left is helpless rage!”

“How humiliating. If I were her, I would’ve smashed my head against a wall already.”

The parents kept me pinned to the ground as they mocked and degraded me.

The onlookers continued condemning me, spitting on me one after another.

Surrounded by her adoring crowd, Noah’s mother walked toward me.

She placed the needle-thin heel of her stiletto against my cheek and pressed down hard.

“Regret?”

Her laughter was shrill and arrogant.

“I’ve never regretted a single thing in my life.”

She ground her heel into my face.

“I’ll be waiting to see how a worthless woman like you plans to make me regret anything.”

The words had barely left her mouth when a fleet of luxury cars came racing down the road.

One after another, they pulled up in front of the school gates.

The doors flew open.

Men in tailored suits rushed out of the cars and charged toward us.