Chapter 1: The Unraveling

The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the playground as I held my daughter Emily's hand, her small fingers clenched tightly around mine. Her usual cheerful prattle was replaced by an eerie silence, her eyes fixed on the ground as we approached the gates of her kindergarten. The laughter of children at play was a stark contrast to the heavy silence that had fallen between us.

Scene 1: The Discovery

The moment we entered our home, Emily's facade crumbled. She knelt before me, her tiny body shaking with sobs. "Please, Mommy, I don't want to go back," she pleaded, her voice barely a whisper. My heart clenched at the sight of her distress. I crouched down, brushing away her tears with my thumb. "Sweetheart, you have to tell me what's wrong," I urged, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger.

But Emily only cried harder, her small shoulders heaving with each sob. It was then that I noticed the hesitation in her eyes, the fear that seemed to paralyze her. Gently, I lifted her shirt, and my world came crashing down. Her arms, her body, were covered in tiny puncture marks. The sight was like a punch to the gut, and I felt a rage unlike any I had ever known.

Scene 2: The Accusation

Without a second thought, I snapped a photo of Emily's injuries and posted it in the kindergarten parents' chat group. "Who did this?" I demanded, my fingers trembling as I typed. The response was swift and brutal. A woman named Luna replied with a haughty tone that sent chills down my spine. "I told my son to do it!" she declared, followed by two pictures that turned my world upside down.

One was a wedding photo, Luna and my husband David, smiling blissfully. The other was a picture of me, Emily, and David, a family photo taken just last month. "You homewrecker!" Luna spat out. "You dared steal my husband and have an illegitimate child? It's a miracle I didn't have my son beat that brat to death!"

The chat exploded with venom, each message a knife to my heart. Even the teacher chimed in, praising Luna's son, Mason, for his behavior that day. "Mason did well today. I'll make sure to give him a gold star tomorrow," the teacher wrote, followed by a gold star emoji.

Scene 3: The Confrontation

I was seething with anger as I typed out messages to my company's legal team. "Prepare a divorce agreement per the prenup. I want David out with nothing!" I typed, my fingers flying over the keyboard. "Also, my daughter was assaulted at the kindergarten. Bring a team over immediately. I want them to pay dearly!"

As we made our way to the kindergarten, I could feel Emily's fear, her small hand gripping mine with a strength that belied her age. I wanted to reassure her, to tell her that everything would be okay, but the words stuck in my throat. How could I promise her that when my own world was falling apart?

When we arrived, the sight that greeted us was a punch in the gut. Luna was standing outside, surrounded by a group of parents from the class. They were fawning over her, praising her for her "low-key" lifestyle, for the "refined aura" that came with being the wife of the CEO of Martin Group.

Scene 4: The Betrayal

I stood there, frozen, as the realization hit me. David, the man I had married, the father of my child, had been living a double life. He had a mistress, a child, and a whole other family that I knew nothing about. The man I had trusted, the man I had loved, had betrayed me in the worst possible way.

As if sensing my presence, the group of parents turned to look at me, their faces a mix of disgust and contempt. The teacher, who had been so eager to please Luna just moments ago, now looked at me with cold indifference. "Ms. Walker, I've been instructed by the principal to inform you that Emily is expelled, effective immediately," she announced, her voice devoid of any emotion.

I glared at her, my anger barely contained. "My daughter was attacked. Instead of seeking justice for her, you're expelling her?" I demanded, my voice icy.

The teacher responded with a shrug, her words cutting. "This is an elite kindergarten. The children who come here all come from wealthy or noble families. A child born from a homewrecker like you staying here would only damage our reputation."

Before I could respond, Luna stormed over to me, her face twisted with rage. She raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. "How dare a filthy homewrecker like you flaunt yourself in front of me?" she hissed. "Did you really think having a bastard child would let you take my place as Mrs. Jones?"