“Maddie’s mom, take a look at this…”
I clutched the recorder in my pocket, my
<
fingertips trembling.
Jake hadn’t learned much over the years, but
he’d become good at throwing his weight
around.
If Maddie didn’t go to this school…
Then there was no need for this school to
exist.
“Mrs. Jenkins, are you sure? If my child leaves, I guarantee this place will be leveled in
three days!”
I deliberately didn’t mention Maddie’s name.
Brianna Gallagher snorted.
“Hey! Do you think your family runs a
demolition company? Level it just like that?
Or does your husband drive a backhoe?”
“Your bragging is ridiculous, you’re making a
fool of yourself!”
Just then, my daughter ran out of the nurse’s
office.
Jake was tall, and Maddie spotted him
immediately.
“Daddy!”
She ran toward Jake, her little face full of
innocence.
Jake recoiled as if she were the plague,
instinctively pushing her away.
Thump!
My daughter fell hard, her head hitting the
edge of the flower bed. A bump swelled up
immediately, and blood streamed down her
face.
I rushed to hold her, and she sobbed in my
arms, whispering, “Mommy, does Daddy not
like Maddie anymore…”
Jake stood there, his face pale.
Brianna Gallagher laughed, “Serves her right!
Who told her to claim a dad she doesn’t
have!”
I gently wiped the blood off my daughter’s
face and looked up at Jake, my voice as cold
as ice.
“Jake Campbell, are you even human!”
Jake hadn’t realized that the twins‘ victim
was our daughter.
“Like mother like daughter”
Hearing his response, I stared at him in
shock.
But his eyes weren’t guilty or scared; they
were cold and cruel.
I suddenly realized that since I called Jake,
combined with what Laura did, he thought
that I was out of town.
That was why he was so confident that the
woman in front of him wasn’t “me.”
く
- 7.
I held my daughter, whose forehead was
bleeding, my fingers gently brushing over her
swollen wound.
Jake stood six feet away, dressed in a suit,
looking like a decent man, but his eyes were
as cold as if he were looking at a stranger.
“How can you be so cruel?”
My voice trembled. “She’s your…
I wanted to expose him.
11
“What are you talking about!”
Jake interrupted, his temples throbbing. “I
don’t know you!”
<
Brianna Gallagher quickly clung to his arm.
“Exactly! Jake only has our twins. Where did
this brat daughter come from?”
“A slut doesn’t even know who her father is?
My daughter shivered in my arms, obviously
hearing what had been said.
Even though she was young, she understood
everything.
Just as I was about to speak, the
kindergarten doors opened, and a middle-
aged man in a navy–blue jacket strode in.
“Mr. Anderson?”
Jake’s face changed instantly, and he bowed,
“What are you doing here? Were you just
passing by and wanted to talk about a
project?”
Brianna Gallagher quickly fixed her hair,
bowed, and simpered, “Hello, Mr. Anderson!”
The man ignored them, walking straight to
- me.
In front of everyone, he stopped and
respectfully handed me a file.
“Mrs. Campbell, the things you asked for.”
The entire Kindergarten went silent.
Jake’s face was as if he’d been hit over the
head with a club. He staggered back.
“Mr. Anderson, what did you call her?”
His voice trembled, sweat beading on his
forehead.
Brianna Gallagher scoffed. “Mr. Anderson, you
must have mistaken the person. This
penniless tramp isn’t worthy of your
attention.”
“What nonsense are you babbling to Mrs.
Campbell!”
Mr. Anderson snapped. “Jake Campbell, how
dare you! Don’t you even recognize your own
wife?”
Jake’s face turned white, his legs weak.
Gasps came from all directions.
く
I didn’t take the file.
Instead, I slowly took off my sunglasses and
mask, then my jacket.
The rash was still on my face, but it was
enough for everyone to recognize me.
“Olivia Campbell!”
Jake staggered back, almost knocking over
the twins.
Brianna Gallagher was dumbfounded.
“Who is she? Who is she!”
