Chapter 1

Over summer vacation, my daughter wanted $3,000 to sign up for a school study trip.

My husband said no:

"What's so great about a study trip? Going back to her hometown to experience the countryside would have the same effect. Why waste the money?"

But then, on my husband's phone, I saw a record of him transferring $80,000 to a female coworker who had just lost her husband.

That evening, at the company dinner, I made a point of arriving a little late.

The moment I reached the door of the private room, I saw that coworker holding up her wine glass, gazing tenderly at my husband as she toasted him:

"Mr. Lyons, if it weren't for your support, Seth would never have gotten to go to America in his whole life."

Alfred Lyons gently helped her to her feet, his face full of tenderness:

"Don't be so formal. Seth and I really hit it off."

I shoved the door open and dumped a whole basin of ice water right over Alfred's head:

"You shameless creep. You're really that eager to play daddy to someone else's kid?"

Alfred, humiliated in front of everyone, exploded:

"What are you throwing a fit about now? She just lost her husband. What's wrong with me helping her out?"

The coworker stood off to the side, her eyes reddening, forcing an aggrieved little smile:

"Mrs. Lyons, I think you've misunderstood. Mr. Lyons only felt sorry for us, a widow and her child, so he helped us out. I'll pay him back a little at a time."

I let out a cold laugh:

"You'll pay him back? With what? Your body?"

Alfred's face went red in an instant:

"How can your mind be so filthy?"

Watching him fume, I only found it laughable.

Alfred had probably forgotten that without my nod, he'd never keep that seat of his.

......

"Dad, I got perfect scores on both my final exams."

Eight-year-old Sienna timidly held out her report card, looking up at Alfred with hope in her eyes.

"You promised me before that if I got perfect scores on both tests, you'd grant me one request. I want to sign up for a $3,000 study trip. Can I?"

Alfred's face, which had been fairly gentle, instantly darkened.

He slammed the perfect-score papers down on the coffee table and flew into a rage:

"Three thousand dollars? How can a little kid be so vain and wasteful!"

"What's so great about a study trip? Going back to your hometown to experience the countryside has the same effect, so why waste the money?"

"The economy's terrible right now. Do you have any idea how hard I slave away at the office every day to make money? I think you've had it too easy and don't know the value of a dollar!"

Sienna shook all over from the yelling, big tears rolling down her face.

I pulled my daughter into my arms and, holding back my anger, looked at him:

"Alfred, are you insane? You promised her that yourself! We're not so broke that we can't scrape together three thousand dollars!"

Alfred shot to his feet, pointed at my nose, and sneered:

"What does a stay-at-home wife like you know? You think the money in this house grows on trees?"

"This isn't up for discussion! Tomorrow I'm sending her back to the countryside so she can work the fields with her grandparents and get a real taste of how hard life can be!"

With that, he irritably yanked off his tie, slammed the door, and shut himself in the bedroom.

I held Sienna, who was crying so hard she could barely breathe, and my heart ached like it was breaking.

Sienna's sneakers were worn through, and for a whole month Alfred had refused to buy her new ones, saying kids grow fast and there was no point.

To go on that study trip, Sienna had stayed up late every night drilling practice problems, and that was how she'd earned those perfect scores.

"Don't cry, Sienna. If Daddy won't pay for it, Mommy will."

After I got her to sleep, I opened my phone, ready to transfer the money to her teacher from our joint account.

But when I checked the balance, I froze.

A full $80,000 was inexplicably gone from the account!

Just last month Alfred had said the company wasn't doing well, that bonuses were suspended, and told me to cut our grocery budget in half.

So where had that $80,000 gone?

Late at night.

Listening to Alfred's steady snoring, I unlocked his phone using his birthday.

I opened his messages, and I felt as if all the blood in my body ran backward.

Pinned at the top of his contacts was the coworker who'd just lost her husband, Evangeline Fox.

And two weeks ago, Alfred had transferred her a huge sum, $80,000.

Supposedly to cover her son Seth's space camp in America.

Scrolling up, the chat history was even more sickening.

Evangeline: Alfred, I really can't accept this. America is too expensive. Seth isn't lucky enough for something like that.

Alfred: Evangeline, don't be so formal with me. You just lost your husband, and raising a child on your own isn't easy. No matter how hard things are, you can't let the child go without. Seth's a smart boy. It's only right that he goes to America and sees the world.

Evangeline: Thank you, Alfred. Seth says you treat him even better than his own father did.

Alfred replied with a head-patting emoji:

Seth and I really hit it off. With me around, no one will ever bully you two, a widow and her boy.

The further down I read, the more explicit and disgusting it got.

Looking at a screen full of their sweet nothings.

I was so furious my breathing came in short gasps.

His own daughter got perfect scores on both tests and wanted to sign up for a $3,000 study trip within the state, and he called her vain and wasteful and threatened to ship her off to the countryside to work the fields and learn about hardship.

His subordinate's son, though, he waved a hand and threw $80,000 at, all to send him to America, just so "the child wouldn't go without."

And with our joint savings, no less!

I stared coldly at Alfred, sleeping like a log on the bed.

Without a moment's hesitation, I forwarded every transfer record and every chat screenshot to my own phone.

Alfred, since you're using my money to keep a mistress and play daddy to someone else's kid.

Then don't blame me for what comes next.