I posted a picture from our family picnic in the parent-teacher chat group. Almost immediately, another mom went on the attack. “Have you no shame? Photoshopping another woman’s husband into your picture? If you’re that delusional, get help. Stop fantasizing about my husband all day!” Before I could even respond, she flooded the chat with a dozen intimate photos of herself and my husband, capping it off with a final, vicious taunt. “Trash like you will never be treasure. A pathetic wannabe who gets off on daydreams can’t even compare to my little finger, and you dare to impersonate me?” I rolled over and kicked my sleeping husband clean out of the bed. “You’ve gotten bold, haven’t you? Keeping a whole other family on the side?” 1 The kindergarten teacher tagged everyone in the parent-teacher WhatsApp group, asking us to share photos of our kids' weekend activities. I casually sent the photo of the three of us on a picnic and went back to my work. When I checked my phone again, the group chat had exploded. Trevor’s Dad: [I’ve seen it all now. Stealing someone else's husband for a photo? This is a parents' group. Don’t you care that your daughter will be a social pariah at school?] Liam’s Mom: [Anna’s Mom, I think you owe everyone an explanation.] My name was being tagged relentlessly. Even the teacher, Ms. Evans, had tagged me directly, demanding I clarify the situation. There were hundreds of messages, too many to scroll through. Completely bewildered, I typed out the question burning in my mind. Me: [What on earth is going on? What do you need me to explain?] The moment my message sent, an account named “Caden’s Mom” fired back. Caden’s Mom: [Oh, playing innocent now, are we? You seemed pretty proud of yourself when you posted that picture.] Caden’s Mom: [What, did you think no one in this group would recognize the financial magnate Ethan Cole?] Caden’s Mom: [Got a little liquid courage and now you think you’re a queen? Messing with me is a death wish. Do you have any idea how easy it would be for me to ruin you in this city?] It was so sudden. I’d just posted a family photo. How was I being called a fake? If she knew who Ethan Cole was, and still had the audacity to attack me, I couldn’t tell if she was playing dumb or was genuinely an idiot. I couldn’t resist. Me: [@Caden’s Mom, has it ever occurred to you that Ethan Cole might actually be my husband?] My reply sent her into a rage. She spammed the chat with dozens of intimate photos of herself with my husband. There were even pictures of them in bed. Before I could process it, Caden’s Mom launched into a full-blown tirade. Caden’s Mom: [My husband and I are solid as a rock. Not just any stray can come sniffing around. Your vanity is pathetic, Photoshopping my husband into your sad little life. Do you realize you’ve violated his image rights? I could sue you for this!] The rest of the group, whipped into a frenzy, joined her in condemning me. Parent A: [Anna’s Mom, I don’t know what kind of sick game you’re playing, but is your child’s real father so embarrassing that you have to resort to such cheap tricks?] Parent B: [I’ve never once seen her husband at drop-off. She probably doesn’t even know who the father is. Tried to flex and got called out by the real deal. If I were her, I’d have to move to another planet from the shame.] Parent C: [How disgraceful! With a mother like that, the daughter is probably just the same. I don’t want my child in the same class as hers.] Parent D: [@Ms. Evans, I don’t want my son to be classmates with a child from a family like this.] Other parents echoed the sentiment, demanding my daughter’s expulsion. Parent E: [We expect a satisfactory answer from the principal and the teacher by Monday.] I let out a bitter laugh. I couldn't believe a simple photo could cause such a firestorm. I tagged Caden’s Mom directly. Me: [You claim to be Ethan Cole’s wife. Do you have any proof? Because I do.] I sent a picture of our marriage certificate. Unfazed, she immediately posted a photo of Ethan’s sleeping face, a profile shot taken in bed. Caden’s Mom: [Wow, you came prepared. Even forged a marriage certificate. But a fake is a fake. It’ll never be the real thing!] I zoomed in on the photo. It was, without a doubt, Ethan. Could he be living a double life? With another child? If that was true, I had no problem cutting him loose and raising my daughter on my own. Caden’s Mom: [Cat got your tongue? You claim to be his wife, but all you have is one photo and a fake certificate?] Parent A: [Mr. Cole should be home by now. Why not take a picture? Let’s see who the real fake is.] The entire group was mocking me. Frustrated but trying to stay calm, I explained. Me: [He’s on a business trip right now. He’s not home.] It was the truth. Ethan had flown to London to open a new market. Before he left, he’d asked what gifts Anna and I wanted. Caden’s Mom: [LOL! I just posted a picture of him sleeping, and you’re claiming he’s on a business trip? You’re killing me!] Parent B: [She doesn't want to take a picture because she can't.] Parent C: [@Anna’s Mom, you’re so good at Photoshop, you should have made a few extra pictures. Getting called out by the real Mrs. Cole is just too embarrassing. If I were you, I’d have already left this group out of shame.] Parent D: [Someone who would do this in the first place has no shame. Let’s be real. @Ms. Evans, my only demand is that Anna be expelled immediately. With a mother like that, the child’s character is questionable. My child will not associate with people like that.] 2 I was seething. This Caden’s Mom was a master of twisting the truth. Just as I was about to retaliate with irrefutable proof, our housekeeper, Mrs. Gable, burst into the room in a panic. “Ma’am, it’s terrible! Miss Anna has a high fever, and I can’t wake her up!” In that instant, the group chat war meant nothing. I dropped my phone and sprinted to my daughter’s room. Her forehead was burning hot. “Get Arthur to bring the car around! We’re going to the hospital, now!” I yelled, scooping her into my arms. After a series of tests at the hospital, the doctor informed me that we’d arrived just in time. Any later, and the fever would have developed into pneumonia. I thanked him profusely, but he lingered, a hesitant look on his face. “Dr. Miles,” I said, looking up at him, “is there something else?” He hesitated before speaking. “Initially, I was concerned about potential abuse at home, but seeing how worried you are… that doesn’t seem likely.” “What do you mean, Doctor?” “Her fever wasn’t accidental. It was likely caused by prolonged exposure to cold water. And upon closer examination… I found evidence of mistreatment. There are numerous needle marks on her body, all in very hidden places…” “What?!” The world tilted on its axis. I could no longer remain calm. I had assumed it was just a bad fever, but this… this was a nightmare. Someone was hurting my daughter. Behind my back. But Anna was such a sweet, gentle child. Who could do something so monstrous? And she was almost always with me. Who would have the opportunity? Anna was still unconscious. I sat by her bed, watching her flushed face, and a wave of guilt washed over me. I was a terrible mother. How could I not have noticed my daughter was being tormented? If I find out who did this, I will make them pay. The next morning, Anna finally woke up. I stroked her pale cheek, my heart aching. “Anna, sweetie, are you still feeling sick?” She shook her head, ever the good girl. Remembering the doctor’s words, I chose my next words carefully. “Anna, can you tell Mommy… is someone bullying you?” A flicker of panic crossed her face, but she quickly denied it. Seeing her fear, I knew something was terribly wrong. I told her I was going to buy breakfast and returned ten minutes later. She ate quickly, clearly famished. As she ate, I tried a different approach. “Anna, are the teachers at kindergarten nice to you?” At home, I was her primary caregiver. I only left her with Mrs. Gable when work was unavoidable. Besides, Ethan, ever the protective father, had installed security cameras throughout the house years ago. If Mrs. Gable had done anything, I would have known. The only other place was kindergarten. At the mention of her teacher, Anna nodded immediately. “Ms. Evans is very nice. She even braids my hair in pretty styles.” So, it wasn't the teacher. “What about your friends at school?” I asked gently. “Do you have any good friends? Maybe you could invite one over to play next time.” At this, her face fell. She looked down at her lap, her small body tense with fear. My heart clenched, but I kept my voice soft. “Does my Anna have a secret she doesn’t want to tell Mommy?” She shook her head frantically. “No, it’s not that.” I took her small hand in mine. “You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to. I just want you to know that you are my most precious, most loved little baby, always.” Her expression was a battle of emotions. After a long moment, she whispered, “But he said if I told you, you wouldn’t want me anymore.” A cold fury gripped me. Who had been poisoning my daughter’s mind? I forced myself to remain calm. “Anna, Mommy will never abandon you. You can tell me now. Who hurt you?” Seeing the conviction in my eyes, she finally let the secret tumble out. “It was Caden,” she sobbed, the tears she’d been holding back for days finally streaming down her face. “He… he bullied me. He stuck me with needles, on my back and my bottom. It hurt so much, Mommy…” This fever, too, was his fault. He had pretended to play a water game, but had held her head under the water for a long time, nearly causing her to develop pneumonia. My blood ran cold. I couldn’t imagine how helpless my daughter must have felt. Caden. It was Caden again. First, his mother’s vicious lies in the group chat. Now, this revelation of his cruel bullying. I would make them pay for every single tear my daughter had shed. 3 Anna was sick and traumatized. We stayed in the hospital for several days. But she hated being away from home, so with the doctor’s permission, I arranged for an early discharge. When we arrived home, however, I found our driveway packed with cars. For a moment, I thought I was at the wrong house, but the address on the gate was ours. As I was about to go in, a mocking voice cut through the air. “Well, well, if it isn’t the knock-off Mrs. Cole. What’s the plan today? Snap a few more pictures to Photoshop yourself into the high-society life?” The speaker was another parent from the kindergarten. I’d seen her at drop-off, but she was the arrogant type who never deigned to look at anyone else. I ignored her and tried to enter my own home to see what was going on. She grabbed my arm. “Silent, are we? Cat got your tongue? Let me tell you something, the Cole mansion isn’t a place for any stray dog to wander into. You’re not on the guest list, so get lost before you embarrass yourself further!” She deliberately raised her voice, and just as she intended, the other parents in the yard all turned to look. “Isn’t that Anna’s mom? I don’t think Mrs. Cole invited her.” “Everyone, look! Some people’s skin is thicker than a castle wall. She got called out for being a fake, and now she has the nerve to show up at the real Mrs. Cole’s house! Someone get Mrs. Cole out here to deal with this shameless woman!” A few moments later, Caden’s Mom was summoned. After the other parents breathlessly recounted the situation, she turned to me with a sneer. “Well, look who it is. The imposter who’s been trying to steal my identity.” Her eyes flicked to my daughter. “Your child has been expelled from the class. What are you even doing here?” I frowned. “Who told you my daughter was expelled?” Anna’s sudden illness meant I’d already called the school to inform them of her absence. “Ms. Evans, would you care to explain why you told everyone my daughter was expelled?” I turned to the teacher, who immediately dropped her gaze, her face pale. Caden’s Mom stepped in front of her protectively. “Anna’s Mom, I understand you’re upset, but you can’t threaten the teacher. After your shameless display in the group chat, just having her removed from the class was me being generous. Don’t push your luck.” I almost laughed. I’d seen shameless people, but she was in a league of her own. The other parents rallied around the teacher. “Anna’s Mom, your daughter was expelled because of you. You should be reflecting on your own actions, not digging a deeper hole.” “Exactly! Mrs. Cole is being magnanimous. If it were me, I’d be suing you for defamation!” Buoyed by the support, Caden’s Mom put on a show of generosity. “Oh, let it go. Perhaps she was just confused. Since you’re here, you might as well come in. It’s not like you’ll ever have the chance again.” The other parents showered her with praise for her “kindness.” I couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure this is your house?” She smirked. “If it’s not my house, is it yours?” My daughter, seeing me being bullied, finally had enough. “This is my house!” she cried out. “You’re all mean people! Stop bullying my mommy!” A wave of laughter rippled through the crowd. “Like mother, like daughter. Lying at such a young age.” “Thank goodness the school expelled her. I’d hate for her to be a bad influence on my child.” “The apple doesn’t fall far from the rotten tree. That child is ruined.” “Mrs. Cole, why are you even wasting your breath? Just have security throw them out!” They were all determined to crucify me. While I was distracted, the boy, Caden, lunged forward and shoved my daughter hard. “Liar! Get out of my house!” I had been holding back my anger, but my daughter was my breaking point. No one was allowed to hurt her. I grabbed Caden by the collar. “So you’re the one who’s been bullying my daughter at school.” Smack! Smack! I delivered two sharp slaps before anyone could react. Caden, used to being the one in charge, was stunned. The pain hit, and he burst into a loud, wailing cry. His mother, seeing me strike her precious son, lost her mind. She shoved me back, cradling her son protectively. Her eyes were red with fury. “How could you be so vicious?! You’re taking your anger out on my son just because I exposed you?!” The crowd chimed in, accusing me of bullying a child. I laughed coldly. “Today, I’ve learned the true meaning of the guilty accusing the innocent. Your son has repeatedly bullied my daughter at kindergarten. He stuck her with needles. He’s the reason she had a fever so high she almost died from pneumonia. A demon like that doesn’t deserve a slap?” My words stunned the other parents into silence. They probably hadn’t imagined a child Caden’s age could be so cruel. But it was Ms. Evans who rushed forward to defend him. “Anna’s Mom, you’re still lying? At this point, no other kindergarten will ever accept your child.” Her voice was sharp and self-righteous. “Caden is an exemplary student. It’s Anna who has a history of fabrication. I never understood why she wouldn’t change, but seeing you today, I finally understand the meaning of ‘like mother, like daughter.’” She looked at me with disdain. “Anna’s habit of lying is your fault. If you really care about her, you’ll apologize to Mrs. Cole right now. Otherwise, no one can save you.” The crowd murmured in agreement. “I knew it. A woman with Mrs. Cole’s status would raise a perfect child. He would never bully anyone.” “I think she’s just trying to cause a scene because she’s angry she got caught.” “The poor Coles, having to deal with this trash!” My daughter gripped my hand, her voice trembling. “Mommy, I’m not lying… why do they say we’re liars?” Seeing her like this broke my heart. I stroked her hair. “Sweetie, a lie can never become the truth.” When I looked up, my eyes were ice. “Are you aware that trespassing is illegal?”
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