Chapter 2

I was just about to express my gratitude when Lacey abruptly yanked my earphones off and threw them to the floor forcefully. Then she stomped on and shattered them.

"Dr. Rowe?" she sneered in a piercingly sharp voice. "You think you're worthy of knowing him? He's a highly esteemed medical expert who treats high-ranking officials in the country. Last month, my mom had a headache, and my dad couldn't even get him with ten million."

I looked at her twisted face coldly.

It was true that Caiden only treated high officials, but he and I had grown up together as childhood friends, and we had a bond that money could not measure.

"My mother is arriving soon," Lacey said, looking down at me with disdain. "Get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness, or you can wait for death."

I ignored her and bent down to pick up Michelle's passport.

Lacey couldn't take Michelle's place easily.

Michelle had prepared herself for the internship for an entire year.

To make sure she could get it, she even bought the UN Charter in six languages. Her notebook was filled with annotations.

To pass the language test, she slept only four hours one day for three consecutive months. She was busy correcting her pronunciation with the recorder until her voice was hoarse. She even sucked on lozenges as she practiced.

I remembered seeing her asleep at her desk as I went home late one night. Her cheek pressed against her international law textbook, and her arms were covered with the marks of pinches she used to stay awake.

"Mom, I have to do my best." She once said to me with bloodshot eyes, "I want to earn this opportunity by myself."

After the final interview, the examiner even called me and said that Michelle was the most prepared candidate they had ever seen.

Michelle worked hard for countless sleepless nights to win the internship with her calloused hands and a hoarse voice, with sweat and tears.

As long as I got her abroad in time, the position would still be hers.

But just as my fingers touched the cover of Michelle's passport, Lacey lunged at me like a madwoman.

"Who do you think you are?" She screamed hysterically and snatched the passport. She tore it to shreds. "Let's see how you get to the UN now."

The pieces fluttered to the ground like snow.

My heart sank.

It took at least three days to get the passport, and the deadline for reporting to the UN was tomorrow.

"Don't let them escape!" A heavily made-up parent shouted behind me and gripped my arm tightly. Her nails dug into my flesh. "Miss Palmer is still angry."

I slowly raised my head, and my gaze swept over everyone present like a blade.

My gaze carried a pressing aura and froze others instantly.

Even their breath was audible.

"Lacey, you can't even comprehend what you've ruined," I said in a cold voice. "Once I find out your background, you will die a miserable death."

I turned my gaze to the parent holding me and stared at her son's school badge. "Toby Baldwin, you are from the Baldwin family, right? Your father's name is Elliot Baldwin."

I let out a cold smile. "Your family will prepare for bankruptcy tomorrow."

The faces of the mother and the son instantly turned deathly pale, and her hand trembled as she let go of me.

"What's going on?" A sharp voice came from the door.

Ivy Palmer, Lacey's mother, stormed in. The overwhelming scent of her perfume was suffocating.

She scanned the room, and her gaze finally landed on me. "Are you the one bullying my daughter?"

Lacey immediately ran into Ivy's arms. "Mom! She slapped me and even threatened to kill me."

Ivy's eyes turned menacing instantly.

It was hot, and Michelle's sweat stung her wounds and caused her to shiver.

She was barely conscious. I held her and finally lost my patience.

"Smack!" I gave another hard slap on Lacey's face, with enough force to cause her fake nose to fly away.

"Open your eyes and see clearly!" I slammed my working certificate on the table and shouted, "I am the top expert at the National Academy of Sciences, and my husband is indeed the richest man! Let us go now, and I might let this slide."

Lacey clutched her bleeding nose and screamed hysterically, "You're lying! My dad's the richest! You're just a fraud!"

Ivy signaled to others, and several parents rushed forward and pinned me to the floor.

Michelle fell from my arms. hit the floor hard, and passed out.

"You wretch! Who knows if that's fake? With today's technology, it's easy to fake anything!" Ivy raised her hand but froze when she met my sharp gaze. She ultimately just snorted coldly, "Pay up! I need a million for Lacey's reconstructive surgery."

"Fine," I replied with a cold smile.

Everyone was stunned, as they didn't expect me to agree so easily.

"But..." I glanced around and continued, "Michelle's dress is a designer piece, and the necklace you tore off is worth over ten million... Now it's your turn to compensate us."

The room fell silent, and Ivy and Lacey's faces flushed with embarrassment. "Who knows if your staff is fake..."

"Fake or not is beside the point. So? As the wife of the richest man, you can't afford a mere ten million?" I said in a mocking tone.

Others exchanged looks, and their gazes at Ivy were tinged with suspicion.

Suddenly, Ivy took out a black bank card and tossed it on the floor smugly. "This is a special reward card from the National Defense Bureau. It can buy a hundred of your lousy outfits easily."

Others behind her widened their eyes and whispered among themselves.

"Oh my, is that the State Council's black bank card? It's usually awarded for significant achievements..."

"It must be. It has the National Defense Bureau's stamp and gold lettering... I've only ever heard of it. Now I have seen it in my life today..."

"That woman must be a fraud!"

My pupils contracted sharply.

That bank card... was the one awarded to me last month.

There was only one in the entire country.

I had given it to Vincent and asked him to give it to Michelle as pocket money.

Could it be... my perfect husband really was having an affair?

No way! That couldn't be!

We signed a prenuptial agreement. If we divorced, he'd leave with nothing, no matter whose fault caused the divorce.

Besides, we had been in love for years, and he was not a stupid guy.

Ivy reveled in my shocked expression and dialed a number. "Honey, someone is bullying us. Come quickly!"

After hanging up, she looked at me arrogantly. "Just wait. My husband's on his way. You'll see the real richest man soon."

I held back the excruciating pain and held Michelle protectively, waiting intently.

When the office door opened and I saw who walked in, both Michelle and I froze.