I Revealed a Terrible Secret After my Daughter's Place was Take Away

After completing a top-secret mission for the government, I received a call from my daughter, Michelle Harper.

"Mom! I got the offer from the UN Secretariat Department as an intern! I have worked hard to apply for it for a whole year!" Her voice on the other end was trembling with excitement.

She immediately started preparing her visa documents and sent me three voice messages asking what she should prepare.

However, a week later, her location watch remained fixed at the third floor of the administration building of their college.

I secretly went to her college, only to find her tied up cruelly in the corner.

The culprit, Lacey Palmer said with disdain, "How dare you, a nobody, take the position at the UN Secretary Department that my father helped me get? Are you courting death?"

Even the advisor chimed in obsequiously, "Lacey's father is the richest man in the country, and her mother is a top expert. That position is meant for Lacey."

I was stunned.

The position at the UN Secretariat Department?

It was the position Michelle worked so hard to win.

They clearly talked about me and my husband, who was married into my family, by mentioning the top expert and the richest man.

I immediately dialed a familiar number and asked, "I heard you have an illegitimate daughter. Is that true?"

My husband, Vincent Harper, was stunned on hearing my question.

After a while, he said, "Honey, are you too busy with your work and out of your mind? I love you and Michelle so much. How can I have another woman? He was still in a doting voice as ever, which dispelled my doubts.

Vincent was known as a perfect husband in our circle. He had been unwavering in his devotion to me and our daughter for the past decade.

At every gathering of my friends, someone would jokingly ask about my secret to getting along with him.

But I had no secret.

Vincent and I fell in love with each other when we were very young. They started dating in college.

Back then, I hid my identity as the daughter of a tycoon, and he was a poor young man struggling with part-time jobs.

Yet, he would buy me the most expensive breakfast from the east side of town every morning.

In the harsh winter, he would stubbornly secure the warmest seat in the classroom for me, ignoring the stares from others.

After we got married, I entrusted him with the company, and he never neglected me or our daughter. He cared for us more.

Vincent continued to express his concern for me on the phone.

But I hastily hung up and ignored the taunts from Lacey, as I saw that Michelle's neck was a mass of blood rubbed by the rough rope.

"Michelle!" I rushed forward like a madwoman. My nails dug into the rope, only to scrape off a layer of skin.

The knot was too tight, and my nails were broken on the coarse rope.

Blood dripped from my fingertips onto Michelle's pale face as she weakly whispered, "Mom."

I was heartbroken.

I opened my mouth and intended to bite through the rope.

"Quick, record it!" Lacey suddenly laughed maniacally and shouted, "Look at that crazy woman trying to bite through the rope! She's like a dog."

She then signaled to those behind me.

Michelle's classmates and their parents, who were in line to submit their documents, began live streaming with their phones. "Her father is the richest man in the country and a school board member. If you are smart, give up the position!"

"Lacey is the richest man's daughter!" The advisor joined in and filmed up close with his phone. "Do you really think you can compete for the position with her? You are from a poor background."

Lacey laughed wildly and said, "You dress so well, but you're just like your wretched daughter and act like a dog. Both the mother and daughter are like dogs. Hahhh... This will definitely go viral online."

I ignored them and bit down hard on the rope.

The barbs dug into my gums.

Only when the taste of rust filled my mouth did the rope finally snap.

But before I could embrace Michelle, a rotten chicken bone was hurled at Michelle's face.

"Don't dogs love bones?" Lacey laughed hysterically.

I couldn't bear it any longer and slapped her hard.

"Smack!" Her nose broke instantly, and blood splattered onto the camera that was used for the live stream.

"How dare you slap me?" Lacey clutched her swollen cheek in disbelief. Then others started shrieking.

Even the advisor became nervous.

He hurriedly grabbed tissues to wipe Lacey's nosebleed. "Mrs. Harper, have you lost your mind? Do you even know what you're doing?"

I held Michelle tightly and dialed my boss's number with the other hand. "Sir, Michelle, my daughter, is injured. Can Dr. Caiden Rowe and his team come over?"

The voice on the other end was serious. "I see. I'll have him there immediately."

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.

He was my husband for ten years, Vincent Harper.

"Honey..." I called out in a trembling voice.

Vincent's eyes widened in shock when he saw Michelle and me, but he quickly regained his indifferent demeanor. "Ma'am, I don't know you at all."

Ivy and Lacey immediately acted as if they had found a protector.

Ivy clung to his arm affectionately and said, "Honey, they are pretending to be your family and even hurt our daughter."

The surrounding parents were in an uproar instantly. Their voices were filled with gloat.

"Oh my, it really is Mr. Harper!"

"This is going to be interesting!"

"I knew that woman was a fraud!"

Vincent's voice was as cold as the Arctic winds, and it was a stark contrast to the gentle and caring husband he had been on the phone just now.

His face that once overflowed with love for me now showed only chilling detachment and disdain.

I looked at him and felt a gaping, bloody wound in my chest.

"Vincent," I said through gritted teeth, and each word felt like it was bleeding. "Say it again. Who is your daughter?"

His pupils contracted sharply, and a fleeting trace of embarrassment and panic crossed his face.

But then his gaze swept over my bloodied hands and Michelle, who was barely conscious. He frowned and said, "Security, escort these troublemakers out."

"Dad!" Lacey suddenly shrieked, "They slapped me, and you can't let them go. I want her to get down on her knees and apologize to me."

Vincent paused and then slowly nodded. "They deserve punishment."

Several parents immediately understood him and roughly pushed me to the floor.

Lacey grabbed a ruler from the desk and lashed it across my back. "You impostor! How dare you pretend to be someone else? How dare you slap me?"

Each strike tore my skin, and I held desperately to Michelle. Blood soaked through her white T-shirt.

Vincent's clenched fists showed bulging veins, but he remained silent.

"The rumors are true! Mr. Harper is truly devoted to his wife and his daughter."

"He doesn't even glance at other women."

Others said sycophantic words one after another.

Lacey was tired from hitting me, tossed aside the blood-stained ruler, and kicked me from above. "Now, if you beg for mercy, I'll let you go."

Vincent finally walked over and said in a low voice with pleading, "Honey, let's take Michelle to the hospital now, okay? There are so many people watching..."

I spat out some blood, glared at Vincent, and said, "You will regret this."

Just then, a deafening roar came from outside the window.

The entire glass curtain wall shattered, and three armed helicopters hovered outside. A group of fully equipped special forces rappelled in.

"Dr. Harper!" The leading officer saluted me and said, "The Special Operations Unit of the National Defense Bureau is here on orders! Mr. Rowe's medical team is waiting downstairs."

The room fell into an instant, stunned silence.