From Father’s Betrayal to Mother’s Vengeance

###Chapter 5

“Eh?” Charles’s teasing voice rang through the phone, laced with delight. “And what about your husband? How could you snatch this prized catch from him and hand it over to an outsider like me?”

I suppressed my exhaustion and hatred, speaking coldly, “That’s none of your concern. Just handle the project well. You won’t lose out.”

He clicked his tongue. “Alright, I’ll accept your generosity, Ms. Wallace.”

Charles had been my right-hand man since my parents passed away. With his talent, he could easily have become the second-in-command of the company. But my husband didn’t like him, so I never entrusted him with the most important projects.

Now, I realized how foolish I had been.

Charles smiled. “Ms. Wallace, you treat me so well. Naturally, I should return the favor with a gift.”

Gift? Before I could ask, he had already said, “Bye-bye,” and hung up.

The next morning, Judith suddenly announced that she had an urgent illness and needed a few days off. I didn’t bother to see her wandering around, so I let her take the leave.

I took my daughter to see a psychologist and afterward, we went shopping together.

When my daughter stared longingly at a small cake in a shop window, I told the attendant, “I want all the small cakes you have here.”

But when the cakes were placed in front of her, she shook her head repeatedly. “Mom, the cakes are too expensive. I don’t want to eat…”

I gently lifted a small cake to her lips. “Everything Mom earns is for you, my little treasure. From now on, whatever you want, you can have it—because you are Mom’s little princess.”

Only then did my daughter timidly take a bite of the cake, her eyes lighting up immediately. “Mom, the cake is so sweet!”

Seeing her smile so happily, I couldn’t help but smile in return.

I bought my daughter a pile of cute princess dresses and toys. Just as I had arranged for everything to be delivered home, my assistant called.

“Ms. Wallace, there’s definitely a problem with the big project your husband is handling… I’ve uncovered a major financial loophole!”

The assistant sent me the documents. As I read through them, my palms went numb.

When Zack took on this project, he swore on his life he would handle it properly so I could focus on expanding our business abroad.

But what did he do in return?

Over two years, he embezzled at least three million dollars!

And what was all that money used for?

At that moment, my phone flashed a trending news alert.

“A mysterious billionaire rents an entire cruise ship, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a birthday party for his son.”

The photo showed a tall man holding Nathan, while his other arm wrapped around a curvaceous woman.

Even just from the back, that familiar figure pierced my heart like a thousand needles.

My daughter had just been attacked by a criminal and suffered both physically and emotionally, yet Zack was using my money to throw a birthday party for another woman’s son.

And with my daughter’s birthday approaching, he hadn’t shown any sign of care at all.

Every year, when I wanted to host a birthday party for her, Zack would mutter, “We shouldn’t spoil the child. If we splurge just for a birthday, what will people think of us?”

And I foolishly believed him.

My eyes swept past Judith, who was grinning from ear to ear and I suddenly smiled coldly.

I pulled out my phone and dialed the police.