Chapter 3

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.