The Price of Betrayal novel Chapter 1

My five-year-old daughter burst into tears the moment she got home. She begged me not to make her go back to Oak Lane Academy.

She was too scared to tell me why. Just kept shaking and crying.

My gut told me something was wrong. When I checked her body, I found tiny puncture wounds all over her arms and chest.

Rage burning through me, I snapped a photo and posted it to the parents' group: "Who hurt my daughter?"

"My son did exactly what I told him to," Ashley replied instantly, with a smug emoji.

Then came two photos that stopped my heart.

One showed my husband at a wedding - with her.

The other was a family photo of me, my daughter, and my husband.

"Karma's a bitch, isn't it? That's what happens when you steal someone's husband and have his bastard. Consider yourself lucky my boy didn't do worse."

The group chat exploded. Parents I'd known for months turned vicious, attacking me and my daughter.

Even Mrs. Thompson, her teacher, jumped in: "Tyler was such a good boy today, Ashley! Extra star for him tomorrow!"

Ashley couldn't resist: "If you've got a problem, come face me. We're still at school. Unless you're scared..."

I strapped my daughter into the car and texted my lawyers:

"Get divorce papers ready. Use the prenup. I want Jack out with nothing."

"My daughter was attacked at school. Send a team now. They'll pay for this."

"Can't believe that leech had a mistress while living off my money."

When they saw me, their friendly faces turned to stone. Like I was something they'd scraped off their shoes.

Mrs. Thompson stepped forward, ice in her voice: "Ms. Roberts, Emma is expelled. Effective immediately."

"My daughter gets attacked and you expel her?" I shot back.

"This is an elite school," she said coldly. "We can't have our reputation ruined by... certain people."

My voice went deadly quiet: "You might want to check who the real mistress is before you talk."

I didn't finish. Ashley's hand cracked across my face.

"How dare you show your face here? Did you think having his kid would make you the next Mrs. Walker?"