Chapter 1

I was both a lucky and unlucky woman. After graduation, I was hired by the Harlan Group, eventually fell in love with its CEO Victor Harlan, and married him.

Unfortunately, Victor was infertile. Right as I got pregnant from IVF, he passed away, leaving the massive conglomerate in my hands.

But I made it out alive. Now, as the powerful CEO of Harlan Group, I could finally enjoy my life.

I wanted to spend some time with my daughter, Emma, on her birthday. So, I asked the bodyguards and driver not to come with me.

Holding Emma's favorite mini cake, I waited at the entrance of the preschool.

Without warning, a Land Rover dashed onto the pedestrian walkway and stopped right in front of the preschool entrance, forcing many parents and their children to stumble out of the way in fear.

A woman in sunglasses and extravagant clothes stepped out of the Land Rover. She scanned her surroundings, her gaze finally resting on me.

"Are you Jeanine Colby?" she questioned.

I certainly had never met that woman. Still, I politely nodded at her. "Who are you—"

Halfway through my speech, she slapped me on the face, causing my face to turn to the side. My cheeks swelled immediately.

Before I could react, the vicious woman grabbed my hair, forcing me to look up at her.

She hissed, "Are you that woman who seduced my husband?"

Slapping me again, she taunted me. "Sure. You're quite pretty. But you made the wrong move to seduce the husband of Tara Jameson!"

Tara Jameson? I searched my mind for the name, but it did not ring a bell.

Wiping away the blood from the corner of my lips, I argued with much difficulty, "Is this a misunderstanding? I'm married."

Tara kicked me in the chest. I collapsed onto the ground. It took me a while to gather myself.

The cake in my hand had fallen onto the floor. All hopes and anticipation for Emma's birthday were dashed.

Tara refused to back down. She continued cursing me out, "Yeah, I'm hitting you. So what? You should have known your place as a married woman!"

The onlookers finally noticed the worsening situation. A few parents tried to hold Tara back.

"Hey, you shouldn't hit her."

"You shouldn't do this in front of the preschool. You don't want the kids to see it."

"Please settle this in private. The kids are about to leave school anytime now."

I grew incensed at the thought of Emma finding me with a bruised face. I grabbed my phone to call the police.

At that moment, a few ladies stepped out of the Land Rover and forced their way through the parents who intervened.

The look in Tara's eyes froze over. She snatched my phone and lost her temper after she checked the screen. She flung it to the ground and stepped on it.