Blurb：
When Whitney Steward receives a call from Dream High School about her daughter Natalie Steward’s admission fee, her world shatters. Natalie, a top student guaranteed entry into the elite accelerated track, shouldn’t need favors from her husband Arnold Lewiston. But Arnold’s “surprise” unravels a web of lies, leading Whitney to uncover the truth with help from Lynn Warrens at the State Department of Education. At Dream High School’s admissions office, teacher Joanna Wimbleton reveals a shocking name on the forms: Elaine Marshall, Arnold’s distant cousin, now posing as Natalie’s mother. As Whitney confronts Elaine Marshall wearing Natalie’s gifted dress, a tale of betrayal and hidden identities unfolds. Who really paid the fee? Why is Elaine involved? Dive into a psychological thriller where gifted education meets family secrets.
Content：
The admissions office calls and says my daughter’s admission fee has been paid, asking when I’ll come to handle enrollment.
I’m completely stunned.
My daughter, Natalie Steward, is top of her class. She’s already guaranteed a spot in the city’s best high school, Dream High School, with no admission fee required.
Upon questioning my husband, Arnold Lewiston, he claims the admissions office must’ve made a mistake.
He says, “I just wanted to surprise you, so I pulled some strings with the principal to get her into the accelerated track. You should talk to the teachers and make sure we get the best homeroom teacher so I can look good.”
As soon as I end the call, I slam the accelerator and head straight to the admissions office. On my way there, I call Lynn Warrens, my best friend who works in the State Department of Education.
“Help me check under whose name Arnold paid the admission fee for his illegitimate child. I’m going to withdraw them from the school!” I say.
Chapter 1
Instead of feeling relieved, my suspicion grew heavier after ending the call with Arnold.
Surprise?
Natalie had been top of her class her entire life, racking up competition awards like they were nothing.
The principal of the best high school in the city, Dream High School, had personally called me to guarantee her enrollment.
With grades like Natalie’s, did she really need Arnold to pull strings for her to get into the accelerated track? Not to mention, him even asking me to make him look good was just asking for too much.
I recalled how Arnold had questioned me a few days back. He’d said, “Why do you waste time reading all those random psychology reports?”
He didn’t know I had been building the psychological evaluation model for the city’s “Gifted Scholars Program.”
The more I thought about it, the less it added up.
I spun the wheel and stepped on the gas, driving straight to the admissions office of Dream High School.
Half an hour later, I was standing in the crowded admissions office.
As I pushed past the crowd, I found Joanna Wimbleton, the teacher in charge of the enrollment process. “Hello, I’m Natalie Steward’s mother, Whitney Steward.”
Joanna looked up and adjusted her glasses, looking confused. “Natalie Steward’s mother? Didn’t you just leave?”
My heart sank.
She continued, “Her mother, Ms. Marshall, was just here. She confirmed the uniform size before leaving earlier.”
Ms. Marshall?
I tightened the grip on the strap of my crossbody bag. “I’m Natalie’s mother, Ms. Wimbleton. I’m a Steward, not Marshall.”
Joanna’s expression went from confusion to irritation. “It’s a busy day, ma’am. Please don’t cause any trouble.
“On Natalie’s enrollment form, the name of her mother is clearly listed in the columnElaine Marshall. She just finished the paperwork.”
The name Elaine Marshall hit me cold. Wasn’t that the name of Arnold’s distant cousin, who was always hanging around our house looking for handouts?
At that moment, a familiar figure showed up at the entrance of the admissions office.
The woman was wearing the designer dress I’d bought weeks ago as Natalie’s enrollment gift. She was also carrying the latest handbag, which had been from me too.
Elaine’s smug smile immediately froze upon seeing me. Her gaze anxiously darted around. “Whit? What brings you here?” She strode over in a hurry, grabbed my arm, and tried to drag me out. “This isn’t the place to talk, Whit. Let’s head outside, and I’ll explain things to you.”
That syrupy and intimate nickname made my stomach flip.
I pushed her hand away and said, “Who are you calling ‘Whit’ here? You’d better make things clear, Elaine. Why are you here, and why are you wearing my daughter’s dress? Why did the admissions staff say that you’re my daughter’s mother?”
Although my voice was soft, every word of mine landed hard.
Elaine’s face paled. Her eyes started reddening, looking as if she was being wronged.
She replied, “You’ve misunderstood, Whitney. Arnold only asked me to help out since it’s the enrollment season, and I’m raising my child on my own.
“As for the dress, he said Natalie couldn’t fit in it anymore, so he gave it to Linda.” Elaine even pitifully tugged at the dress. “If you’re not happy, I’ll take it off immediately and give it back to you, Whitney.”
Around us, the other parents started pointing fingers at me.
“Who’s that? She dresses so well but is so unreasonable.”
“That’s right. Must she make a scene when that lady’s just helping out? That’s not very classy of her.”
“She’s probably just jealous that she’s younger and prettier.”
Chapter 2
I couldn’t be bothered with the gossip. Instead, I shot a cold glare at Elaine. “Help out? You’re impersonating me as my daughter’s mother.
“That’s considered helping out?”
I turned to Joanna and said, “I need you to pull Natalie’s enrollment record up now, Ms. Wimbleton!”
Joanna looked flustered. “We can’t just show you the students’ record, ma’am. And according to our records, Ms. Marshall is the registered guardian. She even provided an enrollment authorization form signed by you, so we”
“I’m Natalie’s biological mother! And I’ve never signed any authorization form. Is this what you call thorough verification in your school?”
My demand made Joanna’s face flush crimson.
By then, Elaine’s tears had started falling. “Please don’t put Ms. Wimbleton in a tough spot, Whitney. It’s all my fault for not explaining things to her properly.
“I’ll call Arnold and get him to talk to you.” She pulled her phone out with trembling hands, making it look as if I was the bully here.
I coldly chuckled. “Sure, get him to come over then! I’d like to hear him explain this to me!”
The call was connected shortly after, and Elaine started speaking through sobs. Her voice was just the right volume to ensure the surrounding crowd could hear her.
“Come quickly, Arnold! Whitney doesn’t believe me. She even said that I impersonated her as Natalie’s mother and insisted on checking the records. She’s putting the teachers in a tough spot now,” she said as she wiped her tears away, her shoulders shaking violently.
From the other end of the line, Arnold angrily spat, “Whitney must be crazy! Make sure she stays there. I’ll go over now!”
The word “crazy” rang loud and clear across the entire admissions office. Everyone’s attention was now on me.
Their gaze toward Elaine was full of sympathy, while they looked at me with disgust.
After ending the call, Elaine timidly looked at me. “Arnold is coming over now, Whitney. Please don’t get upset. He’s only looking out for me and doesn’t want me to get hurt.”
Her words were a testament to everyone how close she was with Arnold.
My body shook in anger.
Ten minutes later, Arnold showed up.
Without sparing me a glance, he walked over to Elaine and pulled her into his embrace. He softly comforted her, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Elaine. I’m here now.
“Tell me, what happened?”
Their intimacy hurt my eyes.
Elaine buried her face in Arnold’s chest and choked out, “Whitney misunderstood me, Arnold”
Only then did he turn around and shoot me a gaze full of disgust and irritation. “Are you done causing a scene, Whitney? I told you to stay home and rest. Why are you here lashing out at Elaine?”
It was as if he’d forgotten just how he had lied to me in the earlier call.
Arnold was never interested in my career. To him, my job was nothing more than a title he couldn’t understand, and it was far less valuable than the numbers in my bank account.
Whenever I tried sharing my accomplishments, I was met with his annoyed comments insinuating that nobody cared about what I did.
Arnold’s indifference to my life had become the very shovel he’d used to dig his own grave.
I watched his poorly-executed performance as if observing a specimen I was about to dissect.
I pointed at Elaine and asked loud and clear, “Why is she here, Arnold? And why did the teacher say she’s listed as Natalie’s mother?”
Arnold frowned. Panic crossed his face, but it was soon overtaken by his anger. “Elaine is my cousin. She’s just trying to help. What’s your problem with that?
“Natalie’s enrollment process is complicated, but you’re always buried in work. When have you actually taken care of her? Now, you’ve got the nerve to storm in here and question other people?”
His ability to twist the truth had become almost second nature.
I bitterly laughed. “I’ve never taken care of her? How many of Natalie’s parent-teacher conferences have you attended, Arnold? I was the one who sat through the trial lessons of her extracurricular classes, and I pulled all-nighters just to put her application materials together.
“And now, you’re showing up with this woman to steal my daughter’s achievements, and you even have the audacity to blame me?”
Chapter 3
The surrounding chatter grew louder.
“So, it’s a showdown between the wife and the mistress.”
“Look at how the man is defending his mistress! The wife is just too pitiful!”
Arnold’s expression turned sour. He lowered his voice and gritted, “Let’s keep our family business private, Whitney. Must you really embarrass everyone here?”
I replied, “Don’t worry, Arnold. You’ll soon learn what it truly means to be embarrassed, especially in front of someone you least expect.
“We’re not leaving until this is cleared up. I want to see the records!”
Arnold lost his temper at my insistence. Suddenly, he yelled, “Please don’t misunderstand, guys! She’s my ex-wife. We’re divorced, but she refuses to accept it.
“Now, she’s unstable and delusional, insisting that we’re still together. Clearly, she’s having another episode now, and that’s why she’s causing a scene here!”
The admissions office fell silent, and everyone looked at me as if I was a madwoman.
Ex-wife? Unstable and delusional?
I couldn’t believe my ears.
We were still a family when we walked out of the house that same morning. Now, in front of Arnold’s mistress and everyone else, I was his crazy ex-wife who was unstable and delusional?
Elaine promptly looked up from his embrace. Although tears were still streaming down her face, there was a hint of smugness in her gaze. “Please calm down, Whitney I mean, Ms. Steward. You’re making things hard for Arnold like this.”
Arnold pulled her closer, his expression soft and protective. Then, he turned to me with a look of rage. “I’ve tried to be civil with you out of respect for what we used to have, Whitney. I’ve been holding myself back, so don’t push it!”
He then turned to Joanna and the security guards who were hurrying over. “I sincerely apologize to all of you. My ex-wife She’s unwell. She keeps thinking Natalie is still her daughter when custody has already been awarded to me.
“What happened today is all just a misunderstanding. Can you please escort her out? I’ll come back and apologize properly!”
The way he was twisting the truth sounded almost convincing.
The security guards exchanged glances before they started closing in on me. “We’ll need you to step outside, ma’am. You’re disrupting school business.”
One of the younger security guards even reached out to try and grab me by the arm.
Around me, the other parents started whispering, “So, she’s just crazy. It’s better get her out before she scares the kids.”
At their advances, I stumbled backward until my back hit the wall, and I was left with no room to escape.
I looked at them before turning to glance at Arnold and Elaine, who were smiling smugly.
Instead of panicking, a soft chuckle escaped my lips.
It cut through the jarring silence, and Arnold’s smugness froze on his face. “What are you laughing at?”
I looked up, my gaze calm as I swept past him like I was observing an unimportant object. “Really, Arnold? ‘Ex-wife’ and ‘unstable and delusional?’ That’s all you came prepared to say today?”
I leisurely pulled my phone out of my pocket and held it up for him and everyone else to see. “Since you like putting on a show that much, I’ll help you put up one that’s really worth watching.”
Arnold only grew even more smug upon seeing how calm I was. Thinking that I was merely bluffing, he scoffed, “It’s too late to be scared now. You brought on yourself!”
At that moment, the phone in my hand started vibrating.
It was Lynn, my friend who was working with the State Department of Education.
I took a deep breath before answering the call on speaker.
“I found it, Whit!” Lynn’s voice came sharp and urgent as it echoed through the hushed office.
She continued, “The child who took Natalie’s guaranteed spot is Linda Lewiston.
“I’ve also pulled her birth certificate out. Her mother is Elaine Marshall, and her father isas expectedArnold! That scumbag was actually hiding an illegitimate daughter this whole time!”
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