Blurb：
After losing her CEO husband Victor Harlan, Jeanine Colby thought she had survived the worst. Using sperm donation from Dr. Liam Sterling, she gave birth to daughter Emma while building Harlan Group into an empire. But on Emma’s 5th birthday, vicious socialite Tara Jameson publicly humiliates Jeanine, accusing her of seducing Tara’s husband. The shocking truth emerges when Tara boasts to the very doctor who helped conceive Emma – now Jeanine’s subordinate. This CEO widow must protect her daughter while uncovering why Tara targets her. Will Dr. Sterling’s IVF secrets destroy everything Jeanine built?
Content：
I give birth to my child after accepting a sperm donation. Later, my CEO husband passes away due to an illness. After I take over the company, I take five years to strike a balance between work and caring for my daughter.
On her birthday, a shrew makes me out to be a mistress. Look at how scantily clad you areyou’re doing it to seduce my husband, aren’t you?
I explain that I’m single, but she slaps me and snarls, “How dare you claim to be single! Your daughter looks just like my husband! I’ll show you today what the consequences of wrecking someone’s family are!”
She drags me away like I’m a dog before the kindergarten’s entrance as my daughter watches. The shrew isn’t satisfied with that. She laughs cruelly and says, “I’ll show your daughter what a shameless woman you are.”
Then, she throws herself into a man’s arms. “How are you going to reward me for getting rid of a woman who thinks she can have you after having your child, honey?”
I look up to see the doctor who helped me with my test tube baby back in the day. He’s now my subordinate.
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.
Chapter 2
“Shame on you! I didn’t know he bought you the lastest phone! I don’t even spend that much money on myself!”
A few dads in the crowd stepped up when Tara became ungovernable.
“You beat up a woman and broke her phone when you showed up. I’ve called the police on you.”
Tara spat at the men who tried to intervene. “You must have fallen head over heels for that woman too! Why else would you help her?”
Scanning my outfit, she commented in disdain, “Look at her clothes. She’s practically decked in luxury items.”
Turning to the man, she asked, “Can a poor guy like you afford to pay for her lifestyle?”
I trembled in rage, as Tara not only beat me up for no reason, but she also unfairly accused me of being a homewrecker.
Staring her down, I demanded, “Who the heck is your husband?”
If looks could kill, Tara Jameson would be dead by now.
She placed her hands on her waist and stared haughtily at me. Snorting, she taunted me again. “Yeah, keep faking it. How dare you ask for my husband’s name when you totally know who he is?
“Fine. I’ll put the nail in the coffin. My husband is Preston Whitmore.”
Finally, I came across a name that rang a bell. Standing up with much difficulty, I endured the pain in my face and explained, “I know Preston Whitmore, but you misunderstood our relationship. I’m his”
I wanted to clarify that I was Preston’s employer, but Tara did not give me a chance. She grabbed my hair and slapped me in the face again.
A cold glint appeared in her eyes. “How dare you bring up Preston? Don’t claim that there’s nothing between the two of you.
“I have my bestie to thank. She’s a preschool teacher here, and she told me she saw a kid who looked like a carbon copy of Preston! If not for her, I wouldn’t have known about this filthy affair!”
Tara continued kicking and lashing out at me with a malicious look in her eyes. The onlookers who tried to stop her were held back by the women who came with Tara.
Tara looked around and snickered. “My husband is the director of a hospital who works with the Harlan Group. Which one of you dares to stop me?”
The mention of Harlan Group made everyone freeze. Tara gave the women a look, and they quickly charged at me and pinned me down on the floor.
When I was pinned to the floor, Tara kicked me and stepped on my hand. “Oh, I wasn’t paying attention just now. I finally recall that you’re Preston’s friend from high school, aren’t you?
“Were you Preston’s one-sided crush? You’re trying to get cozy with him now that he’s wealthy and powerful, right?”
I shook my head fervently, trying to explain myself, but I couldn’t even open my mouth as Tara was pinching my face.
Indeed, Preston and I attended the same high school, but I had no idea he had a crush on me back then. We fell out of touch after college, until we learned that Preston was a doctor when Victor and I went for IVF.
As Preston was my high school friend, I entrusted him to pick the best quality sperm for my IVF treatment. Apart from that, we did not have any relationship at all.
The Harlan Group had expanded its range to partner with the hospital, all because I wanted to lend a hand to my high school friend. Never had I thought that my kindness would backfire.
Snorting, Tara shot me a look of contempt. “It doesn’t matter that a shameless woman like you gave birth to my husband’s kid. A child without a father will never see the light of the day.”
What kid was she talking about?
Doubts filled my mind.
It was at that moment the children left school after class. Emma, hand-in-hand with her teacher, skipped her way out of the school.
I lay on the ground, cheek swollen, my clothes disheveled from the scuffle just now. I frantically attempted to cover my chest so Emma did not have to see me in that embarrassed state.
But Tara was merciless. She tore my silk shirt in half. “Time for your daughter to see you for who you area shameless woman!”
I looked up and saw Emma staring at me helplessly. Tears flooded my eyes. I struggled to get up with only one thing in my mind: Emma was still a child. She should not be seeing this.
Without thinking, I yelled, “I am Preston Whitmore’s employer! I’m the CEO of Harlan Group!”
Chapter 3
Tara was caught off guard for a moment. She approached me slowly and fixed her gaze on me. “What did you say? Are you Preston’s boss?”
I met her eyes fearlessly and nodded. “Yes, I am”
She cut me off with raucous laughter. Pressing a hand on her stomach, she cackled. “Oh, that’s hilarious! You must have lost your mind after I gave you a good beating!
“Wake up and look in the mirror! A woman like you can’t claim you’re the CEO of Harlan Group!”
Scanning me from head to toe with disdain, she snapped, “Yeah, I know the CEO of Harlan Group is a woman, but you? Hahaha!”
That day, I was dressed in a quiet luxury tailored outfit with no obvious logos. I wasn’t wearing any jewelry or clutching a luxury bag.
Tara snorted. “Lie to yourself if you like, but don’t do that to others.”
Carrying a look of contempt, Tara made her way to Emma.
“Don’t touch my daughter!” My mind was buzzing. I tried to rush to Emma’s help, but Tara’s lackeys pinned me down.
“Emma, run!” I cried.
Emma looked at me hesitantly. She didn’t move, just stayed right by the teacher. She held Ms. Bloom’s hand and asked, “Ms. Bloom, is my mommy a bad woman who breaks families?”
My body froze when I heard the words from her mouth.
Was “Ms. Bloom” Tara’s friend?
Rosie Bloom tenderly caressed Emma’s head. However, her words dripped with venom. “Yes. Your mommy is a bad woman. If you’re a good girl, go give her a kick now.”
Emma’s eyes took on a look of determination. She let go of Rosie’s hand and approached me. Unease filled the pit of my stomach.
When Emma was before me, I forced a smile. “Emma, stand behind me. I’ll protect you.”
Emma did not wait for me to finish before she kicked me on the knee. “You’re not my mom! You’re a bad woman!”
Tara threw her head back from laughter while praising my daughter for doing the right thing. I stared squarely at Tara as my heart broke into pieces. Why did Emma, my baby, who I’d lovingly raised, behave like this? She was just a five-year-old!
Seeing red, I charged at Tara and Rosie to beat them up, but Tara’s lackeys held me back.
My last strand of sanity snapped when Emma blurted out, “Mommy, you make me feel embarrassed.”
Mustering all my energy, I freed myself and rushed over to Tara, hitting and clawing at her.
The police arrived at the time, and we were brought to the police station for questioning.
“Sir, this is a private matter. As Preston Whitmore’s legal wife, I am in my right to beat up his mistress. This is none of your business.” Even at the police station, Tara acted like a bully. “She hit me, by the way. Lock her up!”
The policeman stared at the bruises and scratches all over my body before turning to Tara, who suffered some scratches on her face. He warned her, “This is a police station, not your home. Shut your mouth now.”
Tara pouted and scoffed.
The policeman asked me some questions. I told him that Tara showed up and started beating me up for no reason.
During my questioning, Preston arrived at the scene belatedly. Tara’s eyes lit up when she saw her husband. Feeling aggrieved, she barked, “You guys are done for! My husband’s here! He’s currently in a partnership with Harlan Group.”
The first thing Preston saw upon setting foot in the police station was me. His face fell. “Why are you here?”
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