The School Investor's Secret Wife

It was the day of the preschool talent showcase. My daughter was part of the cello ensemble.

During the final rehearsal, a little boy suddenly charged forward. He shoved my daughter aside and stole her spot.

My daughter stumbled back, her eyes welling up with tears. That's my spot, she whispered.

The boy's mother, Leila Lennox, marched over. She didn't scold her son; she glared at my daughter.

"What do you mean, your spot?" she snapped. "My son stands wherever he wants. Move over, you little brat!"

I stepped forward immediately and pulled my daughter into my arms.

"The teacher assigned these seats," I said firmly. "Your son stole her position. You should be apologizing, not yelling at a child."

Leila let out a mocking laugh. Her face was twisted with arrogance.

"Like mother, like daughter," she sneered. "No wonder the kid is so petty. You clearly have no class."

"My husband is a major investor in this school. My son calls the shots here, not you!"

I didn't argue. I just pulled out my phone and sent a quick text.

"Someone at the school you invested in is using your name to bully our daughter."

My phone buzzed almost instantly.

It was a reply from Ian: "I'm on my way. Keep Daisy safe. Wait for me."

A few parents nearby were whispering, their voices filled with dread.

"That's Leila Lennox. Her husband, Mr. Gale, is the big investor here."

"No wonder she's so bold. Even the principal bows to her."

Leila gave her son a pointed look. The boy understood immediately.

He raised his foot and kicked Daisy's cello case with all his might.

The case slammed into the edge of the stage with a loud crack. The lid popped open, and her sheet music scattered everywhere.

Daisy turned pale and reached out, sobbing. "My music! I practiced so hard!"

Leila barked at her, "Don't you dare touch that!"

She stepped forward and stomped on the top page, grinding her heel into it.

The beautiful notes were instantly crushed and covered in dirt.

"It's just some cheap paper," Leila sneered. "Why are you acting like it's treasure?"

"I'm telling you now, my son is taking this spot. And you? You're not performing at all."

She shoved me hard with her shoulder and pushed my daughter aside. Daisy almost hit the floor.

I pulled her behind me, my blood boiling.

"Leila, that music represents her hard work. What right do you have to destroy it?"

Leila crossed her arms, looking smug. "What right?"

"My husband owns this place. I can destroy whatever I want. Who's going to stop me?"

The music teacher hurried over, looking terrified.

"Mrs. Lennox, please. The children need to rehearse."

Leila glared at her. "Shut up!"

"You're just a teacher. One word from me, and you're fired."

The teacher trembled and backed away, head bowed.

The other parents just watched. No one dared to speak up.

Daisy clutched my shirt, her small body shaking as tears streamed down her face.

"Mommy, I want to play. I don't want to give up my spot."

I rubbed her back, my voice steady.

"Don't worry, baby. Mommy's here. No one is taking your spot or your hard work."

This only made Leila angrier.

She pointed a finger at us and started screaming for everyone to hear.

"Look at this! This woman and her brat are being unreasonable and stealing spots! How pathetic!"

I watched Leila's tantrum with a cold gaze. I quietly pressed the record button on my phone.

Seeing my silence, Leila thought I was scared. Her ego inflated even more.

She stepped closer, a condescending smirk on her face.

"Not talking now? You were so brave a minute ago."

"Let me tell you something. Acting like a mute won't save you. You're giving up that spot today, whether you like it or not."

I held my trembling daughter tighter. I looked Leila in the eye, refusing to back down.

"The seating chart was set by the teacher. Every child has their own place."

"Your son is stealing. As a parent, you should be teaching him better instead of encouraging him."

Leila laughed as if I'd told a joke. "Logic? You want to talk about logic?"

"In this school, my husband's money is the only logic that matters."

"He's put so much cash into this place. Why shouldn't my son have the best spot?"

"Your daughter is in the center. Does she even deserve to be there?"

She raised her voice so the other parents and teachers could hear everything.

"I'm warning you all! If anyone helps this woman, you're making an enemy out of me and my husband!"

"If I get upset, the show is canceled. The school budget gets cut. No one wins!"

The parents nearby turned pale and took several steps back.

Some even pulled their kids away from us, terrified of being associated with me.

The teachers looked at each other and lowered their heads. They didn't dare to intervene.

In just seconds, Daisy and I were completely isolated in the middle of the crowd.

Daisy gripped my sleeve, her little body shaking.

"Mommy, I'm scared," she whispered through her tears. "Does this mean I can't play?"

I wiped her tears away. My voice was soft but firm. "Don't be afraid. Mommy is here."

"You've worked so hard, Daisy. No one has the right to cancel your performance."

This hit a nerve with Leila. Her expression darkened.

She reached down, grabbed the torn sheet music, and threw the scraps in Daisy's face.

"I'm canceling her performance right now! What are you going to do about it?"

I stepped in front of my daughter, my face hardening.

"Leila, the kids don't know better, but you should. If you have a problem, deal with me. Don't scream at a five-year-old."

Leila stepped forward, reaching out to shove me. Her eyes were full of malice.

"Deal with you? I'd love to!"

"Leave the rehearsal area right now. Tell the teacher you're quitting, and I might let this go."

"If you don't, I'll call the principal. I'll have your daughter's name scrubbed from the program."

"I'll make her apologize in front of the whole class. I'll make sure everyone knows she's a bad kid who steals spots!"

"I'll have her moved to the back row of every class. I'll make sure she's a total social outcast!"

She was becoming unhinged. She shoved me so hard that I hit the corner of the stage stairs.

A sharp pain shot through my lower back. Daisy buried her face in my lap, sobbing uncontrollably.

Fury surged through me, but I kept my cool despite the pain.

"You have no right to do this," I said, my voice cutting through the noise.

"This school isn't your private playground. You can't trample on a child's dignity just because you have money."

Leila was fuming. She tried to swipe my arm away from my daughter.

"Trample? Watch me!"

"You clearly won't listen to reason. Fine. We'll do this the hard way."

Leila had completely lost her mind.

Before I could react, she gave me another violent shove. I stumbled against the hard edge of the stage.

The metal steps bit into my back. I gasped in pain as my vision blurred for a second.

Daisy threw herself over my legs. "Stop hurting my mommy!" she wailed.

Instead of stopping, Leila got even worse.

She looked at Daisy's celloDthe thing my daughter cherished most. She lunged forward and snatched it.

She raised the beautiful instrument high and smashed it onto the floor.

The delicate wood splintered and warped. It was ruined.

Daisy stared at the instrument she had practiced on for a month. She collapsed to her knees, her small hands touching the broken wood.

Leila wasn't satisfied. She kicked the scattered sheet music again, sending paper flying.

Then, she ripped the floral headband off Daisy's head and crushed it under her heel.

She grabbed Daisy by the collar and glared at her. "Stop crying, or I'll hit you too!"

A cruel smile spread across her face. "Wearing trash like this you think you belong on stage?"

"Your playing is garbage, and so are you. You think you're center-stage material?"

I ignored the pain in my back and pulled Daisy into my arms. My gaze was like ice.

"Leila, what is wrong with you?"

Leila sneered, her arrogance reaching its peak. "What's wrong?"

"I want you out of this rehearsal. I want you out of this school. I never want to see you near my son again!"

I spoke slowly. "We did nothing wrong. We aren't leaving."

That was the final straw for her.

"Fine," she hissed. "You asked for it. I'm calling my husband to handle you."

She whipped out her phone and hit the speakerphone button.

A man's deep, authoritative voice answered after two rings. "What is it?"

Leila's face transformed. Her voice became high-pitched and tearful. She lied through her teeth.

"Babe, come to the auditorium right now. Someone is bullying me and our son."

"This woman is trying to steal our son's spot. She even tried to hit me! The teachers won't do anything!"

"If you don't come, they're going to walk all over us!"

Gavin Gale's voice turned cold. "Stay there. I'm coming."

The moment the call ended, Leila's tears vanished. She looked at us with a triumphant, wicked grin.

"Did you hear that? My husband, Gavin Gale, is on his way."

She walked over and kicked me in the shin.

"When he gets here, I'm going to make you beg for mercy on your knees!"

She kicked the broken cello one more time for good measure.

"Let's see how tough you are then. You aren't leaving this room until you crawl and apologize."

I held my daughter tight. My phone was still recording in my pocket.

I knew exactly who Gavin Gale was. He was the VP in charge of investments under my husband, Ian Jagger.

A few minutes later, heavy footsteps echoed through the hall.

Gavin entered, wearing a dark suit. He had two security guards with him. The room went silent.

The teachers lowered their heads, barely daring to breathe.

Leila ran into Gavin's arms, pointing at us.

"Babe, it's them! They've been harassing us all morning."

"They tried to steal the spot and get physical. You have to do something!"

The little boy ran over too, hugging Gavin's leg and faking tears.

"Daddy, they were mean to me and Mommy! Punish them!"

Gavin looked down at me. I was dressed simply, so he clearly pegged me as a nobody. His eyes were full of contempt.

Gavin looked at me like I was dirt.

"You're the one causing trouble in my school? You're the one bullying my family?"

I stood my ground, holding Daisy close.

"Mr. Gale, you have it backward. Your son stole my daughter's spot. Your wife smashed her cello."

"You are the ones who owe us an apology."

Gavin barked at me, "How dare you!"

"In this building, whatever my wife says is the truth. A woman like you thinks she can argue with me?"

Leila felt invincible now. She lunged forward and grabbed my wrist.

"Keep talking! Let's see what happens now that my husband is here."

I winced in pain. Daisy started crying again, trying to pull Leila's fingers off me.

"Leave my mommy alone! Stop it!"

Leila backhanded the air, shoving Daisy to the floor. "Get away, you brat!"

Daisy hit the hard floor with a thud. Her knee was scraped red, and she was shaking.

"Daisy!" I tried to reach for her.

But Gavin stepped in and pinned my shoulders. His grip was agonizing.

He looked at my fallen daughter with zero pity. He just looked annoyed.

He moved his foot and tapped Daisy's small hand with the tip of his expensive shoe.

"Kids need to learn their place," he said coldly.

"It's her own fault for having a mother who causes trouble."

Leila laughed. She kicked the broken pieces of the cello toward Daisy.

"See? This is what happens when you mess with me."

"Your instrument is trash. Your spot is gone. Your little show is over."

She grabbed the remaining scraps of sheet music and ripped them up, letting the pieces fall on Daisy's head.

"All that practice for nothing! You're worthless!"

The boy followed his mother's lead. He spat toward Daisy.

He reached out and yanked her hair, chanting, "Bad girl! Get out of our school!"

Daisy curled into a ball, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. "Mommy Mommy"

My heart was breaking. Watching my child be humiliated like this sent me into a blind rage.

"Gavin! Let go of me!" I hissed.

"She's five years old! Have you no shame?"

Gavin chuckled, tightening his grip. "Shame?"

"I run this place. I decide who stays and who goes."

"I'll give you one last chance. Get on your knees and apologize to my wife and son. Then get out."

Leila added fuel to the fire. "Babe, don't waste your breath. Just have the guards throw them out."

"Then call the principal. Expel this little brat. Blacklist her from every school in the district!"

Gavin nodded. He liked that idea.

He turned to the guards. "Drag them out. They're banned from this property permanently."

The guards grabbed my arms, their grip rough and painful. They started dragging us toward the exit.

I struggled, my eyes locked on Gavin. "You're going to regret this, Gavin. Deeply."

Gavin laughed as if I were a comedian.

"Regret? I'm the king of this castle. Who are you to threaten me?"

Leila leaned against him, looking like a peacock. "You heard him! He's the boss!"

As the guards pulled me toward the door, several black SUVs pulled up outside.

A cold, powerful aura suddenly filled the entire auditorium.