Daughter’s Prize Stolen by Husband’s Illegitimate Son

1
At the Robotics Grand Prix, just as my daughter, Zoe, was about to accept her award, a well-dressed woman suddenly rose from her seat.
“I believe this esteemed academy has a rule,” she announced, her voice cutting through the applause. “A five-million-dollar donation secures an extra ten points in this year’s competition. This card holds five million. The first-place trophy belongs to my son!”
A hush fell over the auditorium. The principal, after a moment of stunned silence, gave a hesitant nod.
Zoe stood frozen on the stage, her face a mask of confusion. “But… I’m the real winner!”
The woman’s son, Leo, shot Zoe a look of pure contempt. “So what if you work hard, Zoe Reed? I have a father who can buy me the world. The internship at the advanced research lab? That’s mine now.”
Tears welled in Zoe’s eyes. I walked up and squeezed her hand, my gaze fixed on the mother-son duo, their chins held so high they might as well have been sniffing the clouds.
“Five million, you say?” I asked, a gentle smile playing on my lips. “Are you sure about that? Why don’t we verify it right now?”
The woman, Veronica, nodded with theatrical pride. “Of course. My husband has more money than he knows what to do with. Run it now!”
My smile deepened. The card she was brandishing was a supplementary card linked to my primary account.
It was the pocket money I gave my trophy husband.
…
Veronica shot me a dismissive glance before handing the card to the school administrator with a flourish.
Someone in the crowd gasped. “Is that… a Black Diamond card? You only get one of those with verified assets in the billions!”
“Oh my god, Leo Vance’s family must be one of the elites!”
Veronica basked in the adulation, her eyes sweeping over the crowd with undisguised arrogance. She then looked at Zoe, her expression a sickening mix of pity and scorn.
“You have your parents to blame for this, little girl. They can’t cough up five million. No matter how hard you commoners struggle, you’re just stepping stones for people like us.”
Zoe’s face flushed crimson. “That’s not fair!” she cried out, her voice trembling with indignation. “I won first place!” She had poured her heart and soul into robotics, preparing for this competition for three long years. The advanced lab internship was her ultimate dream.
Murmurs rippled through the parents in the audience.
“This is just cruel to the child,” one person sighed.
“Welcome to the world of elite private schools. For the super-rich, money is power, and privilege trumps fairness. It’s a harsh lesson, but one she has to learn.”
Even the principal shook his head at Zoe. “Rules are rules, my dear.”
Leo’s grin widened into a sneer. “See? I told you you couldn't beat me, Zoe Reed. What good is your talent? Your hard work is worthless next to my family’s wealth!” He turned to his mother. “Mom, can I go get my prize now?”
Veronica shot me a triumphant smirk. “Of course, darling.”
Zoe’s small face crumpled, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She kept muttering, a defiant mantra under her breath, “I’m the winner… I’m the winner…”
My heart ached for her, but I also felt a dark amusement. I leaned in and whispered something in her ear.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Mom, are you serious?”
I gave her a knowing nod. “Just watch.”
As Leo puffed out his chest and swaggered toward the stage, the administrator rushed over, his face pale. “Mrs. Vance, this card… it’s been locked. The transaction won’t go through!”
Veronica’s brow furrowed. “Impossible!” she snapped, her voice sharp. “You hicks probably don’t know how to use it!”
The administrator helplessly held out the card reader. A shrill beep echoed through the silent hall, followed by a cold, robotic voice:
“TRANSACTION DECLINED.”
“How can that be?” Veronica staggered back a step, her face a picture of shock.
A few parents couldn't stifle their snickers. “Mrs. Vance, did you find that card on the street?”
“If you don’t have the five million, why put on the show? So embarrassing!”
Veronica’s face burned with humiliation. She snatched the card and swiped it again and again, each attempt met with the same robotic voice.
“TRANSACTION DECLINED.”
“TRANSACTION DECLINED.”
The whispers grew into open laughter.
Leo was getting frantic. “Mom, what’s going on? I want my trophy!”
Watching Veronica’s composure crumble, I stepped forward. “Well,” I said with a serene smile, “since it appears Mrs. Vance can’t produce the five million, I suppose first place still belongs to my daughter.”
Zoe’s face instantly brightened. She gave me a quick wink and started toward the stage.
“Wait!” Veronica’s voice was a low growl. “There’s a problem with the card, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have the money. That award belongs to my son, and I’m not leaving without it.”
Her eyes, dark and furious, locked onto mine. She pulled out her phone and made a call. A moment later, I heard the familiar voice of my husband, Julian Sterling.
When Veronica hung up, the smug confidence was back on her face. “Don’t you worry, sweetie. No one is taking this prize from you today. It’s yours!” She shot me a look brimming with challenge.
I let out a cold, quiet laugh. Just now, Veronica and Julian had put on a sickeningly sweet display of affection over the phone, their intimate tones making my stomach turn.
Seconds later, my own phone rang. It was Julian. He didn’t even bother with a greeting.
“Audrey, what the hell is wrong with the card I gave you?” he demanded. “Call the bank and unlock it. And while you’re at it, raise the credit limit to fifty million!”
I remained unnervingly calm. “What do you need that much money for?”
“Business, entertaining clients! Stop asking stupid questions and just do it!”
I lowered my gaze, hiding the arctic storm brewing in my eyes. After more than a decade of pulling the strings of a corporate empire from the shadows, anyone who truly knew me recognized this quiet fury. It was the signal that someone was about to face utter ruin.
How utterly laughable. A kept man, living off my family’s fortune, daring to not only keep a mistress under my nose but to bark orders at me. I had clearly been too lenient, letting him forget who held the leash.
Seeing my silence, Julian fired off a few angry voice messages and then went quiet.
Meanwhile, Veronica held up her phone, displaying her bank app for all to see. The balance read exactly five million dollars.
She offered a prim, polite smile, but her eyes screamed victory. “There, you see?” she said to the administrator. “I told you. A family like ours wouldn’t blink at five million. Fifty million would be nothing. It’s not like those people who live paycheck to paycheck, pinching every penny just to scrape together a few thousand.”
She shot a pointed look in my direction before turning to Zoe with feigned sympathy. “Better luck in the next life, little girl. Try to be born into a family that can protect what’s yours.”
Zoe just smiled sweetly back at her. “Don’t worry, ma’am. What’s mine, no one can take away!”
I stepped up beside her, my own smile unwavering. “That’s right. What belongs to my daughter, stays with my daughter.”
“It’s only five million, after all.”
The well-meaning principal hurried over to me. “Mrs. Reed, five million is a fortune. To them, it might be the price of a handbag, but for an ordinary family, it’s a life-altering sum. I know this internship is important, but please don’t risk your family’s entire future over it.”
Other parents joined in, urging me not to act on pride. Of course, the sycophants had to chime in too.
“How much could she possibly make in a year? Trying to play high-roller like the Vances. She’ll probably have to mortgage her house!”
“Some people just can’t accept their place. They have no idea what league they’re in!”
It was my own fault, really. I’d always taught Zoe the value of humility and discretion. To everyone here, we were just an average working-class family who had gotten into this elite academy on Zoe’s academic merit alone.
My eyes scanned the ring of bootlickers, my mind instantly connecting their faces to the companies they worked for. A plan began to form.
I turned back to the principal with a polite smile. “I’ll do as Mrs. Vance did. I’ll wire the money directly to the school’s account.”
DING!
“INCOMING TRANSFER: FIVE MILLION DOLLARS.”
The electronic notification blared from the principal’s phone, plunging the room into stunned silence. Then, someone yelled, “Holy crap! Zoe Reed’s mom actually did it! She sent five million dollars!”
Veronica’s face darkened. Gritting her teeth, she furiously tapped on her phone. A moment later, another alert rang out.
DING!
“INCOMING TRANSFER: TEN MILLION DOLLARS.”
The crowd erupted. “Ten million?! Are they insane?”
“This is what you call real power! You have to hand it to Mrs. Vance, she’s in a different league!”
After three massive donations in as many minutes, the principal was visibly sweating.
Leo puffed up his chest. “My mom is the best!”
Veronica savored the renewed wave of praise, ruffling her son’s hair. “Don’t worry, son. Your father told me, whatever you want, he’ll support you no matter the cost. What’s ten million to us?”
Indeed, what’s ten million? I thought. A trophy husband using my money to prop up his mistress and bully my daughter. He had no idea what was coming for him. I was almost curious to see how far he would go for them, and just how much of my money he had siphoned off behind my back.
Under Veronica’s arrogant gaze, I spoke, my voice calm and steady.
“Twenty million.”
Every head in the room snapped toward me, faces etched with disbelief.
“Is she crazy? Where would she get twenty million dollars?!”
Veronica sneered, “Talk is cheap…”
Before she could finish, the crisp sound of an electronic voice cut her off. DING! “INCOMING TRANSFER: TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS.” The notification echoed, reaching every corner of the room.
My smile widened. “I don’t mind contributing to the cause of education. Would you care to continue? I can do this all day.”
“Oh my god, the Reeds are not who we thought they were! This is incredible!”
The principal wiped his brow again, a look of ecstatic disbelief on his face. He turned to Veronica. “Mrs. Vance… will you be making another donation?”
Veronica’s triumphant expression had vanished, replaced by a cold, dark stare. She whipped out her phone and dialed Julian again.
A few moments later, a smug grin returned to her face. She deliberately unfolded her high-end phone, angling the lock screen for everyone to see.
Someone with sharp eyes pointed. “That man on her screen… that’s Julian Sterling! The CEO of the Stellaris Group! My god, he’s Leo’s father!”
“Look, it’s a picture of the three of them! A perfect family. I can’t believe the legendary titan of industry, known for his genius and sophistication, could look so… happy and domestic.”
“Well, that settles it. Zoe’s chances are officially zero. No matter how much money her mother has, you don’t cross the Stellaris Group in this city.”
One of the more sympathetic parents rushed to my side. “Mrs. Reed, stop now, please. Everyone in Bayview knows how powerful the Stellaris Group is. If you offend them, you’ll be blacklisted. You could lose everything!”
Veronica strode toward me, her chin held high. “I was trying to be discreet,” she said, her voice dripping with condescension, “but some people are just blind. Now do you understand? You may have a bit of cash, but to a dynasty like ours, you are nothing.”
I raised an eyebrow, feigning curiosity. “So you’re saying your husband is Julian Sterling, the CEO of the Stellaris Group?”
“Mom, that’s clearly…” Zoe started to say, but I quickly squeezed her arm and gave her a subtle wink. She caught on instantly and fell silent.
Veronica and Leo, too wrapped up in their moment of glory to notice our exchange, simply took it as a sign of my submission. “That’s right,” Veronica preened. “Finally scared, are you?”
A malicious smile spread across her face. “You’ve offended me today. But I’m feeling generous. If you and your daughter get on your knees and bow to me and my son three times, right here, in front of everyone, I’ll tell my husband to let it go.”
“Otherwise,” she purred, “he might just have to bankrupt your family.”
“And you, little girl,” she added, turning to Zoe, “you can forget about robotics competitions. You won’t even be able to afford school anymore!”
Zoe’s temper flared. “You are the most shameless person I’ve ever met!” She spat defiantly on the ground at Veronica’s feet.
Leo saw this and lunged at her. “You little bitch! How dare you disrespect my mother!”
My expression turned to ice. In a flash, I stepped in front of Zoe and shoved him hard. He stumbled backward and fell, landing with a sickening crack.
A pained scream filled the air. “Mom! My knee! It’s bleeding! It hurts!”
Veronica shot me a murderous glare. Seeing the bloody gash on Leo’s knee, her eyes turned feral. “You’re going to pay for this,” she snarled. “My husband is on his way. The Stellaris Group’s legal team isn’t for show. You and your daughter can rot in jail for the rest of your lives!”
I simply raised an eyebrow. That saved me the trouble of getting Julian here myself.
My corporate assistant and my top legal counsel were already en route, carrying divorce papers and Julian Sterling’s termination letter.
Today was judgment day for this cheating scumbag and his trashy mistress.
Hearing that Julian Sterling himself was coming, the sycophants swarmed around Leo, clucking with faux concern, trying to curry favor while shooting venomous barbs at me.
“See? This is what happens when trash doesn’t know its place. You can’t handle the wrath of a man like Mr. Sterling! Get ready to lose everything!”
“You can forget about school, Zoe. Start learning how to pick through garbage with your mother!”
“Garbage picking? That’s too slow! I’m sure she knows faster ways to make money on her back, just like her mom! Hahaha!”
Just then, a sleek black Cayenne screeched to a halt at the curb. “That’s a Stellaris Group executive car!” someone shouted.
“Mr. Sterling is such a devoted family man! He got here so fast! It’s over for the Reeds. Completely over!”
The crowd’s malice was a tangible thing, their glares like daggers. Veronica’s face was twisted in a grotesque mask of triumphant glee.
“My husband is here, you bitch!” she shrieked. “Your judgment day has come!”

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