Before her death, my daughter was drugged, beaten, and abused for a long time— This was the autopsy report for Madeline. I’ve never been a good mother. After Maddie’s death, I can finally admit that. Night after night, I am haunted by nightmares, where she stands before me, drenched in blood, saying, “Mom, avenge me.” I pushed her into the abyss, all because I wanted her to be perfect. I spent everything I had, changed my appearance, and forged a new identity, all so I could infiltrate this high-end preschool. Don’t cry, Maddie. Mommy is here to get revenge. I removed the thick bandages wrapped around my head. When I looked in the mirror again, I couldn’t help but marvel. Such a beauty. With arched brows and deep-set eyes—a strange combination, but undeniably seductive. The cosmetic surgeon asked, “Can I use your photo as a model?” I smiled and declined. This face is better kept out of the public eye. A few days later, I went to Fairview Hills Academy to apply for a job as a preschool teacher. The assistant principal interviewed me. She was impressed with my qualifications, and after a series of questions, I passed the interview. As I was leaving, she asked, “With your proficiency in four languages and overseas experience, why do you want to be a preschool teacher?” I smiled, “Our nation’s future flowers are worth protecting.”
Three days later, I officially became a proud preschool teacher. The kids were absolutely adorable, surrounding me and calling me “Miss Cindy.” My colleague, a young woman named Jessica Monroe, laughed and said, “You’re amazing! The kids really like you.” I chuckled, teasing, “They like us both. Who can resist two young, pretty teachers?” After work, Jess smiled and waved as she said, “I’m heading out. My husband’s picking me up.” I followed her out until I saw her husband get out of the car to open the door for her. I hurried toward them, handing Jess a notebook from my bag. “Jess, you forgot your notebook.” She quickly took it and thanked me. Her husband, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, smiled at me as his eyes lingered. I looked away quickly, but Jess noticed the awkwardness between us. Jess looked at her husband with amusement, then grabbed my hand to introduce me. “This is my new colleague, the stunning Miss Cindy. You’ll be seeing her often.” Her husband extended his hand and introduced himself, “Zachary Monroe, doctor at Horizon Medical Center. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I glanced at Jess nervously, then shyly reached out to shake Zach’s hand. Jess pulled Zach into the car quickly, her expression darkening. Ah, the curse of being too attractive. Always seen as a threat. Always assumed to be some kind of homewrecker.
As expected, Zach reached out to me. I had no idea how he got my number, but when he called, I acted flustered. I asked, “Does Jess know you’re asking to meet me?” He hesitated for a moment before responding, “How could she possibly know? I didn’t expect such a sultry beauty like you to ask such a… disappointing question.” I let out a sweet, gentle laugh. He asked, “So, do you want to meet up?” Without hesitation, I replied, “Of course. I’d love to. Just the two of us.” He laughed heartily and set the time and place. Tomorrow night, 10 PM at The Clock Tavern. Honestly, I was surprised he didn’t suggest a hotel. But I didn’t mind. Once the clothes come off, everyone looks the same anyway. The fun is in the flirtation before that. I arrived on time, dressed in a loose t-shirt and shorts. He looked shocked as I casually took a seat. Raising his glass, he smirked, “You’re… different.” “I’ll take that as a compliment,” I replied, mimicking his motion and raising my glass. “Thanks for the drink and the flattery.” Zach was a master of flirtation, taking his time—sometimes making me laugh with stories from work, sometimes switching to topics more suited for adults. I raised my glass again, “Who would’ve thought a doctor could tell raunchy jokes better than the average guy?” He downed his drink in one gulp. “What can I say? I’m only human. I need an outlet too. At least I’m not as bad as some who are… less than human.” My curiosity piqued. “Less than human? Do you mean they’re hiring escorts, or… worse?” He shook his head playfully, “Much worse.” I pouted, pretending to be annoyed. “You’re so annoying, leaving me curious like that.” He laughed heartily, “Do you really want to know?” I nodded eagerly, giving him my best innocent look. “Alright, you win. But you have to promise not to tell anyone.” He leaned in close, putting an arm around me, his fingers brushing the hair behind my ear. In a low voice, he whispered, “Some people… have violent tendencies. They like to abuse children.” I swallowed hard, trying to suppress the ache rising in my chest. “Really? That’s… sick.” Zach chuckled, tapping my cheek affectionately. “You scaredy-cat. Don’t worry, I’m not that kind of man.” “I like mature women. But playing innocent… that’s even better.” His fingers trailed down to my lips. I stared at them for a few seconds, then gently licked the tip of his finger with my tongue. I could feel his gaze ignite with desire. If we weren’t sitting in the middle of the tavern, I wondered if he’d have taken me right there.
The next day at work, Jess didn’t look well. I asked her if she was okay, but she just shook her head. Out of concern, I said, “If you’re not feeling well, you should rest in the office. I can handle things here.” Jess thought for a moment before nodding. “Thank you, Izzy. I appreciate it.” I smiled softly, telling her it was no trouble. By lunchtime, Jess still hadn’t shown up in the cafeteria. I brought some food back to the office and found her with swollen, red eyes. “Have you been crying?” I asked, worried. She hesitated for a long time, but maybe she couldn’t hold it in any longer. Her voice trembled as she opened up to me. “My husband didn’t come home until late last night. He wasn’t even on call, but he came home reeking of alcohol… then he just started yelling at me… and hitting me.” I quickly handed her some tissues, and she sobbed for a while before finally calming down. Jess said, “Izzy, thank you for being my shoulder to cry on.” I waved it off. “It’s no problem. We all have things we need to get off our chest sometimes.” She gave me a grateful look as she took the lunch I had brought her. In the blink of an eye, I’d been at Fairview Hills Academy for three months. During that time, I had gotten to know my colleagues well—even the security guards and janitors were on good terms with me. Everyone praised Miss Cindy for her beauty and high emotional intelligence. They said I was bound to go places. Some even complimented me directly to my face. I would just shake my head and say, “I have no ambition. As long as I can be a good teacher, I’m content.” This led them to say, “Miss Cindy is a breath of fresh air, a true gem among women. Graceful and understated.” I would just smile and stop trying to correct them. When people want to praise you, no matter what you say, they’ll think you’re right. And when they want to tear you down, no matter what you do, they’ll still find a way to criticize and hurt you. I’m sure Jess understood this all too well. She was always straightforward and wore her emotions on her sleeve. At just 27, she’d already become one of the top-ranked teachers in the city, earning her quite a bit of attention at the school. But with that attention came arrogance. She looked down on others, especially when compared to my humble attitude, which only made her seem more proud. In these three months, whenever she upset the other teachers, I was the one apologizing on her behalf. When she complained about the cafeteria food, I’d make sure to compliment the staff’s cooking. At first, people probably thought I was just her lackey. But over time, they realized—I was everyone’s little ray of sunshine. Jess’s reputation, however, continued to worsen. During the anonymous mid-year evaluations, she received over forty negative votes. The principal called her in for a meeting. Jess, being the proud person she was, couldn’t stand the humiliation and argued with the principal. It wasn’t a big deal at first, just words being exchanged, but the principal had enough and threatened to fire her. Jess sneered, slammed the desk, and loudly declared for everyone to hear: “No need to fire me. I quit!” Jess quit, and the principal was furious. Whether it was out of pride or genuine intent, she threatened to blacklist Jess. Oddly enough, Jess didn’t seem afraid. I wasn’t sure if she was incredibly brave or incredibly foolish. Fairview Hills Academy is the top-ranking elite preschool in the city. The woman who built it into what it is today didn’t rise to the top without some serious skills. If she really wanted to blacklist Jess, Jess would never be able to work as a preschool teacher again. As Jess left the classroom with her things, I shed a few genuine tears. Maybe I was the only one in this entire school who would truly miss her. She smiled at me, unbothered, and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back.” Seeing my confusion, she leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “I know the principal’s secret.”
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