He Paid $80K Camp for Coworker's Son, Grudged Daughter's $3K Trip

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Over summer vacation, my daughter wanted $3,000 to sign up for a school study trip.

My husband said no:

What's so great about a study trip? Going back to her hometown to experience the countryside would have the same effect. Why waste the money?

But then, on my husband's phone, I saw a record of him transferring $80,000 to a female coworker who had just lost her husband.

That evening, at the company dinner, I made a point of arriving a little late.

The moment I reached the door of the private room, I saw that coworker holding up her wine glass, gazing tenderly at my husband as she toasted him:

"Mr. Lyons, if it weren't for your support, Seth would never have gotten to go to America in his whole life."

Alfred Lyons gently helped her to her feet, his face full of tenderness:

"Don't be so formal. Seth and I really hit it off."

I shoved the door open and dumped a whole basin of ice water right over Alfred's head:

"You shameless creep. You're really that eager to play daddy to someone else's kid?"

Alfred, humiliated in front of everyone, exploded:

"What are you throwing a fit about now? She just lost her husband. What's wrong with me helping her out?"

The coworker stood off to the side, her eyes reddening, forcing an aggrieved little smile:

"Mrs. Lyons, I think you've misunderstood. Mr. Lyons only felt sorry for us, a widow and her child, so he helped us out. I'll pay him back a little at a time."

I let out a cold laugh:

"You'll pay him back? With what? Your body?"

Alfred's face went red in an instant:

"How can your mind be so filthy?"

Watching him fume, I only found it laughable.

Alfred had probably forgotten that without my nod, he'd never keep that seat of his.

......

"Dad, I got perfect scores on both my final exams."

Eight-year-old Sienna timidly held out her report card, looking up at Alfred with hope in her eyes.

"You promised me before that if I got perfect scores on both tests, you'd grant me one request. I want to sign up for a $3,000 study trip. Can I?"

Alfred's face, which had been fairly gentle, instantly darkened.

He slammed the perfect-score papers down on the coffee table and flew into a rage:

"Three thousand dollars? How can a little kid be so vain and wasteful!"

"What's so great about a study trip? Going back to your hometown to experience the countryside has the same effect, so why waste the money?"

"The economy's terrible right now. Do you have any idea how hard I slave away at the office every day to make money? I think you've had it too easy and don't know the value of a dollar!"

Sienna shook all over from the yelling, big tears rolling down her face.

I pulled my daughter into my arms and, holding back my anger, looked at him:

"Alfred, are you insane? You promised her that yourself! We're not so broke that we can't scrape together three thousand dollars!"

Alfred shot to his feet, pointed at my nose, and sneered:

"What does a stay-at-home wife like you know? You think the money in this house grows on trees?"

"This isn't up for discussion! Tomorrow I'm sending her back to the countryside so she can work the fields with her grandparents and get a real taste of how hard life can be!"

With that, he irritably yanked off his tie, slammed the door, and shut himself in the bedroom.

I held Sienna, who was crying so hard she could barely breathe, and my heart ached like it was breaking.

Sienna's sneakers were worn through, and for a whole month Alfred had refused to buy her new ones, saying kids grow fast and there was no point.

To go on that study trip, Sienna had stayed up late every night drilling practice problems, and that was how she'd earned those perfect scores.

"Don't cry, Sienna. If Daddy won't pay for it, Mommy will."

After I got her to sleep, I opened my phone, ready to transfer the money to her teacher from our joint account.

But when I checked the balance, I froze.

A full $80,000 was inexplicably gone from the account!

Just last month Alfred had said the company wasn't doing well, that bonuses were suspended, and told me to cut our grocery budget in half.

So where had that $80,000 gone?

Late at night.

Listening to Alfred's steady snoring, I unlocked his phone using his birthday.

I opened his messages, and I felt as if all the blood in my body ran backward.

Pinned at the top of his contacts was the coworker who'd just lost her husband, Evangeline Fox.

And two weeks ago, Alfred had transferred her a huge sum, $80,000.

Supposedly to cover her son Seth's space camp in America.

Scrolling up, the chat history was even more sickening.

Evangeline: Alfred, I really can't accept this. America is too expensive. Seth isn't lucky enough for something like that.

Alfred: Evangeline, don't be so formal with me. You just lost your husband, and raising a child on your own isn't easy. No matter how hard things are, you can't let the child go without. Seth's a smart boy. It's only right that he goes to America and sees the world.

Evangeline: Thank you, Alfred. Seth says you treat him even better than his own father did.

Alfred replied with a head-patting emoji:

Seth and I really hit it off. With me around, no one will ever bully you two, a widow and her boy.

The further down I read, the more explicit and disgusting it got.

Looking at a screen full of their sweet nothings.

I was so furious my breathing came in short gasps.

His own daughter got perfect scores on both tests and wanted to sign up for a $3,000 study trip within the state, and he called her vain and wasteful and threatened to ship her off to the countryside to work the fields and learn about hardship.

His subordinate's son, though, he waved a hand and threw $80,000 at, all to send him to America, just so "the child wouldn't go without."

And with our joint savings, no less!

I stared coldly at Alfred, sleeping like a log on the bed.

Without a moment's hesitation, I forwarded every transfer record and every chat screenshot to my own phone.

Alfred, since you're using my money to keep a mistress and play daddy to someone else's kid.

Then don't blame me for what comes next.

The next morning, Alfred ate the breakfast I'd made as if nothing had happened, and before he left, he didn't forget to needle me a little:

"Don't forget to take Sienna back to the countryside this afternoon. Kids need to taste some hardship before they learn to be grateful."

I stared at his hypocritical face and answered without a flicker.

The moment the door shut, I pulled out my phone.

Evangeline had joined the company six months ago. Back then, to get on my good side as the president's wife, she'd added me herself on social media.

I hadn't paid it any mind before, but now that I opened her feed, I realized there was a whole other story buried in it.

This wasn't the first time Alfred had played her sugar daddy.

Posted from an upscale Japanese restaurant: Grateful for the ray of light in my life that let Seth taste his first black pearl cherries.

In the corner of the photo, Alfred's usual Richard Mille watch was plainly visible.

A close-up of a Chanel bag: He said a strong woman deserves the best reward.

That was the very one Alfred had refused to buy me last month, on our wedding anniversary, using "the bad economy" as his excuse.

I screenshotted every last piece of evidence, saved them all, bundled them together, and sent them to my lawyer.

"Help me settle our marital property and draft a divorce agreement."

That afternoon, my lawyer messaged to say that Alfred also had two hidden shell companies under his name, and that his original identity documents would be needed to dig deeper.

I grabbed the house keys and the documents Alfred had left behind that morning, and took a cab to his company.

I had just reached the door of the president's office.

Through the half-open door came Evangeline's sweet, simpering voice.

"Mr. Lyons, these Chilean cherries are so expensive. You really should keep them for yourself."

I froze mid-step.

Yesterday, when I took Sienna to the supermarket, she'd stood there swallowing hard, staring at cherries that cost over a hundred a pound. Alfred had snapped at her on the spot, calling her a big-mouthed, greedy little spendthrift, and dragged our daughter away.

But now, through the crack in the door.

I could see it clear as day: Alfred, in his suit and tie, sitting on the sofa, patiently pitting the washed cherries one by one and feeding them into the mouth of Evangeline's six-year-old son, Seth.

Seth ate, spitting the juice out onto the expensive carpet as he went.

Alfred wasn't the least bit annoyed. With a doting look on his face, he took a tissue and wiped the boy's mouth.

"Expensive? So what? As long as Seth likes them, Uncle Alfred will buy them for you every single day from now on."

Evangeline's eyes shimmered, and she shyly rested her hand on Alfred's shoulder.

"Mr. Lyons, you're so good to Seth. A widow and her fatherless boy like usI really don't know how we'll ever repay you."

Alfred took the cue and clasped her fair, soft hand, his gaze melting, his tone suggestive.

"You've had it hard too. As long as you're happy every day, that's the best repayment I could ask for."

I stood outside the door, my nails digging into my palm.

My own daughter had been scolded until she couldn't lift her head over three thousand dollars, and right now she was waiting at home, eyes full of hope, for me to take her to buy discount sneakers.

And my husband was here, waiting hand and foot on another woman's son with the most expensive imported fruit.

He even wanted to sleep with the boy's mother.

I forced down the urge to kick the door open and slap that shameless pair across the face, and quietly turned on the recorder on my phone.

"Uncle Alfred, I want that newest Transformers. Mom says it's too expensive and won't buy it for me."

Seth suddenly pointed at the tablet on Alfred's desk and started to whine.

Without a second thought, Alfred waved his hand.

"Done! Uncle Alfred will have it delivered to your house tomorrow!"

Evangeline gave his chest a light little punch.

"Oh, you spoil him too much. Your wife will throw a fit again if she finds out."

Alfred let out a cold snort, his voice thick with distaste.

"Don't bring up that washed-up old hag. All she knows how to do is hold out her hand for money all day. It's my moneyI'll spend it on whoever I want. Who is she to tell me otherwise?"

Listening to the conversation recorded crisp and clear on my phone, an icy smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.

Fine. Very good.

Alfred, you've probably forgotten.

Who exactly is it that lets you sit in this office throwing your weight around.

Eight o'clock, a private room at the Grand Hyatt.

The company was throwing a lavish celebration banquet under the banner of "landing the new project."

Perfect. It was time to lay my cards on the table.

When I pushed open the door, a deeply touching scene was playing out inside.

Alfred sat at the head of the table, glowing with self-satisfaction.

Evangeline, in a fitted white dress, her eyes slightly red, raised her wine glass and toasted him with a tender look.

"Mr. Lyons, this glass is for you. If it weren't for your sponsorship, Seth would never in his life have been able to go to the space camp in America. You're a great benefactor to my son and me."

The employees in the room all wore odd expressions.

Alfred gave her a gentle, halfhearted steadying gesture.

"Don't be so formal. Seth and I really hit it off. If you ever run into any trouble, come straight to me."

Just as everyone was about to applaud and lay on the flattery, I strode up to the table, picked up the basin of ice water beside the fruit platterthe one used to chill the red wineand hurled it straight at Alfred's sanctimonious face.

Icy water and ice cubes crashed all over his head and face.

The whole room went dead silent.

I slammed the empty basin down on the table and stared down at him.

"How low can you get, tripping over yourself to be somebody else's daddy?"

Alfred jolted from the icy water, his expensive suit dripping.

Humiliated in front of everyone, he flew into a rage, pounded the table, and shot to his feet.

"What are you throwing a fit about this time?! She just lost her husband, she's struggling to get bywhat's wrong with me helping her out?"

Beside him, Evangeline's eyes reddened, tears trembling on the edge of falling, and she forced a wounded little smile.

"Mrs. Lyons, I think you've misunderstood. Mr. Lyons only took pity on a widow and her child and helped us out. I'll pay him back little by little, so please don't be angry with him..."

Watching her play the delicate innocent, I gave a cold smile and tore off her mask without mercy.

"Pay him back? You're just an ordinary administrative assistant who has to draw an advance on her salary to cover $3,000 in rent. What exactly are you going to pay back that $80,000 withyour body?"

The moment I said it, Evangeline covered her face and burst into tears, swaying like she might collapse.

Alfred went red instantly, jabbing a finger at me and cursing.

"How can your mind be so filthy! You're the one who's selfish and cold-bloodeddo you think the whole world is as dirty as you are?!"

That outburst was all the department managers he'd personally promoted needed to seize their chance to prove their loyalty, and they all started attacking me.

"Mrs. Lyons, that's going way too far. Isn't that just insulting people?"

"Exactly. Mr. Lyons is a big-minded man doing a good deed. Fine if you can't appreciate that as his wife, but how could you screech like a fishwife at a company dinner?"

"With a jealous wife like that, no wonder Mr. Lyons doesn't want to go home..."

Listening to the jabs around me, deliberately hushed but pitched just loud enough for me to hear, Alfred straightened his back with righteous indignation.

"Apologize to Evangeline right now! Or this is not over!"

Alfred had probably had it good for so long that he'd forgotten exactly what he was worth.

Had he forgotten that without my nod, he couldn't really hold onto his seat in this company at all?

"Not over? How exactly do you want this to be over?"

I clapped my hands, and the heavy double doors of the private room swung open again.

My personal attorney, Emmet James, walked in with a briefcase and a blank expression.

Alfred Lyons frowned, his face flushed red.

"Lucretia Henson, haven't you made enough of a scene? Haven't you humiliated yourself enough in front of the staff? Dragging an outsider into a company dinnerwhere are your manners!"

The employees who'd just been backing him up shook their heads too, looking at me like I was some madwoman.

Evangeline Fox only shrank further behind Alfred, sniffling and sobbing, adding fuel to the fire as she wailed.

"Mr. Lyons, this is all my fault, getting your wife so upset... Please don't fight with her over me. If it comes to that, we just won't go to the space camp..."

Hearing this, the tenderness in Alfred's eyes deepened. He turned to look at me, his tone full of threat.

"Lucretia Henson, this is my final warning! If you know what's good for you, you'll apologize to Evangeline like a good girl, and you'll still be Mrs. Lyons, wanting for nothing. Otherwise, don't blame me for forgetting the bond between husband and wife!"

I was so angry I laughed.

I took two documents from Emmet James and, in front of the hundred-some employees of the whole company, slammed them straight into Alfred's sanctimonious face.

The thick stack hit him across the nose, and the black-and-white pages scattered all over the floor, sliding down in front of several senior executives nearby.

Alfred clutched his nose in pain and was about to blow up, but when his eyes landed on the scattered equity structure document and legal representative certificate, he froze on the spot, his face going from red to white.

The executives nearby craned their necks to make out the words, sucked in a sharp breath, and stumbled backward in fright.

It was written there, plain as day:

Henson Group holds 80% of the shares, with absolute controlling interest.

And the sole heir and legal representative of Henson Group is me, Lucretia Henson.

Evangeline's crying cut off abruptly.

The employees who'd just been sneering at me turned ashen in an instant, some of them even starting to tremble.

Alfred's legs went weak. He stared at the document, his lips quivering.

"No... this is impossible... I'm the one who runs the company..."

I looked down at him coldly and delivered my verdict, one word at a time.

"Alfred Lyons, did wearing a suit for two days really make you think you were one of the elite?"

"Open your dog eyes and look carefully. I am the largest shareholder of this company, and every core client was left to me by my father! Everything you have right now, I handed to you as a favor!"

I turned to Emmet James, my voice ice-cold.

"Attorney James, file for divorce, and audit the books while you're at it. Every single penny Alfred funneled from company funds and our marital assets to this womanmake them cough all of it back up!"

I looked at Alfred, slumped and boneless, with a cold smile.

"Tomorrow morning, I want to see you pack your bags and get out!"