The Loving Mom Won't Live to See It Chapter 8

At nine in the morning, Donald sat in his study with bloodshot eyes. Last night's phone call had kept him awake all night.

The doorbell rang. Private investigator Jake Morrison arrived right on time, carrying a heavy file box.

"What I told you on the phone last night was just the tip of the iceberg," Jake said without preamble. "I did as you requested and traced her complete activities for the past three years."

Donald took a deep breath. "I need to know exactly what she did to our family, and..." He paused. "When Audrey started suspecting her."

Jake opened the file box, spreading documents across the desk. "Mr. Kingsley, you need to sit down. This is far worse than we imagined."

The first document was bank records. "Over three years, she transferred out two million dollars. Every transaction has Audrey's signature."

Donald was stunned. "Audrey knew about this?"

"She didn't just know," Jake opened another file, "she had started secretly recording three months ago. These are surveillance records from the studio showing Hailey frequently rifling through files when your wife wasn't around, even photocopying important documents."

The third file made Donald furious. "These are testimony records from the hospital. Nurses confirm that Hailey deliberately interrupted Audrey's chemotherapy multiple times, using false emergencies about Flora to torment her."

Jake finally produced a recording device. "Most importantly, there's this. Phone conversations Hailey had when she thought Audrey was unconscious."

Hailey's venomous voice came through the speaker: "That stupid woman is finally dying... Yes, I've got all the documents... Flora listens to me completely. Soon I'll be running this household..."

Donald clenched his fists in rage. Jake continued, "I've contacted the police. They're coming tonight to arrest her. All evidence has been turned over."

That evening, Donald returned home with all the evidence. He saw Hailey in the living room watching cartoons with Flora.

"Flora, go upstairs to your room. Daddy and Hailey need to talk."

Flora looked reluctantly at Hailey.

"Go ahead, sweetie. I'll come up in a minute."

Once Flora went upstairs, Donald spoke coldly: "Hailey Jenkins."

Her smile froze instantly.

"Or should I call you by your real name?" Donald slammed the folder onto the coffee table. "Professional con artist, prostitution arrests, forged identity documents... Do you want to keep pretending?"

"Donald, what are you talking about?" Hailey tried to deny it.

"Two million dollars," Donald cut her off. "The money you stole from our family. And this," he placed the recording device on the table, "your own words."

The recording played, her own malicious voice filling the room.

"Damn it! That bitch recorded me!" The gentle mask completely shattered.

Donald stared in shock at this stranger before him.

"You want the truth?" Hailey laughed hysterically. "Fine! Your wife did discover my identity, but you know why she didn't say anything? Because she realized you all preferred me!"

She pointed viciously upstairs. "Flora calls me mommy, you hang on my every word, her parents praise me for being more understanding than her... She was too proud to admit she'd lost to a 'lowly' woman!"

"So she chose the cruelest form of revenge—giving us all what we wanted," Hailey continued her mad laughter. "She wanted you to understand only after her death what you'd lost and what you'd gained."

Just then, urgent knocking broke the suffocating silence in the living room.

Donald mechanically walked to the door. Detective Robinson stood outside with two officers behind him.

"We're here to arrest Hailey Jenkins."

"I haven't done anything illegal!" Hailey jumped up from the sofa. "Everything was Audrey's choice!"

"Identity fraud, document forgery, medical fraud," Donald stared at her coldly. "That's enough for ten years in prison."

When the handcuffs clicked around Hailey's wrists, she turned her head maliciously: "So what if you arrest me? Your precious Audrey is still dead! And Flora will never forget me!"

Flora's cries echoed from upstairs: "Hailey mommy! Don't take her away!" The little girl rushed down the stairs, tears blurring her eyes.

"Hailey mommy, where are you going?" Flora cried, hugging Hailey's leg. "Did daddy hurt you?"

The officers tried to pull Flora away, but she held on desperately. Hailey looked at the crying Flora with a triumphant smile.

"Flora, remember this," Hailey said maliciously before being led away. "Your daddy drove away the person who truly loved you. Your real mother never loved you—only I genuinely cared for you."

Donald closed his eyes in anguish. Even with the truth revealed, the damage to Flora had already been done.

Two days later, media headlines exploded: "Renowned Designer Betrayed by Assistant Dies Alone After Being Defrauded."

TV news reported solemnly: "Audrey Kingsley chose to sacrifice herself in her final moments..."

Social media erupted with angry comments: "God, she endured all that pain alone." "Hailey is human garbage." "How will that 7-year-old face this truth in the future?"

At the studio, Elena tearfully told reporters: "She was the kindest boss. Even while sick, she was thinking about her employees. That fraud Hailey destroyed her. In Audrey's final weeks, she worked until dawn every night—not on orders, but to teach that con artist how to run the company!"

Logan added: "She even paid all our salaries six months in advance, worried we'd be unemployed after her death. And Hailey wanted to fire half the staff on her first day!"

At 2 PM in Donald's house, Flora pushed away her plate, food untouched.

"When is Hailey mommy coming back?" she asked for the tenth time.

Child psychologist Dr. Moore knelt down and asked gently: "Flora, what do you miss most about Hailey?"

"She bought me pretty clothes and taught me how to put on makeup..." Flora said innocently. "Mommy never let me do those things. She said I was too young."

Flora paused, then added quietly: "Actually, it doesn't matter that mommy's gone. She was always busy and didn't play with me much."

Donald's heart sank.

Dr. Moore whispered to Donald: "The child's attachment has completely transferred. Hailey systematically replaced her mother's place in her heart. This kind of psychological trauma will take a very long time to heal."

Donald painfully realized that even with the truth revealed, Flora's deepest wounds were just beginning to show.