Flour, Sugar, and a Crock of Lies

I never expected that after all this time, I would see my treasured bracelet on someone else's wrist.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, a message from Lucas popped up on my phone.

Lucas: [Jessica, did you go to the bakery?]

My heart skipped.

The moment I looked up, I caught Lucy hurriedly hiding her phone.

I let out a cold laugh inwardly and replied: [I was bored, so I came out for a walk. Want me to bring you something back?]

Realizing I sounded no different than usual, Lucas visibly relaxed. A voice message came through immediately.

Lucas: [No need. Just buy whatever you like to eat. Love you.]

I stared at the words "Love you" beneath the voice transcription and felt sick to my stomach.

When I looked back at Lucy, she had already composed herself and was trying to strike up a casual conversation with me.

Idiot.

I ignored her completely, turned, and walked out of the bakery before dialing my father's number.

Just two days ago, after much persuasion from me, my father's overseas company had finally agreed to invest in Lucas's business.

"Dad, don't sign the contract anymore. And help me contact a divorce lawyer while you're at it.

"Yes, I want a divorce. Lucas has learned how to cheat behind my back."

…

The first thing I did after getting home was tear through my walk-in closet.

Just as I expected, quite a few things were missing.

The closet was mainly used to store expensive gowns and dresses that couldn't be folded.

After marrying Lucas, I became a full-time housewife. Those clothes were rarely needed anymore, so I seldom stepped into the room myself.

Lucas usually organized everything for me. At a glance, nothing seemed out of place.

But all the items that held special meaning to me were gone.

With a grim expression, I pulled up the security footage from the closet.

Only then did I realize that within this tiny space of less than five hundred square feet, so many "wonderful" things had happened.

On May 7th, the two of them entered my closet for the first time, standing in front of the mirror while trying on my clothes.

Calling it "trying on" was generous. They were flirting shamelessly, wrapped up in each other, looking disgustingly sweet.

On August 29th, Lucas canceled the date I had carefully planned, only to hide in here and spend the entire night whispering sweet nothings to Lucy on the phone.

On October 5th, while I was away on a business trip, he and Lucy spent the night tangled together on top of my clothes.

My stomach churned violently. I rushed to the bathroom and threw up until my head spun.

Then the auto-playing footage showed Lucas appearing in front of the safe.

After taking out the bracelet he had once given me, his gaze shifted toward another document inside.

My heart sank instantly, dread creeping up my spine.

It was the property agreement my mother had left me before she died—the very last thing she left behind in this world.

Yet in the footage, Lucas turned around and handed it directly to Lucy.

Staggering to my feet, I rushed into the closet and pulled out the remaining copy of the document.

The contents were identical. But there was no official seal. This copy was fake.

Because I had trusted Lucas completely, I had never carefully examined the discrepancies in the documents.

I collapsed onto the floor, my entire body icy cold as I listened to Lucas's gentle promise through the surveillance recording.

"Don't worry. Even if I can't give you a title, I'll never let you suffer."

Lucy pretended to refuse modestly.

"Lucas, this is too valuable. I can't accept it..."

Then another voice appeared at the doorway—one I never could have imagined hearing.

"Oh, come on, Lucy, just take it! I specifically lured Jessica away so Lucas could surprise you! I deserve major credit for this. When you two get married, you better give me my own table at the wedding banquet, got it?"

The moment my best friend appeared on the screen inside my closet, it felt as though every drop of blood in my body froze.

Only then did I suddenly remember that day.

Out of nowhere, she had asked me to go buy her favorite pastries from the east side of the city for her.

I had stood in line for three full hours to get it, and the heels I wore rubbed my feet raw with blisters.

My whole body trembled with rage.

Not only had Lucas betrayed me, but even my best friend had stabbed me in the back.

On the screen, Lucas wrapped his arms around Lucy and said indulgently, "What's mine is yours. Why are you being so polite with me?"

Using the assets my mother left me to spoil his mistress, and still shamelessly declaring that everything he owned belonged to her. The irony flooded my chest until I could barely breathe.

At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to rush in front of them and slap each of them across the face.