Chapter 1

"Welcome—"

The girl's composed smile disappeared the instant our eyes met.

Panic flashed across her face.

Lowering her gaze, she stammered awkwardly, "W-What would you like to order...?"

The moment I looked at her, I knew she was the one.

A faint smile curved my lips as I sized her up.

"Two egg tarts."

She looked innocent and delicate, small enough to seem fragile.

I suddenly remembered how Lucas used to tell me that being short was cute.

Back then, I thought he was comforting me. Turns out, he genuinely had a thing for it.

The girl handed me the boxed egg tarts. I accepted them with a smile and casually asked, "Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you before."

The employee beside her immediately chimed in familiarly.

"Jessica, you haven't been here in ages. She's the new college student who works at our shop—Lucy Lacher. Your husband recommended her."

Then she turned toward the girl.

"This is your sponsor's wife. Hurry and say hello."

Lucy kept her eyes lowered, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

"H-Hello."

I couldn't help laughing.

Wasn't she just flaunting herself moments ago, bragging about how someone pampered and spoiled her? Why was she shrinking into an ostrich now?

Only then did I finally take the egg tarts she'd been holding out the entire time. I glanced down and frowned.

"I never asked for them heated."

Panic instantly spread across her face. She bit her lip, clearly at a loss, before finally forcing herself to speak.

"I'm sorry. Lucas only ever eats them fresh out of the oven, so I subconsciously just…"

I almost laughed out loud.

Was she trying to declare that she knew Lucas's habits better than I did? Such a cheap form of provocation.

Truthfully, I had been the original regular customer at this bakery. I'd even gotten myself one of their black-gold VIP cards.

Later, Lucas held my hand gently and told me that from then on, he'd personally handle all my desserts so I wouldn't have to make the trip myself. He said he'd feel bad seeing me tire myself out.

But now I realized I'd unknowingly given them the perfect excuse to meet in secret.

At first, seeing Lucas bring me dessert every single day, no matter how late he worked, made me feel both touched and guilty. I would help him out of his suit jacket and tell him he didn't need to work so hard for me.

But he would only shake his head and say I deserved every beautiful thing in this world.

That was why I never had to do housework—he cleaned the home spotless himself.

If there was a dish I wanted to eat, he would secretly learn how to cook it for me, even if he burned his hands in the process.

Even when working remotely and attending video conferences, he would get up to make me a warm beverage whenever I was feeling under the weather.

I once believed I had received the greatest love in the world. Now, it all felt like those "I love you" texts sent at four in the morning. Nothing more than a way to ease his guilt.

My gaze swept across Lucy's embarrassed face before slowly drifting downward.

Finally, it landed on the bracelet around her wrist.

"Nice bracelet."

Lucy gave an awkward laugh.

"I just bought it casually."

I only smiled without responding.

That bracelet design was one of a kind in the entire world. Lucas had won it for me at an auction as my birthday present.

It was also the very first gift he had ever given me.

Because it meant so much to me, I had locked it away inside the safe in my walk-in closet.