Chapter 1

"Ellie, are those artisanal fruit tarts ready yet?"

Victoria Hart's voice snapped me out of my trance. I slowly looked up.

Whenever she had one of her episodes, she only ever wanted me to bake something—hand-rolled puff pastry in the spring, multi-layered crêpe cakes in the summer, whatever.

None of it was inherently difficult, but it required grueling hours of meticulous preparation. And it always happened right when I was about to head out with her son, Jason Hart.

I used to think Victoria was just lonely and seeking comfort. Now I knew it was all an act to keep me stuck at home.

I met her eyes and set the mixing tool down. "I'm not making them."

Victoria's brow furrowed. "But you promised Jason you'd take good care of me."

I held her gaze. "Now you remember who Jason is?"

The annoyed expression on her face froze, replaced by a flash of panic.

"It... just came back to me," she stammered. "My condition has been improving significantly these past few days."

I didn't respond.

Right then, the front door opened, and Jason's younger brother walked in.

Victoria was startled. "Weren't you boys supposed to be at the amusement park? Why are you back so early?"

Jake Hart instinctively glanced at me, then rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh... The lines were crazy. We waited forever. I got tired of it, so I bailed and came home."

Just last weekend, this same boy had hugged me, gushing over a pair of limited-edition sneakers I got him.

He had thanked me endlessly. Yet now, he was lying straight to my face—all to protect his brother's romantic rendezvous with another woman.

It was a pathetic script, and I had played my part perfectly for years.

Instead of explosive rage, I merely let out a quiet, hollow murmur. "I see."

The two visibly exhaled in relief.

"I'm heading out," I said, grabbing my bag before they could respond.

Back at the apartment I shared with Jason, I started packing my things. Once the suitcase was zipped, I opened my laptop and submitted a transfer request to the branch office.

It was already dark when Jason finally got home. A brilliant, easy smile plastered his face.

"The amusement park was packed today! Jake's such a wimp. He was hanging onto me the whole time on the roller coaster. You really missed out."

He spoke with an air of playful irritation, but his eyes were brimming with a soft, affectionate warmth.

I could visualize the scene with crystal clarity. The only adjustment to his narrative was that it hadn't been Jake hanging onto him on that ride; it had been his ex-girlfriend, Susan Jennings.

Jason walked over and held out a hair clip. "Here, I got this for you."

I looked down at the clip. Caught in the metal teeth was a long strand of dark brown hair.

A memory flashed in my mind—the time he had returned from a trip to Disneyland, presenting me with a plush toy that had a smudge of lipstick on its collar.

When I had questioned him about it, he had smoothly laughed it off, claiming a clumsy actress in the parade must have bumped into him during a meet-and-greet.

Now I knew better. Every thoughtful gift he brought home was a leftover item Susan had already worn, used, or discarded.

When I remained motionless, irritation flashed across his face. "What's up with you today? Are you seriously throwing a tantrum because I went to the park without you?

"Come on, you know my mother's mental state is fragile right now. She can't be left alone, and you're the only person she feels safe with."

He stepped closer, trying to press the clip into my palm, but his clothes carried a strong cloud of women's perfume, almost choking the air out of my lungs.

"Jason," I cut him off. "Jake doesn't wear perfume. And he certainly doesn't have long hair like this."

Jason's face went tight, then darkened. "What are you trying to say? You think I'm cheating?"

I stood up and tossed the clip onto the coffee table. "I'm not guessing, Jason. I saw the group chat. The one called 'Susan's Guardian Crew.' The one I'm not in.

"Victoria explicitly bragged about faking her symptoms just to keep me trapped in the kitchen while you ran around with your ex."