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.

I wanted these people to open their eyes and see exactly whose belongings they had touched.

Just then, a friend request notification popped up.

The other party sent me a video, then quickly unsent it.

But I had already seen everything.

In the video, Lucy held up her phone with a radiant smile and said happily, "Mom, I finally have a little house of my own!"

And the background behind her was the house my mother had left to me.

At that instant, every shred of my rationality shattered.

I suddenly remembered that day. My mother had been gravely ill, lying weakly in bed as she held my hand and pressed a property agreement into my palm.

I cried so hard I could barely breathe, telling her I didn't want any house—I only wanted my mother.

But Lucas took the agreement from my hands on his own initiative and pulled me into his arms, his voice heavy with sorrow.

"Mom, don't worry. I'll take good care of Jessica. I'll never let her suffer."

A relieved smile appeared on my mother's face. And with that smile still lingering, she passed away.

I cried until my entire body went numb, collapsing onto the cold hospital hallway floor while Lucas held me tightly in his arms. Again and again, he comforted me.

"Don't be afraid, Jessica. I'm here. I'm right here. Everything's okay."

After my mother's death, I couldn't bear to look at anything that reminded me of her. I was terrified that even the smallest memory would break me down all over again.

So Lucas handled everything himself—my mother's belongings, even her funeral arrangements.

My father saw all of it and patted my shoulder, saying Lucas was a man worthy of trust.

But who could have imagined that the thing Lucas had coveted all along was my money and property.

Truthfully, the things he did were never completely flawless.

The faint traces of perfume lingering on him. The trendy slang he unconsciously used. The increasingly frequent "business trips"...

I had simply chosen to deceive myself because I treated him as my only emotional support.

After retracting the video, Lucy sent another message.

Lucy: [Sorry, I sent it to the wrong person.]

Then she followed up by sending photos of the bakery's newest desserts.

I stared at her unbelievably terrible acting without replying. Instead, I tapped into her social media feed.

She hadn't blocked me yet.

Her latest post was the very same video she had just deleted.

[Moved into my new home! Everyone's invited to my housewarming party!]

Below it was an address.

As expected, it was the address of my house.

At the very bottom, Lucas had liked the post and commented: [Congratulations, babe.]

I even saw my best friend liking and commenting underneath it.

"Congrats, Lucy! Another independent woman of the new generation is born!"

They all knew perfectly well that the house did not belong to Lucy. Yet, every single one of them chose to play dumb and shower her with congratulations anyway.

I watched everything with an icy expression.

Then I called the property agency and informed them there were issues with the ownership transfer process for the house. I requested an immediate freeze on all procedures.

I wanted to see who exactly dared to steal my property right under my nose without my permission.

…

The next day, I drove to my mother's house ahead of time and hired a locksmith to replace every lock with a fingerprint system that only I could open.

After that, I returned to my car and quietly waited for their so-called housewarming party to begin.

Before long, the private courtyard was filled with elegant flowers and delicate desserts.

A towering champagne pyramid stood prominently in front of the fountain.

There were many guests, most of whom I didn't recognize.

Until my best friend appeared.

Holding a glass of red wine, she walked up beside Lucy, her eyes full of envy.

"So nice. You're still so young. Unlike me—I already have wrinkles. Lucas, you better treat Lucy well, hear me? Otherwise, I won't let you off easy!"

Lucy lowered her head shyly while Lucas wrapped an arm around her waist.

With a solemn expression, he promised my friend that he would treat Lucy well for the rest of his life.

In an instant, cheers erupted throughout the courtyard.

A middle-aged woman affectionately grabbed Lucy's hand. Her wrinkled face beamed with pride as she spoke to the crowd.

"Lucy has always been outstanding since she was little! She never made me worry about her studies, and now, even her lifelong happiness has fallen perfectly into place!"

Lucy blushed, smiling sweetly as she said, "Mom, you've had a hard time raising me. As your daughter, now that I'm grown, I'll take good care of the family."

The others immediately chimed in with praise.

"The Lacher family is so lucky to have Lucy!"

Another middle-aged man raised his glass.

"Lucas's a real man too! He arranged a house for her before they even got married. That's what you call responsibility!"

One of the female relatives sighed dramatically.

"Oh, if only I could marry a man like Lucas. Every time I think about my own husband... sigh!"

The other relatives instantly burst into teasing laughter.

"Keep dreaming! Lucy earned this with her own ability!"

The atmosphere grew increasingly lively. Some people toasted, others joked around. Lucas and Lucy stood at the center of the crowd, basking in endless praise and admiration.

Meanwhile, I watched the noisy scene with a completely expressionless face.

At that moment, Lucas suddenly pulled out a ring. In front of everyone, he dropped to one knee and gazed at Lucy with deep affection.

"Lucy, with so many people here to witness this moment, will you marry me?"

The diamond ring, nearly the size of a pigeon egg, sparkled blindingly beneath the sun.

"Say yes! Say yes!"

The crowd erupted into cheers.

Tears welled in Lucy's eyes as she choked out, "I will."

The two of them embraced amid countless congratulatory cries.

Suddenly, the bakery owner let out a puzzled sound.

"Lucas… if I remember correctly, aren't you already married?"

The single sentence sliced through the excited atmosphere like a knife.

Lucy's face turned visibly pale. She looked as though she might collapse at any second, her eyes brimming with grievance.

Reacting quickly, Lucas pulled her into his arms protectively and shielded her behind him before speaking seriously.

"That's already in the past. From now on, Lucy is my real wife."

Hearing those words, a bleak smile spread across my face.

Back when Lucas wanted to start his business, I had taken out all my savings to support him. I had even gotten into a massive fight with my father over it, to the point that we stopped speaking for more than a year.

After everything I sacrificed for him, I had become "the past"?

I bit hard against my lower lip, suppressing the fury surging through my chest.

My best friend answered disdainfully, "The unloved one is the real mistress. Jessica separating from Lucas is better for everyone. She can go find her own true love too."

Lucy's mother snorted coldly, snatched the microphone away, and raised her voice.

"Today is my daughter's housewarming party—a joyous occasion. Don't say such unlucky things!"

Lucy's uncle added loudly, "Exactly! Lucy has already prepared a house for Lucy. That proves he sincerely wants to become part of our family!"

Lucas spoke again, declaring his stance once more.

"In this lifetime, I'll marry no one except Lucy!"

Sitting in my car, I suddenly burst into laughter so hard tears streamed down my face.

What a grand declaration of "I'll marry no one except Lucy."

I wondered whether he'd still dare to repeat those words so confidently once he saw me.

In the end, the bakery owner said nothing more. With a sigh, she quietly disappeared back into the crowd.

Meanwhile, Lucy's expression eased considerably under the encouragement and cheers of her relatives.

Lucas gently rubbed her head and said softly, "Don't overthink things. Show everyone your new house."

Someone immediately followed up to smooth the atmosphere over.

"Exactly! We've been here this long and still haven't toured the house Lucas prepared for Lucy. Hurry up and let us see it!"

Lucy nodded and walked toward the entrance under everyone's eager gazes.

The next second, the sharp electronic warning rang clearly through the air.

"Fingerprint not recognized."

Lucy froze for a moment before tugging on Lucas's sleeve coquettishly.

"Lucas, you upgraded to such an advanced lock and didn't tell me?"

Lucas frowned and grabbed her hand.

"How could the fingerprint be incorrect? Try again—"

"No need."

I slowly rose from within the crowd, removing the disguise from my face as my clear voice echoed into every person's ears.

"Lucas, this is my house. How could a mistress possibly open it?"

At the same instant, both Lucas and Lucy turned deathly pale.