Chapter 2

To rewrite my fate, I'm on my best behavior all night.

No whiny texts. No "do you miss me yet."

No blowing up his phone.

Not a single message.

In the morning, figuring Lucas won't be home, I head downstairs without a bra.

"Why aren't you sleeping in?"

That familiar low voice.

I look up.

Lucas is on the sofa. His gaze lifts. Drags down my body.

His eyes darken for half a second.

My face catches fire.

He's not supposed to be here. I have no idea how to play this.

I pull up the forum on my phone out of habit.

The thread has new comments.

> LOL is she seriously acting shy?

> The vicious side character throwing herself into the ML's arms and crying about something stupid AGAIN. She's a grown woman — drop the baby-wife act.

> The ML is exhausted from work and has to come home to someone he doesn't love. I'd be dead inside too.

> Just wait till he meets the FL. He's gonna fall for her energy so hard. Double strong leads ftw.

I dig my nails into my palm.

*Don't cry.*

I crush the impulse to throw myself at him and force a casual smile.

"Couldn't sleep. You're home early. Have you eaten?"

Lucas sets down the financial report. A faint crease between his brows.

His eyes drop. "The floor is cold. Where are your shoes?"

I glance at my bare feet. "It's summer—"

He's already standing. Walking toward me.

He stops one step lower so we're almost the same height. Faint shadows under his eyes. He looks tired. Worn.

The kind of tired that makes me want to kiss his eyelids.

He reaches for me the way he always does — to pick me up.

That's when I catch it.

A trace of perfume on his collar.

A woman's scent.

Not mine.

My fingers curl. I step back.

"You should rest. I'm going to eat."

Lucas's arm hangs in the air.

His eyes go cold. The kind of cold that makes you shiver.

I don't dare look at him again. I turn and half-jog toward the kitchen.

Behind me, I feel his stare burning into my back.

He doesn't move for a long time.

Lucas doesn't stay home long.

Before he leaves, he knocks on my bedroom door.

I'm cocooned in my blanket gossiping with Tara. The knock makes me shove the phone into my chest.

I sit up, polite and stuttering. "Is— is there something else?"

I can't let him catch me. Yesterday he told me to stop gossiping about nonsense with my best friend.

If he knew the nonsense was about him…

Lucas's face is unreadable.

Those sharp eyes land on mine.

Then slide to my phone.

Linger.

I swallow.

My fingers go white around the case. "Lucas?"

He pulls his gaze back. His expression is somehow even sourer than before.

"I'm heading to the office. If you need anything, reach out. Tell Mrs. Park (Our housekeeper) what you'd like for lunch."

He pauses. "I'm leaving."

Something is off about him today.

He said I'm leaving twice.

I smile. "Okay. Drive safe."

His hand tightens on the doorframe.

Then he pulls it shut.

I check the forum again.

Fresh comments:

> The clingy crybaby is acting different? I was SURE she'd beg for a goodbye kiss. Did she finally figure out the ML likes composed, confident women and try to copy that? Imitation is flattery, I guess.

> She probably noticed his disgust is showing. I bet if she tried to kiss him right now he'd literally push her away.

> The ML is already subconsciously staying pure for the FL. His virginity is the best wedding gift lol.

My heart feels like it's been dropped in acid.

A dull, squeezing pain.

I fight the tears with everything I have.

My phone buzzes. Tara.

"Babe. BABE. Drop. His. Ass."

"Hot or not, he doesn't get to treat you like an inconvenience. You didn't beg for this — HIS family came to YOURS."

"Pretty privilege only goes so far. With your dad's money I'll line up six-foot-two men with abs AND a personality. You can swipe like it's a buffet."

"I'm not joking. Say the word and I'll have someone here in twenty minutes."

I bite my lip.

"Okay."

I hit send. My eyelids feel heavy.

Sleep drags me under before I can think.

I never see the photo Tara sends after.

It's a smiling boy in the white button‑down.