Chapter 2

Mandy and Lucas were college sweethearts who started a business together after graduation. Lucas worked himself to exhaustion trying to grow the company, entertaining clients and securing deals until his health suffered.

Worried about him, Mandy quit her job to become a full-time housewife, taking care of all his needs from meals to laundry.

Lucas had digestive issues, so Mandy would make him nutritious porridge every day. When Lucas had early meetings and couldn't eat at home, she'd carefully pack breakfast for him to take to the office.

Most of those breakfasts ended up in my stomach.

I'd sit on Lucas's lap, one arm around his neck, waiting happily for him to feed me spoonfuls of porridge.

"Mmm, this yam and pork rib porridge is delicious. The yam is so flavorful and the meat is so tender."

Lucas would smile and pinch my cheek.

"You little glutton with your refined palate. Of course it's good - Mandy wakes up at 5 AM to start cooking it.

"What do you want to eat tomorrow? I'll tell her to make it."

I giggled, about to reply when the phone on his desk rang. Seeing the caller ID, Lucas frowned. I quickly picked up.

"Hello, Mrs. Moore—

"Yes, Mr. Moore has already eaten breakfast. He says your porridge is delicious. We're all so envious—"

As I spoke, I squirmed around on Lucas's lap.

From the other end of the line came the faint sound of Fiona's harsh scolding.

"Has Lucas eaten breakfast yet? You know he has an early meeting today. Why didn't you wake him up earlier?

"You get to enjoy yourself at home all day and you can't even do this one simple thing properly! How can the porridge taste good if it's cold? Lucas can't eat anything cold with his stomach issues!"

Mandy weakly tried to explain.

"Mom, I put it in a thermos. It won't get cold."

I hung up the phone and stuck my tongue out at Lucas.

"Honey, your mom is so scary—"

Lucas gripped my waist and snorted.

"That's just how she is with Mandy. Mandy's a housewife with only these few tasks, so of course my mom is strict with her.

"You're different, baby. You graduated from a top university and you're my right-hand woman at the company. My mom adores you. She's always praising you at home, saying how beautiful and capable you are, that you're a hundred times better than Mandy."

"Really?" I was overjoyed and kissed Lucas on the cheek.

"If your mom likes me so much, when are you going to marry me?"

Lucas's eyes darkened as he narrowed them.

"Soon— I just need to sort out the finances first. We can't let Mandy take advantage."