โOh? Is that so? Then Iโd love to see exactly how you plan to make her suffer.โ
Lucasโ voice came from the doorwayโcalm, cold, and unmistakably serious.
Neither Aurora nor Wendy had noticed him arrive, but judging by the look on his face, he had heard everything.
They both turned toward him, startled.
Wendy was the first to react.
She rushed over to him, flustered and desperate to explain.
โLukey, itโs not what you think! I was just joking with her, really, it was all a joke!โ
Aurora rose to her feet, folding her arms as she looked at Wendy with thinly veiled amusement.
โOh? Since weโre joking, maybe I should joke back with you. What do you think?โ
Wendyโs smile faltered, her face stiff with awkwardness.
โAurora, what are you saying? I donโt understand what you mean. I really was just teasing you just now. Please donโt take it seriously.โ
Then she turned back to Lucas, voice even more frantic. โI swear, Lukey, you have to believe me. I wasnโt trying to cause trouble. I didnโt mean anything by it!โ
Aurora said nothing, simply watched with a half-smile as Wendy scrambled like a clown on stage, trying to cover her tracks.
But Lucas remained expressionless.
His face was unreadable, his dark eyes fixed sharply on Wendy.
There was no warmth in his gaze, only scrutiny.
He was trying to figure out how much of what she said just now was the truth, and how much was a performance.
Under his stare, Wendy began to unravel.
Her voice shook, and even her words lost their usual confidence.
โLukey, please say somethingโฆ Youโre scaring me when you look at me like that.โ
Aurora stood behind them, quietly amused.
The fearless woman who had just threatened her now looked like a child caught stealing cookies.
What a turnaround.
She crossed her arms, curious to see how Lucas would handle it now.
She wasnโt going to interfereโthe facts were already laid bare.
There was nothing more she needed to add.
Lucas didnโt waste time.
He swiftly shook Wendyโs hand off his arm, the gesture firm and final.
โIf you donโt want my wife to have peace in her own home, then thereโs no reason for you to stay in it either.โ
Wendyโs eyes flew wide open, panic written all over her face.
She shook her head in desperation. โNo, Lukey, please donโt! I swear I was just joking with her! Iโll apologize! Iโll go to Aurora right now and say sorryโฆโ
She quickly turned to Aurora, rushing over with tears streaking down her cheeks.
โAuroraโno, my dear Aurora, pleaseโฆ Help me explain to Lukey. I didnโt mean to hurt you, I swear I didnโt. I was just teasing. Please, Iโm begging you, Aurora!โ
Wendy knew that at this point, only Aurora had the power to save her.
Lucas had made up his mindโthere was no changing it now.
All it would take was one word from Aurora, and she could stay.
Lucasโ eyes shifted to Aurora as well, waiting to see what she would do.
But what he felt most in that moment wasnโt curiosityโit was heartbreak.
He couldnโt believe it.
After all this time, Wendy had been wearing a mask.
He had genuinely thought she and Aurora had learned to get along, maybe even become so close that heโd believed their relationship was warm and sincere.
And now, all that had crumbled.
She wasnโt the innocent, well-meaning girl heโd thought she was.
She had been lying to both of them the entire time.