She was my cousin, the daughter of my aunt, with a face unsettlingly similar to mine.
Lucas had gone behind my back six months ago to hire her as his assistant.
At the time, I found it odd I hadn't heard about my cousin looking for work before he did.
Now, thinking about it churned my stomach, and I nearly retched.
I felt like a complete fool.
Lucas always despised these little eateries, calling them filthy.
Every time I longed for a bite of the grilled beef there, he'd resist going with me, claiming it was beneath him.
Lucas Flynn, the big boss, a name too big and shiny for this kind of street food.
Yet here he was today, in this very place he loathed, dining joyfully with another woman.
And of all the places, it had to be my favorite joint!
On top of that, it had to be this day!
If it hadn't been for him and his mom shoving me down those stairs, I wouldn't have lost my baby and nearly died on the operating table.
Throughout my three-month hospital stay, Lucas claimed he was swamped with work, and too busy to visit even once.
The company was gearing up to go public, he was buried in work, yet he never missed sending those seemingly caring texts.
I'd been understanding, not making a big deal out of it, but now that felt like a colossal joke.
I powered off my phone and closed my eyes, feeling a headache tighten around my temples.
"Will, just keep the BBQ for yourself; I'm not hungry."
Everything Lucas had today, he owed it all to me.
Before we married, after my parents' tragic accident, I inherited everything they owned, and together we expanded the business.
Without me, he'd be just another faceless employee in my family's firm.
What right did he have to treat me this way?
Rage seethed within me, burning uncontrollably.
2
When I got home, Martha, my mother-in-law was chilling on the couch, legs crossed, glued to the TV.
Clearly, Lucas hadn't made it back yet.
Her face showed a hint of guilt when she saw me. Hurrying over, she said, "Back already? Oh, I've been under the weather myself, otherwise, I'd have been by your side at the hospital."
Her freshly done nails and the telltale signs of recent cosmetic tweaks were all the proof I needed that she wasn't being sincere.
She never showed her face during my hospital stay, claiming her own health was too frail.
Yet, she was the calmest person in the storm.
Heading to the kitchen, she returned with a bowl of some medicinal broth.