Chapter #1

The sound of cameras clicking echoed in the room and one-by-one models walked down the runway, wearing extraordinary pieces of clothing that I worked on for months. The gowns all came in shades of frost white, pearl pink, romantic blue, and fresh cream. Some were simple sheaths. Others had elaborate trains or hems covered in everything from silken flowers to seashells.

Everyone was mesmerized by looking at the gowns on the models.

This is the best day of my life. Today, all my hard work paid off. I was tough in the best sense of the word. I'd taken blows, the disappointments, and I had worked my way through them. Some people, I knew, would have buckled under, found a clutch, or given up. But I had carved a place for myself and made it work.

I've worked so hard to achieve this dream of mine and I always believed that I could do it.

The guests applauded as the showstopper made her way to the end of the runway. And strike an amazing pose. Everything looks perfect from hair to makeup. It was looking the same as I imagine it to be. And I could hear the voices of guests appreciating my work.

I was standing in the corner of the room, seeing my dream come true and the presenter's voice echoed into the microphone.

" Please, everybody give a round of applause for…

" Your coffee, Stas, " Jarred snapped me out of my dream. I realised, there were no models, no cameras, and no praise but me with my broken dream.

People say to go after your dreams even when they seem difficult or impossible. Turn all the difficulties and impossibilities into fuel to smash dreams in reality. It is a white lie.

In my life, all I ever wanted was to become a fashion designer. I was so passionate about it. I stayed up all night drawing sketches of clothing that one day will hopefully be available in stores all over. Not only that, but I wanted to go to Milan, Italy, my dream city to get my fashion degree from the Artsy School of Fashion. Furthermore, I wanted to have my own clothing brand. A company, my own company, where I can create masterpieces with my imagination, but all my dreams are shattered because of one person. A person who is at the top of my hate list.

" Eden Waylon"

I fucking hate his name, it gives me the creeps when I remember his name. He destroyed my dream with the snap of his finger. I don't want to remember that evil person.

Relax... Stassie.. he wants to boil your blood. Don't do that. I took a deep breath and tried to recall the good things in my life, which were none.

I sipped my hot, sweet, milky tea, feeling settled, and centred. I couldn't possibly stay in a state of high emotion, and there was a lot to get through in the next few days or weeks. Right at this minute, I could enjoy this table in a bakery. The place was clearing out, and the Chelsea bun beckoned. It was a coil of pastry laced with currants and a hint of lemon zest, quite sweet. I gave it the attention it deserved since a person couldn't be pigging out on pastries and eggs and bacon all the time. Not me, like my slender friends, I was built of rounder stuff, and I hadn't been able to walk as much as was my habit.

In the meantime, the tea was excellent, served in a sturdy silver pot with a mug that didn't seem to match any other mug on the table. The room smelled of yeast and coffee and cinnamon and the perfume of a woman who had walked by. Light classical music played quietly. From the kitchen came voices engaged in the production of all the goods in the case. A rich sense of well-being spread through me, and I realised that my leg didn't hurt at all.

I glanced out of the bakery window and saw all the happy faces, beaming with life. I felt like the saddest person in the world.

The only person who loved me, or at least that is what I thought before, dumped me for a blonde bitch who he was making babies with behind my back. I lost my house, my love, and everything in between in just the blink of an eye. I get emotional every time I think about it. I've gone through a very tough time but it's over now... all over.

Anyway, I've moved on from that phase of my life and I found someone new, someone that makes me top of this world.

I don't know what he feels about me, but my feelings for him are getting stronger and stronger day by day. And I know, this is so wrong because I am not being truthful with him.

Suddenly, Paul's fingers snapped at me to attract my attention. I rotate my face, and he just enters the bakery.

Paul is the owner of the bakery and I work in the bakery as a wedding cake baker. You hear that, when life gives you lemons, you will make lemonade. Exactly, like that I have nothing but lemons, so I sell those lemons to Paul and got a job.

I sold my grandma's house to him and got a job at bakery in New York. Marla’s Sweet Treats. Paul is a shitty guy, rude to everything, even to me. I don't deserve this kind of treatment from him, b he is the guy who helped me. When my grandma died, I was left alone with nothing but regrets. Robin didn't like him, but I told her that he was our boss, and we should not argue with him, we might lose our job... blah... blah... blah. Robin works with me. I don't blame her, he is a shitty man who made us work extra hours and doesn't pay us well. He owns several businesses and one of them works for me, due to my design skill. I make wedding cakes. I don't hate it but I don't love it either…Robin is my friend, She is the pastry chef.

I didn't move from the seat because I was on break. I've been working for four hours on a wedding cake that we need to deliver tomorrow. I took a tea break because I wasn't feeling my legs.

Paul stopped at my table and looked at me with hateful eyes.

" Miss, Stassie, how are you enjoying your tea?" He taunted me with his smirk.

" It's a tad bit of sweat for my liking, but it's fine. And why don't you join me?"

" Oh, sorry for that. And if you are paying for this, then why not? I could drink a cup of tea with you. "

He began, pulling the chair out, but I held it, to stop him.

" I need you to remind me of something very important. You didn't pay my two months of salary. No, free tea for you until you pay my salary."

" You know, Miss,Stassie, the business is not doing well nowadays. But I promised I will pay you the salary next week." " I need the salary by tomorrow. I haven't paid my rent. "

I raised him from the seat and trespassed on him.

He scows behind me.

I made my way through the showcase decorated with cakes and pastries which allowed customers to see the cakes, etc.

I pushed the door, stepping through the door, and Robin emerged through the back door.

" How was your date, Robin?"

She doesn't look happy when I ask her about her date. She hung her jacket on the rack and grabbed her apron with the most disappointed look on her face.

"He wanted to go for a ‘sunset hike’, and he gave me a location to meet him at. The hike was ridiculously steep and four miles long. There was a point where you had to hold on to a rope to pull yourself up. As we climbed, the sun went down. When we finally reached the top, we admired the view for a while, then started our journey back down. Going down was way scarier than going up, especially because it was dark. I used the rope for a while but the rope eventually ended, and I was on my own. Rather than fall to my death, I butt-scooted my way back down, which caused a rip in my leggings and my pride.”

" Oh, that doesn't sound too romantic. "

" I cried for two hours in my bed last night. I was so embarrassed. "

" Oh, why did you cry? I think it's a fun story to tell your future kids. If you get married to him."

" Stop! You're making fun of me. I swear to God, I will not go on a date from now on. "

" Think about it one more time. That's a bold statement from you. "

" I will not go on a date with any guy. Period. "

I smiled at her because Robin couldn't stay away from the dating game. And for the past month, she has been going on a trip with twelve different guys. Either she didn't like them or they rejected her for some reason. And every time she says the same thing, she will never go on a date again but ends up changing her mind. She is positive that she will find the right guy, but then we both don't know.

" How was your day going?"

" Pretty shitty as usual, I have broken the sugar work for this wedding cake. And I have to remake it."

" Have you talked to Paul?"

" Yeah, of course."

" What did he say to you?"

" I've been hearing his excuses for the past month and I haven't paid the two months' rent yet. Mrs. Jane will kick me out of her house. I've been hiding from her."

" Paul is just a liar and acting like a jerk. He spends money in the bars on girls, but he doesn't have money to pay his hardworking employees. Why don't you quit this job?"

" I can't, I don't have any other way to go. I am stuck here forever. And you know why?"

"Eden Waylon. That guy would probably burn in hell due to your curse. And it's been six months since to get over that. I knew what he did and that wasn't good, but you can't think about him and cuss him for that your entire life."

" I wish he could suffer as I did. And if it was in my hands I would probably end his life. So, he wouldn't destroy someone else's life."

Jarred and Eloise looked at me with a horrified expression because I was talking about a potential murder.

" C'mon, leave this guy alone, and I don't want to hear anything about him."

" Fine, I am not saying anything else. "

" What are your plans for tonight?

" Nothing, just I am going to pass out on my bed tonight."

Robin rolled her eyes and sat down on the table on which I was working.

" What are you doing?"

" Nothing, and seriously, if boredom and sadness had a child, that would be you. Why don't we hit the club tonight?"

" Sure, if you won't disturb me, then I will finish this cake. And we will go to the club, as promised."

She jumped off of the table, which made my cake wobble for a second. But thank God, I have saved it. I glared at Robin and she apologised to me.

" I think we should call Heather also. She would like to join us. What do you say?

Before I could say anything to her, my phone dinged. Robin frowned. I lifted it to see that it was a text from Ed.

" I have a quick question. Do you know what the difference is between Dicots and Monocots?"

I watched Robin turn her head slightly toward the open, the other side of me surreptitiously looking at my phone. I quickly typed a response.

" There's this great thing called the Internet. Have you ever heard of it?" I sent him.

He answered before I could put away my phone.

" You are a model AND a comedian. You're such a Renaissance man."

I smiled when looking down at his text.

" Why are you smiling? And who are you texting the whole time? You are acting weird nowadays, isn't a boy? Are you seeing someone?" Robin asked me in an interrogative tone.

I feel nervous as though I could chew up nails and spit out a barbed wire fence.

" Nope... Nope... I am not seeing anything or anyone. I don't have time for this shit."

" Oh, really... then you must be stalking Seon again."

I am not stalking anyone, I don't have to. Robin and Heather don't know about Ed, and I am not planning on telling them anytime soon.

" NO! I've moved on from him. I am not stalking that sucker. "

" Then, who are you texting?"

" Umm, A friend... an old friend of mine. We just met the other day. I am talking to him. "

" Really, how do I not know about this old friend?"

" You don't know him. He is from my old school."

" I don't know, you have been talking to a guy friend. I thought Heather and me were your only friends.