Chapter One

Five years later

"Hurry up and do the freaking designs I showed you! How do you manage to screw up every single thing you put your hands on?" The words coming out of Anne's mouth sounded nothing like hers but in her position, anyone would have done the same.

"Ma'am, we're only three in this kitchen and we're doing the work of more than thirty people." Rain, her least favorite employee, spoke up with a voice dripping with sarcasm

Anne's mind was all over the place so she didn't even give her a reply. Her kitchen looked like someone had set a zoo on fire, with pans and ruined cakes all over the floor. She was livid. The most important people who had the power to decide the fate of her bakery and ultimately her life were right behind that door, and if she didn't deliver her best, she was screwed.

"Drop your pans and get the fuck out." She ordered quietly, her forefinger pointing to the door. She couldn't stand Rain anymore. If anything, the puny woman had been nothing but a setback ever since she hired her. She only needed half a dozen perfect crepes with specific designs from her but she'd managed to mess up each and every single one she made, in presentation and taste.

"You're still gonna pay me for this month, bitch." Rain retorted and tossed the ugliest looking crepe on the floor. When she stormed off, Anne breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe now she could focus on the matter at hand.

"The Grinch is finally gone." Jake said and they both laughed.

Their laughter was short lived when the waitress burst in and announced frantically that their guests were getting impatient even after their appetizers.

She had to go out there.

"Maybe we should just serve them these and forget about the crêpes. We're trying to get them to give us good ratings, not satisfy their hunger." Jake said and she shook her head. They'd ordered half a dozen crêpes and half a dozen crêpes was what they would get.

If her ratings got any lower than they already were right now, no one would ever want to come in there and she'd have to shut it down. Jake would easily find a job elsewhere. This bakery wasn't just her workplace, it was the only proof that she still had her life together, but now it was falling apart just like everything else. Scratch that; it'd been falling apart for quite a while now, but once there was a written verdict from those stuck up food critics out there, it would be a done deal.

The tears stung her eyes but she held them in. She wouldn't give up just yet.

"You're gonna have to make the quickest but best pop tarts you've ever made." She instructed Jake, taking off her apron and going back out to appease her unwelcome guests.

"How are we enjoying our time here?" She began, with a plastered smile on her face. No one smiled back.

"Let's just cut to the chase here, ma'am. So far, you've given us no reason to give you a positive review." The first critic on glasses said. "You begged us to give you a second chance and we did. Even announced when we were coming. We never do that for anyone. I'm sorry but if we don't get any…"

Suddenly, Jake was out with a tray filled with the only pastries that had survived. Anne shut her eyes in despair. Presentation. It looked horrible.

The six critics shared a look as he hurried up to their table, slipping. She froze, but he recollected himself and set the poorly prepared pastries on their table.

The critic who'd spoken first was the first to stand and the others stood up as well, looking as though they'd just been insulted.

"We've tried our best but this is the height of it. Whatever happens next is beyond our control. Good day." He said, before leading his crew out of the bakery.

She was on her knees on the floor, as she watched them leave her establishment, the worst case scenarios forming in her mind. This was it. It was over.

"What do we do now?" Jake asked, afraid for her.

She wiped the few tears which had slipped out.

"We prepare our last order…" She whispered, getting up. "And bake it like we've never done before."

***

Asher gathered his things together, getting ready to leave the office. He had just completed a deal of thirty million dollars that evening, but he couldn't say business was blooming.

His personal assistant stood staring longer than necessary, her cleavages on full display and her teeth biting into her blazing red lips. He couldn't stand this creep. Ever since he hired her, she'd tried everything; flashing him, purposely bending over and pretending to pick stuff up and all that bullcrap.

He knew what she wanted but she wasn't exactly his type. And besides, he never mixed business with pleasure. Plus he had more pressing things on his mind.

His ailing father had requested his presence once again and gosh was he getting sick and tired of the old man. Sometimes, he wished he'd just die already. The man had been the worst father when he had his strength and his health, but even in his frail stage, he still managed to make his life miserable.

He drove his new model tesla reluctantly into the mansion he'd once called home. It held so many memories for him, his mom's salty cooking, his father controlling his every move, and even the bittersweet day he'd lost his virginity.

It was his birthday and he'd rather spend it partying or balls deep in some hot broad than with his dad giving him useless advice.

The old man looked worse than before, plugged to tubes and other pathetic equipment, but Asher felt no sympathy for him whatsoever, just impatience.

"Asher. " His voice was throaty and weak. "How are you today? You never come to see me unless I keep begging…"

"Fine. Been busy." Asher responded automatically, glancing at his watch.

"I wish you'd come over more often…"

Asher didn't bother to listen to any other thing the old man had to say. He knew what the end would be. He wanted an heir from his only male child and he wasn't ready for such an unnecessary responsibility.

His phone beeped, indicating a message on his phone. It was from his best friend, who told him to come over as it was urgent.

"... and that's why you need an heir in case anything…"

Asher was up on his feet. "Sorry dad, gotta bounce. Catch you later."

He tapped the old man lightly on the forehead and left slowly. Even though he hated his father's guts, the company wasn't fully his yet and he knew his psychopathic dad could do something stupid, like will it to someone else if he felt he wasn't getting the affection he felt he deserved from his son.

Asher drove like a mad man to Jason, his best friend's house, his mind wandering. He hoped his friend was okay. He'd never pulled such a stunt before.

He burst into the house and called out Jason's name. The house was dark and empty and he froze in confusion. He heard footsteps and his hair stood at the back of his neck, getting ready for anything.

"Surprise!"

The lights came on and he saw his friends and a couple other people he didn't know. He had a deep scowl on his face in return as he mentally searched for Jason, thinking of a hundred different ways he would kill him for setting him up like this.

"Hey dude. Happy birthday." Jason said, slapping him on the back and leading him to the dining room, where a gigantic blue cake stood.

"Are you fucking crazy!" Asher started, whisper screaming. "What the fuck is all of this? You know how I feel about cringy surprise parties."

"I know, dude. Lara put me up to it. I'm sorry." Jason smiled, putting up his arms. Lara was the closest thing he currently had to a girlfriend.

"Besides, she invited some of her hot friends over. Think of this as an opportunity."

The next few hours went by smoothly and soon enough, more than half of the ladies had already tried to approach him. Although his father had been an asshole, the man had set him up for life. Being the CEO of Ingram corps came with a lot of benefits, but he had a reputation to maintain. He was never one to chase a lady but he wouldn't take a lady who threw herself at him either.

"So the big twenty-five. How does it feel to be CEO at such a young age?" Jake, Jason's little brother asked, sitting beside him and holding out a piece of cake to him.

"With so many cars, houses and assets to your name?"

Asher smiled and took it. "It feels like fucking heaven."

He took a bite of the cake and froze, the familiar taste taking him years back. Blueberry with cinnamon. No one had ever mixed the flavors so perfectly since…