Just as Audrey was showing Sebastian a new batch of pastries, the bell above the bakery door chimed sharply. Audrey looked up, expecting to see a customer, but her heart plummeted when she saw the familiar, sharply dressed figure standing in the doorway.Her mother.Tall, with a steely gaze and lips pressed into a thin line, her mother looked completely out of place in Audrey's cozy little bakery. The disapproval was evident in her eyes as she glanced around, taking in the flour-dusted countertops and trays of pastries with barely disguised disdain."Mother," Audrey managed, her voice tight with surprise and dread.Her mother's eyes flicked to Sebastian, who was watching the interaction with a polite, if curious, expression. She arched a perfectly sculpted brow, giving him a once-over with the same judgmental scrutiny she'd reserved for Audrey her entire life."Ah, Audrey. I didn't expect to find you here... or in such company." Her tone dripped with thinly veiled condescension as she
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