Let's fall in love 💖

Chapter Seven: Cracks in the Frosting

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Chapter Seven: Cracks in the Frosting

The fundraiser buzzed with the last hum of conversation as the final guests trickled out. Kristian stayed back to pack up the remaining cookies while Evan loaded the car.

Albert had disappeared somewhere after their dance—no goodbyes, no witty comments. Just vanished.

Kristian tried not to let it bother her, but the warmth of their moment on the dance floor still clung to her skin like a secret.

The next morning at Sweet Whiskers, she walked in to find Evan holding a piece of paper with wide eyes.

“Kris… you should see this.”

He handed her the printed document—a news article.

> “Grayson Holdings Acquires Historic Bellemore Bakery Building.”

Her heart dropped.

“What—what is this?” she asked, her voice sharp.

“I think it’s our building,” Evan said carefully. “The article says the lease will be restructured under the new property owner... which means Albert just bought the entire block.”

Kristian stared at the page, fury building like a slow boil.

Without a second thought, she grabbed her jacket and stormed toward Albert’s office building.

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Albert looked up from his desk, caught off guard when Kristian burst through the glass doors unannounced.

“You bought my building?” she snapped, slamming the paper on his desk.

His brow furrowed. “I didn’t mean for you to find out like that.”

“Oh, how thoughtful,” she scoffed. “So, what—was our ‘partnership’ just a way to get your hands on the property too?”

“No,” he said calmly. “I bought the building to protect it. It was going up for sale anyway, and if someone else got it, they could’ve raised rent, kicked out tenants—”

“And now I have to pay you rent,” she cut in. “Is that supposed to make me feel safe?”

Albert stood. “I wasn’t going to tell you until I finalized a long-term lease—under market rate. I thought I was helping.”

Kristian’s voice cracked. “You should’ve told me. You should’ve trusted me enough to be honest. I don’t need saving, Albert—I need a partner, not a puppet master.”

The words hung heavy between them.

He looked genuinely hurt. “That’s not what this is.”

“Isn’t it?” she whispered. “Because from where I’m standing, it feels like control dressed up as concern.”

Silence.

For the first time in weeks, there was no playfulness between them. No warmth.

Just frost.

Kristian turned away, tears threatening. “I thought we were building something real. But maybe I was just a project to you. A broken thing you could fix.”

Albert’s voice was low. “You were never broken. You were always... the strongest person I’ve known.”

But it was too late.

She was already walking out the door, the sound of her footsteps echoing like thunder down the hallway.

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