You Belong to Me.

The Bakery.

I shifted restlessly in bed, seeking refuge from the sun's rays by turning to the opposite side. Curling up into a ball, I hoped to continue indulging in peaceful slumber, but fate had other plans in store.

The shrill sound of my phone interrupted my tranquility, prompting me to groan and flail my feet in frustration before reluctantly reaching for it. As I picked up the phone, I sat up and glanced at the caller ID before tapping the green icon.

"Hey, babe," Felicity's calm and composed voice greeted me, instantly bringing a smile to my tired and sleepy face.

"I heard the latest news. Are you alright?"

I looked up at the air conditioner mounted on the wall above me and grabbed the remote from the nightstand to switch it off. "I'm doing alright, just jobless," I replied.

Felicity couldn't help but let out a gentle giggle. "You'll be fine. You, my friend, are an incredibly talented editor, and I have no doubt that you'll find another job."

Rising from the bed, I slipped on my flip-flops and made my way to the bathroom to freshen up. "You really think so?" I asked.

"No," she responded assuredly, "I know for sure that you'll land an even better job."

That's Felicity for you. She is the most positive person you will ever meet. She has never once been pessimistic, and that's one of the reasons why I love her so much.

I placed my phone on the sink after putting it on loudspeaker. "I really hope I can recover from this setback fast. I had to quit the job I worked so hard to be recommended for."

"It is not your fault," Felicity reassured me.

"You know, I think I should really kill William. He doesn't deserve to get away with what he did to me. I felt violated and dirty." My body shudders as I recall his hands on me.

"You can totally make it look like an accident," Felicity says with full support, which makes me laugh. "You even have a lawyer to defend you if needed. Stand up for yourself."

I dab my face with a sky blue face towel, looking at myself in the mirror. "I will, if he ever crosses my path again. How are you?"

"I'm great!"

"Hmm, I can sense something in your voice. What's going on?"

Felicity remains silent for a tense ten seconds, heightening my curiosity, and she's well aware of it. "I noticed something in Lucas's car..."

I hope he's not cheating on her, or else I'll make sure he faces severe consequences.

What I mean by, "severe consequences" is cutting him into tiny little pieces.

"What did you see?"

"A ring box."

Oh, no!

That boy.

I explicitly warned him not to leave it in his car, but he didn't listen. Now, his surprise is ruined.

I need to find a way to cover it up, so she doesn't discover his plan to propose on her upcoming birthday which is in a month.

"Oh, that actually belongs to me."

"Yours?" Her voice fills with confusion.

"Yep, I got it for myself and accidentally left it in his car."

Lucas and I had picked out the ring together a week ago. She was aware that we were together but didn't know the reason behind it.

"Oh," Felicity muttered in disappointment. "I thought, Never mind."

Aw, my baby.

"No, it's not, love. Don't tell him this, but he told me he's planning to propose to you on his birthday."

She gasped dramatically. "Why did you tell me?!"

Gosh, I love this girl.

Suppressing my laughter, I headed back to my room to change into my gym clothes. "To cheer you up, silly."

"He's here, gotta go."

"Right. Bye, love you." I made a kissing sound with my mouth.

She did the same before saying, "Love you, babe."

As soon as our call ended, another call came in instantly. This time, it was my aunt.

An even bigger grin spread across my face as I placed the phone to my ear. "Hi, Auntie. How are you doing today?"

"Bad, Lili." My usually cheerful aunt sounded worried and devastated.

My smile fades, as fear engulfs me. My hand becomes clammy, and my heart races against my rib cage, filled with anxiety. A lump formed in my throat, making it difficult to speak.

"Why? What happened?" I managed to force the words out, instead of waiting for her to finish her sentence.

Is she hurt? What could have possibly happened?

"Yesterday, a group of individuals came to the shop and presented me with documents claiming they have the authority to demolish the bakery. They are here now to carry out their plan, and I'm at a loss about what to do."

What?!

I suddenly felt lightheaded as those words hung in the air, my heart racing and a lump forming in my throat. What could have happened?

"Why didn't you tell me they came, Dee?" I asked, my voice filled with worry.

"I didn't want to bother you, Lili. I thought I could handle it," Dee replied.

This is terrible. The bakery can't be demolished, not after all the years we've spent there. Nothing must happen to it.

"Well, you didn't handle it, Aunt," I snapped, running my fingers through my hair. "I'll see what I can do. I'll take care of it."

"Please do. We can't lose the bakery for any reason. It was the last thing connecting me to my sister and parents."

After hanging up the phone, I massaged my forehead, trying to think of a solution. My eyes searched every corner of the room, hoping for an idea to appear. They landed on the nightstand, where an unfamiliar business card lay.

I picked it up, studying the words on the card. Memories of yesterday's incident flooded back, anger simmering within me.

Riccardo Torrence!

No one messes with my family, or else they'll face the consequences, I said while getting dressed.