PENELOPE
Standing behind the counter, I watched Jess animatedly talk about some reality TV show she had been obsessing over.
“…And then, get this, the guy proposed to her sister instead! On live TV! Can you imagine?”
I gasped, half listening, half kneading dough. “Wait—what? That’s insane.”
Jess huffed. “I know, right? If that happened to me, I’d be in prison for murder.”
I laughed, rolling my eyes. “You and me both.”
Mondays were always our busiest days, but today felt different—calmer. Peaceful.
Until the bell chimed, indicating a customer.
A woman stepped in, her heels clicking sharply against the tile floor. She was tall, slim, with a sleek brown bob and a perfectly tailored beige dress that screamed money.
Her eyes scanned across the bakery, taking in every detail with a bare
