CHAPTER 30 – SCENTS OF A NEW BEGINNING
RINA
Arden City smelled the same.
That was the first thing that struck me when we moved back not the skyline, not the noise, not the flashing cars and constant movement. It was the smell. A faint mix of rain on concrete, roasted coffee from the corner cafés, and something faintly metallic that lingered in the air like memory.
Five years ago, this city was where my world ended.
But today, it was where I would begin again.
The twins darted around the apartment's living room, Lila clutching her favorite stuffed bunny while Isla tried to balance on the edge of the couch like a circus acrobat. I let them play, watching from the kitchen island as I stirred a pot of chamomile tea. Arden City mornings were loud and fast, but here in my space this little sunlit apartment with white walls and wide windows I carved out silence.
"Mommy!" Isla hopped down and ran toward me, her pigtails bouncing. "Can we go to the park after breakfast? Please?"
I crouched to her level, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "If you and your sister finish your cereal without spilling it on the floor, maybe."
She grinned mischievously, which meant there would be milk on the floor in exactly three minutes.
The knock on my door came just as I was cleaning up the first spill.
"Rina!" Liora's voice rang brightly as she let herself in, her black sunglasses perched stylishly on top of her head. Arden had been good to her she looked lighter, happier, and every bit the pianist the world once adored.
"You look like a woman who has been drinking investor coffee all morning," she teased, tossing her bag on the couch.
I smiled, wiping my hands on a towel. "One meeting this morning. Two yesterday. Another tomorrow. If I smell like exhaustion, don't tell me."
"You smell like bergamot and cardamom," she said, sniffing the air approvingly. "Which, by the way, is brilliant. Is that your new blend?"
"Yes," I said softly, almost shy. "I've been working on something unique for months something that feels like… resilience. Fresh and spicy, warm but not heavy. The investors loved it."
Loved it was an understatement. Yesterday's meeting had ended with three proposals on the table, each promising to scale my production beyond what I'd ever imagined possible. It should have terrified me, but instead it lit something in me a fire I hadn't felt in years.
"Good," Liora said, giving me that look only she could. "This city tried to break you once. Time to show them what you're made of."
I laughed quietly, pouring her tea. "Always the dramatic one."
She winked. "I'm a pianist. It's my job."
The twins came running over to greet her, and for a moment the apartment was filled with chaos giggles, questions, the sound of Liora answering every one with patient warmth. I let myself soak it in. This was what safety looked like now.
When they scampered back to their toys, Liora leaned closer. "Are you ready for what comes next? This isn't small-town life anymore, Rina. Arden will remember you, whether you want them to or not."
Her words sat heavy between us. She didn't know the full truth about my stepfamily, about that night but she knew enough to understand what this city meant to me.
I took a slow sip of tea. "I'm not leaving again, Liora. Not this time."
Her lips curved in a proud smile. "Then buckle up. Because I heard from a friend that one of your investors is trying to get you a spot at the International Artisan Fragrance Showcase next month. That's not just a stage that's the stage."
My stomach flipped. The Showcase wasn't just for perfumers it was where the entire world came to see what was next in luxury scent creation. The thought of standing there, presenting my work to critics, press, and potential buyers made my palms sweat.
But it also made my heart race in excitement.
"Maybe it's time," I whispered.
"Definitely time," Liora said with certainty.
The rest of the day passed in a rhythm I was starting to love. After breakfast, I worked in my little studio, carefully blending and testing until the air was thick with citrus and spice. The twins played on the carpet behind me, occasionally bringing me flowers from the balcony to "help."
By evening, I sat on the balcony with my journal, the city stretching endlessly below me. Lights flickered on one by one, like fireflies.
I used to think Arden was a monster that had swallowed me whole.
But maybe it wasn't the monster. Maybe it was just the storm loud, chaotic, terrifying that had forced me to break, and now, to rebuild.
Inside, I could hear the girls laughing with Liora as she played them a piece on the keyboard. Soft, melodic notes floated into the night air.
Tomorrow, there would be another investor meeting. Another chance to prove that I wasn't just surviving anymore.
I was ready.