♪ Youth - Daughter.
♪ Control - Halsey.
♪ Dark Paradise - Lana Del Rey.
♪ Love Is a Battlefield - Pat Benatina.
• Behind every smile I wear at the bakery, there's a story I hide. Family, Memories, and Ghosts that refuse to leave. But the oven keeps me warm, and so does hope.
• Eden In Ink.
The morning sunlight spilled softly through the tall windows of Eden's bakery, casting a warm glow on the rows of fresh bread and delicate pastries lined up like little treasures on the shelves. The air smelled of yeast and sugar, comforting and alive.
Eden moved behind the counter with practiced grace, her hands deftly arranging croissants and greeting each customer with a smile that felt more like armor than warmth. Her bakery wasn't just a business; it was her sanctuary, a place where she could be herself without the shadows of her past creeping in.
"Hey, Eden! The usual for me, please," chirped a regular, an elderly man with kind eyes and a mischievous grin.
She handed him his coffee and a warm muffin, nodding. "Morning, Mr. James. How's your wife doing?"
"Oh, she's stubborn as ever. Keeps me on my toes. Just like you."
Eden laughed softly. "Good to hear. Tell her I said hi."
Behind the counter, her younger sister, Tia, was busy frosting cupcakes, humming a tune from one of their childhood cartoons. Eden's heart softened whenever she saw Tia, a reminder of all she had to protect.
Their father's sudden death two years ago had shattered their world. He was a man of many secrets, and while his passing left them grieving, it also left behind a fortune tangled with unanswered questions. Their stepmom, cold and calculating, had taken charge of the estate, making life harder than it needed to be.
Eden hated the tension, but here, among the flour and ovens, she felt some semblance of peace.
Her best friend, Lola, burst through the door, the familiar chatter of high school days following her like a warm breeze.
"Eden! I swear, I'm gonna eat all your cupcakes today," Lola grinned, eyes sparkling. "Still dreaming of working with people, huh?"
Eden smiled, memories flickering. "Always. I love the buzz, the faces. It's why I'm here. Feels like the whole city is my neighbor."
Lola shook her head, her usual teasing smile tugging at Eden's lips. "One day, you'll open a chain and take over the world."
Before Eden could reply, her phone buzzed silently in her apron pocket. A new message: You're good at hiding. But I'm watching.
Her blood ran cold.
Unnoticed, Orion lingered nearby, a shadow among the bustling street. His gaze fixed on the bakery window, tracing Eden's every move. He knew her routine now : the bakery, her family, her friends, and each detail was another thread pulling him deeper into her world.
He wasn't just watching; he was learning.
---
The rain tapped softly against Eden's penthouse window as she sat curled in the corner, the city lights casting fractured shadows across her tired face. Memories, sharp and unwelcome, clawed their way to the surface.
Flashback : Eden, age 10.
The laughter that once filled their home had been replaced by sharp words and slammed doors. Her parents' marriage cracked beneath the weight of secrets and betrayals no one dared speak aloud. Eden's mother left when she was just a child, leaving her father to drown in grief and silence. And then, the ultimate fracture, her father's sudden death, leaving behind a vault of unanswered questions and a stepmother who seemed more like a stranger than family.
She learned early that trust was a dangerous luxury.
Back in the present, Eden's fingers traced the edge of an old photo on the dusty shelf, her and Tia, smiling before the world cracked open.
---
Orion, far away.
A dimly lit room, cluttered with gadgets and flickering screens. His eyes were hard, shadows carved deep into his face.
Flashback : Orion, years ago.
A night drenched in blood and betrayal. The gang he trusted turned on him, leaving him to fend off bullets and broken alliances. He lost more than comrades that night. He lost the chance at a normal life. The underworld embraced him like a dark lover, and he learned to survive in shadows, building gadgets not just for himself but for the city's underbelly.
He had few friends and even fewer allies. Enemies lurked at every corner, but his loneliness was a sharper dagger.
---
Back in Eden's kitchen, the bell above the bakery door jingled, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts. Lola walked in, breathless and excited, waving a crumpled flyer.
"Eden! You've got to see this! A local food festival is happening next weekend! Imagine the bakery there. This could be our big break."
Eden forced a smile. "A festival, huh? Sounds… exciting."
But her heart beat faster. This was the chance to bring light to her little world, to prove that despite everything, she could shine.
---
Meanwhile, Orion stood across the street, hood pulled low. He noticed the flyer in Eden's hand through the window and something tightened in his chest ... protectiveness, maybe. The world he lived in was dangerous, but maybe, just maybe, she deserved something brighter.
For now, he would watch. Learn. And wait.