(Scarlett’s POV)
Key trembling in hand, I unlock the door for the first time as the owner. The sign above my head gleams in the morning sun—my name, my dream, all coming to life.
The smell of fresh-baked bread fills the air. I've been here since four AM, pulling batch after batch from the ovens. Cinnamon rolls golden and perfect, sourdough loaves with crispy crusts, chocolate croissants that would make a Parisian chef weep.
Everything has to be perfect. This is my shot at a new start.
"Mama, can I flip the sign?" Lily bounces on her toes, pointing to the "Closed" sign in the window.
"Go ahead, sweetheart."
She turns it to "Open" and grins like she's just launched a rocket to the moon. My brave little girl, who helped me paint these walls, who swept flour off the floor without being a
