Chapter 1: Shattered Sweetness
The scent of cinnamon and sugar curled in the air like a promise as Lily placed the last tray of almond croissants on the cooling rack. Her bakery, Lily’s Flourishing Delights, was still quiet—just how she liked her mornings. The early light painted the room in soft gold, and the wooden walls, dotted with framed recipes and fairy lights, gave her peace.
Claire poked her head through the kitchen. “You’ve got frosting on your nose. Again.”
Lily laughed. “Occupational hazard.”
They shared a moment of silence, just the buzz of the coffee machine filling the space. Lily loved mornings. They felt safe. Predictable.
Until the evening wasn’t.
She was driving home, tired but content, humming to a song on the radio when it happened. The car in the opposite lane veered suddenly. Headlights. Screeching. Metal against metal.
Everything went black
