Chapter 3 - The Girl in the Hooded Sweatshirt
The golden morning light streamed through the front windows of Honey & Rye Bakery, illuminating dust motes dancing over fresh trays of warm blueberry muffins.
The brass door chime rang softly. Clare looked up from her dough station, expecting a regular neighborhood customer.
Instead, Roman Duca walked into the shop. His dark charcoal suit was pristine today, tailored to perfection, devoid of any trace of yesterday's flour explosion. But he wasn't alone.
Walking beside him, almost hiding behind his towering muscular frame, was a sixteen-year-old girl named Lily. Lily wore an oversized gray sweatshirt with the hood pulled partially over her face, her dark hair tied in a messy, guarded knot. Her shoulders were hunched, her hands tucked deep inside her sweatshirt pockets, her posture radiating profound anxiety.
Clare’s hands froze over the marble pastry slab. She gripped her wooden rolling pin, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“I told you yesterday, Roman—” Clare began, her voice rising in defense.
“Clare, this is my niece, Lily,” Roman interrupted gently, his tone unexpectedly soft and tender as he rested a protective hand on the young girl’s shoulder.
Lily shrank slightly under Clare’s intense gaze, but then she slowly looked up. Her guarded demeanor softened for a fraction of a second as she stared at the dark wavy hair and blue apron of the woman standing behind the counter.
A faint, rare smile broke through Lily’s anxious face.
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“So you’re the famous girlfriend?” Lily asked in a curious whisper.
👉 Clare’s sharp posture softened instantly as she looked from the vulnerable teenager to the intimidating billionaire, a sudden realization striking her heart.
