Chapter 2

Chapter 2

1 YEAR LATER....

BLAIRE

I was busy baking a cake for a customer. A year had passed since I left

my miserable marriage and found peace in Hawaii. The adjustment to

my new life took time as I rebuilt myself. I found some good friends

here, and they're the ones who encouraged me to pursue my love for

baking. I started modestly at home, taking orders from friends and their

families. Over time, I gained confidence and decided to open my own

bakeshop.

Setting up the bakeshop wasn't easy. I sought advice from friends and

learned from their businesses. When I finally opened, it was a moment

filled with both excitement and uncertainty. Customers slowly

discovered my bakeshop, not just for the delicious treats but also for

the sense of community.

The bakeshop expanded, and I hired a small team to meet the growing

demand. We worked on new recipes and designs, always aiming for

excellence. The bakeshop became a symbol of my transformation from

a painful past to a joyful present.

“Mind if I cut a line?” The voice, so familiar, instantly drew my attention.

I swiveled my head in the direction of the voice and was greeted by

Ethan's warm and captivating smile. He had been one of the very first

people I met in this quaint town, and he had taken it upon himself to be

my guide, helping me navigate this new place until I felt truly at home.

My lips curled into a reciprocating smile as I shifted my focus from the

baking in front of me. I reached for a towel and wiped the flour from my

hands onto my white apron. “I'm afraid I can't do that. I wouldn't want

my patrons to think I'm playing favorites,” I quipped, letting a touch of

playful banter color our exchange.

Ethan playfully clutched his chest, feigning injury. “You wound me, my

love,” he replied with a playful twi nkle in his eyes.

I couldn't help but shake my head, a fond smile on my lips, as I

watched

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Chapter 2

him revel in his playful antics. It was moments like these that made our

connection so special-the shared humor and lightheartedness that

brightened our days.

“You seem to have a lot of orders today. Do you need my help?” he

asked.

“No, I'm fine. I'm almost done. Sonia will handle the rest,” I replied.

“So, you're free now? Can I steal your afternoon for a quick stroll in the

city?” he asked with excitement.

I was acutely aware of Ethan's feelings for me, as he had been quite

vocal about them. His affection was evident in every gaze, every word,

and every gesture. Yet, I found myself hesitating. I had just extricated

myself from one emotional entanglement, and the wounds were still

fresh. The thought of plunging headlong into another complicated

situation gave me

pause.

I was about to answer him when my phone suddenly rang. “Hold that

thought.” I said, lifting my finger up. I walked toward the corner before I

looked at my phone. I initially thought it was another client. But I

frowned when I saw an unregistered number. I shrugged my shoulders,

thinking it might be a referral and this would be a new client. I answered

the phone. and held it closer to my ears. “Hello?” I answered.

“Mrs. Foster.... said the voice from the other line. Hearing someone call

me that name sent a shiver down my spine. It's been so long since I

last used that name.

“Banks,” I corrected him. “May I know who this is, please?”

“This is Hubert. I am calling on his behalf.” It was my father’s secretary.

“What's wrong?” I immediately knew something was wrong. My father

wast the only one who knew my number, but he hasn't tried to contact

me since I left. That is why getting a call from his secretary after all this

time only means one thing: something is wrong.

“He suffered from a heart attack, and he requested your presence. If

you could come to the house,

Chapter 2

"I'll be there. Send me the address," I answered without hesitation. Not

matter how peaceful my life is here, I can't just stay here and ignore my

father. He might not be the best husband for cheating on my mother

and marrying the woman he cheated with. But he's always been a good

father

to me.

“Is everything okay, Blaire?” Ethan inquired as soon as I hung up the

phone.

“I need to go home. Can you please take care of my shop while I'm

gone?” I requested a sense of urgency in my voice.

Ethan furrowed his brow, concern etched on his face. “I'm sure Sonia

can handle this on her own. What I'm more worried about is you. Why

are you suddenly going home? You've always said you hated it there,

right?” His worry was palpable, and I knew that he genuinely cared

about my well- being.

“It's my father,” I answered truthfully.

He took a loud breath before speaking again. “Wait for me. I'm coming

with you,” he said. He was about to leave when I was quick to grab his

arm to stop him.

"Ethan, wait! You don't have to. I'm fine. You don’t need to come. I'm

sure you have a lot of things here that you need to take care of,” I said.

“It can function without me. Don’t worry about it,” he said.

I had nothing to convince him otherwise. But when he was about to

leave, his brother bumped into him, rushing,

“Ethan! Thank G od you're here! One of the cattle is about to give birth

anytime soon. We need you there,” he said.

He blew a loud sigh as a sign of frustation. “Can't you handle it without

me?”

“We can. But you know, if things go south, you're the only one who

knows how to handle it,” he answered.

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Chapter 2

He turned in my direction with apologetic eyes. “I'm sorry,” he

apologized.

I smiled and said, “I'm fine, Ethan. As I said, you don't need to come. I'll

call you when I get there.”

“Leave me your address. I'll follow you there when I can,” he said

before. following his brother, who was rushing back to the farm.

I went back to clean up the shop before I started packing my stuff. Just

when I was about to leave, my phone rang unexpectedly. It was an

unknown number just like the previous call, but I didn’t notice if it was

the same. Without much thinking, I answered the call assuming it was

Hubert.

“I'll call once I'm at the airport,” I quickly said the moment I answered

the phone.

“Okay, I'll pick you up then,” said the familiar baritone voice on the other

line. It was too familiar that it sent shiver down my spine. I was too

shock to respond. And before I did, he quickly hang up the phone.

“B asta rd..." I whisper to myself.