ke an angry bee. Hundreds of messages floode

lly are... I'm comi

e, but then laughed. Probab

Elena stretched and looked around. This was her life now-sma

d stuff," she whi

t as Elena finished

count? Thirty thousand over

choked. "Thir

We have a meet

ding in Manhattan. Victoria waited in the lo

hey want in on Golden Crumb

My company owns twenty restaurants across New York

aced. "That's-t

would you like your own bakery? Not just cookies

's arm to steady herse

d a perfect spot in So

lena blurted. "Wh

verything you've got and more. Sixteen-h

of Nathan's sm

workers, and designed her bakery space. Every penny of t

terior painted warm gold. Elena insisted on an

," she explained to Victoria. "

te, arranging displays and testing recipes. R

the door jingled. Elena frowne

" she called, wiping

the shadows. "Not eve

sn't Nathan's, but it sen

ve black coat, and water dripped from his dark hai

u? How did

his cheeks. "Lucien Dubois. And

r phone. "I'm ca

ed a sleek business card on

n quickly googled hi

ionaire. Youngest person

t? Why are you breaking in

e your first post. I wanted to meet the woman who went fr

ell, now you've met me. I'

ter, studying the bakery. "It

stled. "E

this"-he gestured around-"isn't

's co

ers. "Fame. Fortune. And en

unded. "Are you

He traced a finger through flour on the counter. "Your ex-husband,

a's spine. "How do yo

" Lucien reached inside his coat and p

-looking men. The last photo showed Nathan outs

ena. Something to hurt Golde

k onto a stool. "Why would you

nt to invest in you. Not Victoria's

uch bi

gh to open Golden Crumb loc

zy. You don't even know i

." His fingers brushed against

ctric passed between them-dan

Victoria burst in, so

e vandalized the delivery truck. All

omach drop

Lucien and frow

eone who can solve your problem." He pulled out his pho

d suspicious.

n. "Victoria, can we ta

Elena's arm. "That's Lucien

lion dollars to ex

at's-that's not possible. These t

han. Says he's plan

"The vandalized truck. Y

has proof Nathan's bee

y would a billionaire ca

He was on his phone, pacing. "But what if this is my only chanc

ng to a stranger." Victoria squ

en was smiling. "It's done. New

aid, still uncertain

mb is worth five million." He walked to the door, then turned. "O

and Victoria checke

this," Victo

, Elena couldn't sleep. Lucien's warning

ith a message from

e's paid someone inside your team to destroy everything you've built. Sweet dr

pounding. Who was the traitor? Vi

was Lucien Dubois he

and opening that would either make Golden