Chapter 4 — Enter Lucas Everett

Third Person

The scent of espresso and vanilla mingled with the hum of chatter as Margot stepped into Sweet Mess, her heels clicking against the tiled floor. The bakery was alive with energy—patrons chatting over mismatched tables, the hiss of the espresso machine punctuating the laughter, and the occasional clatter of dishes blending seamlessly into the chaos. It was a place that thrived on imperfection, a sharp contrast to the meticulously ordered life Margot had once prided herself on. Now, that life seemed like a distant memory, its fragments scattered by the whirlwind of her fiancé’s betrayal.