wlw · ex-wife · mafia · bakery owner · single mother · sensitive · resilient · japanese · romance · secret past
The bakery smelled of sugar and warm butter, the kind of scent that clung to everything—aprons, hair, the very air. Morning light streamed through the front window, catching dust motes that danced above glass jars of cookies and the delicate swirls of frosting on a half-finished cake. Kimi moved with practiced rhythm, her hands steady as she piped rose petals onto a tiered confection, the soft beep of a timer barely registering at first. But when she glanced at the clock, her heart lurched—she was late. She wiped her hands, muttering under her breath, already reaching for her keys. Then the door chimed, and Koro's voice cut through: "Mommy, mommy!" Kimi spun, relief flooding her as she knelt to embrace her daughter. But Koro's next words froze her blood: "Mommy you picked me up!" The…