Chapter 7 - The Flour Stains
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When Pedro's sleek black sedan pulled into the circular driveway of Breakers Mansion, the sun was just beginning to set, casting long, golden shadows across the lawn.
He walked through the heavy front doors, loosening his silk tie. The house was quiet, but it wasn't the dead, heavy silence he was used to. It was the settled, comfortable quiet of a house that had actually been lived in.
He followed the faint sound of voices to the kitchen.
Abigail was at the sink, scrubbing a baking pan. She wore a simple white apron over her uniform, completely covered in flour and chocolate. Her dark hair had escaped its neat bun, falling in loose, messy waves around her face.
Pedro stopped in the doorway, suddenly struck by how beautiful she looked amidst the chaos.
"I trust the kitchen survived the assault?" Pedro asked, his deep voice breaking the silence.
Abigail jumped, nearly dropping the pan. She turned around, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Mr. Jacobs. You're home early."
"I am," he said, walking slowly into the room. He ran a finger over the flour-dusted marble island. "The security cameras suggested a localized explosion."
Abigail wiped her hands on a towel, her posture stiffening. "I apologize for the mess, sir. The boys wanted to try making their mother's favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I thought it would be a good exercise in following directions. I will have it spotless before I leave."
Pedro stopped moving. "Their mother's recipe?"
"Yes. They found it in an old book."
Pedro felt a sharp tightness in his throat. He had locked away every reminder of his wife, thinking it would spare the boys from the pain of missing her.
"Where are they now?" he asked softly.
"They are upstairs, doing their reading assignments." Abigail hesitated, then looked him directly in the eyes. "They saved you a cookie. It's a little burnt on the edges, but they were very proud of it."
May you like
She gestured to a small plate on the counter. A single, slightly misshapen cookie sat there.
Pedro stared at it, the billionaire titan completely undone by a piece of baked dough.
