Chapter 4 Old wounds don't heal, they burn

Six years ago

California, San Diego

Was back from college for a short break, and I made it my duty to assist my mom I'm the bakery, half of the town had started to whisper about my mom's paranoia claiming that it had started to drive customers away. Business had slowed, and I wanted to support her in any way I could.

But the main reason why I was helping her along with my distant cousin Ed

Was because this was the only thing that was left of him anyway, and while he was alive, he cherished this bakery with the whole of his heart. In his words, not mine

"The bakery has been with me since trying times Sky, when I ran away from my abusive parents at nineteen the only reasonable thing I had in my possession was baking pans, and the piece of doughnut I had stolen from my parents pantry."

I could still hear his voice at the back of my head.

Keeping this business wasn't just about survival but also honouring him. It was also why I had chosen to study marketing in Portsmouth.

But then my father wasn't here anymore, but the dream of expanding this bakery was still alive, and I was going to make it possible. He had taken a job as a chauffeur for the Andersons. The wealthiest family in our small town, just to make ends meet. He went to work one day, and he never returned.

He was gone, wiped off the surface of earth.

The Andersons had said it was an accident, and he compensated us generously, but there were several loopholes in the story, but my mom was convinced that he was murdered

And deep down, I knew it was true

Ever since his death, we've all had it worse, but my mom never recovered. My father was like the glue that held the family together, and without him, we couldn't even function. He was that important, so with the compensation money, we used it to settle debts and whatnots leaving us penniless, but we didn't care. We couldn't bring ourselves to.

"Here freshly baked cakes," Ed muttered, placing the tray beside me. " They are cooled. Just make sure you decorate them properly, no weird colours, Sky."

He rolled his eyes before disappearing into the kitchen, just as fast as he had come.

It was two minutes past noon, and business had slowed. I focused on decorating the cakes, stopping only to serve the occasional customers. As I added the final touches to the cake, dancing slowly to the country music that boomed out of the speakers, a song about a love that could never be.

I heard the front bell jingle, indicating that someone had walked in.

"Welcome to Macdees," I called out in a sing-song voice, my hands steady on the piping bag. "Today's special is the carrot cake...."

"You"

A gruff voice cut through the air, cold shivers erupting at the back of the neck.

I looked up abruptly.

Light sea green eyes met mine, staring into my soul like he could read through my soul, immersing me into a world where only both of us existed.

"Xavier?" I called out in confusion, staring at the big burly man that stood before me, his suit fitted tightly to his body I wondered if he could breathe, the shock of white hair, and the thin lines on his face said otherwise.

But no, this wasn't Xavier.

"Sorry what?" I asked my eyes darting from him to the entrance of the kitchen, the noise going on in there drowning my hopes of being rescued.

"You must be Ms Skyla Jefferson? Correct? His voice firm, sea green eyes calculating

"Yes... yes.. . I am Skyla Jefferson" I replied, stammering, awkwardly rubbing my hands on my apron, which earned me a look of disapproval from the man who stood before me.

" I am Xavier's Father." He said stiffly. I need to speak with you, if you dont mind?"

"Sky what does he want"

My mother asked breathlessly, her coffee coloured orbs darting fearfully from me to Xavier's father.

A tray of piping hot doughnuts tilting dangerously in her hands

I rushed towards her, collecting the tray in one swift motion before the contents of the tray toppled over.

"He just wants to talk to me, mom, he is Xavier's father" I muttered reassuringly, gently taking her hands in mine.

"I don't want you talking to him, or Xavier or anyone Sky, these people don't like us honey, they want us dead" my mom screams, aggressively jerking her hands away from mine like they scalded her.

"Mom.... mom"

"No you don't understand. Sky, they killed your father" She snapped, her coffee coloured orbs wild with fear.

Her eyes darted across the room wildly before she hurriedly grabbed the mustard container that lay idly on the table. Hurling it along with the content towards Mr Anderson, who swerved out of the way just in time, but the customer who entered next wasn't thst lucky.

"Oh my goodness" I gasped, slapping my hands across my open mouth. " I am so sorry...."

I turned to Ed, who had rushed in to help, confusion scribbled in bold letters on his face. " Please take mom to the back."

Once I was sure she was safely tucked away in the cubicle , I hurried to clean up the mess, constantly apologising to Mr Rudolph, who wasn't so lucky.

"I am sorry about my mom, she isn't always like that" I apologised to Xavier's as I sat across him in one of those small outdoor tables. The salty ocean breeze did nothing to soothe my fraying nerves. The cool breeze tossed my hair into different directions, and no matter how hard I tucked it behind my ear, it never stayed in one place.

"Let's cut to the chase, young lady," he said coldly. "I want you out of my son's life."

His words struck me like a slap, my mouth parting slightly at the absurdity of his request.

"I can't do that," I replied firmly despite the tremors in my chest. "Xavier and I love each other. There's no way I would leave him just because you said so?"

I hissed, scoffing slightly in disbelief at his request.

His lips curbed up slightly in amusement, probably looking at my act of bravado as stupidity.

"It is not a request, young lady." He murmured, leaning forward. "It's an order,"

"No... no, I won't. Please leave, " I muttered silently, running my hands through my hair.

"I won't leave until we've had an agreement, young lady." He said, pausing abruptly as if he wanted to think for a while. "Xavier is going to be the heir of my assets one day, and I wouldn't want an incompetent lady to be by his side when the time comes," he finished off with a chuckle.

I let out a small gasp, gripping the fabric of my dress to keep my hands from trembling.

"But... but we love each other. At least that means something? Right? I asked hopefully, my brown eyes searching his. Desperation creeps into my nerves.

Mr Andersons emotion was unreadable, but his next words cut me deeper than any knife.

"You are not fit to hold the Andersons name young lady, you are not from our social class, you lack basic ethics, and your family has nothing to offer mine" he said dismissing whatever it was I had to say.

"Does Xavier agree to this?" I asked.

"I couldn't care less what Xavier thinks, all I want from you is to stay far away from my son, or you would have to kiss your little family goodbye young lady" he threatened, dropping a wad of cash on the table, tears springing at the back of my eyelids at his insult.

"Why are you doing this?" I choked out, tears blurring my vision.

"I am only looking out for my son, young lady. When you become a parent, you would understand your kind never mixes with ours," he warned, his sea blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

The air around us suddenly felt suffocating.

"I don't need your money, Sir." I managed to say, my voice barely steady.

He chuckled, tucking his hands into his pant pocket, leaning forward " Oh you do, I want you far away from here if possible, off the surface of earth, somewhere Xavier won't find you" he warned, a sly smile plastered across his face.

I let out a small shudder

"Please don't do this?" I pleaded, holding his steady gaze.

"Take this and Flee from here. Your mom already collected half of the money, I am expecting you to do the same, ohh, and with that cousin of yours. Ed? Lately, he has been putting ideas in Xavier's head he added making to stand up, a slight rumble erupting through the sky above us.

I stiffened

His next words made my blood run cold

"Oh, and I gave a gift for you,"

He says, pulling out two boxes wrapped in fancy bright ribbons, placing it slightly on the table, and with that, he was gone.

The air around me thickened,

My trembling hands reached for the smaller box, hesitating a bit before I opened the box.

The moment the lid popped open, bile rose in my throat, the urge to retch prominent

As I stared at the severed finger that lay in the small box

My father's wedding ring was still wrapped around it, the diamond stud glinting in the sunlight.

A scream tore from my lips as the box fell from my hands, my father's finger rolling onto the curb, disappearing from sight.

And that night, I fled, leaving behind Xavier and the love that was never meant to be.