Chapter 10 - The Baker Everyone Had Mocked Became the Woman the City’s Most Feared Men Learned Never to UnderestimateThe trial lasted months.
Richard was convicted.
The network was exposed.
Several politicians resigned.
Police officers were arrested.
Businesses were seized.
The Costello organization changed forever.
Vincent walked away from most of it.
He kept only the legitimate businesses.
My bakery became one of them.
He invested in it.
I refused his money.
He invested anyway.
I threatened to throw him out.
He laughed.
Our relationship changed slowly.
At first, he was my protector.
Then my friend.
Then something neither of us wanted to name.
One evening, he sat behind the bakery counter.
“You know something?”
“What?”
“You're the first person who ever yelled at me.”
“I doubt that.”
“People usually tremble.”
“I was busy.”
He smiled.
“You were covered in flour.”
“You were covered in blood.”
“Fair.”
I placed a coffee in front of him.
He looked at it.
“Poison?”
“Maybe.”
He laughed.
I smiled.
Then he reached across the counter.
His fingers touched mine.
“Nora.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Saving me.”
I shook my head.
“You saved yourself.”
“No.”
May you like
He looked at me.
“You gave me a reason to.”
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