Chloe Sweets always wanted to own her very own bakery and after years of struggling she’s finally done it: The Sweets Cakeshop! She thought nothing could go wrong… until a car accident changes everything. Now she’s stuck in the middle of a war with The Kingston family and their first born, Liam, who protects his family and company with a passion most find terrifying. But Chloe sees something else in him…something vulnerable.
Age Rating: 18+
Sweet Temptation by Merra Gischan is now available to read on the Galatea app! Read the first two chapters below, or download Galatea for the full experience.
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1
Chloe Sweets always wanted to own her very own bakery and after years of struggling she’s finally done it: The Sweets Cakeshop! She thought nothing could go wrong… until a car accident changes everything. Now she’s stuck in the middle of a war with The Kingston family and their first born, Liam, who protects his family and company with a passion most find terrifying. But Chloe sees something else in him…something vulnerable.
Age Rating: 18+
Original Author: Merra Gischan
Chloe was in the middle of enjoying her ‘me time’ on the couch.
It’s eleven o’clock in the night, and she was just lying there like a potato on her couch. It had been a long day for her, not that she’s complaining considering that she loved her job.
Chloe Sweets had been living her biggest dream at the moment.
She owned The Sweets Cakeshop on the corner of the peak road-Alvero City. It’s not a big fancy store, but it’s enough for a starter. The shop had been open for three months and based on all the previous income, and loyal customer, they could say that their store had quite done well in the city. Chloe, with help from her sister Melanie sweets, had been working their best to build their business from the ground.
But when her phone was ringing, she’d never thought that it would be the greatest challenge in her life to come.
Chloe furrowed her eyebrows when she didn’t recognize the number and the screen only shows some short random number.
“Miss Chloe Sweet?” said the voice on the other end.
“Yes, this is she..”
“I’m calling from The Stanton Hospital—”
The rest of the conversation became blurry in her ears, she just made it brief before changing her clothes and went to the hospital in hurry by the first cab she found on the road. Something happened to Melanie and they said she had to come right away.
Is Melanie okay? What is happening? – She suddenly became very anxious, not to mention the sound of sirens that she heard not far from her.
The moment she got to the hospital, she ran to the front desk and asked about Melanie.
“Yeah, I’m looking for my sister, Melanie Sweets? I’m her younger sister, Chloe Sweets.” She said between her panting.
“Room 520, I can take you there.” The nurse called her friend to cover up for her at the front desk.
“I-is she okay? I just got the call and rushed in here.” As they walked toward the room, Chloe noticed two officers were standing in the hallway.
“She’s okay, just a few scratches but she’s fine and resting now—”
“How did she—what happened?” Chloe and the nurse had reached where the officers are standing.
“Officers Tate and Brandon will explain more in detail, about the accident.” She said while she's introducing Chloe to the officers at the same time. Chloe briefly nodded and mentioned her name before listened carefully to officer Tate’s words.
“Miss Melanie and Mr. Scott were in a car accident a few hours ago… They both fine, and in my opinion, they're lucky enough to dodge the blast in time.“
Chloe listened with her mouth opened, not sure if she heard right and there were too many questions in her mind.
“I- I don’t understand— how did it happen? I m-mean, a blast?” Chloe stammered. Chloe’s thought slightly back to the moment when Melanie told her that she was going to go out with Scott.
The officers' paused for a while with that ‘look’, the look when someone about to tell you something worse but they feel sorry in advance.
“Ma’am, I think you should sit down.” Said officer Brandon, and Chloe slowly followed his suggestion. “They both drunk… Ms. Melanie drove the van and got it crashed inside your cakeshop—”
Chloe's jaw dropped open in disbelief.
“Their crash started a fire near the main gas pipe that quickly turned to a blast. They were lucky they got out before the van blows up too.” Officer Brandon slowly explained.
“When the medic and the firefighter got there, Mr. Scott’s blood alcohol content was at 0.10% and Ms. Melanie’s was at 0.08%. Maybe that’s the reason why Ms. Melanie was the one behind the steering wheel in the first place..” Officer Tate pursed his lips for a second. “They’d crashed straight into your shop.”
Feeling shocked, Chloe was speechless with tears that started to fill her eyes.
“We’re very sorry to tell you all of these, Ms. Chloe..” said officer Brandon.
Hearing her name mentioned, Chloe looked back at the officers. She slightly shook her head and wiped her tears before saying, “T-thank you, officers… What about the penalties—I mean, should I do something t-to—“
“No ma’am, I don’t think there’s something you should do related to their obligation. However, somebody will be in touch with them from the court, to deliver the penalties letter—of course after they get better.”
Chloe weakly nodded with her empty look before thanking the officers for the last time. She took a set of deep inhale-exhale breaths and turned her face to the nurse who’s still with her the whole time.
“S-so I can get inside right now..?” Chloe slowly stood up.
“Actually…” The nurse carefully said. “We had run some tests, and it turns out Ms. Melanie is pregnant..” the nurse pressed her lips before continuing. “After your sister gave the information about her period, we were obliged to run the test and the test showed that the baby is seven weeks old.”
Chloe’s lips parted in shock once again, she took a deep breath again, even though her head pounding with a huge rush in her head. How could she do this? So reckless like this?! Drinking while having a baby inside her belly—wait does she know? – She thought inside.
“Did she knew..?” Chloe asked the nurse.
“Not before the car accident, but she knew the test result..”
“Okay… Thank you..” Chloe gently said.
Chloe took a deep inhale and shook her head as if it helped to ease all the overwhelmed feelings inside her.
How could she mess up like this? I only got her in this world, my only family… Get it together, Chloe. What matters most is she safe… and you’re gonna be an aunt.—She’s encouraging herself.
Chloe was mad—very mad at the moment, butthey’d got no parent ever since they were in high school and it had always been the two of them against the world.
So, let’s take one step at a time. She said to herself.
Chloe slowly opened the door, by the moment she came into the room Melanie burst out crying. Her face got a few scrapes from the accident but other than that Chloe felt relieved to see that her sister was okay.
“Chloe, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—everything just out of hand!” She cried in Chloe’s arms.
Chloe took a moment before speaking, considering everything that has happened is very hard to digest. “Shh… What matters most is you’re okay now… I.. Let’s talk about it later..”
“B-but we’ve worked so hard for the shop. I-I’m sorry!” She’s sobbing hard.
“Melanie, just—” Chloe sighed to keep herself from crying. “I just don’t want to talk about the shop now.” She slightly looked down.
“They said you’re pregnant..” Chloe continued.
Melanie looked guilty all of a sudden. She weakly nodded. “I just knew about it here.. If I knew… I won’t even—” She took a deep sighed.
“Does he knows? Scott?”
“The nurse said he’s still unconscious, but they’ll let him know, I’m sure of it.”
Chloe nodded in silence. She knew deep down she’s very disappointed in her big sister but this was not the right time to blame her. Even though she couldn’t understand why, as the younger sister she often be the one who’s taking care of her more than the other way around, the way big sister was supposed to be the one that she could count on.
“Are you mad?” She was still sobbing.
Chloe shook her head in silence for a while, before saying, “I just wish you’d be more careful and making a less reckless choice..”
“I’m sorry, Chloe.. I’ll find a way, I promise!” She cried again.
“Let me worry about the shop… You need to handle a lot of things with Scott, especially with a baby on the way.” Chloe said. “Please, Melanie.. You can’t do whatever pleases you anymore—”
“I know,” Melanie said with her glassy eyes. “I promise, I’ll change..”
Chloe hugged her sister before telling her that she had to go home and check their shop to consider the next step. Or to save what’s left? Chloe sighed while wiping her tears that started to fall from the moment she’d left Melanie’s room.
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2
Chloe stood on the sideways, frozen. Her empty looked was gazing at what’s left in front of her. It was her cakeshop that’s no longer has its rooftops. The cute-simple-elegant Sweets Cakeshop that designed with white and purple-pastel color dominant paint, was now mostly covered in the grey-black burnt on what’s-left-of-a-wall.
All her equipment had broken-burnt, especially the crucial ones; ovens, freezers, and mixers. Not only that, the Sweet Cakeshop’s van was ‘parked’ in the middle of the space—also burnt. They were lucky the fire didn’t spread to the other buildings and there were no other people who got hurt by the accident.
Chloe crossed her arms on her chest, hugging herself with tears on her cheeks. Her dreams had gone, just like that. She stared up to the night sky, closing her eyes, and tried to soothe herself in her mind.
Don’t worry, this is what insurance for, right?
Wait, are the insurance contracts already activated to cover this all up? They must be active, or she will never be back on her feet.
I have to call all the clients whose projects rely on the cakeshop. I have to cancel all the big projects.
She ran her fingers on her hair, feeling frustrated before wiping all the tears on her cheeks. It’s late-night and she couldn’t do anything there anyway. She looked down at her feet before slowly walked home.
***
“So, how it’d goes with the insurance company?” Amy said from the other end of the phone. Amy had been checking on Chloe since early in the morning, it’s the third checking-call from her in the afternoon. Amy was her best friend for years. She often helped Chloe in many projects or even in any other aspect of Chloe’s life, Chloe considered her as her own sister.
“Uhm… No luck..” Chloe sighed while putting her coffee mug inside the microwave. She quietly sniffled. “According to their policy, every contract will be active—automatically, after a month from signing the paper… Since I just joined them and signed the paper last week, they can’t cover my shop.”
“Have you tried to speak with someone more—”
“Yes, I did.” Chloe cut in, desperate with the fact that talking with the superior from the insurance company didn’t help. “But still.. they said it is what it is..” Chloe touched her forehead. “Anyway, I had canceled all of the big projects that we can’t handle anymore, you know since we can’t use the shop’s equipment… But, the project with Jeremy is still up..”
“Of course it is..” Amy said. Chloe could sense Amy’s smile from the way she spoke.
“It’s not like that, his project is our closest schedule and I still can handle it with the regular oven in my apartment—”
“You don’t need to explain… Besides, I didn’t say anything..” Amy smiled again.
“When will you’re gonna stop teasing me with him? He’s just a customer.” Chloe weakly scoffed.
“When you start accepting his offer to date him.” She slightly laughed. Chloe was about to reply when she heard another incoming call tone.
“Amy, I have to take another call… It’s Mel..”
“Okay.. See you on project Jeremy! Take care!” Amy partly shouted.
“Thanks, you too!”
After hanging up with Amy, Chloe quickly picked up the call from Melanie. “Hey, sis.. When will you get here? I need to talk.” Said Melanie.
“Um, I’ve got a lot of things to do, I don’t think I can go there today.. Sorry.” Chloe quietly sighed. “How are you, today?”
“Better, thanks.. So, Scott is awake and he said his brother is coming.” Melanie said, Chloe could hear her chewing from the phone.
“And you’re telling me this, because..?”
“I need you to meet him.. Scott’s brother will take care of everything about our cakeshop..” Something in Melanie’s voice was telling Chloe that she was more than better, Melanie sounded happy. Too happy for someone that should’ve been feeling guilty about what they did. Not that Chloe blamed her for being happy, but that was just typical Melanie.
Irresponsible, sometimes ignorant. –Chloe thought inside. She kept quiet for a while.
“Hello? Chloe..?”
“Y-yes, I’m here.” Chloe shook her head.
“Scott said that you have to meet his brother in his office.. Tomorrow morning, at Kingston Tower. Scott had spoken to him, so he knew that you’re gonna be there.. You do know about Kingston Corporation, right?” Her questioning tone was very obvious for Chloe.
“Actually, I don’t.” Never heard of it. Who’s following all the rich guys from a different world, slash, every owner of the big companies in the country, anyway? I’m too busy dealing with my own world.
“Besides, aside from the fact that our shop does need to be restored.. Shouldn’t you and Scott, be the ones that need to meet him first? Why doesn’t he come to the hospital first?” For a second Chloe was not pleased by the fact that she had to take responsibility that not hers. She knew her sister too well.
“Scott had told him everything.. He’ll be arriving in the town early morning… I don’t know why he decided not to meet us first- – at the hospital instead of his office.. Scott said his brother wants to take care of our shop first. I guess that’s the first reason he goes here in the first place, to help Scott. Please, you know all about this and the shop better than me..” Melanie sighed before saying, “Chloe.. This is my way to make things right..”
“Okay!” Chloe slightly raised her voice when she cut in and took a deep breath when she realized it. Some other time, one day, she really got to speak to Melanie about what’s burdened her. “Just send me the details..”
“Yes! I’ll text you the details.. Thanks, sis!” Melanie lightly squealed.
***
Liam Kingston threw the magazine to the seat near him inside his private jet while looking outside the window. He still couldn’t believe what his brother, Scott did. –Got his girlfriend pregnant. How could he be that stupid?–Liam thought inside.
As the firstborn of Kingston Family and Kingston Corporation, Liam always was the man who protects both the family and the company. He protected the Kingston family legacy, what his father had built from ground zero, exactly from the people who had been craving and waiting to find their way to exploit his family’s wealthiness.
And when he said the people, he was particularly referring to the gold-digging people—that in Scott's case, the gold digger girlfriend.
In all his life, he knew too well not to cross the line when you had to ‘have fun’ with the girls. Especially the gold digger type of girls. Don’t get him wrong, he loved girls. But to trust them was another story. He’s not having self-pity-party at the moment, sure he had some bad experiences with both good girls and bad girls, but there were no old wounds that would make him have a self-pity-party.
There are no wounds at all. Only lessons.
And from the look of it, Scott hadn’t learned anything.
Liam took a deep breath, feeling overwhelmed for a second. He tired of the fact that he always had to clean up his brother’s mess. Maybe if Scott his only brother, he wouldn’t be so overwhelmed, but he had two more brothers who were younger than Scott, Jackson Kingston, and Marley Kingston.
Liam had been taking the role of his father, along with the obligation to keep his family steady and he always was the son that his mom counted on.
In fact, the reason he’s on the jet to Alvero City and help Scott was for their mother’s sake too. There’s nothing that Liam wouldn’t do for his mom, Elouise Kingston. Liam knew how his mother had been struggled alone, ever since his father had died a decade ago.
It’s been a rough life for the company and the family, but he’s not a fan of any nostalgic thoughts or self-pity. Liam just couldn’t believe when everything got better in the past year, one of his brothers just have to make a new problem. Again.
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