Chapter 2

2

I had built my shop and my home from nothing, an orphan who fought for every cent. They stole it all.

Eventually, I lost all hope. I didn't have the will to live anymore.

One day, while Silas was out, I crawled to a water bucket and forced my own head under until I drowned.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in my clean, bright bakery.

"Ivy, please. I'm tired of eating scraps."

"I just want one real cake. Can't you grant me this one wish for my eighteenth birthday?"

Lily was kneeling in front of me, clutching the hem of my apron.

But in this life, I had hung a "Closed for Maintenance" sign on the door since morning.

There were only three of us in the shop, unlike the crowded room from my previous life.

I pulled my apron out of her grasp.

"Since you think so little of my scraps, I won't be saving any more bread for you."

The bakery down the street sold their scraps for twenty dollars a bag, and they sold out instantly.

I never sold mine. I kept them for people who struggled, like I thought Lily did.

I never realized my kindness was just feeding her greed.

"Mindy, bring her the catalog," I said coldly.

Lily's eyes lit up. She picked the exact same expensive fondant cake as before.

"I want this one!" she said, pointing at the picture.

"Sure. That'll be 588 dollars. Cash or card?" I took a slow sip of my coffee.

Lily froze, staring at me in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me? I don't have that kind of money!"

I kept my voice icy. "Watch your tone. My prices are clearly marked. I don't run a scam."

"Even if the health inspector came in here, it would still be 588 dollars. Not a penny less."

Mindy, seeing the tension, tried to play the peacemaker.

"Ivy, come on. The poor girl has it rough. Why not just be a good person and give her the cake?"

"It's not like you're hurting for money," Mindy added, acting generous with my wallet.

"Since you're so big-hearted, you give her the cake. I'll just deduct the cost from your paycheck this month."

Mindy's face turned pale before I even finished my sentence.

"Ivy, are you just being stingy because it's expensive?" Lily whimpered.

"I'd settle for a smaller cake, really. You could even give me one someone else didn't pick up."

"I just really want you to deliver it to my house. My dad wants to thank you for looking after me."

There it was. Lily's real goal.

I didn't budge. I rejected her again.

"I'm not going. I don't have the time."

I didn't offer an explanation. Lily started to panic.

"I knew it! You just look down on us because we're poor!"

She tried to pin the "elitist" label on me.

"Ivy, what is wrong with you today? You're usually so kind," Mindy chimed in, taking Lily's side.

I used to give the unsold bread to the local street sweepers every night after closing.

But Mindy had insisted on staying late to handle the closing lately.

Then a lady came in complaining that the bread she "bought" gave her food poisoning.

That's when I found out Mindy had been selling the free leftovers behind my back for cheap.

The lady had kept the bread for days before eating it and getting sick.

Since she thought she had paid full price, she demanded compensation.

I ended up paying her five thousand dollars to settle it.

If my kindness was just going to be used by snakes, then I was done being kind.

"Since you're so full of sympathy, Mindy, why don't you buy her a small cake? I'll even give you the employee discount. Fifty percent off!"

I smiled at Mindy, making the offer.

"No!"

"No!"

Two voices shouted at the same time.

Lily and Mindy both looked panicked.

"Why not? Are you looking down on me now?" Mindy snapped.

Mindy didn't want to spend her own money, but being rejected so quickly by Lily made her feel embarrassed.