A Special Éclair

After Grandma and Grandpa passed away, Mom sold the old house and insisted on opening a pastry shop in town specializing in éclairs.The shop was tucked away in a quiet part of town, but business was booming. Early in the morning, just as the first light crept across the horizon, a few women radiating with excitement strolled up to the storefront. "Ma'am, we made it just in time! I'm taking all the éclairs today!"Mom shook her head firmly and said, "One per customer. No exceptions."The two women instantly frowned. "Seriously? I dragged myself out of bed this early, and you're telling me you won't sell? Just let me buy them all so you can call it a day!"Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, they unzipped a large black bag and dropped a stack of cash on the counter. "How about now? I don't believe you'll turn this down!" Mom glanced at the cash without a word. Instead, she calmly slipped on her gloves and said, "Ladies, long night? By the looks of it, dinner didn't

I could not help but shiver as an uneasy chill crept up my spine. By the time I snapped out of it, I realized I was already near the basement's cellar. The air grew colder with every step, and my bare feet against the freezing floor made me wince.As I approached the door, Tiffany's moans became much clearer. In the emptiness of the hallway, her sounds echoed, creating a strange heat in the pit of my stomach despite the biting cold. Suddenly, the noises stopped, as if she sensed my presence. I froze in place, my heart pounding. Then, her voice sounded strained yet firm as she shouted, "Don't come in… Ah! Just a little while more!"After that, her moaning continued. The flickering lights above cast unsettling shadows on the walls, and my uneasiness grew. My voice cracked as I said, "Tiffany, come out! If Mom finds out, you'll be in serious trouble!""Just wait! Three minutes, I promise—I'll be right out!" she shouted, her tone strained yet filled with urgency. Sweat started to

Sean paused for a moment before explaining, "My cousin's staying here temporarily for work, but don't worry—she's away on a business trip."Then, without hesitation, he began lifting his shirt in front of me. My eyes traced the lines of his muscles, taking in the golden hue of his skin and the sculpted abs—he was indeed the perfect "ingredient" for our specialty éclairs. "Sean, why don't you take a shower first?" I suggested, flashing a playful smile. He smirked and tossed me a knowing glance before heading to the bathroom, leaving his phone unlocked on the couch.Once the bathroom door clicked shut, I quickly picked up his phone and began scrolling through it. Just as I suspected, it was full of chats with different women, neatly categorized by their age, body type, and personality.Yet, his group chats with his buddies were even more disgusting. They casually mocked the women he dated, calling them gullible and superficial. He even bragged about how lucky they were to have met

Sean saw that I was on the verge of bursting into tears, and he immediately panicked. "Okay, okay! Whatever you say!"I told him to come by the shop the evening after tomorrow, promising to sneak him a few boxes of éclairs. He was so excited that he started breathing heavily."After I eat the éclairs, can I stay overnight at your place?" he asked, his tone brimming with anticipation.I chuckled. "One of these éclairs packs more power than Red Bull drinks. You'll be so full of energy afterward; we can't let that go to waste!"He eagerly agreed and even tried to plant a few sloppy kisses on my face, but I brushed him off, using the crowd as an excuse. I teased him, saying that anyone who ate my éclairs became part of my family.After that, I added, he wouldn't need to keep running back and forth between his house and the shop—he could just stay with me.Sean was so thrilled that he practically jumped in excitement. "Dakota, I promise I'll always treat you well!"I hid the mischiev

The crowd burst into laughter, mocking Tiffany for having lost her mind. Someone joked about how the éclair dough seemed unusually crispy, wondering what kind of flour they had used.Another person chimed in, saying it was more delicious than her men. She even laughed about how the taste was so perfect—almost like it had been made just for her.Tiffany sat there, watching them banter and laugh, her mind snapping under the weight of it all. She let out a guttural scream, her wheelchair shaking violently as she thrashed. In her frenzy, the wheelchair tipped over, throwing her onto the ground. She landed face-first in the dirt, blood dripping from her scraped face and mixing with the grime. It was hard to tell if the wet streaks on her cheeks were tears or blood. I glanced at her briefly as I helped Mom box up éclairs for customers. Then I smiled, a soft satisfaction settling over me as a weight had lifted from my chest.I thought to myself, "Tiffany, oh Tiffany. Don't you dare die