“I should get this.” Audrey held the scented candle up, turning it slowly in her hands as she checked the label. She was standing in the home aisle of Tesco, a half-full basket resting against her hip. Vanilla and soft musk. She almost put it back on the shelf. Three weeks ago, she would've walked away without a second thought. A scented candle wasn't a necessity. Neither were the other fancy stuffs she would admire from afar. Then she dropped it into the basket with the rest of her things — a loaf of bread, a pack of chicken, milk, eggs, some vegetables, washing liquid, and a few other bits she usually skipped when money was tight. She reached the register, there was only one person ahead of her. The cashier, a middle-aged woman with her hair tied back, scanned the previous customer’s items quickly and gave a tired but polite smile when it was Audrey’s turn. “You finding everything okay, love?” “Yeah, thanks,” Audrey replied, placing her items on the belt one by one. Th
Last Updated : 2026-08-03 Read more