Cherry's eyes darted around, her heart racing like a jackrabbit as the sirens screamed and the lights flashed, putting her in the spotlight like a suspect in a lineup.

"What's going on?" she demanded, her voice shaking slightly.

Cherry's thoughts swirled like a vortex, leaving her disoriented and questioning her sanity.

Had she merely dreamed the part about chasing a lost black cat through the winding streets? Or was it a hazy memory?.

The sirens and lights were real enough, but everything else felt shrouded in a thick fog.

Her eyes narrowed, her thoughts crystallizing, - this could be about the CEO's wife, and she was in trouble.

With a fierce determination, Cherry declared, "I swear on my life, I didn't deliberately put the pin in that meal!

Raising her hand and blocking the intense lights with her voice ringing out, clear and strong.

***Five hours earlier****

Cherry's culinary career was in tatters, her reputation as a chef left in ruins.

She had been entrusted with the honor of preparing a show-stopping dish for the restaurant's esteemed guests, including the CEO's wife.

The senior chef had placed his faith in her, but fate had other plans.

As the guests savored her creation, a shocking discovery was made - a sharp object, eerily resembling a pin, had found its way into the delicacy.

The question on everyone's lips was, 'How did it get there?'

But one thing was certain, it had the power to have killed the CEOs wife if it weren't for one of the butlers who held onto her stomach and made sure she spat the deadly object out of her throat.

The kitchen's unforgiving code had spoken: one strike, and you're out.

Cherry was killing it in the kitchen, her dishes were on fire, and her boss was her biggest fan but, she made a rookie mistake that blew everything.

She tried to shift the blame to her coworker, but that was a recipe for disaster.

When the camera footage came to light, it was like a mic drop - she was the only one in the kitchen, solo and sunk.

Her boss felt played, and that pardon she was hoping for? Gone, Cherry's lie was the icing on the cake, and it left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

She'd thrown away her second chance and ended up with a bad case of 'kitchen karma'.

Without ceremony or explanation, she was shown the door, her chef's coat and pride stripped away like a discarded apron.

The restaurant's influential patronage had been preserved, courtesy of the CEO's graciousness but the cost was Cherry's livelihood.

*************

Authors Note:

Welcome to my new book! I'm thrilled to have you along for the journey. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Your support means the world to me, so please don't hesitate to leave a comment, send some love with power stones, and share your thoughts.

Cherry May