My North Star Rising

My dream of studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris was finally within reach, a Golden Whisk nomination sparkling on my laptop screen. My life as a rising pastry chef was just beginning. And then, my phone buzzed. It was Ethan, my charming boyfriend, the heir to the prestigious Vance Family Vineyard.

His voice was wrecked, thin and cracking as he pleaded, "Mia, we're going to lose everything. The vineyard is gone. I'm ruined." My heart squeezed, imagining his family's legacy in Napa Valley crumbling. Without a second thought, I clicked off my scholarship application.