AUTHOR'S POV

Sachdeva Mansion:

On a sunny Monday morning, Sachdeva's mansion is filled with the sound of Alia singing and dancing to Taylor Swift's songs.

"You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset...

She's going off about something that you said

cause she doesn't get your humour as I do"

Alia feels a deep connection to Taylor's music and believes that every song is meant for her.

"If you could see that I'm the one

who understands you 

been here all along

So, why can't you see?

You belong wi - "

Suddenly, her mother enters the room and turns off the speaker, bringing her back to reality.

"Kya hai Mumma?? Mere Taylor ka gaana kyu band kardiya?" confusedly Alia, asks her mother

[what is it, Mumma? Why did you turn off my Taylor's song?]

"Subha subha tere Taylor ka gaana sunne se aacha h, koi bhajan kirtan sunle sukh sambridhi aayegi." her mother replied. Alia then faces and mimics her mother.

[It's better to start the day with devotional songs rather than pop music]

"Ab chal ready hoja. Late nai ho raha hai?" her mother reminds.

[Now go, get ready. aren't you getting late?]

"Oh, goodness! I'll be right there," she swiftly replies to her mother, glancing at the time. With a sense of urgency, she hurries into the bathroom.

Alia Sachdeva is a 22-year-old girl, who runs her bakery shop. She is the youngest daughter of Mr Raghu Sachdeva and Mrs Sheetal Sachdeva and is deeply loved and cared for by her family. Alia shares a close bond with her grandfather Shivendar Sachdeva and her elder brother Vishal. Despite being the youngest in the family, Alia is kind, compassionate and loving. However, if anyone messes with her, she is not afraid to stand up for herself and defend herself.

✧

Alia comes out of her bathroom, wearing an oversized white graphic t-shirt and nude khaki straight-cut pants. She does her skincare routine, applies mascara and lipstick, puts on her shoes, and rushes down because she's running late.

At the dining table, Raghu is reading his newspaper, sitting with his 62-year-old father who is the President of their family Law Agency, his eldest son Vishal, while his daughter-in-law Meera and his wife Sheetal are in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

"Good morning, everyone," Alia greets everyone while rushing down the stairs.

"Good morning, princess," replies her father and grandad.

"Good morning, chachunder," teases her brother.

"Have you seen your face? You're not even better than a monkey," Alia retorts quickly.

"And you're Deepika Padukone, right??" Vishal teases her again, pulling her hair.

Alia makes a puppy face and complains to her dad, "Look at him, papa."

Raghu peeks out from his paper and glares at his son, and he stops. Sheetal and Meera both come out from the kitchen, bringing their breakfast, and the entire family starts eating.

After having her breakfast, Alia kisses her mother goodbye and leaves for her bakery. On her way to the bakery, she stops by a flower shop and buys daisies, her favourite kind of flower, and she makes sure to take them every day.

✧

Alia reaches her shop and starts her work by arranging the chair and table first. After doing that, she writes her Today's Special on the menu board. She tends to serve specials on each day along with the regulars. Her shop name is BAKED WITH LOVE. When she was a 12-year-old and started baking cakes at home, it was her dream to open her bakery shop and after completing her studies she started this bakery.

Today's Special

Pastries

1. Cannoli (Traditional cannoli shell filled with ricotta cheese and chocolate chips)

2.Crème Brulé (Baked French custard with torched sugar)

Cakes & Tart Slices

1. Passion Fruit Lime Cake (Vanilla chiffon cake, lime syrup, passion fruit, Bavarian Cream, whipped cream, coconut flakes.)

2. Chocolate Hazelnut Tart (Crispy hazelnut filling in a sweet pastry crust with bitter-sweet chocolate glaze.)

After writing specials for today she starts preparing her first batch for each item. While she is busy doing her chores the door of the bakery opens and Diya and Sahil, her staff enter the bakery. Diya and Sahil are college students doing a Bachelor in English, they are best of friends and work part-time in the bakery.

"Hi, good morning, Alia", greets Diya and starts helping her after putting on her apron.

"Hello and good morning, D, and you too Sahil", Alia replies. Sahil smiles and nods and starts arranging the books on the bookshelf. The bakery has a corner with books and comics so that the customers can spend their time reading books while sipping a cup of coffee.

While she was preparing her other food items, the timer of the oven rang and Alia took out the freshly baked Crème Brulé, she sprinkled the sugar and torches it, and then she arranged it in a tray and put it away on the food shelf for the customer. Within the next 1 hour, Alia is done with her morning chores at the bakery.

She then brews coffee for herself and Diya and Sahil. Alia takes out a book from her bag that she was reading. The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas. While she was busy reading her phone flashed and a notification popped. After reading the news she had a frown on her face, she slammed her phone down on the table and walked towards the kitchen. She opens her refrigerator takes out a tub of Choco Chips Ice cream and starts eating it sitting on the floor.

On the other side, the paparazzi  were outside the bakery with cameras and microphones, waiting for someone eagerly. The entire news channel of Mumbai was crowded outside the bakery. Suddenly, the screeching of the tyres grabs the attention of the paparazzi and they turn their camera towards the scene.

The driver seat of the Lamborghini flies open and a girl in their 20s comes out of the car, wearing a black cropped tank top, black shorts, knee-length boots, and an off-white jacket with black Ray-Ban over her head, and confidently walks into the bakery. While the paparazzi are fighting and trying to capture her photo from the best angle.