Lara stood on the Baking with Love set, her heart racing, the taste of salt hitting her tongue as she tested their sabotaged batter—Mia and Leo's doing (Chapter 28). Her hazel eyes darted to Ethan, his green eyes wide, his black hair a mess, his apron dusted with flour, both of them realizing the trick mid-bake. The audience murmured, teens online speculating—"#LaraAndEthan sabotaged?!"—the pressure mounting under the studio lights.
"We can fix this," Ethan said, his voice firm, his hands steady as he grabbed extra sugar from the pantry, their teamwork kicking in. Lara nodded, her curly brown hair slipping from her hat, her hands quick as they reworked the batter into a stunning cupcake tower—three tiers, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, a symbol of their journey, the salt turned into a savory twist with a quick glaze. "We're not letting them win," she whispered, her hazel eyes fierce, Ethan's smile boosting her resolve.
Jake, judging with the panel, smirked as they presented, "Impressive recovery, Lara—almost as good as us." Ethan's fist clenched, but Lara squeezed his hand, her voice calm, "This is about us now, Jake—not you." The judges tasted—the savory glaze a hit, the tower a fan favorite—and declared Lara and Ethan the winners, the audience erupting, teens cheering, #TeamLaraAndEthan trending again, their love shining through the chaos.
Backstage, Jake approached, his blue eyes softer, his voice low. "I'm sorry, Lara. I was a jerk—cheating, hurting you. I just wanted closure." Lara nodded, her heart lighter, accepting his apology, Ethan's arm around her, their past resolved. But as they celebrated, the producer pulled them aside, her voice excited, "You two are a hit—how about hosting the show permanently?"
Lara's heart fluttered, the offer a dream but a new challenge, her hand in Ethan's as they faced this unexpected turn, their future on the brink of something bigger.
To be continued…