Married Before Midnight by Sienna Quinn - Chapter 24

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Married Before Midnight


Chapter 24: The Grand Challenge


The victory over The Oak & Ivy Café contract had filled the Carter household with a rare, buoyant energy. Sweet Beginnings was back in business, and the family had proven they could fight for what was theirs. But Eleanor knew better than to let complacency settle in. There was still The Grand Astoria Hotel—a deal that could elevate their bakery from a local favorite to a recognized name in Maplewood. Eleanor had spent weeks researching the hotel’s culinary director, Raymond DeLuca. A man known for his obsessive attention to detail and a reputation for dismissing anything less than perfection. She had waited outside his office for hours, enduring skeptical glances from the hotel staff, until he finally agreed to see her. The meeting had been… humbling. DeLuca had barely glanced at her before dismissing Sweet Beginnings as "unproven." But Eleanor, with the quiet persistence of a woman who had raised five daughters alone, had refused to back down.


She spoke of their recipes, their dedication, the way their pastries carried the warmth of home. Something in her words must have struck a chord, because DeLuca had finally given her a chance—a single, nearly impossible task. Now, standing in the kitchen of Sweet Beginnings, Eleanor relayed the challenge to her children and Lucas. "He wants a pastry that’s not just delicious, but flawless in presentation," she said, smoothing her flour-dusted apron. "Every piece must be identical—down to the millimeter. No imperfections, no variations. If even one is off, the entire batch is rejected." Olivia frowned. "That’s ridiculous. Handmade pastries have character. They’re not supposed to be factory-perfect."


"That’s exactly what he’s testing," Hannah mused, tapping her fingers against the counter. "He doesn’t just want skill—he wants precision. Control." Lucas, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, let out a low whistle. "Sounds like a man who’s never enjoyed a homemade cookie in his life." Eleanor sighed.


"We have three days to figure this out. If we can’t meet his standards, we lose the contract before we even have a real shot." The weight of the challenge settled over them, but the Carters had never backed down from hard work. They spent the next two days experimenting—measuring, adjusting, starting over. Flour dusted their hair, butter smudged their sleeves, and frustration simmered beneath their determination. Then, on the second afternoon, disaster struck. Lillian and Emily, walking home from school, were cornered by three older boys in an alley. The leader, David Thompson—son of their former tormentor—had a sneer that matched his father’s. "You think you can humiliate my dad and get away with it?" he spat, shoving Lillian against the brick wall. Emily, small but fierce, didn’t hesitate. She lunged, sinking her teeth into David’s wrist with a growl.


He howled, but his friends grabbed her, raising a fist— Then Lucas was there. He moved like a storm, all controlled fury. Years of surviving on the streets had honed his reflexes, and within moments, the boys were scrambling away, bruised and cursing. Lucas knelt beside Emily, brushing dirt from her cheek. "You okay, firecracker?" She glared in the direction the boys had fled. "I had them right where I wanted them." Lillian, trembling but unhurt, managed a weak laugh. Lucas ruffled both their heads. "No one messes with my sisters." Back at home, the incident only strengthened their resolve.


They would win this contract. They would prove they belonged. As the deadline loomed, Hannah sat at the kitchen table, staring at the latest batch of pastries. They were good—but not perfect. Not DeLuca perfect. Then it hit her. A slow smile curved her lips. "What if we don’t fight his obsession… but use it?" The others turned to her, intrigued.


But Hannah kept the idea to herself—for now. The chapter ended with the family on the edge of a breakthrough, the promise of victory just out of reach… and Hannah’s secret plan waiting to unfold.