Chapter 5: The Page They Tried to Destroy
For several seconds, I couldn't find my voice.
The Miller family had been stealing from my grandmother for years?
The idea sounded impossible.
My grandmother had owned a small bakery on a quiet street in Baltimore. She had never mentioned a dispute with wealthy restaurant investors or a famous culinary family.
She'd spoken about customers, weddings, birthdays, and the importance of never selling a cake you wouldn't serve to someone you loved.
That was her world.
Or at least, the world she had shown me.
"What are you talking about, Maya?""
Maya looked toward the judges.
"Can we speak somewhere private?""
James nodded.
"We can use the committee conference room. Mr. Bell, please accompany us.""
Gregory immediately stood.
"This is becoming a circus.""
James turned to him.
"Then stop performing.""
A few people in the audience laughed.
Gregory's face flushed.
Sloane grabbed his arm.
"Don't.""
I followed Adrian through the side corridor, holding Grandma's notebook against my chest.
Maya walked behind me.
She didn't try to approach me again.
The conference room was small, with frosted windows and a long wooden table. A pitcher of water sat beside a stack of empty glasses.
Adrian closed the door.
"Let's start with the missing page.""
Maya sat down.
"I don't have it.""
"Where is it?""
"I gave it to Sloane.""
I placed the notebook on the table.
"Why?""
"She said it was the only page she needed.""
"Needed for what?""
Maya hesitated.
Then she looked at Adrian.
"Can I explain without Mr. Miller being here?""
Adrian nodded.
"He's not part of this meeting.""
Maya drew a shaky breath.
"About two weeks before the competition, Sloane came into the bakery while you were out buying supplies. She asked me where you kept the notebook.""
My stomach tightened.
"What did you tell her?""
"I told her it was in the drawer.""
"You knew better.""
"I know.""
"Keep going.""
"She said she was going to offer you a deal. She told me the Miller Culinary Group wanted to acquire Carter & Rose.""
I stared at her.
"Acquire my bakery?""
"Yes. She said they wanted to use Grandma Rose's recipes in a national dessert collection.""
I shook my head.
"Nobody ever offered me anything.""
"Because they wanted the notebook first.""
Adrian leaned forward.
"Did she explain why?""
Maya nodded.
"She said the recipes had been part of a private arrangement between your grandmother and her grandfather.""
My eyes narrowed.
"Her grandfather?""
"Yes.""
"That's impossible.""
"I thought so too. But she showed me a photograph.""
"What photograph?""
Maya pulled her phone from her pocket.
She searched through the gallery, then placed the screen in front of me.
It showed an old black-and-white photograph.
Two people stood outside a bakery.
One was my grandmother.
The other was an older man in a white chef's jacket.
He had a broad face, silver hair, and a distinctive scar above his left eyebrow.
I recognized him immediately.
Not because I had met him.
Because his face appeared on the framed photograph hanging in the lobby of the championship venue.
*Arthur Miller.*
The founder of Miller Culinary Group.
The man who had built the company before Gregory inherited it.
"What is this?""
"That's what I asked Sloane," Maya replied.
"She said your grandmother and Arthur Miller worked together when they were young.""
I looked closer.
The photograph was dated 1988.
On the back, someone had written in faded ink:
Rose and Arthur — first winter menu.
I felt a chill run through me.
"Grandma never mentioned him.""
"Maybe she didn't want to remember," Maya said.
Adrian examined the photograph.
"Do you have any more documents?""
Maya nodded.
"Sloane showed me a contract.""
"What kind of contract?""
"An agreement saying Rose Carter had transferred certain dessert formulas to Miller Culinary Group.""
I stared at her.
"My grandmother never sold her recipes.""
"That's what I told Sloane.""
"What did she say?""
Maya looked at me.
"She said the agreement had been signed thirty years ago, and nobody could prove otherwise because your grandmother was dead.""
I stood up.
"She forged a contract?""
"I don't know.""
Adrian raised a hand.
"Let's be precise. Do you have a copy?""
Maya opened her phone again.
"Yes.""
She showed us a photograph of an old document.
The paper was yellowed.
The signature at the bottom read Rose Carter.
I leaned toward the screen.
Something was wrong.
I knew my grandmother's handwriting better than I knew my own.
I had seen it on birthday cards, recipe books, birthday cakes, and little notes left beside my lunchbox.
This signature looked convincing.
But it wasn't hers.
"That's not Grandma's signature.""
Maya stared at me.
"Are you sure?""
"Absolutely.""
I pointed to the final letter.
"She always made the R this way. She never closed the loop. And she wrote her surname with a long, slanted C.""
Adrian took a photograph of the document.
"That can be examined.""
I sat down again.
Everything I thought I knew about my family's history was beginning to shift.
"Why did you give them the notebook?""
Maya's eyes filled.
"Because Sloane told me she had proof that my father was involved in a financial crime at his former workplace.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
"He used to work as an accountant for a Miller restaurant. There was a missing payment. Sloane said she had documents showing he had taken it.""
"Did he?""
"No.""
"How do you know?""
"Because he was cleared. The company investigated him years ago. But Sloane had an old email that made it look like he was involved.""
Maya wiped her face.
"She threatened to send it to the bank. My father's mortgage was already behind. She said she'd ruin him unless I helped her.""
I sat quietly.
"So she used your father's debt and your fear.""
Maya nodded.
"I should still have come to you.""
"Yes.""
"I'm not asking you to forgive me.""
"Good.""
She looked at me.
"I just want you to know that once I realized what she was doing, I tried to stop her.""
"How?""
"I made a copy of the footage. I contacted the competition.""
Adrian nodded.
"She provided the video voluntarily yesterday. Without her testimony, we might not have obtained the full recording.""
I turned toward Maya.
"Why yesterday?""
"Because Sloane called me after filing the complaint against you. She told me she was going to make sure you were disqualified.""
Maya's voice broke.
"She said if I didn't keep quiet, she'd tell everyone I stole the notebook for myself. She was going to leave me with the blame.""
I looked at the notebook again.
There was still an empty space where the missing page should have been.
"What happened to it?""
Maya shook her head.
"I don't know. But Sloane told someone she had to get rid of it before the final.""
Adrian stood.
"Then we need to determine whether the Miller company has any records related to the alleged agreement.""
I picked up my phone.
"I know someone who can help.""
I called my mother.
She answered almost immediately.
"Sweetheart? How's the competition going?""
I looked at the notebook.
"Mom, I need to ask you something.""
"What's wrong?""
"Did Grandma ever work with a man named Arthur Miller?""
Silence.
Not the usual pause while my mother searched her memory.
A deep, deliberate silence.
Then she asked quietly:
"Where did you hear that name?""
My heartbeat quickened.
"Please answer me.""
My mother exhaled.
"Your grandmother told me never to discuss the Millers with you.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why?""
Another pause.
Then she said something that made my fingers go cold.
"Because Arthur Miller didn't steal your grandmother's recipes, Amina.""
I gripped the phone.
"What do you mean?""
My mother's voice cracked.
"He stole her entire bakery.""
I looked at Maya.
She had gone pale.
"Mom, what are you talking about?""
My mother began crying.
"And there's something else. Your grandmother didn't lose that business by accident. She gave it up to protect someone.""
"Who?""
May you like
My mother whispered four words.
"She was protecting your father.""
