Part Three 

Just then, her assistant knocked. "Lara, your next meeting is in 5 minutes. Oh, and your mum called again." Lara's chest tightened. 

Mum wanted her to attend a big corporate gala tonight. "Tell her I'll try," Lara said, distracted.

Suddenly, Lara's thoughts swirled. _Gala... suits... deadlines... is this it?

She glanced at her sketchbook hidden in her desk drawer. Pages were filled with bakery sketches, croissants, and Paris streets. A spark ignited, What if…

Lara looked up, a decision brewing. “Reschedule my meetings. I need to go... home.”

Lara headed to Ikoyi, to the old neighborhood where memories lingered. 

She parked outside her parents' house, took a breath, and stepped in. Mum was in the kitchen, making jollof rice.

"Mum, I won't make the gala tonight," Lara said, voice firm-but-nervous.

Mum turned, surprised. “Lara, why? It's a big deal,all the big shots will be there. You can't just skip it.”

Lara hesitated... and that's when things got real.

Lara took a deep breath, the words tumbling out. "Mum, I don't want to do this anymore. The corporate thing, the suits, the meetings... it's not me. 

I want to bake, I want to create things that make people happy."

The kitchen fell silent. 

Mum's face darkened like a storm. "Lara, what are you talking about? Leave this corporate job for a bakery? In Paris?! 

What about your career? What about security?"

Lara stood her ground, voice rising. “Security's not everything, Mum! I want to do something that makes me happy,I want to bake.”

Mum scoffed. “Happy?! Happiness doesn't pay bills, Lara! We worked hard for you to have this life and now You're throwing it away for... for bread?! ”

The argument swirled, louder and hotter. "You don't understand!" Lara said. “This is what I want!”

Mum shot back, "We did what was best for you! And now you want to chase some dream with some Max in Paris?!

What's he got to do with this?!"

Lara's eyes flashed. “Max believes in me! He wanted us to do it together...”

Mum slammed a pot down. “Enough! You'll do what's best for you – the job, the gala, the life we planned. No more of this Paris nonsense.”

Lara's jaw clenched. _The life they planned... not mine