The sign above the small wooden table caught Mara off guard: Don’t cheat. Pick a candy apple to see how honest you really are. It sounded playful, almost like a joke, yet it stopped her in her tracks. The apples were neatly arranged, each one glossy and upright, glowing under soft lights as people around her made quick selections and laughed it off. Mara didn’t laugh. She lingered. Something about the moment felt heavier than it should have, as if the choice in front of her carried more meaning than a simple treat. She had spent years avoiding difficult truths,...
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