Ashes of Betrayal: A Daughter's Fiery Return

The smell of smoke and burning flesh still felt real on my skin.

I woke up gasping, my hands flying to my throat, expecting to feel the char and ruin from the fire I died in.

But I was back in my own bed, weeks before the Lone Star Smoke-Off, the competition that ended my life.

My father, Andrew Johns, the patriarch of the famous Johns barbecue dynasty, stood by my side, feigning pride while secretly grooming my half-sister, Gabrielle, to steal my legacy.

They' d sabotaged me before, but this time, it was more than just a competition.