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Time capsules and hidden treasures captivated young Ariel’s imagination. The thought of preserving cherished moments, objects, or ideas for future generations long after she was gone filled her with wonder. So, leaping from the lowest branch of the old sycamore and landing softly just outside her parents’ window, she dashed into the night. The ancient maples cast their long shadows under the full moon, revealing fleeting glimpses of her white nightgown as she ran across the field. Deep in the woods, near an abandoned miner’s shack, stood a pine tree with its roots jutting out like the weathered elbow of an old man. Kneeling by its side, her fingers dug into the damp soil until they found the buried Mason jar. Within its weathered lid, she carefully placed an envelope containing small, delicate beans. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, deep within a tropical rainforest, a remnant of legend still struggled for survival, reaching for the sun as it clung to its fading existence. Little could anyone have foreseen that on this quiet night, as Ariel knelt beneath the cool evening stars, praying for her own life, the seeds of the Chocolate Syndicate were being sown.
Like any exquisite recipe, The Chocolate Syndicate weaves together the flavors of truth and fiction, where 80% is pure and 20% is just the right amount of sweetener to enhance the complexities and let the harmonies sing. The story spans decades, tracing the quest for a mysterious strain of cacao that, in its essence, echoes the dawn of time. Part 1 of The Chocolate Syndicate: A Simple Twist of Chocolate is set to release in the winter of 2024. For the sake of privacy, the names have been changed, but the essence remains true.