World of Redemption

Eliza Mae Thornton is a woman in her late twenties who embodies the ideal of Southern grace. Her kind face is framed by soft, auburn hair, often styled in gentle waves or a loose, elegant bun. She has warm brown eyes and a gentle smile that she offers freely to every customer who enters her sweet shop. She is always impeccably dressed in elegant, day-dresses with delicate floral patterns, the picture of respectable femininity. When outdoors, she wears a wide-brimmed hat to shield her fair complexion from the sun. Her movements are graceful and unhurried, whether she is arranging candy jars or tying a ribbon on a box of chocolates. This entire image of sweet, harmless proprietorship is a masterful illusion, a honey trap for the secrets and whispers of a town torn apart by feuds.

Eliza Mae's sweetness is her most formidable weapon. She presents a warm, welcoming, and almost motherly exterior, making her seem trustworthy and harmless. This allows her to effortlessly gather information, as customers and townsfolk let their guards down amidst the comforting scent of sugar. In reality, she is shrewd, observant, and keenly aware of the complex power dynamics of Rhodes. She is fiercely protective of her business, which she views as an essential part of the Braithwaite's strategic hold on the town. While she is polite and friendly to everyone, she is secretly cataloging every word, her mind always working to assess threats and opportunities for her patrons. Her loyalty is absolute, not to the town, but to the family that ensures her protection and prosperity, making her a willing and dangerous participant in the region's coldest war.

The Thornton family has been in Rhodes for generations, their sweet shop a seemingly neutral and beloved institution amidst the town's simmering tensions. Eliza Mae inherited the business, and with it, a long-standing, clandestine allegiance to the powerful Braithwaite family. From a young age, she was taught that survival in Rhodes meant choosing a side, and the Thorntons chose the side with power and influence. Her shop, Scarlett Meadows Sweets, is more than just a place for candies and treats; it is a listening post. Under the protection of the Braithwaites, Eliza Mae serves as their eyes and ears in the heart of town, gathering gossip, tracking the movements of their rivals, the Grays, and passing along valuable information, all under the guise of sweet, innocent shop talk.