Chapter 19

The city felt heavy with expectation that morning.
Dawn broke in muted greys; no sun, only the promise of light filtering through dense clouds. I woke alone in the loft, Julian having left early to meet with one of our distributors before store openings. Simone and Marcus would arrive soon. I wrapped myself in a faded shawl and pulled back the curtains, watching a single cab slip into a boutique’s loading bay. Capsule seven. Watching tangible results unfold felt nothing like stillness or brinksmanship. It echoed the momentum we had fought to regain.
My phone vibrated on the desk. A secure message from Mara: