Chapter 37

• The rain hadn’t started yet, but the air outside the boutique smelled like it would. That sharp, metallic scent clung to the pavement and the windows, thickening the stillness. I stood in the upstairs studio, staring out across the skyline. The city lights flickered in the distance, dull behind the clouds, like even they were unsure whether to shine or wait.
• Behind me, the low murmur of voices filtered in from the design floor. The staff was finishing final adjustments for Capsule Eight’s media trial. Every stitch, every texture, every campaign shot had been tailored to reclaim something. Not just elegance, but truth.
• Julian’s voice came softly from the doorway. “They’re ready when you are.”