Talia Monroe had barely slept.
The city outside her Milan apartment remained quiet beneath the pale glow of morning sunlight, but she had already been awake for hours.
A half-empty wine glass rested on the table beside her.
Several entertainment websites filled the screen of her laptop.
Every article seemed to carry the same name.
Evelyn Hart.
Paris.
International luxury campaign.
Global expansion.
Luxury partnership.
The headlines felt endless.
The more she read, the tighter her jaw became.
Across the living room, Selene sat comfortably on the couch scrolling through her phone while occasionally glancing toward Talia.
"You've been staring at those articles all morning."
Talia didn't respond immediately.
Her eyes remained fixed on the screen.
Another article appeared.
Another photograph of Evelyn.
Another glowing review praising her recent success.
Another prediction claiming she was becoming one of the fastest-rising names in the luxury industry.
