Luxury Boutique – Late Morning
The boutique's glass doors opened with a soft chime, releasing a wave of cool air scented with jasmine and old money. Rows of velvet displays stretched across the floor, glittering under the chandelier's golden glow. Here, wealth wasn't shouted~it was whispered~in the way attendants bowed, in the silk drapes that swallowed sound, in the way every item sat as if it had been waiting centuries for the right hand to claim it.
Amelia Blake paused on the threshold. The city was already simmering outside, sunlight pooling across the streets, but in here, the world felt still~curated, expensive, safe. She needed that quiet. For two days, her mind hadn't rested: the upcoming Blake celebration, her father's expectations, the constant comparison with her brothers.
She had to stand out. She always did.
