Golden Shine was calm that afternoon.
Sunlight filtered through the glass windows, reflecting softly on the polished floor. The mannequins stood dressed in Grace’s latest designs -simple silhouettes, gentle colours, elegant but not loud. The store had always been like that. Quiet confidence.
Grace stood behind the counter, going through order slips while Amber adjusted a dress on a mannequin nearby. Lina was in the storage room, carefully organising new fabric rolls, humming softly to herself.
Everything felt… stable.
The sound of the wind chime came from the door.
Grace didn’t look up immediately. Customers came and went all day. But Amber froze for a second, her hands pausing mid-adjustment.
Grace noticed and lifted her head.
Samuel stood at the entrance.
