Thalia’s car rolled slowly through the towering wrought-iron gates of the Williams gigantic estate, the headlights glinting off the long, curving driveway.

Her body ached from the relentless back-to-back shoots, every muscle heavy, yet her mind refused to stay quiet. She rested her head against the leather seat, her lip pressed together and her eyes half-closed, trying to block out the lingering chaos in her thoughts.

Despite the exhaustion, despite the gnawing weight of everything she’d endured, every single shot that day had been perfect, every pose, every smile, every flicker of expression had hit exactly right. Even when her mind threatened to spiral, she had delivered wonderfully.

It was...