Maya stepped into her apartment just as the sun was beginning to set, casting a warm golden hue across her living room. The soft click of the door closing behind her felt like the end of a whirlwind. 

She leaned against it for a moment, exhaling a long breath. The laughter and music of Anika’s birthday still echoed faintly in her ears—memories that already felt distant now that she was home.

Slipping off her heels, she walked barefoot across the polished floor and placed her purse on the console table. 

The apartment was quiet, a stark contrast to the vibrant banquet hall she’d left behind only hours ago. 

The walls,...