Maya woke up to the soft sound of birds singing just outside her window. The curtains were already pulled back slightly, letting in the warm morning sunlight. She sat up slowly in bed, feeling the gentle breeze from the open window brush against her skin.

For a moment, she didn’t move. She just sat there, taking it all in.

She slid out of bed and walked across the room barefoot. The marble floor was cold but smooth beneath her feet. Everything in her room still looked so new and beautiful—elegant furniture, soft curtains, fresh flowers in a vase. It felt like a dream, but one she was slowly getting used...