Lena sat in the living room, her legs crossed on the couch, flipping idly through the channels on the large flat screen television. The remote clicked lazily in her hand until the screen stopped on a live broadcast. A bright studio filled the frame, with cameras flashing and reporters speaking with excitement. The banner at the bottom of the screen read:

“GRAND OPENING: MAYA DESIGN STUDIO.”

Lena froze. The words burned into her eyes. Her chest tightened, and her grip on the remote grew so hard her knuckles turned white.

Daniel came in from the kitchen, a mug of coffee in his hand. “What are you watching?” he asked casually,...