In the days following the Moonlight Gala, a tense quietude descended over Evelina's world. She threw herself into the demanding aftermath of such a high-profile event—overseeing promotional media coverage, solidifying new client acquisitions, and capitalizing on the global buzz surrounding Haute Elegance's debut onto the international stage.

All standard operating procedures in the wake of a successful launch. Evelina's days blurred into a cyclone of meetings, conference calls, and meticulous data analysis. If she remained constantly inundated beneath the churning tides of her empire's basic operations, it kept her mind blessedly occupied.

Because the moment she allowed her focus to drift, unbidden flashes of Morgana's taunting emerald stare and that...