CHARLOTTE

When Sonia arrived to walk me to the car, I couldn’t hide my relief. What had begun as a dinner meant to ease the stress of my day had spiraled into yet another source of anxiety.

I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and shut out the world.

Sonia tried to start a conversation during the ride home, but I wasn’t in the mood to talk.

She seemed to sense my reluctance and eventually stopped trying, keeping her attention on the road while the driver skillfully navigated through the city.

The moment we arrived at the penthouse, I headed straight for the elevator. Once inside the apartment,...