“We were just debating the merits of the Amalfi coast versus a private villa in Kyoto for the solstice,” Marcus said, kissing Elena’s hand.
Elena’s life was a masterclass in curated joy. She had spent her thirties building an empire and her fifties dismantling the stress of it. Now, her days began with Pilates at dawn and ended in spaces like this, surrounded by people who valued wit over youth.
At sixty-two, Elena Vance knew that timing was the difference between being noticed and being remembered. She smoothed the silk of her emerald floor-length gown—a vintage piece that clung to her with the ease of a lifelong friend—and stepped into the amber glow of the lounge.
