~ Seraphina ~
The morning began, as it always did, with the illusion of control. I stood on my yoga mat in the center of the penthouse living room, the city skyline spread out behind the floor-to-ceiling glass like a silent, indifferent audience. I moved through a sun salutation, my breath shallow and controlled. Inhale. Exhale. Stretch. Reach.
Everything had to be perfect. The green smoothie was blended to the exact consistency; the charity luncheon folders were color-coded and stacked neatly on the mahogany desk. From the outside, I was the same Seraphina Vale the world expected—a woman of quiet grace and unshakeable poise.
But as I transitioned into a downward dog, I felt a sharp, heavy pull in my lower abdomen. My hand slipped. I regained my balance quickly, my heart hammering again
