Aria POV
The bus ride felt endless.
I rested my head against the window, watching the city slowly disappear behind me.
Every mile placed more distance between me and Lucien.
With every passing hour, the ache in my chest grew heavier.
I clutched my mother's sewing box tightly on my lap.
It was all I had left of her.
And somehow, holding it made me feel a little less alone.
"You'll be okay," I whispered to myself.
I wasn't sure if I believed it.
---
Two days later, I arrived in a small town several hours away from the capital.
The apartment I rented was tiny.
One bedroom.
A small kitchen.
Barely enough space for a sewing machine.
It wasn't much.
But it was a fresh start.
I spent the next few days looking for work while continuing to sketch new fashion designs whenever I had
