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AUTHOR’S POV
Sloane sat at her desk, her fingers skimming over the delicate edges of a stack of papers filled with handwritten notes.
Her office was bathed in a warm, golden glow from the lamp beside her, casting soft shadows across the polished mahogany surface.
A faint scent of fresh peonies lingered in the air, blending with the rich aroma of coffee that had long gone cold in her untouched cup.
The room was silent, save for the occasional rustling of paper as she flipped through the lists of gemstones she had curated for the upcoming collection.
Rows of velvet-lined trays lay before her, each filled with exquisite stones—deep blue sapphires, blood-red rubies, emeralds so green they looked almost unreal.
She had spent months sourcing them, ensuring each one was of the
