- ARIA
By the time I hit the pavement outside the subway station, my feet weren't just aching—they were staging a full-scale revolt.
I’d spent forty minutes packed into a train car like a sardine, breathing in the scent of wet umbrellas and cheap coffee.
"Whose idea was this?" I muttered to myself, shifting my briefcase as I trudged the last few blocks toward the mansion. "Oh, right. Mine. My brilliant plan for self-worth."
Being a working mom was a special kind of endurance sport. My brain was fried from staring at Vanguard Realty’s spreadsheets, and my body was pulsing with the familiar, heavy ache that meant Adrian and Aurora were definitely ready for their next meal.
I wanted to quit. For about five seconds, I genuinely wanted to throw my heels into the gutter and craw
