Collide in Solara Heights

Aria Lawson stood in front of the mirror, took a deep breath, and whispered her Monday mantra: “Today, I will not embarrass myself.” Five minutes later, she was dangling halfway out of her apartment door, staring helplessly at the heel of her shoe that had snapped clean off. “This is not my portion,” she muttered, picking up the broken heel like it was evidence from a crime scene. “Satan, try again.” She slipped on a pair of flats she should’ve worn in the first place, grabbed her laptop bag, and dashed down the stairs. She was an event planner in Solara Heights—one of the busiest, loudest, most dramatic cities on earth—and today she had a huge conference meeting. Today was supposed to be her “serious professional woman” day. Instead, the world had other plans. By the time Aria reached the hotel lobby where she worked, she was already sweating, panting, and regretting every life choice. She smoothed her blouse, straightened her bun, and marched into the meeting hall where her boss stood at the front. “Aria, you’re late,” Ms. Bernard said, tapping her pen against her clipboard. “I know, I know. My shoe experienced a tragic death.” The room went quiet. Someone coughed. Someone else tried not to laugh. “Sit,” Ms. Bernard sighed. Aria sank into a chair, praying for invisibility. The meeting began. The hotel was planning a luxury gala next weekend, and Aria was in charge of today’s rehearsal. She nodded eagerly, relieved that things were finally under control. They were not. The moment she stepped onto the stage to test the microphone, the universe took aim. “Testing, testing—” There was a spark, a pop, and then the speakers screamed like a dying robot. Aria jumped so high she dropped the mic, which bounced once, twice, and then slammed into a decorative vase behind her. The vase shattered. The sound echoed through the hall. Everyone stared. Aria froze. “It… slipped?” Ms. Bernard rubbed her temples. “Aria, please tell me the rest of today will not be like this.” “I promise,” Aria said too quickly. “This was just a warmup disaster.” “That’s not comforting.” Aria forced a smile. After the meeting, Aria helped the staff clean the broken vase, feeling the weight of Ms. Bernard’s warning. One more mistake and I’m finished. She needed to prove herself. She needed a big event—something flawless, something grand, something impossible to mess up. Little did she know the universe had heard that wish. And it was laughing. At 3 p.m., Ms. Bernard called her into the office. Aria walked in nervously. “You wanted to see me?” “Yes.” Her boss folded her arms. “A major tech company is hosting a charity event. Their CEO personally requested our best planner.” Aria perked up. “Me?” Ms. Bernard gave her a long, doubtful look. “Yes… you.” Aria squealed internally. “This is your last chance,” Ms. Bernard warned. “The CEO is very strict and very difficult. But if you succeed, you’ll prove yourself.” Aria nodded eagerly. “I won’t let you down.” “You’ll meet him tomorrow morning.” She left the office practically floating. A major company. A huge event. A powerful CEO. This was her chance to shine. Nothing—absolutely nothing—could go wrong now. Right? The universe simply smirked. Because tomorrow, Aria Lawson would meet Liam Carter. And that was when her life would truly begin to go sideways.