ARIA’S POV
“Welcome,” I said automatically as the studio door opened, my eyes still focused on the client’s face in front of me.
The weekend had been exhausting in every sense of the word. The grand opening of my studio had turned chaotic, Luca had traveled, and my emotions were still trying to find balance. Today was the first official workday after everything that happened, and I had promised myself that no matter what, I would stay professional.
No one replied to my greeting, and that made me pause.
I lifted my head slowly, expecting to see a shy client or maybe someone unsure of where to go. Instead, my eyes landed on Karen. Standing beside her was a woman who looked strikingly similar to her. Same sharp eyes, same confident posture and same air of entitlement.
“Karen,” I said, fo
