ARIA
As I stared at my phone for what felt like the hundredth time that morning, Luca's number still refused to connect. It had been a full week now, and the silence was gnawing at me like a persistent ache. I hoped with every fiber of my being that he was okay, that this was just some temporary glitch in his travels or work. But worry had a way of creeping in, especially at night when the world went quiet and my mind raced with worst-case scenarios. Sleepless nights had become my new normal, and today, of all days, I had to pull myself together for the Aveline Fashion Week. The models were waiting, and I couldn't afford to let my personal turmoil spill over into my professional life.
"Luca, baby, where are you?" I whispered to the empty room, my voice barely audible over the hum of the
