The Velvet Arrangement | Chapter 1

Rain turned the curb outside Velvet into a black mirror. Seraphine Laurent stood under the awning with a borrowed coat buttoned to her throat and a printout folded until the creases bit through the paper. Opening night meant lines, photographers, and men in tailored black pretending not to recognize anyone worth blackmailing. She was not on the guest list. She intended to be inside anyway.

AI narration: Kokoro af_sarah. Promotional excerpt.