Threads of Second Dawn | Chapter 1

Rain turned Vancouver Island's main street into a long gray ribbon. Lila Chen unlocked Second Dawn Atelier with a key that still felt like her aunt's, not hers. The bridal-and-alterations shop smelled of steam, starch, and the faint citrus cleaner Aunt Mei had insisted on until the last letter Lila found in the sewing desk.

AI narration: Kokoro af_sarah. Promotional excerpt.