Chapter Sixteen

LARA

I had done this before—packed a bag the night before a work trip, zipping up cubes of neutral blouses and professional shoes while half-watching some romcom in the background. I wasn’t new to this. Traveling for work had become routine over the last few years, and I had developed a packing system so efficient, I could do it blindfolded.

But tonight? Everything felt… different.

“I thought you