Chrises stood behind the counter with a bright, warm smile spreading across her face. Her hands moved with care as she opened the cash register and placed the fifty gold coins inside.
The coins clinked softly against each other, and she closed the drawer with gentle satisfaction. She let out a soft breath, the kind that came from genuine relief and happiness.
Her first customer, her first sale and not just one Lucid, but five.
It felt like the store had finally taken its first real step into Velaris.
She rested her palms over the counter for a moment, letting her excitement settle in her chest. She kept replaying the moment in her head. If Liam had been beside her, she would have shown him the biggest smile she had.
She hoped more people would come after him. She hoped momentum would build. She hoped the whole district would start whispering about the mysterious shop.
But hopes did not always match reality.
