The elevator rose slow and silent, carrying her higher into the night until Paris unfolded like a dream beneath her. Becca stepped out onto the platform, her heels clicking against metal as the wind tangled through her hair. The city shimmered far below, streets like veins of light pulsing with life, and she felt it too, that rhythm deep inside her. Her dress clung to her like midnight itself, long and black, whispering against her skin with every breath. She moved to the edge of the tower,...

The lights dimmed to a slow pulse, blue and gold rippling through the haze as the crowd’s chatter melted into a low hum. Becca stepped onto the stage, every movement smooth and unhurried, a silhouette made of rhythm and confidence. The first beat hit, soft and deep, and she began to move — not for the applause, but for the heat that came from owning every inch of the room. Water spilled from above, catching the light as it poured over her skin. She tilted her head back, letting it soak...

The garden had grown wild in her absence, or perhaps it had been waiting for her all along. Becca descended the stone steps slowly, feeling the cool evening air kiss her skin as crimson petals carpeted the ground beneath her feet. The roses had bloomed impossibly thick, their fragrance so heavy it felt like breathing in velvet. Moonlight caught the curves of her body as she moved deeper into the garden's heart, where the flowers grew tallest, most desperate for attention. She sank into them...