She ultimately landed on one of her work blazers paired with a T-shirt, a pendant necklace, jeans, and her glossy white-and-rose-gold sneakers. It was hardly on the level of an Instagram influencer, but for Mira, it was more than enough.

Once cozy in bed, she grabbed her phone, set an alarm, and opened the airline app. “You better work this time,” she muttered, sounding equal parts threatening and nervous. A few taps and a long pause later, she sighed in frustration.

The convenient online check-in was simply not to be.

Knowing she’d need extra time to check in at the airport, she edited her alarm for some all-important buffer, before placing her phone on the nightstand and switching off the lamp.

In a matter of moments, Mira’s nervousness faded into eager anticipation.

Tomorrow is going to be amazing.

Three

M

The next morning

The sun burned brightly in the clear blue sky, its powerful rays making the Seine River sparkle.

Mira leaned against the railing of Pont des Arts, the bridge across from the Louvre with spectacular views from all sides. Her current vantage point was the iconic one, with the Eiffel Tower showcased in the distance. She wasn’t close enough to admire the famed structure’s intricate wrought-iron composition, but it was the only clear look she’d gotten since arriving, and she wanted to make it last.

A long sigh escaped from Mira’s lips. It was a moment loaded with the first real semblance of joy she’d felt since the business trip had begun, and with two full hours remaining, she hoped it wouldn’t be the last. Her stomach grumbled with anticipation, fixated on the famous French toast that was to come.

Despite her stomach’s soundtrack of calorie deprivation, she couldn’t leave the bridge without capturing the postcard image. She snapped a photo and immediately examined it. “Why does it look so much smaller?” she groaned. She utilized the zoom feature and gave it second try, but a frown was her only reward. “Why does it look so blurry?”

It was still quite early in the day for Paris, and Mira’s current surroundings showed it, with minimal traffic out on the roads, and only a few locals and early-bird tourists making their way on foot.

Mira crossed the road with brisk steps, passing a café terrace serving coffee to the day’s first tourists. Her path led her along the Louvre’s outer exterior and then into the smaller side streets, the perfect route for a foreigner wanting to soak in the atmosphere of Paris.

In a matter of minutes, Rue Saint-Honoré became Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and though the width of the street hadn’t changed at all, there was a marked difference in the offerings. Quaint cafés and pâtisserie shops gave way to Gucci, Cartier, Hermès, and every other high-end boutique well beyond her financial reach.