This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.
The rain drummed against the tall windows of the Meridian Gallery as Sophia Chen adjusted the lighting on her latest painting for the third time that evening. The abstract piece, a swirling mass of deep blues and silver, seemed to capture the storm brewing outside—and perhaps the one brewing in her own life. Tonight marked her first solo exhibition in Copenhagen, a dream she'd harbored since arriving from London two years ago.
"It's perfect, Sophia. Stop fussing." Her assistant, Maya, appeared at her elbow with a glass of champagne. "The guests will be arriving any moment, and you need to look like the confident artist you are, not someone who's about to flee the country."
Sophia laughed nervously, smoothing her black cocktail dress. "Is it that obvious?"
"Only to someone who's watched you rearrange the same three paintings seventeen times today." Maya's warm smile softened her words. "Trust me, everything is beautiful. Your work speaks for itself."
The gallery doors opened with a soft chime, and the first guests began to filter in. Sophia recognized several faces from Copenhagen's art community—critics, collectors, and fellow artists who had become her friends and supporters over the past two years. The familiar flutter of pre-show nerves settled into something more manageable as she watched people gravitate toward her work, their faces lighting up with genuine interest.
