The air felt different the moment I stepped off the plane. Even before we reached baggage claim, I could sense the shift — the way people moved faster, the voices louder, the air heavy with the faint scent of the city. Julian stayed close as we made our way through the terminal, the silk roll still in my carry-on.

By the time we reached the boutique, the afternoon light was sliding across the street in a way that made the glass front gleam. I had expected to find it quiet, maybe a handful of ...