The light in the room was dim. Only a golden strip spilled over the edges of the full-length mirror leaning against the wall ahead. The rest of the space was plunged into cozy, welcoming shadows, like the inside of a womb: warm, silent, primal.

Lauren stood barefoot on a thick black rug, her body covered only by a light silk nightgown. The straps slid slowly down her shoulders, as if they knew they no longer belonged there. In front of her, the mirror reflected more than her image—it ...