How to be attractive

Previously

…As Silas turned and walked away, disappearing into the gentle hum of the café, Elara remained seated, the warmth of the teacup still in her hands. The knot in her chest hadn't vanished entirely, but it had loosened considerably. The whispers of Maya, the inner critic, were still there, but they felt fainter now, less insistent. In their place, Silas’s words lingered, a quiet promise, a gentle invitation. The light that shines from within. For the first time in a long time, Elara felt a flicker of possibility, a sense that perhaps, just perhaps, the echo in the mirror wasn't the only story she had to tell.