Chapter 1

Gloria’s kitchen smelled of freshly brewed coffee as she leaned against the counter, her burgundy nails tapping the porcelain mug. At 38, she carried herself with the poise of someone accustomed to boardrooms and power suits. Her nephew, Henry, sat cross-legged on a barstool, his college textbooks sprawled beside a half-eaten bagel.

“Henry, I need a favor,” Gloria said, her voice steady but edged with urgency. “I’m taking a week off work, but *no one* can know. Not my team, not my boss.”

Henry blinked. “Why? You’ve been working 24/7 since I got here.”

Gloria sighed, the lines around her eyes softening. “Burnout. If I tell them I’m *actually* vacationing, they’ll pile work on me remotely. This way, I can… disappear. But someone needs to keep up appearances.” She slid a key across the counter. “Stay here. Answer my work calls. Be me.”

Henry’s laugh was nervous. “You want me to impersonate you? I’m a man, you’re-”

“-a workaholic who needs to unplug,” Gloria interrupted. She pulled a sleek black wig from a shopping bag. “You’re my size. My clothes fit you. And with this…” She tossed the wig to Henry. “We’re practically twins. No One Will Know!”

Chapter 2

The guest bedroom became a dressing room. Gloria’s closet yawned open, a kaleidoscope of tailored blazers, silk blouses, and pencil skirts. Henry hesitated, then slipped into a navy skirtsuit that fit like a second skin.

“The makeup’s the key,” Gloria said, guiding him to the vanity. She blended a contour stick along Henry’s cheekbones, mimicking her own angular face. A taupe eyeshadow, a swipe of crimson lipstick. Finally, the wig-chestnut waves framing Henry’s face.