Affluence -

She walked to the dining room—a space large enough to hold a town council meeting—and sat alone. A team of people had prepared a three-course meal, yet she felt no hunger. The exquisite food felt… heavy. She thought of a story she’d read, the "paradox of affluence," where having too many rewards eventually steals the capacity to enjoy them.

Julianne looked at the empty, immense room. Then, she looked at the text. affluence

The heavy oak door of the penthouse sealed out the city noise, leaving only the soft hum of the climate control and the faint scent of white lilies. Julianne stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking down at the shimmering grid of lights that was Manhattan. She walked to the dining room—a space large