The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Catherine’s hotel room, casting soft golden light across the neatly arranged documents on her desk. She had woken up early to review the key points for their morning meeting with a potential business partner. It was not a high-stakes meeting, but it was still an opportunity to make an impression and establish connections.
Nathan, Rachel, and Emily joined her for breakfast at the hotel’s dining area. The atmosphere was lighter than usual, perhaps because the intensity of their usual work environment was momentarily replaced by the excitement of being in a foreign country. Rachel, always the coffee enthusiast, was fascinated by the precision of the barista preparing their drinks, while Emily eagerly browsed a travel guidebook, pointing out pl
