The city outside Emma’s apartment was buried under fresh snow, the streets gleaming white under the soft glow of streetlights. Inside, the warmth of her workspace contrasted sharply with the tension building in her chest. Her laptop screen displayed a slew of emails: client revisions, urgent requests, and design conflicts that demanded immediate attention.
Emma rubbed her temples. She had poured every ounce of creativity and energy into this project, yet unforeseen challenges had begun to pile up. A last-minute client change threatened weeks of work, and her overseas team was struggling to coordinate across time zones.
She let out a heavy sigh and picked up her phone. A message from Liam appeared:
Hey… you okay? You seem stressed in your last call.
She stared at the message, torn betwe
