Celine woke up to the sound of soft knocking on her door. For a moment, she lay there, eyes closed, not wanting to face the reality of the day. Today, she had to bury her father. The thought weighed heavily on her chest, making it hard to breathe. Reluctantly, she forced herself to sit up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.
"Miss Thunwood, it's Rachel," came a familiar voice from the other side of the door.
Celine dragged herself to the door and opened it sluggishly. "Rachel... Thank you for coming."
Rachel's face was a mix of sympathy and concern. "Of course, Miss Thunwood. I heard about your father. I got permission from President Rodriguez to be here."
"Oh, wow, thank you so much," Celine expressed again, her voice cracking. "I really need this today."
Rachel stepped forwa
