Chapter 1

The soft hum of a maid's footsteps echoed through the hallways of the Carmichael house as Emma lay sprawled on her bed, sunlight trickling through the gaps in her curtains. The room, spacious and elegantly furnished, hinted at the privilege she had been born into—though it never really felt like her own achievement. Her shelves were filled with old trophies from academic competitions, ballet slippers hung on the walls as a nostalgic token from a life she outgrew, and family portraits lined the walls, showing her and her mother at various events.

Outside, the sound of cars pulling into the driveway signaled the start of yet another workday for her mother, Claudia Carmichael, a formidable figure in the business world. As Emma pulled herself out of bed, she caught the scent of freshly brewed coffee coming from the kitchen.

She descended the stairs slowly, knowing what she'd find: her mother, Claudia, already dressed in her impeccable business attire, running over the day’s agenda with the maid, Maria, who nodded along while handing her a briefcase. Claudia was the kind of woman who could fill a room with her energy before even speaking. She was the head of one of the branch companies owned by Emma’s grandfather—a competitive role that required razor-sharp focus and a will of steel. It made Claudia a strong woman, but it also created distance between her and her daughter.

"Morning, Mom," Emma greeted as she entered the kitchen.

Claudia glanced up, pausing for a brief moment, her mind clearly still on the meeting she had later in the day. "Morning, darling. There’s coffee, if you want some," she said, gesturing toward the kitchen island where a tray sat with coffee and fresh fruit.

Emma helped herself to a cup, knowing her mother’s work was the priority right now. Claudia was always on the move—meetings, business calls, managing staff. It was almost intimidating how smoothly she navigated her world. She admired it, but also couldn’t help but feel a little alienated from it all.

"Do you have plans today?" Claudia asked, glancing up again while scrolling through her tablet.

"Just a study session with Maya. We’re working on that final project for class," Emma replied, keeping her tone light. She knew better than to discuss anything serious in the morning rush.

Maya had been Emma’s closest friend since their first year of college. She was the complete opposite of Emma in many ways: loud, quirky, and with a fashion sense that screamed "look at me!" Maya was the kind of person who drew attention effortlessly, while Emma tended to fade into the background despite her family's wealth and influence. The two of them balanced each other out in a way Emma appreciated.

"How's the project going?" her mother asked, though her voice was distracted.

"Good," Emma answered, not elaborating. There was no point in going into details. Claudia had bigger things to focus on.

As the conversation drifted off, Emma caught her mother glancing at the clock, clearly anxious to get going. "Don’t forget, your grandfather is coming for dinner this weekend," Claudia reminded her, turning toward the door where Maria waited with the car keys. "I want you to be here on time."

Emma nodded. "Got it." She watched as her mother grabbed her briefcase, offering a quick smile before heading out the door, Maria following closely behind. The house grew quieter, the buzz of work leaving with her.

Emma stared at her coffee, the silence pressing in. Life always felt too fast in the Carmichael household—meetings, events, expectations. It was as if they were always running toward something, but Emma couldn’t figure out what exactly she was running toward.

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Later that afternoon, Emma met up with Maya at their favorite café near campus. The place was a cozy escape from the demands of their everyday lives, with wooden tables and string lights hung across the ceiling, giving it a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Maya was already seated in a booth, her head buried in a fashion magazine.

"You’re late," Maya teased, barely looking up as Emma slid into the seat opposite her.

"Sorry, Mom had one of her ‘the world is ending’ mornings," Emma said, rolling her eyes.

Maya chuckled. "Of course she did. And you, what’s going on in your fabulous life, Miss Carmichael? Any news?"

Emma shook her head. "Not really. Just the usual."

"Well, aren’t we just living on the edge?" Maya quipped. "You know, one of these days, you’re going to need to do something spontaneous."

Emma smirked. "Like what? Move to another country? Change my name?"

"Hey, at least that would be interesting. Look at me, I’m doing a project on runway fashion when I should be studying law. Life’s too short to be boring, Emma." Maya always knew how to inject a bit of humor into the conversation, making Emma feel lighter, more carefree.

The conversation drifted on, touching on their classes, upcoming projects, and random gossip about the people they knew at college. For a while, Emma forgot about the pressures of her family, the expectations hanging over her head. Maya had a way of grounding her, keeping things fun even when life was complicated.

As the sun began to dip in the sky, casting a golden glow over the streets, Emma felt a strange sense of calm. She wasn’t sure what was coming next in her life, but for now, she was content in the bubble of her day-to-day routine.

Little did she know, this calm was only temporary. Soon, life would shift dramatically, bringing new people and challenges into her world—none of which she could have anticipated.

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