Morning comes too quickly, the sunlight filtering through the blinds, casting stripes across the floor.
I wake with a start, the weight of the day pressing down on me.
The meeting is only a few hours away now.
I dress carefully, choosing clothes that make me feel confident, even though inside I’m anything but.
The walk to the lender’s office feels longer than I remember.
Each step echoes with the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
The café below is bustling with morning customers, the scent of coffee and freshly baked pastries wafting through the air.
But it does little to calm the nerves that twist inside me.
I climb the narrow stairs, each creak underfoot a reminder of the unknowns I’m about to face.
The office door stands closed, a simple wooden frame with the lender’s name etched neatly into a brass plaque.
