Chapter 5
In contrast to the unsuccessful attempt at making kalops, Emma's journey to join Ignition Labs unfolded much more smoothly, courtesy of Erik. Throughout the process, Erik provided regular updates, instilling a sense of assurance in Emma. Following several interviews with key management at Ignition Labs, Emma secured a role as a tutor. Her inaugural task involved crafting and delivering a workshop to the CEO in Residence, similar to the one Erik conducted but tailored for internal purposes rather than public presentation. Recognizing the importance of establishing her presence among entrepreneurs, Emma understood that making herself known was crucial for them to seek out her expertise.
Stockholm's cafes provided an ideal setting for brainstorming, particularly when contemplating workshop topics. Emma had become a regular in the cafe-working community. Each day, armed with her laptop, she headed to a charming cafe within walking distance from her residence. Following a light lunch, she tackled any necessary errands before returning home for some at-home exercises. Though she faced some challenges in progressing with her dinner cooking project, it remained a persistent focus for Emma.
Emma was resolute and unwavering once she set a goal. This characteristic proved to be both a strength and a weakness. When applied to problem-solving, it propelled her, as evidenced by her entry into a top university. However, when directed towards a person, it became perilous—after all, change was the only constant in human nature. In her middle school years, she experienced an unrequited crush, which took five years to overcome, until she met William. Contemplating how long it would take to move on from William now left Emma feeling apprehensive. Yet, the tranquillity of routine in a foreign city, coupled with her accumulated relationship experience, provided solace. "This too shall pass," Emma reassured herself, embarking on new endeavours she could focus on.
Facing a momentary roadblock in her solo brainstorming, Emma recognized the need for external input. Erik immediately came to mind as a reliable source. However, hesitant to burden Erik with a minor issue, considering the help he had already provided, Emma opted to reach out to her friend Zoe instead. Zoe, a former classmate from university days with startup experience, seemed like the perfect sounding board for Emma's current challenge.
During the impromptu Zoom call, Emma shared her surroundings with Zoe, receiving a flurry of compliments. Following updates on their lives, they delved into the brainstorming session. An hour swiftly passed, and with Zoe's guidance and inspiration, Emma crafted an outline for the workshop. She chose to expand the discussion on funding and valuation for startups, recognizing the importance of thorough preparation in the face of an anticipated economic downturn. However, delving into this topic seemed to bridge Emma to the finance profession—territory that had been exclusively William's domain.
While she just thought of William, she heard his name: "do you still talk to William?"
"...of course no. Why?"
"I was a little hesitant but thought you might be interested - I met William a couple days ago at a small uni gathering."
Emma didn't respond.
Zoe took her silence as permission to go on: "I heard through the grapevine that William is working on a significant project. It's making quite the buzz, and there's talk that it might even make headlines in the Financial Times."
"..." Emma felt it was unfair at first while she was trying to navigate the recruitment. But she succeeded in maintaining her composure: "Well, good for him. I hope it goes well."
Zoe, ever perceptive, added, "You seem okay with it. How are you really feeling about all this?"
Emma took a moment, contemplating her emotions. "I'm fine, honestly. We've both moved on with our lives. It's just interesting to hear about his achievements."
"You know, Emma, when I saw him last, he didn't seem as good as before. He looked tired, not as energetic as I remembered."
"Tired, you say? Maybe it's just the workload. Investment banking can be demanding, and he always threw himself into his projects."
Zoe nodded in agreement. "That's what I thought too. But it's different this time. He seemed a bit... off. I tried asking, but he brushed it off as the usual work stress." After a short pause, Zoe added: "I think the breakup took a bigger troll on him than you thought."
Emma sighed softly, the emotion for William creeping back into her mind. "I am not sure about it. I mean, he was the one who decided to break up, when I needed him the most. He thought I became too needy and it was not necessary."
"Emma…"
"So you may just over think it. He was always a person making all the decisions. And he knew what he was doing, as usual." Emma tried hard to hide her emotions. "Let's talk about something else."
Zoe skillfully shifted the conversation to lighter topics before the end of the call. But Emma's mind remained in turmoil. The memory of William's face during their breakup replayed vividly in her thoughts: very determined. His reason was that their paths deviated, but his eyes did not look at her. Emma had a intuition that she was too afraid to confirm: he left her because his girlfriend showed a sign to need a lot of emotional support after the big tech lay-off, but he needed to focus on the high-profile project that would elevate his dream career.
For a while, Emma was trying really hard to convince herself that their shared history was more resilient than the challenges they faced. Yet, she couldn't shake the question of when things had soured between her and William. Perhaps it began after they both entered the workforce. Initially, they were enthusiastic about the new chapter in their lives. However, as the nights stretched into early mornings and William returned home at 3 am more and more frequently, Emma sensed a gradual change. The prolonged work hours meant less time for their relationship, a fact Emma had already prepared herself for. However, it wasn't just the time; William seemed increasingly disinterested in investing emotional energy in their connection. This shift began to instill a sense of fear in Emma – a fear that, in turn, fueled a growing neediness for comfort from him. Following the significant tech layoff, Emma found herself yearning for comfort from William, after all she cared about her career no less than William cared about his. But William's work had become all-encompassing, leaving little time or energy to spare for their relationship.
Regardless of the futile contemplation, Emma redirected her focus to pressing matters. Having completed the workshop outline, she swiftly delved into preparing additional materials. Seeking Erik's insights, she juggled administrative tasks like scheduling meeting rooms, devising marketing plans, and setting up sign-up forms. These new responsibilities not only offered a sense of novelty but also served as welcome distractions.
In a short span, all preparations were complete, and Ignition Labs officially announced the workshop on social media. Witnessing her name and image on the post brought a tangible sense of the transformations in her life. However, not everyone in her circle was aware of these changes—like that change that she moved to Stockholm. This awareness quickly spread as she interacted with the post, triggering a flurry of messages inundating her phone in the following days.
Emma recognized the need to adjust her location to Stockholm on social media, and she proceeded to do so. Over the course of a few days, she replied to each message. But one day, amidst the reactions on social media, she noticed William's profile appearing in the list.