MONICA' PAYNES POV
The sun was setting over Salt Lake City, painting the sky in deep hues of orange and purple. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, trying to focus on the road ahead, but the tension in my shoulders hadn't eased all day. There were too many deadlines. Too many deals hanging in the balance. I glanced down at my phone for a second—another email from corporate, another task to add to the never-ending list.
But that split second was all it took and then the car jolted violently, a loud pop echoing from the tires as the steering wheel jerked out of my hands. "No, no, no— "
The tire blew out, and I felt the car skid on the slick asphalt. Panic shot through me as I tried to regain control, but the wheel spun wildly in my hands. The car veered off the road, gravel crunching beneath the tires as the world tilted. I slammed on the brakes, heart hammering in my chest as the car finally lurched to a stop in the dirt just off the side of the road.
