The relentless beeping of the alarm echoed through the room,from beneath the blanket, a hand emerged, blindly searching in a desperate attempt to silence the piercing, high pitched noise,blinking against the dim light filtering through the curtains, she grabs her phone that layed charging overnight on the night stand, a quick tap illuminated the screen revealing the time - 5:30 am, a slow stretch shook off the last remnant of sleep before her feet found the cold ground,she proceeds on her first task of the day, laying her sheets neatly ensuring there were no creases, then her pillows and her blanket followed, looking at the perfectly made bed gave her a sense of accomplishment, putting on her fluffy indoor flip flops, her feet padding softly on the ground as she heads out of the bedroom towards the kitchen.
By 5:45am, she began brewing a cup of green tea, the scent mingling with the morning air, as the tea steeped, Anastasia spent 15 minutes on yoga, a slow controlled practice that allows her to center herself for the day. The predictability of the routine was her anchor, something she could rely on when the world felt chaotic. Every stretch was deliberate, every breath measured. By the time she finished her coffee was ready, she siped her green tea slowly savoring the moment of peace before the rush of the day began.
It was 6:30am and she made her way to the bathroom where she brushed her teeth, scraped her tongue, flosses and then concluded the cycle by gargling with her mouth wash, stepping into the shower only after ensuring the temperature of the water was perfect, steam curled into the air as warm water cascaded over her tired muscles washing any lingering drowsiness. A towel tied snugly around damp skin while careful steps led to the vanity, moisturizer smoothed over a freshly cleaned face, followed by quick practiced strokes of a brush through her neatly parted hair as she pulled it into a clean neatly wrapped bun. Anastasia moved effortlessly towards the mirror, precise strokes of a brush sculpted sharp cheekbones, enhancing the natural contours of her face. A flawless base set the stage for a sultry yet sophisticated look - smoky eyeshadow blended seamlessly, accentuating an intense gaze. Deep,red matte lipstick followed, completing the transformation into an effortless balance of balance and allure, each movement was deliberate, a silent deceleration of confidence. Dark and defined brows framed piercing eyes, while a touch of highlighter added just enough glow to contrast the bold aesthetic.The finishing touch came in the form of a sleek cat - eye, sharp enough to command attention without word, with the final sweep of setting powder, the reflection in the mirror exudeds control and poise. The clean girl elegance created a perfect fusion of subtle refinement and undeniable authority.
Anastasia headed to her closet to pick up the clothes, shoe as well as the bag she has picked out the previous night making dressing effortless, each piece chosen for both comfort and professionalism. A final glance in the mirror ensured everything was in place, confidence settling in like a familiar companion.
Her workday started at 8:00am sharp, a time she would never dare to miss. The commute was methodical, car keys in hand, a quick check of the phone to ensure there were no urgent emails and out the door precisely at 7:30am. The route was always the same, the radio dial set to the same channel, the windows cracked just enough to let in fresh air. Anastasia's schedule left no room for errors every step of her day from morning to bedtime was carefully planned out.
Today was far too important for deviations, the presentation of which she has been preparing for months was her chance to secure foreign investors from one of the largest European firms and her flawless pitch was set to secure a multimillion dollar deal,one that could elevate her career to new heights. Every slide has been rehearsed, every word choosen with precision,every possible question anticipated, no mistakes, no surprises, nothing could go wrong.
At 7:45am, as always, she made a quick stop at The Cafe Lexington , her favorite, a small indulgence before a high pressure day. The aroma of the espresso lingered in the air as she stepped in, already pulled out her payment card, her usual order, an Americano with a splash of almond milk was spoken without hesitation, the moment felt routine like muscle memory. As she waited her briefcase rested against the counter, fingers tapping against the smooth leather absentmindedly. Besides her a man stood with one hand clutching a black leather briefcase and the other one scrolling through his phone. He wore a slightly wrinkled blazer over a plain t- shirt, the sleeves pushed up just enough to suggest he had rolled out of bed and thrown it on without much thought. His hair was slightly tousled, not in a styled way but in a "forgot to brush it" kind of way, after sometime of scrolling on his phone endless he put it into his pocket and yawned into his fist blinking twice at the menu like he hadn't seen a menu all his life and it was a life or death decision to make, he then proceeded to toss out the most chaotic coffee order she had ever heard. "Uh…..let's do a double espresso, no wait, make it an oat milk latte, actually scratch that, just black coffee, extra sugar and maybe a muffin? Anastasia's jaw clenched at the sheer inefficiency of it all, as she reached for her briefcase the tardy man beside her grabbed his at the same time, their hands brushed over identical cases, and in her urgency to get back on her schedule,she lifted up her left wrist to eye level taking note of the time, "whoops I almost took yours " he said chuckling as he adjusted his grip, his voice was light and casual like he had no were urgent to be. She offered a tight lipped smile already pivoting towards the exit without waiting to see if he had anything else to say she walked out clutching the familiar weight in her hand, never once thinking twice to check.Neither of them noticed the mistake.
Once arriving at work, her desk was organized in an orderly fashion, pens neatly aligned, a daily planner opened to todays task, a to do list already mapped out, everything on track.
Setting into the conference room, she placed the briefcase on the table ready to pull out her laptop and notes. The lock clicked open and confusion set in. Instead of crisp documents and a neatly arranged presentation folder, a pile of sketchbooks, a half eaten granola bar, a bag of sour candy, crumpled receipts, a hoodie - an actual hoodie, stuffed in there like a forgotten gym back and what appeared to be a comic book stared back at her, who the hell put a hoodie in a briefcase taught Anastasia to herself her breath caught,her stomach lurched as she dug deeper searching desperately for something, anything that resembled a presentation, this wasn't hers, panic surged through her veins as the realization hit, her briefcase, the one carrying her meticulously planned presentation was gone, the room fell silent, all eyes on her. The investors say in complete silence. The CEO seated at the far end of the table, arched a single unimpressed brow. Anastasia throat went dry her fingers trembled over the laptop keyboard desperately searching for backup files but the screen remained blank. No structure to fall back on. The foundation of her routine had crumbled and with it, her confidence, somewhere, possibly still loitering at the coffee shop without a single clue of the catastrophe he had caused was the man whose entire life was apparently held together by caffeine and pure luck and he had her presentation, swallowing the rising dread, she looked up at the expectant faces of the clients, forcing a steady breath.The weight of her own rigid structure crushed her, no backup plan, no plan B, nothing to fall back on, her lungs felt tight, her vision narrowing as she clutched the edge of the table, her mind screamed for a solution but for the first time in her career The great Anastasia Carter had no idea what to do next,this was not part of the plan.