Chapter 1:

The First Touch

I slammed my laptop shut at exactly 7:45 PM, the glow of the screen still burning behind my eyes. Another twelve hour day in marketing hell endless client pitches, tight deadlines, and my boss breathing down my neck about the latest campaign metrics. My shoulders felt like they were carved from stone, and the dull ache in my upper back had become my constant companion for weeks now. At twenty eight, I was supposed to have it all together: a thriving career, a loving partner, maybe even a cute apartment with plants I didn’t kill. Instead, I had a recent breakup with David that still...