Chapter 1 Emily's Escape

Emily stared out the window of her high-rise office building, her eyes gazing longingly at the horizon. She felt trapped, like a bird in a gilded cage. The past five years had been a whirlwind of success, but at what cost? Her job as a marketing executive had consumed her every waking moment, leaving her little time for anything else.

Just then, her assistant buzzed to remind her of a meeting with a potential client. Emily sighed and stood up, smoothing her tailored suit and making her way to the conference room.

After the meeting, Emily returned to her office and found an envelope on her desk. It was a letter from a lawyer's office, informing her that her great-aunt had passed away, leaving her the beachside cottage in her will.

Emily's eyes welled up with tears as she remembered her childhood summers spent at the cottage. It was the one place where she had felt truly happy and carefree. She knew exactly what she had to do.

"Book me a flight to Coastal Cove for tomorrow," Emily told her assistant, her mind made up.

The next morning, Emily stepped off the plane and took a deep breath of salty air, feeling a sense of liberation wash over her. She had two weeks to renovate the cottage and recharge her batteries before returning to her high-stress job.

Little did she know, her life was about to take a dramatic turn.