Ariana's life had become a meticulously managed, high-stakes equation. Her days were a relentless cycle: morning lectures, followed immediately by a hectic commute to her internship, where she applied her academic knowledge to real-world financial data until evening. She returned to campus as dusk fell, her body tired but her mind still racing. đ
The source of this relentless drive was the monolithic task that loomed over her final year: her Forensic Accounting thesis. The 20,000-word research paper was a mandatory key to unlocking her degree, a demonstration of her ability to investigate financial statements for evidence of fraud, embezzlement, and manipulation. She had chosen a complex case study involving a seemingly legitimate company that had collapsed amid allegations of hidden liabilities.
With only two months until the submission deadline, her dorm room had transformed into a command center. Her desk was buried under a fortress of textbooks, printed journal articles, and sprawling mind maps connecting clues and methodologies. Late into the night, the only sounds were the frantic tapping of her keyboard and the occasional rustle of pages. đ
There was no time for leisurely walks or long conversations. Her relationship with Kian existed in stolen moments,a shared coffee, a supportive text, a weary smile exchanged in passing. She was in the final, exhausting sprint of her academic journey, and every waking moment was a dedicated investment in the future she was determined to claim. đŻ