It was 6 o'clock in the morning.
The alarm clock was blaring in the room, and Anaya, half-asleep, reached out and turned it off.
When her eyes opened, the first thing she saw was the ceiling.
And the same old question was in her mind—
Will I be able to manage everything today, too?
She got out of bed and quietly went towards the kitchen.
Her mother was making tea.
Her face looked tired, but her smile was the same as always.
"Beta, get ready quickly. Don't be late for college."
Anaya nodded.
Her father was reading the newspaper.
He just smiled faintly at her.
There was a question in his eyes.
And the answer is in Anaya's eyes.
There was no need to speak.
Anaya knew—he was worried about her, too.
College lectures and internship work...Both were going on simultaneously.
Sometimes, she replies to emails by opening her laptop during class.
And sometimes I edit articles while sitting on the bus.
People say, "Enjoy your youth."
But when responsibility is on your shoulders,
Even youth becomes a duty.
That day, during the third lecture, Anaya's eyes started burning.
And her head felt heavy.
Her friend quietly asked.
"Are you okay?"
She replied with a fake smile.
"Yes, just a little tired."
But the truth was that she was exhausted from within.
In the evening, while submitting her office work, she received a message from her senior.
Try to be faster. Clients don't wait.
She stared at the screen for a few seconds in silence.
Faster.
As if she were a machine.
When she returned home and put her bag down,
It felt as if there was no life left in her legs.
Her mother gave her food.
She ate in silence. Dad said,
"Son, take care of yourself too."
At that moment, his eyes welled up.
But he lowered his head.
That night, when he opened his diary,
He wrote:
Today I understood…
Time also demands its installments.
From sleep, health, and sometimes even happiness.
He closed the diary.
Lights off.
But sleep didn't come.
Because he knew—
This was just the beginning.
And the real test was yet to come…
What new challenge awaited Anaya next? And , would she be able to face this challenge bravely as well? To find out, read the next chapter of our story exclusively on Webnovel.