“What’s the status?” Isabella’s voice was firm, masking the urgency she felt.

Victoria was on the verge of tears. “It’s bad. We can’t withdraw our registration now. We haven’t even started preparing for the International Jewelry Design Competition. And the first draft for the Sterling Industries collaboration isn’t finished.”

She gestured helplessly at the mess of design sketches scattered across the room. “Look at this. All this work for the partnership, and now it’s all just… chaos.”

Isabella scanned the studio. The disarray spoke volumes about the pressure Victoria had been under.

She walked over to a table and picked up a few drafts. Her eyes moved critically over the lines and concepts.

“These are actually very creative. You’ve put a lot of thought into them,” she said, her tone softening in an attempt to offer some comfort.

“But there’s no time to develop them properly now!” Victoria’s voice cracked. “The competition is in a month. We’re never going to make it.”

Isabella set the papers down. She took a deep breath and looked directly at Victoria, her gaze intense and unwavering.

“We’re doing both. We will handle the Sterling project and the competition. Simultaneously.”

“Both?” Victoria stared at her, disbelief written all over her face. “How is that even possible? There are only three of us. One month for two massive projects? It’s insane.”

Isabella stepped closer, placing her hands firmly on Victoria’s shoulders.

“Nothing is insane if we decide to do it. Victoria, trust me. Trust us. We’ve survived impossible deadlines before. We can do this again.”

Seeing the absolute conviction in Isabella’s eyes, Victoria’s panic began to recede. She gave a firm nod, wiping her tears away. Her voice found its strength.

“Okay. We do both. We’ll just have to pull more all-nighters, that’s all.”

A small, determined smile touched Isabella’s lips, a spark of light in the cluttered space.

“First, we need a new schedule. A strict one.”

She grabbed a pen and a fresh sheet of paper, her hand moving quickly.

“We finish the first draft for Sterling Industries in two weeks. Then we revise. The final two weeks are dedicated solely to the competition.”

Victoria leaned over the table, studying the aggressive timeline. Her brow furrowed.

“Two weeks for the first draft? That’s nearly impossible.”

“I know it’s tight. But we have no choice. We maximize every minute. We increase efficiency. We work as one unit.”

“Alright!” Victoria agreed, her own determination flaring up.

With renewed energy, they began sorting through the scattered designs, organizing them into separate piles for each project.

The studio filled with the sound of rustling paper and low, urgent discussion—a mix of tension and driven purpose.

The clock ticked on, each second a reminder of the race against time.

Isabella pushed open the heavy doors of Hawthorne Residence. The familiar warmth of home wrapped around her.

The studio’s stress began to melt away, replaced by a deep sense of relief. She kicked off her shoes and dropped her bag on the console table.