1 "CHAPTER 1: GOOD MORNING"

The sun was shining brightly on the first day of 2023 and I felt like I had the best day ever. Everything went so smoothly and I was in a great mood. I enjoyed a delicious breakfast, met some new friends at the park, and watched a funny movie with Emma, my best friend. I hoped that the rest of the year would be just as awesome. I had made some resolutions that I was determined to keep, like working out every day to get fit, socializing more to overcome my shyness, keeping my ego in check to avoid conflicts, and staying calm to cope with stress. I had a whole list of them, but I won't bore you with the details. By the way, I'm Aana Myers. Don't laugh at me! I'm introducing myself because it's a new year and a new me, I said to Emma, my best friend, in one breath.

Emma looked at me with a smirk and said, "You know what? You won't keep any of your resolutions after you fall asleep tonight. I bet you $100 on that." She knew I had a habit of making grand plans and then forgetting about them the next day. I challenged her back, "Okay, so you're on. Do you have $100 to spare?" I knew she was tight on money and liked to save every penny. She rolled her eyes and said, "Don't be silly. You'll waste the whole $100 on chocolates anyway." She knew I had a sweet tooth and couldn't resist chocolate. I retorted, "So you admit that you're a cheapskate?" I liked to tease her about her frugality. She sighed and said, "Whatever. Just go to sleep already. I have a flight tomorrow and I need to get some rest. And don't try to change the subject. You agreed to let me go alone on 31st December when you were drunk. You asked your assistant if you could reschedule your appointments and he said no. So don't blame me for leaving you behind." She was going on a business trip and I wanted to join her, but I had too many commitments at work.

I blinked and rubbed my eyes. "What happened last night?" I asked her. She shook her head and sighed. "You were so drunk that you could barely stand. I had to drag you home. You're lucky I was there. Anyone else would have taken advantage of you." I interrupted her and said, "That's it. I'm quitting drinking for good. Even on New Year's Eve. I swear." She gave me a look of disbelief and said, "Yeah, right. How many times have you said that before? I've been hearing the same thing from you for the last three years. We're 23 now, not kids. You need to stop messing around and get your act together, you are a respected businesswoman." I told her, "I'm serious this time. I have big plans for my future. I'm going to be a trillionaire soon. You'll see I'll get it all together, and as you say I'll be a grown child." She snorted and said, "Oh, please. You're such a spoiled brat with a massive ego and no sense of reality. You need a reality check, not a bank account." She went on and on, but I stopped listening. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.