CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOUR – FALLING OUT OF BALANCE

The following week blurred into a whirlwind of activity. Emails pinged incessantly, conference calls crackled with logistical discussions, and fabric swatches littered every surface of Karina's office. Paris loomed large, a relentless countdown clock hanging over her head. Becky, usually a ball of sunshine bouncing around the warehouse, seemed to have shrunk into herself. One afternoon, Karina found her daughter nestled in a corner of the sewing room, surrounded by discarded scraps of fabric. She wasn't humming her usual made-up songs; she was meticulously stitching a lopsided doll dress, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Hey, sweetheart," Karina said softly, kneeling beside Becky. "What are you making?" Becky looked up, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face. "A dress for Princess Fluffykins," she mumbled, gesturing to a worn-out stuffed unicorn that had lost most of its stuffing. "But the fabric doesn't look right." Karina's heart ached. The fabric scraps were remnants