157: The Tangled Webs We Weave

Emma's world was a carousel of obligations, spinning relentlessly with the weight of her responsibilities. Work at the office had resumed its steady rhythm, but her dealings with Peter Smith had hit another snag, entangled once again by Alex's persistent intrusions. "He's making it impossible to focus on anything else," Emma vented to Peter Smith over the phone, her voice laced with exasperation. "Every opportunity he gets, he's there, trying to 'explain' things." Peter, caught in the crossfire of Emma's frustrations, felt unjustly blamed. "It's Alex who's causing this chaos, not me," he tried to reason, the strain evident in his voice. Back at headquarters, Emma found herself swimming against the current of Wayne's expectations. "He's dumped everything on me," she confided in Jada, who listened sympathetically over a hurried lunch. Jada, always ready to leap to Emma's defense, suggested, "Let's give Alex a piece of our minds. Enough is enough." Emma shook her head, wear