Emma trudges through the pouring rain, her sweater soaked and her spirit heavy. At twenty-three, life has already tested her beyond measure. A year earlier, she lost both her parents in a car accident, leaving her to shoulder grief and financial strain alone. Her mother’s comforting words — “Tough times don’t last forever” — echo in her mind as she pushes forward.Bills, rent, and student loans pile up, and Emma’s bank account shows only fifty dollars. Each day feels like survival, stretching meager meals and counting coins. Seeking shelter from the rain, she steps into a small grocery store, her exhaustion mirrored in the dull hum of fluorescent lights.