Chapter 6
I turned and walked away, the weight of the moment pressing against my chest.
When I reached home, I stood in front of the house where Charles and I had spent a decade together.
After our business flourished, we moved back to his family’s estate. In passing, I had the old house renovated, perhaps out of sentiment or maybe out of habit.
Every brick, every tile, every tree, and every blade of grass in this courtyard had been chosen by Charles and me. The grandest tulip tree in the backyard was one we had transplanted from the park beside the basement.@
When we had nothing, our greatest joy was strolling through that park.
Charles once said, “This tree proves the ten years of hardship Natalie endured with me. As long as it stands, so does my promise: I will never let her down.”
But spring had yet to arrive, and the tulip tree stood lifeless. Its barren branches stretched toward the sky, devoid of vitality.”
Much like the last ten years between Charles and me, it was hollow and stripped of warmth.M
I retrieved a chainsaw from the storage room and asked my neighbor’s husband to help me cut it down.
He looked at me, startled.
“Every autumn, when the tulip leaves turned golden and fell, my wife and I would see you and your husband sitting beneath this tree from our rooftop terrace, drinking coffee, reading side by side. It’s been ten years, hasn’t it? And now, you suddenly want to cut it down? Are you sure you can bear it?”
I took a slow sip of coffee, a faint smile tugging at my lips.
“Life is vast, ever–changing, like the mountains and rivers. There’s nothing that can’t be let go of.“M
My neighbor fell silent. He said nothing more.
And just like that, the tulip tree that had stood for a decade crashed to the ground. A dull ache settled in my chest, yet beneath it, a quiet relief unfurled.
I arranged for someone to clear away the remains.
My neighbors, drenched in sweat from the effort, wiped their brows. As a token of appreciation, I gifted them a luxury coffee beans set I had treasured for years, the very one Charles had taken me to bid for at an auction after our business had flourished. Once, I had cherished it deeply.
As I continued sorting through my belongings, I found myself sifting through the gifts Charles had given me over the years: exquisite diamond bracelets, gold necklaces, and a custom–made wedding veil. And later, an endless stream of luxury handbags, devoid of warmth, lacking any real sentiment.
Forget it. I wouldn’t be needing them.
I sold everything for a fraction of its worth. Between that and the assets Charles had agreed to give me in the divorce settlement, I had more than enough to live comfortably for the rest of my life.N
By the time I was done, I realized I had nothing left to take with me.
I stepped into the shower, washed away the dust of the past, and changed into fresh clothes.
I gazed into the mirror, a quiet gratitude settling within me. Years of care had rewarded me well; at thirty–nine, I looked no different from twenty–nine.\\
sign.
I could wear delicate pearl earrings with effortless grace, yet still carry the timeless elegance of diamond bracelets. A reassuring
Slipping into low–heeled shoes, I picked up my bag and walked out.
But unlike before, I didn’t take the house keys with me.)
I left them behind, along with the twenty years of love, devotion, and heartache I had poured into this place.
From that moment on, I would never return.
After settling Eleanor and Orion down, Charles drove home, his mind tangled in frustration and unease.
Lately, something had been off. He couldn’t explain it.
Seeing Orion like that today made him snap; he had actually struck Natalie for the first time. And worse, he hadn’t even let her speak.
The image of her before she left the hospital surfaced in his mind.
Her eyes held nothing. No anger, no pain, just an unsettling calm.W
“Damn it!“%
Charles slammed his fist against the steering wheel, the sharp sting doing nothing to clear the mess in his head.
He veered off to the side of the road, rolled down the window, and let the cold wind lash against his face, hoping it would sober him. He hadn’t felt this way in years.
For so long, his life had been built on control, comfort, and careful restraint. He had almost forgotten what it was like to be this restless, this agitated, like a wildfire burning just beneath his skin.
Just like he had been… back then. A teenager, raw with frustration, clawing his way through those early years.
