A waste of time." So, he had left her alone in a solitude he considered a waste of time for 3 full years until she finally amassed enough disappointment and decided to erase his world along with him completely out of her life. Ethan slowly crouched down, picking up a small chunk of dried clay Chloe had accidentally dropped on the ground. The rough texture pricked his palm.

So, this was what it felt like to have one's heart hollowed out. Carrying the damp clay piece, Chloe walked along the cobblestone path back to the lodge. Dusk fell like a river as red lanterns along both banks lit up one by one, scattering into shimmering warm lights upon the rippling water. Her steps were firm, her heartbeat long restored to calm.

The momentary tension and forced composure she had held in front of Ethan ebbed away like the tide the moment she stepped out of his sight, leaving behind a deep weariness and beyond that, a crystal clear resolve. She wasn't surprised that Ethan had tracked her down. With his influence and resources, finding her was only a matter of time. She just hadn't expected it so soon.

It seemed the signed divorce papers and the debit card had ultimately bruised his arrogant pride. It likely wasn't love, but simply the discomfort of having a possession slip out of his control.

When she reached Seven Clouds Lodge, the landlady, Clara, was tending to plants in the courtyard. Seeing her, Clara walked up with concerned eyes. Chloe, that gentleman earlier, was he really your husband? Chloe offered a faint smile, not denying it.

He used to be. Soon, he won't be. Clara, a woman of experience, saw Chloe's serene face and lack of grief, understanding the situation immediately without probing further. She patted her hand gently.

I'm just glad you're back. I have lotus-seed soup simmering on the stove. It's soothing and good for sleeping. Let me ladle you a bowl.

I saw you working hard all afternoon without eating properly. A gentle warmth surged through Chloe's heart. She nodded and thanked her genuinely. Thank you, Clara.

This pure, simple kindness between strangers was something she had rarely experienced in that grand, icy mansion. While Aunt Mary was warm, it was ultimately an employer-employee dynamic bounded by boundaries. Here, the boundaries between people were soft and comforting, much like this bowl of hot soup, warming her stomach and soothing her soul. She sat in a wooden chair in the courtyard, taking small sips of the sweet, warm soup.

The night sky was clear, sprinkled with sparse stars. The evening breeze blew past with the aroma of home-cooked meals and faint laughter from neighboring homes. This was real life, raw, unpolished, yet filled with genuine warmth, no longer the suffocating bubble where she had to remain an elegant, quiet, and poised Mrs. Vance at all times. After finishing her soup, she returned to her room.

The small space was simply yet warmly decorated with the flowing river right outside her window. She carefully placed her new clay piece on the wooden desk by the window, inspecting it under the lamp. The shape wasn't quite perfect yet, her hand turning the wheel still a bit unsteady, but it was the first decent piece she had crafted independently. Master Miller had said it had soul.

Soul. Chloe brushed her fingers over the rough surface of the clay, recalling the moment Ethan appeared at the courtyard gate earlier. Her initial shock had quickly turned into relief. What was meant to come would come, and this was a clean break.

She didn't turn on the main light, sitting quietly in the glow of the moonlight and lanterns outside. Ethan's appearance was like a pebble tossed into a pond. It created ripples, but the depths of her heart were no longer raging with storms. In just 7 days of mud, sweat, failures, and starting anew, she felt as though the resentment, hurt, and longing accumulated over 3 years had been kneaded piece by piece into the clay, transformed with every spin, shape, and polish into a quiet, grounded strength.

She thought to herself that she had truly moved on. Meanwhile, in the town's only decent hotel, Ethan stayed awake all night. The accommodations were modest, nowhere near his usual luxury suites, but sleep eluded him. His mind replayed the scene in the workshop courtyard over and over.

Chloe's calm gaze, her detached tone, and that line, "Let's let each other go." He had never imagined the word release would come out of Chloe's mouth aimed at him. He had always been the commander. He decided when things began, set the pace, and assumed he would be the one to decide when it ended.

Yet, she had walked away in the most decisive manner possible, taking control into her own hands. Assistant Leo sent over more detailed updates, including Chloe's routine over the past 7 days. She woke at 7:00 a. m. for a stroll by the river, headed to Nie En Studio at 8:00 a. m., and had a bowl of noodles at a small alley diner for lunch. Continuing her study and practice in the afternoon. returning by evening and sometimes visiting a local tea house to listen to folk storytelling before calling it an early night.

Structured, tranquil, and fulfilling. The report included a few distant photos. One showed her sitting on stone steps by the river. Staring softly at the water.

Another showed her stepping out of Nie En Studio cradling something in her arms. A subtle smile playing on her lips as sunlight kissed her hair. Ethan stared at that smiling photo for a long time. He suddenly realized he couldn't remember the last time Chloe had smiled so easily, naturally, and genuinely in front of him.

It seemed like a lifetime ago. So long that the memory was blurred. As if possessed, he opened his phone's family photo album, a folder he rarely touched. Inside were mostly formal photos taken at their parents' insistence right after they got married, along with a few snaps from corporate galas where she had accompanied him.

In those photos, she was always impeccably dressed and made up, holding his arm with a textbook smile, yet her eyes were often distant. Even through the lens, one could feel her cautiousness and emotional distance. Not a single picture captured the earthy, vibrant smile she wore in these recent photos. The dull pain in his chest flared up again, sharper and clearer than before.

He turned off his phone and walked to the window. The ancient town's night was serene, filled only with the murmur of water and occasional distant barking. A world away from the city's neon lights and nonstop traffic. Chloe had said, this place was her peace.