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 familys 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 neighbors 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 .
Its been ten years , hasnt 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 .
Theres nothing that cant 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 wouldnt 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 .

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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 didnt 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 couldnt explain it .
Seeing Orion like that today made him snap ; he had actually struck Natalie for the first time .
And worse , he hadnt 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 hadnt 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 .