Chapter 20
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Andrew imagined Emily standing under the spotlight and accepting the trophy with a dazzling, confident smile. This was the glory that she deserved, but it’d been delayed for so many years because of him.
He closed his eyes, and the image of the timid yet expectant gaze she had when she first married him flashed before him. He also remembered the sight of her quietly preparing dinner in the villa, her despairing tears at the police station, as well as her cold, unwavering gaze when she last saw him.
A single, scalding tear slid unexpectedly from the corner of his eye, quickly disappearing into his collar.
When he opened his eyes again, the violent storm of emotions in them had calmed, leaving only a quiet, resigned look of release as he quietly wished her the best from afar.
Andrew was releasing himself from this torment by finally accepting that she would always be happy but would never be his again.
He turned off the radio, and the sound cut off abruptly. All that could be heard in the room was the chorus of nocturnal creatures outside.
Andrew picked up a document on his side. It was regarding the funding of a clinic. Turning on the desk lamp, he focused his attention on the information.
The dim yellow light stretched his shadow long across the rough earthen wall. He was alone, but he no longer fought against it.
Three more years passed.
On a warm, sunny afternoon in Perona, Emily stood in her studio on the left bank of the Sierra River. The neighborhood was a hub for artistic endeavors.
Sunlight poured through the huge floor–to–ceiling windows, falling on a massive prototype of Emily’s design that was in its final stage of adjustments. The lines flowed seamlessly, blending classical artistic sensibilities with futuristic technological flair. It was the next masterpiece she was about to unveil.
She wore a simple white suit dress with her long hair pinned up, revealing her forehead and elegant neck.
Her fingers traced a detail on the prototype as she conversed fluently in a foreign language with the international engineer, her expression focused and confident as she radiated a composed yet commanding air.
Just then, she got a call from Spencer.
His gentle voice came from the other end of the line. “Do you want me to accompany you to the celebration dinner after tonight’s awards ceremony?”
Chapter 20
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Emily smiled. “Sure, but I’ll be a little late. I still need to finalize a few things at work.”
“It’s no problem at all, my queen. You are always worth waiting for,” Spencer declared with a smile, his voice full of support for her.
After the call ended, Emily’s assistant came in with a bouquet of fresh white roses. The card bore Spencer’s well–wishes. “I will always be proud of you.”
Though devoid of any lavish flattery and sweet nothing, it clearly conveyed the love and respect he had for her.
Emily was no longer the woman who only existed as Mrs. Stone.
She was Emily Jamison, the superstar of the international design industry. Museums considered her work worthy of adding to their collections, and her name was synonymous with words like innovation, strength, and elegance.
She was in full control of her own life, possessing both a flourishing career and love.
Spencer’s appearance in her life was like a gentle wind that soothed the scars from her past. He admired her talent and respected her independence. What he gave her was her own space as his equal and a steadfast love, not a suffocating need to possess her or dominate her.
With him, Emily felt unprecedented peace and freedom.
Marriage was no longer a necessity for her. She enjoyed the present state of mutual companionship and support that allowed for each other to grow and succeed.
Happiness was no longer an unattainable luxury for her either. On the contrary, it was something she now held firmly in her hands. It was a part of her peaceful and fulfilling life.
In the evening, she stood in front of the mirror after having changed into a haute couture gown.
she prepared for the award ceremony.
The woman in the mirror had a bright, steadfast gaze and a warm, pleasant smile. All traces of her painful past had been tempered by time into a display of determination and wisdom in her eyes.
Emily picked up her handbag and confidently walked out to the waiting car, ready to embrace the glory that was hers to revel in.
