Chapter 26 - The Anniversary
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A year passed since the final divorce papers were signed.
Claire didn't mark the occasion on her calendar. She didn't plan a celebratory dinner or a quiet evening of reflection.
She simply woke up, made coffee, and went to work.
Vanguard Strategies was pitching a major redesign for a boutique hotel in the city center.
Claire stood in the boardroom, presenting her vision to the skeptical owners. She was sharp, articulate, and completely unbothered by their tough questions.
She didn't manage their egos; she managed the facts.
When the meeting concluded, the lead owner shook her hand firmly.
"It’s an aggressive design, Ms. Ward," the owner said. "But I like it. We'll be in touch regarding the contract."
"I look forward to it," Claire smiled.
She walked back to her office, feeling a deep, resonant hum of satisfaction.
Her phone buzzed on her desk.
It was a text from Daniel.
Thinking of you today. Hope you are well.
Claire looked at the message.
A year ago, that text would have sent her spiraling into a complex analysis of his motives. Was it guilt? Manipulation? A desperate plea for attention?
Now, it was just a text message from a man she used to know intimately.
She didn't overthink it. She didn't draft six different replies.
She simply typed:
I am well. Thank you.
May you like
She sent the message, put the phone on silent, and turned her attention back to the blueprints on her desk.
The past was a room she occasionally visited, but she no longer lived there.
