Forgotten Wife My Ex-Husband Regrets It After I Left (Clara and Liam) novel Chapter 285

Sienna’s POV

After finishing all my notes, I closed my laptop and reached for my phone. The clock on the wall showed a little past one. I had to be at Rudolf’s studio in two hours.

If I left at two, I would arrive right on time.

But there was one more thing I needed to do to let Liam know that I wouldn’t be able to pick up Noah.

I let out a short breath before dialing Liam’s number. The first ring connected quickly.

“Hello, love?” Liam’s voice sounded warm, as it always did.

I felt a small wave of relief immediately. “Liam, are you busy?”

“No, I just wrapped up a small meeting. What’s going on?” His tone shifted, more focused.

I bit my lip. “I don’t think | can pick up Noah this afternoon.”

There was a brief pause. “Okay. Why? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” I answered quickly. “It’s just that I have an appointment with Rudolf. He agreed to meet today, at three.”

Liam sounded like he was nodding. “Rudolf? Ah, that illustrator. It’s good that he agreed to meet on such shortnotice.” His voice was filled with his usual support. “Of course, I can pick up Noah. Don’t worry.”

I smiled softly, even though he couldn’t see me. “Thank you. I’m sorry it’s so sudden.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Sienna,” Liam replied gently.

“This is a big opportunity for you. I’m glad you finally found someone who fits.”

My cheeks warmed. “I’m still nervous, actually.”

“That’s normal,” he said. “Rudolf is known to be a bit cold, but if he’s agreed to meet you, it means he’s interested in working with you.”

I held my breath for a moment. “I hope so.”

“I’m sure you can handle it,” Liam continued. “You’ve faced much harder things before. This is just a professional meeting.”

zipped the tote bag and set it on the sofa for a moment, then walked to the kitchen. I poured myself a glass of water, letting the ice clink softly before drinking it sip by sip. My throat felt better, though my heart was still beating a little faster than usual. Not panic is more like anticipation.

I glanced at the clock again. There was still time. Enough to calm myself, but not enough to linger in doubt.

I returned to the small workspace in the corner of the apartment. The desk wasn’t big, but it had witnessed many long nights, many ideas born and discarded, many pages written only to be erased. I tidied the remaining papers, stacking them neatly into a folder. My handsmoved automatically while my thoughts drifted.

Rudolf.

His name circled my mind again. His concise way of speaking. His quick decisions. No small talk, no hesitation.

Completely different from most creative people, who tended to wrap everything in metaphors and layered sentences. Perhaps that was exactly why I felt challenged.

I sat down briefly at the desk and opened my notebook once more. I reread the key points I’d written: the tone of the story, its core emotions, the central character, the colors I wanted to highlight. I added one small note in the margin: don’t be afraid to explain your vision. I wrote it slowly, as if advising myself.

My phone buzzed again. This time it wasn’t a message, just a weather notification. Clear skies until evening. I smiled faintly. At least the sky was on my side.

I stood and walked to the window. From there, I could see the front yard that had felt warm and lively earlier that morning. Now it was quiet. A sense of solitude slipped in, but it wasn’t painful. It felt more like an empty space waiting to be filled. A space to grow.