From His Ex-Wife to the World's Most Sought-After Restorer (Jade and Hudson) novel Chapter 233

Her career was her foundation. She couldn't rely on anyone else. She needed her own money to get things done.

The next day.

Jade met up with Jewell to look for a commercial space.

She preferred quiet. An ancient book restoration studio didn't need high foot traffic.

She decided to look outside the main downtown area.

In the car, Jewell updated her on the Victor situation.

Hearing about what Jade had gone through in Habor City, Jewell was shaken.

"I know you said Victor and Lyndon didn't see your face, but you have to be careful. Don't go anywhere alone. You're an easy target if you're by yourself."

Jade nodded seriously. "I know."

Then, something occurred to her, and she turned to Jewell.

"What about you and Victor? What's the plan?"

Jewell shrugged. "I'm just waiting for the right moment to dump him. A guy that cold-blooded? I don't care how nice he is to me, I'm not staying with a snake."

They reached the Northern Suburbs.

As she stepped out of the car, Jade surveyed the surroundings.

It was a new development—peaceful, green, and quiet.

The storefronts came with a small plot of land in front that could be turned into an outdoor lounge.

Jade liked it. Jewell agreed it was a great find. After some discussion, they settled on the third unit on the right.

The natural light was perfect, the view was open—it was an ideal working environment.

Any client coming here would feel at peace.

Jade could already see the design in her head.

She called the agent, signed the lease, paid the deposit, and headed straight to an interior design firm to give them her specs.

Construction started that same afternoon.

Ten days later, the studio was finished.

Jade and Jewell went to do the final walkthrough.

The studio was dominated by natural wood tones. Under the warm yellow lighting, the space looked clean, bright, and inviting.

Jewell ran her hand over the smooth pearwood shelves.

"Jade, your taste is impeccable. I'm in love with this place. I might just move in."

"Be my guest," Jade smiled.

"Stay as long as you want."

On opening day, a crowd of old and new faces appeared. Looking closely, several high-profile names from the old guard of Kingston and Habor City were in attendance.

Jade had hired a few assistants, instructing them to give every guest their full attention, promising bonuses once the day was over.

The flow of clients was constant. Jade was busy writing orders while her staff worked seamlessly. Seeing it all come together gave her a profound sense of satisfaction.

This was the result of her hard work—the reputation she'd built, one restored book at a time.

Knowing she'd done this on her own strength, without leaning on anyone, gave her the first real hope she'd felt in years.

Not far from the studio, a limited-edition Maybach was parked at the curb.

Hudson Walter leaned against the door, a cigarette between his fingers, his gaze fixed on the entrance of Metamorphosis Studio.

Jade was wearing a pale moon-white silk gown today. A single branch of ink-wash orchid was embroidered along the skirt, winding up to her incredibly slender waist.

Her hair was pinned up with a white jade hairpin. She looked elegant, composed, and utterly radiant in the crowd.

Hudson watched the high-society crowd gathered there, his lips curving into a ghost of a smile.

That was his wife. She had backbone.

He looked toward the trunk of his car.

Even though Jade hadn't invited him, he'd come anyway. In the back were two bottles of vintage wine and a bouquet—a perfect addition to her display counter.

Suddenly, a figure appeared beside him. He turned and frowned when he saw Amara Hoyt.