She Turned Her Grief Into Wings novel Chapter 72

"There's still a lot of room for improvement, but I'll keep working at it."

The way she played the piano reminded him of a stubborn little kid painstakingly copying sheet music under the moonlight—clumsy, yet relentlessly determined.

When he asked her why she chose that specific piece, she told him it was because Bach had written it for his wife, and she wanted to play this special melody just for him.

At the time, Caden had merely offered a faint smile, deciding not to pull her out of her little fairy tale.

The music was beautiful and lively, yet it made the house feel exceptionally desolate.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the small, square velvet box. The matching men's wedding band was still sitting snug on his ring finger. He gave it a gentle twist, noting the faint indentation it had already left at the base of his finger.

He tried to take the ring off, but it was far tighter than he expected, getting stuck right at the knuckle. The skin around it turned red from the friction. It had slipped on so easily back then—why was it so difficult to take off now?

Unable to remove it, he finally gave up.

He tossed the velvet box and the receipt deep into a drawer and slammed it shut.

On the kitchen island sat a warm dinner.

Rolling up his sleeves, he looked down at the meticulously prepared dishes, all tailored to his exact preferences.

Before leaving the house, he had asked the housekeeper to make some seafood porridge. Lifting the lid, he saw the steam still rising from it. He scooped half a bowl and took a hesitant bite.

It looked perfect, and it tasted incredible—rich and smooth. It was ten thousand times better than anything Shera could ever cook.

Yet, the harder he tried not to think of her, the more forcefully she invaded his mind.

From the moment he stepped through the door, everything—the record player, the scent of the diffuser, the seafood porridge—screamed of Shera.

After just a few bites, he suddenly lost his appetite. He put the lid back on and headed upstairs.

After taking a shower, he sat absentmindedly by the window. With his long legs crossed and leaning back in the chair, the floor lamp cast a long, lonely shadow across the room.

He grabbed his cigarette pack, placed one between his lips, and lit it.

Surrounded by swirling smoke, he stared blankly at the tree branches swaying outside the window. Her words from earlier today echoed in his mind.

She had thanked him. Thanked him for choosing to collaborate with her.

And thanked him for making her realize that she had to walk her own path.

Bringing his fingers close to his lips, the ember glowed briefly in the dark.

He had already begun to realize that his feelings for Shera weren't what he had originally thought. It had been so long, yet he still wasn't used to being in this house alone. He had even forgotten how he used to live before she moved in.

It had only been three years, but it felt like a lifetime.

He stubbed out the cigarette, pulled out the photo from earlier today, and stared at it under the light for a long time. His fingertips gently traced the beige silhouette in the picture before he placed it on his nightstand.

Aside from the photo on their marriage license, this was the only picture they had together.

Night fell, and the faint chirping of insects drifted in from outside. Yet, sitting alone in the dark room, Caden couldn't fall asleep, no matter how hard he tried.