Alle Kapitel von Contract Over: You're Free to Go: Kapitel 161 – Kapitel 170

It wasn't until today, when Teresa sat alone in her empty, pitch-black apartment, that she recalled that suffocating night and had the despairing truth hit her.The word "Okay" was never Silas' act of compliance. It was the first time he felt completely disappointed in her and gave up on their marriage. His agreement was a faint sigh of defeat as he buried his dreams with his own hands.Teresa had personally crushed his dreams and dismissed them as unrealistic. And now, another equally outstanding woman stepped forward with a two-million-dollar check, confidently declaring to the world that Silas' dreams were worth a fortune.Her fingers trembled violently as she reached for her phone and opened the browser. Everyone said Silas took freelance gigs on design platforms these days, so she typed in "PrimePrint" and awkwardly typed "Silas Langston" into the search bar.Nothing came up. She tried "SL" instead, and finally, a minimalist profile page popped up on her screen.After three y

Today was Sil Studio's official opening day. There was no grand ribbon-cutting ceremony, loud celebrations, or chaotic crowds of reporters invited over.After all the highs and lows Silas had been through, he had come to appreciate this quiet peace of keeping his head low and focusing on real work.He pushed open the glass doors. The 2,000-square-foot loft was cleanly divided into a main workspace area, a client-meeting lounge, and a material display zone.Instead of expensive marble and flashy finishes, the studio featured understated self-leveling concrete floors, warm natural wood, and soft yellow track lighting—all of which gave the space a relaxing, breathable atmosphere.With a light snap, a small party popper exploded in midair, and Avery walked in holding a customized cake. It was crafted into the shape of a miniature drafting board, complete with a pair of compasses drawn in chocolate sauce on top."Congratulations on the grand opening, Mr. Langston!"She set the cake on

As Silas looked at the childish cartoon lunch bag, something flickered slightly in his eyes.Memories of his days in the riverfront apartment couldn't help but resurface in his mind.Back then, he had spent every day switching up recipes and cooking meals, only to sit at the dining table, staring at the air. If Teresa ever came home just five minutes earlier than usual, he would be thrilled for the rest of the night. Now, this incredibly rare gesture of her cooking for him had arrived far too late. He looked at the meal and realized that his stomach had long since adapted to a simple, basic lifestyle. He could no longer digest her heavy "compensation".The silence stretched for more than ten seconds before he looked away from the lunch bag, bringing the drafting pen down onto the paper. When he spoke, his voice was flat as if he were turning away a cold-calling salesman."You don't have to do this. We're divorced, Ms. Sloan. Your time is precious. There's no need to waste your

Every professional term Silas dropped, as well as the analysis of lighting logic he laid out, showed complete confidence in the industry he loved.Teresa sat on the first floor with her hands folded neatly in her lap and listened in silence. In three years of marriage, this was the first time she had truly seen Silas at work.Throughout the absurd three years, she had always remembered him in an apron, cooking in the kitchen, or smiling gently as he asked, "What soup would you like tonight?"She had arrogantly assumed that Silas was just a weak, unambitious man, content with just getting by. But now, listening to his powerful, confident voice from the second floor, she felt as though an invisible hand clenched her heart so tightly it ached painfully.She awkwardly looked around. A few beautifully framed conceptual designs from Silas' Urban Memories series were hung on the wall. There was a large material display wall beside them, where raw concrete panels, warm natural timber, an

The glass door on the first floor closed with a soft click, and Teresa disappeared into the cold winter wind.Upstairs, the office was unusually quiet.Silas remained hunched over his desk, his gaze nailed dead to the expensive drawing paper before him. The black ink that bled out during his pause sat on the clean drawing paper like an ugly scar.Holding her water glass, Avery casually sauntered over. She didn't look at the blueprint, and her eyes went straight to the cartoon-printed thermal lunch bag sitting at the corner of the desk.In a studio filled with wood, polished concrete, and high-end muted gray tones, the pink-and-blue bag from yesterday looked as out of place as a plate of raw cucumbers served at a fancy restaurant."I say, Mr. Langston… She's been gone for ages."Are you still going to sit there like a statue? Are you really not going to drink the soup, or are you just waiting for it to go cold so you can trash the whole thing?"She rapped her knuckles against the