Lahat ng Kabanata ng Contract Over: You're Free to Go: Kabanata 221 - Kabanata 230

What hurt Silas most was remembering the joy he had felt—like a child who had finally found a tiny glimmer of light in the darkness, he had eagerly filled the studio with things that were truly his, one little piece at a time.The fire Carlton started hadn't just destroyed the furniture and computers; it had burned away the sense of belonging Silas had just managed to piece together as an independent designer.The sounds of the water dripping echoed.His breathing grew heavy and ragged as he clenched his teeth, the force pulling the muscles in his jaw tight. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop the spastic trembles in his hands.The faint sound of splashing water came from beside him.Avery dropped the metal pipe she was holding and walked over. Then, she reached out and took his violently shaking hands in hers.Her hands weren't warm. In fact, they felt cold after she had rummaged through the ruins in the freezing wind. But she had a strong, unwavering grip. Witho

Morning in Bellmere was wrapped in a biting early spring chill.At 7:30 am, a black Maybach glided smoothly along the elevated highway towards TRS Group Headquarters. The car was quiet, save for the faint swish of tires rolling over wet pavement.Leaning back in the rear seat, Teresa scrolled through her tablet, reading the morning financial updates.Ever since sending that final "Take care" text, she had forced herself to cram every waking second with work. Only in the deep, exhausting hours of the night did she allow herself to retreat like a snail into its shell, quietly nursing the wound that never seemed to heal."We interrupt with a brief local news update…"At around 1:40 am today, a sudden fire broke out in a loft building in Section C of Bellmere's Meliere Art District. Fire services responded swiftly to control the flames. There are currently no casualties reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation…"Section C of the Meliere Art District?Teresa's

Outer walls of the red-brick building that once had a hanging wooden sign were now blackened by smoke. The second-floor windows looked like burned-through black holes.Teresa spotted Silas at the edge of the ruins. He wore a thin black jacket, covered in mud and dark ash, looking utterly disheveled. But he stood straight, and his back carried a stubborn, unyielding strength.Then, she saw Avery standing by his side. She wore a utility jacket and didn't mind getting dirty as she half-kneeled in the mud.Teresa watched as Avery stood up and gripped Silas' ash-covered hands firmly. And instead of pulling away, he held her hand in return.Their eyes met amid the ruins. She couldn't hear what they said, but the dead look in Silas' eyes was gradually ignited with a brilliant, dazzling light. It was an unwavering, steadfast support born between true comrades-in-arms that needed no explanation.Teresa sat in the warm car and watched the scene in silence. Her fingers dug into the edge of t

Silas walked over, opened a bottle of water, and gave his dust-covered hands a quick rinse. Then he found an empty paint bucket beside the drywall, sat down, and started digging into his food.Anything tasted amazing after doing manual labor all morning.Avery squeamishly laid down a sheet of scrap newspaper before sitting down. Picking through the vegetables in her taco, she reported their progress."The gallery sent over the next payment, and the insurance company has finished assessing the fire damage. We took quite a hit from depreciation on the computers and furniture, but at least we recovered some of the money."What's our next move? Do we return to the Meliere Art District and rent a new space, or do we move to a different spot?"Silas swallowed his food, set the takeout aside, and wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. He stared at the tinted, anti-glare glass being installed nearby, and his gaze gradually turned thoughtful."Avery, how far do you think

Dust danced wildly in the spring sunlight at the boutique inn's construction site.Silas sat on a stack of drywall boards, gripping a half-empty bottle of water as he stared at the name "Miranda Cane" on his phone screen.Right now, he felt more uncomfortable than having swallowed a fly.Avery sat beside him and watched him stare at the screen intently, almost like he was boring holes into his phone. She piped up mercilessly, "What? Can't you bring yourself to call her?"Yielding to money is nothing to be ashamed about in the business world, Mr. Langston. You're pitching an investment, not selling yourself."Silas sighed. Just as he took a deep breath and braced himself to tap on the call button, his phone suddenly buzzed, almost like it was burning his hands.The caller ID flashing on the screen was the name he had been staring at for the past ten minutes.Silas flinched, his hand trembling so hard he nearly dropped the phone into a pile of cement dust nearby. He quickly steadi