Beyond the Divorce

As I reached the doorway, someone opened the door for me, and I stepped inside.

The house was grand. It gleamed white like something out of a fairy tale palace. The landscaping in the courtyard was beautifully manicured, with a veranda at one end and a white swing gently swaying in the breeze. I could almost see a girl in a red dress sitting on it, her laughter echoing in the courtyard, while a handsome boy pushed her higher on the swing. She soared like a bird, high into the air.

The boy was handsome, exuding an aura of elegance.

The girl excitedly shouted, "Higher. Can you make me go higher?"

As I turned around, I saw a gentle woman sitting on the veranda, watching us from afar.

I heard the girl's voice ring out, "Mommy, am I high enough?"

She just smiled, not saying a word.

The woman got up to leave, and I quickly looked away from the swing, hurrying to catch up. I felt a genuine fondness for her.

She was just ahead of me, heading toward the villa's greenhouse. It was a large glass structure bathed in sunlight, looking absolutely radiant inside.

It was filled with exotic flowers and plants, and I gazed around curiously.

large pond, quietly observing the lotus blooming there. They

"Stella."

out,

"Do you

a bright smile. "It's beautiful. Why do you like

the embodiment of all things

at the lotus in her

was made of inset rubies carved into the shape of petals that were intricately mounted on a base. The entire flower was exquisitely crafted and lifelike, sparkling in her palm, its priceless value evident. "It's a brooch. Do you think it

me feel particularly warm, and I wanted to move closer to

the lotus brooch to my dress. It shimmered brilliantly against the backdrop of

I ran out of the garden while calling for

in. Several people got out. Their faces were a bit blurry to me, but I still called out to them, "Do I look

and I saw my father when he was young. He picked me up,

the house, still

the hall, and I kept calling out

hall, there was a white piano that gleamed,