[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-2603222E6F78-145":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},145,47,"Chapter 47: \"Maybe the Ocean Is Where I Belong.\"","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The car pulled away slowly, leaving Rose Harrison with a bitter cocktail of emotions churning in her chest. She stared out the window, her gaze lost in the distance, miles away from the present.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">At the Harrison Estate, Margaret Hayes and their long-time friend, Veronica Hughes, were sitting in the garden, chatting amiably. From a distance, Margaret saw Caspian Hughes’s car pulling into the driveway.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The three of them stepped out of the vehicle, offering polite greetings.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Veronica Hughes pulled Rose into a warm embrace, her brow furrowing with concern. \"Rose, you've lost so much weight! Has someone been treating you poorly out there?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Rose let out a soft, forced laugh. \"Aunt Veronica, you say that every time. No one is bullying me. Besides, with Lily and Caspian around, who would dare give me a hard time?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"That’s right! Mom, you’ve doted on Rose since she was a little girl—haven't you noticed that I’ve lost weight too?\" Lily Hughes teased, pouting with mock indignation. \"I’m getting jealous of my own mother now!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Veronica didn't take the bait. Instead, she feigned anger and waved a hand at her daughter. \"You’re a cheeky one, aren't you? Look at yourself. You’re always causing me headaches. If you were even half as sensible as Rose, I’d be able to sleep at night.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Margaret stood by, laughing at the display. She knew her friend well; Veronica always pretended to be annoyed with her daughter, but she spoiled Lily rotten. It was just another case of their bark being worse than their bite.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Alright, alright,\" Margaret intervened with a smile. \"Veronica, stop putting my Rose on a pedestal, it’s getting embarrassing. Come on, let’s head inside for some tea and a bit of rest.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The group made their way into the house.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Rose, I absolutely adore the jewelry designs you’ve been putting out,\" Veronica said softly as they sat down. \"I heard you went to Europe for inspiration. How was it? Did you find what you were looking for?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Rose was a jewelry designer for the Harrison Group, and this trip had indeed been her excuse to seek inspiration abroad. At the mention of Europe, her composure nearly shattered. She felt a sharp, stinging pain in her chest, but she forced a regretful shake of her head and pushed the raw ache deep down.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Veronica, a seasoned socialite who had navigated high society for decades, noticed the flicker of pain in Rose’s eyes immediately. She probed gently, \"Is everything alright? Did something happen to upset you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Caspian, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, felt a jolt of anxiety and tugged discreetly at his mother's sleeve.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Veronica caught the signal and pulled back, but Rose had already begun to speak.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Aunt Veronica, it’s nothing serious. I just... I think I met the wrong person, and I needed to come home to clear my head. That’s all.\" Rose managed to squeeze out a fragile smile.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"That's enough for now. Home is where you’ll always find peace.\" Seeing Rose’s vulnerable expression, Veronica felt a sharp pang of sympathy. She had always preferred Rose’s gentle, thoughtful nature over the chaotic energy of her own daughter, and she had treated her like a second child for as long as she could remember.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Come, come, have some fruit,\" Margaret said, bringing over a platter of freshly imported cherries to break the tension. \"These are incredibly sweet.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The group shared the fruit, laughing and joking as the mood lightened.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Rose sat back, lost in thought. This was what a family should feel like. She didn't need the grand titles or the heart-wrenching, cinematic romance she used to dream of. All she wanted was this—this quiet, simple stability. That was the happiness she had been chasing all along.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She realized now how foolish she had been. She had believed that if she just kept trying, Maximus Anderson would eventually see her worth. But it had only ever been her own one-sided devotion. One person’s strength wasn't enough to sustain a marriage, no matter how hard she tried to hold it together.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Perhaps it was time to let go of the forest entirely and venture toward the ocean. Who knew? Perhaps the ocean’s vastness was exactly what she needed to heal.\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272922993]