“Are you sure you want to do this alone?” Sandra asked, watching Evelyn sit at her studio desk, surrounded by stacks of sketches and the application forms for the design residency program in France.

Evelyn looked down at the sheet of paper in her hand and gave a slow nod. “I’ve waited long enough for others to decide my path. This time... I want to walk it on my own.”

The autumn wind brushed against the studio windows, making the white curtains sway gently. The room was quiet—unusually so. There was no laughter from Haruki, no scent of William’s coffee. Only the ticking of the clock and the sound of...