Sure, but not with you as the test case. Why? Just wondering, James, you don't owe anyone access to your peace. He saved the message, reading it whenever doubt crept in. She was right.
He'd built something beautiful here, a career, a life, a version of himself he actually liked. Why would he risk contaminating that by reopening doors that should stay closed? The Meridian Tower rose steadily, floor by floor, a physical manifestation of his new life. And James rose with it, leaving the past where it belonged, in the rear-view mirror, growing smaller by the day. The Meridian Tower's topping out ceremony was scheduled for a humid Thursday in November.
Exactly one year after James had landed in Singapore with nothing but a carry-on bag and a determination to rebuild, the building stood 37 stories tall. Its facade a masterpiece of sustainable design. Every angle calculated for maximum solar efficiency. Every surface contributing to the building's ecosystem. Mrs. Leang had insisted on a traditional ceremony, complete with placing the final beam and speeches from the key team members.
James stood with Victor, Elena, and the rest of the team, watching as the crane lifted the ceremonial final piece into place. His phone buzzed. He'd been getting congratulatory messages all morning from colleagues, former classmates, even his parents who'd flown in for the celebration. Then one message stopped him cold from a number he didn't recognize, but the words were unmistakable. I'm in Singapore.
I know you said no, but I'm here anyway. I'm at the Raffles Hotel. Please, James. One conversation. That's all I'm asking.
Then I'll never bother you again. His hand tightened on the phone. Victor noticed everything okay. She's here in Singapore. Elena overhearing frowned.
Your ex-wife, the one you explicitly told not to come. Apparently, my explicitly doesn't mean much to her. It never did. So, what are you going to do? Victor asked.
James looked up at the building. His building, the physical proof that he'd not only survived her leaving, but thrived because of it. I'm going to finish my day. This is my moment, not hers. She doesn't get to hijack it.
The ceremony was perfect. Mrs. Leang gave a speech praising the team's vision and dedication. Victor spoke about the future of sustainable architecture. And when it was James's turn, he stood before the crowd of investors, journalists, and colleagues, and spoke not about the technical achievements, though they were considerable, but about what the building represented. A year ago, he said, his voice steady.
I was in a very different place in my life. I was playing it safe, dimming my own light, living small, because I thought that's what being a good partner meant. Then something happened that forced me to choose. Stay comfortable and unfulfilled or leap into the unknown and see what I was really capable of. He gestured at the tower.
This building is that leap made manifest. It's proof that sometimes the worst thing that happens to you is actually the best thing because it forces you to stop settling, to stop making yourself smaller to fit into someone else's vision of who you should be. The audience erupted in applause. Elena caught his eye and smiled, understanding exactly what he meant. After the ceremony, the celebration moved to a rooftop restaurant with a view of Marina Bay.