hapter 77
Amelia suddenly stopped toying with the ceramic piece, her gaze locking onto the delicate mushroom Isabella had just shaped.
Isabella noticed her interest from the corner of her eye as she molded another tiny mushroom with practiced ease.
Amelia’s eyes shimmered with quiet fascination, though her posture remained rigid, her hands folded tightly in her lap.
Without a word, Isabella slid another set of sculpting tools toward her.
Amelia’s fingers trembled slightly—she had a habit of knocking things over, her movements unsteady.
But Isabella remained patient, guiding her with gentle hands. She occasionally misted the clay with water to keep it pliable.
Lost in concentration, Amelia barely registered Isabella’s presence beside her.
Slowly, the shapeless lump in Amelia’s hands transformed into something recognizable.
Isabella watched in quiet awe. The girl had an instinctive talent, shaping the clay without needing instruction.
“Ease up on your left hand,” Isabella murmured, nudging her wrist lightly.
Amelia adjusted without protest, her focus unbroken. Soon, a small, whimsical mushroom took form beneath her fingers.
Isabella smiled and passed her a carving tool. Amelia took it without hesitation.
Alexander’s breath caught. He remembered the last time someone had handed her a tool—how she had recoiled, her fingers slipping, the file nicking her skin.
But now, as she accepted the tool from Isabella, there was no fear. Only quiet determination.
Though still reserved around strangers, the tension in Amelia’s shoulders had softened. She mimicked Isabella’s movements carefully.
When Isabella demonstrated an intricate carving technique, Amelia tried to replicate it, her strokes rougher but her focus unwavering.
“Look,” Isabella said, holding up her finished piece. “What do you think?”
Amelia took it, examining it with solemn curiosity. Then—unexpectedly—her lips curved into a small, fleeting smile as she held up her own creation.
The sight stunned both Isabella and Alexander.
“Amelia, that’s incredible!” Isabella breathed, genuinely impressed.
When Amelia wasn’t smiling, her expression mirrored Alexander’s—serious, distant. But when she did, it was like sunlight breaking through clouds, warm and radiant.
She deserved so much more than the weight she carried.
Alexander swallowed hard, his throat tight. “Amelia,” he said softly, “you just smiled.”
Though the smile faded as quickly as it had appeared, the moment lingered.
For years, he had sought specialists across the globe, desperate for any sign of progress. Therapists, doctors, even renowned ceramic artists—all had tried to reach her, only to be met with resistance.
She had always been locked inside herself, unwilling to share her world with anyone.
But today, for the first time, she had let someone in.
Even if it was just for a second—just a smile, just a glance—it was everything.
