Chapter 9
1510words
Early autumn sunlight streamed through the large floor-to-ceiling windows of the new apartment, casting warm patches of light on the floor. The air was filled with the faint scent of pine wood and paint, mixed with the subtle urban hum coming from outside.
This was no longer the "home" that carried the weight of everything from the past, but a brand new blank canvas full of unknown possibilities.
Ella Davis stepped barefoot onto the soft carpet, opening the last cardboard box.
Inside was the smart home hub device she had carefully selected—a brand new brand, with no connection to the past.
She placed it on the shelf in the study, connected it to power, and a soft blue light illuminated, like a curious eye opening for the first time.
The past six months had been like a long and thorough surgical procedure.
The divorce agreement had already been signed and taken effect, with David leaving empty-handed, and under strong public opinion and legal pressure, reluctantly accepting the termination of their business cooperation.
Sophia occasionally sent brief updates: Chloe was facing multiple lawsuits for commercial infringement and fraud, and had completely disappeared from social media; David had sold his studio, moved to another city, trying to start over. Ella never replied to these messages, just marked them as read, then deleted them. They were already a thoroughly closed chapter in her past.
She focused on rebuilding her life. This high-rise apartment in the city center was purchased in her own name, entirely with her own income. Every piece of furniture, every painting, even the choice of each cup, followed only her own will and taste.
Now, only the final step remained—rebuilding her smart home system.
She took out her tablet and began setting up the new ecosystem. Creating a new administrator account, setting a complex twenty-character password, enabling the strictest two-factor authentication and biometric verification.
She carefully configured each privacy setting, turning off all non-essential data sharing options, keeping the permissions firmly in her own hands.
This process no longer carried anger or fear, but rather a calm, completely controlled precision. Technology was never the enemy; it was always people who betrayed. And now, the authority rested solely in her hands.
The doorbell rang.
Ella was somewhat surprised. She hadn't scheduled any deliveries or services today. Walking to the door, a familiar yet somewhat strange face appeared on the smart peephole display—Ben Carter, her senior from university.
She opened the door, her face showing just the right amount of surprise. "Ben? How did you..."
"Hey, Ella." Ben stood at the doorway, smiling gently, holding a vibrant potted monstera in his hands. "Don't worry, I'm not stalking you. I just happened to have a client in this building, and I ran into the property manager in the lobby downstairs. He mentioned in passing that you were moving in today. Hope I'm not being too intrusive."
He raised the plant in his hand: "A housewarming gift. They say it purifies the air, though I suspect it might be a bit too 'low-tech' for you." He made a light joke, his eyes clear, without any trace of probing or pity.
Ella smiled, stepping aside to let him in. "Not at all, thank you. It's beautiful. Please come in, though as you can see, it's still a bit of a disaster zone in here."
Ben walked in, surveying the spacious and bright living room that was stacked with some cardboard boxes. "Looks great, the view is unbeatable." He placed a green plant on an empty windowsill, its dark green leaves unfurling in the sunlight.
"Would you like something to drink? Though I can only offer water, the coffee machine hasn't been unpacked yet."
"Water is fine."
Ella found two bottles of mineral water from a box and handed one to him. They stood by the window, gazing at the city skyline spread out before them. A brief silence fell, but it wasn't awkward.
"So..." Ben began carefully, his tone casual, "Is everything alright?"
Ella knew what he was asking about. Although her story had once been the talk of the circle, it had long since died down. There was no gossip in Ben's tone, only genuine concern.
"Yes." Ella nodded, taking a sip of water, "It's all over now. I'm... looking forward."
"That's good." Ben didn't press for details, just looked at her gently, "I remember in college, you were the most resilient among us. During an algorithm competition, your code had a major bug during the contest, everyone thought it was hopeless, but you sat there debugging for four hours and ended up taking second place."
Ella was somewhat surprised: "You still remember that so clearly?"
"It made a deep impression." Ben smiled, "You have a certain quality, a kind of... ability to get back up no matter how many times you're knocked down, and make yourself stronger each time. That's rare."
His words were like a warm current, quietly seeping into Ella's heart. He didn't sympathize with her situation, but affirmed her strength. It felt good.
"Thank you, Ben." Her smile became much more genuine, "By the way, how are you doing now? Still at the hospital?"
"Yes, still the same cardiac surgeon busy saving lives." He shrugged, feigning helplessness, yet his eyes sparkled with light, "Life's pace is frighteningly fast, so when I occasionally see such a peaceful view, it feels especially healing."
They chatted casually for a while about interesting university stories and mutual friends. The relaxed conversation swept through the room like a gentle breeze.
At that moment, Ella's gaze fell on the new intelligent hub, its blue indicator light blinking steadily.
"Sorry, I need to complete the final settings," she pointed at the device, "just one minute."
"Of course, go ahead." Ben made a "please continue" gesture, watching with interest.
Ella picked up the tablet to perform the final activation steps. She created a voice pattern model and entered the first unique wake command that belonged only to her.
After completing this, she put down the tablet and faced the device that was quietly waiting, then clearly and calmly spoke, issuing the first command in this new space:
"Daybreak, good morning."
The blue light of the intelligent hub pulsed softly, and a neutral yet pleasant voice responded: "Good morning, Ella. I detect this is our first conversation. I am ready to assist you at any time. Today's weather is sunny, the temperature is twenty-two degrees. Would you like me to play the morning news?"
"Not necessary for now, thank you." Ella answered softly, the corners of her mouth unconsciously curving upward.
It was a completely new feeling. No shadows, no doubts, only pure, perfectly controlled convenience and harmony.
Ben watched from the side, his eyes full of approval. "'Daybreak'? A very good name."
"A new beginning." Ella explained, her eyes bright.
"That's wonderful." Ben said sincerely. He paused for a moment, seeming to consider his words carefully, then asked in a casual yet respectful tone: "So, would this Ms. Ella Davis, who now has a fresh start, be willing to find some time for dinner with an old schoolmate? I know a nice restaurant nearby with very fresh ingredients."
His invitation came naturally and without pressure, like a question mark filled with possibilities gently placed on the blank canvas of her new life.
Ella looked at him, then at the azure sky outside the window, and back at the device named "Dawn." She felt a long-absent sense of calm and openness within her.
She didn't answer immediately, but turned and walked to the window, gently touching the verdant leaves of the monstera plant. The power of life transmitted through her fingertips.
Then, she turned back to face Ben, with a clear and affirmative smile on her face.
"Sounds good. But not tonight, tonight I need to find my coffee machine first."
Ben laughed, nodding understandingly: "Of course. Here's my number," he took out a business card and placed it on the counter nearby, "whenever it's convenient for you."
He didn't linger, politely saying goodbye and leaving.
After seeing Ben off, Ella returned to the center of the living room. The sunlight was perfect, illuminating the entire space with bright warmth. The monstera plant swayed gently in the breeze.
She looked at the smart hub again and, in a calm voice full of strength, issued her second command:
"Dawn, play my playlist."
Soft and hopeful jazz music began playing, no longer "Midnight Blues," but the bright melodies she truly loved. The music flowed through the sunlight, filling the entire space.
Ella Davis took a deep breath, feeling an unprecedented lightness and freedom in her chest.
What is past has already ended. What is to come is gradually unfolding under her own command.
True strength has never been about avoiding pain, but rather having the courage to begin again and trust once more after being hurt—whether it's with technology or with people.
She mastered all the code, and finally, wrote for herself a brand new, hope-filled first line.
