Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 11 - Chapitre 20

Emma frowned, her chest tightening. “James, you make it sound as if I’m a fugitive.”“It’s not that,” James replied, his gaze steady on her. “But believe me—after last night’s gala, the media will go mad. They won’t stop until they find you. They may not mean harm, but they’ll dig into everything—your pregnancy, the baby’s father, your past with Harry.”That name made Emma’s heart tremble slightly. “I don’t want that to happen… not until this baby sees the world.”James nodded slowly. “I know. But the media won’t care. To them, you’ll always be Harry Smith’s ex-wife. And now that Sophie’s the new center of attention, the world will look for you to balance the story. You know how they work, Emma.”Emma fell silent. She knew he was right. The entertainment world thrived on scandal—on love, betrayal, and redemption.But even as exhaustion weighed her down, something in her refused to move. “I can’t just leave, James. I have a studio, several projects—”“You can continue them later,” Jame

Flashes of light burst once more in front of Harry and Sophie’s faces.They had just stepped out of an upscale restaurant after a dinner meeting with several business partners, but as usual, the paparazzi were already waiting outside.“Harry! Sophie! Is it true you’ll be announcing an international fashion collaboration next month?”“What’s your comment on the news about Emma Taylor’s disappearance?”That question stopped Harry in his tracks. The glare of the cameras reflected sharply in his eyes.Beside him, Sophie forced a polite smile, but her hand gripping Harry’s arm went rigid.“I thought we answered that last week,” Harry said flatly. “We don’t know where Emma is. We just hope she’s safe.”But the reporters didn’t stop.“Do you feel guilty, Mr. Smith?”“There’s a rumor Emma committed suicide because of your affair! Is it true?”“Miss Hall, do you regret destroying Emma Taylor’s career? She was the one who helped you when no one else would!”That last sentence struck like a bull

That morning, the air in the Swiss mountains was crisp and clear. A pale blue sky stretched endlessly above, while a delicate layer of snow still clung to the pine trees.Emma sat near the wide living room window, dressed in a cream sweater and soft wool trousers. On her lap lay neatly folded pieces of pastel fabric, while sketches of dress designs were scattered across the table in front of her.She drew with full concentration—line by line forming the silhouette of a simple yet elegant gown. There was no longer any ambition to display her work to the world. Not anymore. Now, every piece of fabric she designed was simply her way of breathing.Outside, James had just closed his laptop after an online meeting with his financial team in London. He glanced toward Emma, still engrossed in her work. His gaze softened, though a trace of worry lingered in his eyes.“You’ve been sitting there for two hours,” he said, approaching her with two cups of hot tea. “You haven’t even had breakfast.”

“I want to introduce you to someone—a senior designer from Switzerland named Claudia Skye. She’s seen your sketches and seems quite interested. I think this could be a good opportunity for you to collaborate.”Emma looked startled. “Claudia Skye? She’s a legend in European fashion! But… I don’t want to go back to that world, James. Not yet. I’m not ready.”“I’m not asking you to go back,” James replied softly. “I just want you to find yourself again—without the fame, without the weight of the past. You can still be who you are, just in a new place. A world that won’t judge you by the headlines, but by your work.”Emma lowered her gaze, lost in thought. “But… if I start designing again, people will know who I am. They’ll know I’m still alive.”James’s eyes were gentle, yet firm. “Then don’t use your name. Use a new one, a new identity. The world doesn’t need to know who’s behind the beauty. Let them see the art, not the scars.”Emma fell silent for a long while before lifting her face

A few weeks later, their house in the Swiss mountains had transformed into a small studio filled with fabric, pins, and overflowing inspiration boards. Emma looked more alive than she had in months. Her face, once pale and distant, now carried a soft glow — though exhaustion still visited her from time to time as her belly grew rounder each day.James often watched her quietly from a distance — the way she brushed her hair back when thinking hard, how her eyes lit up whenever colors matched perfectly, or how her hand always found its way to her belly whenever fatigue set in.“James?” her gentle voice broke his thoughts one afternoon.He turned. “Yes?”Emma hesitated. “This big project… how did it come so suddenly? Claudia said someone recommended me. Do you know anything about that?”James smiled faintly, his tone calm. “Maybe the world finally remembered where to find lost beauty.”Emma frowned, but a small smile curved her lips. “You always know how to make complicated things sound