Unexpected Divorce 의 모든 챕터: 챕터 11 - 챕터 20

I watched her walk away, the slow sway of her hips visible even in that backless dress. She was a beautiful woman, dissolving into the night like an unanswered question. Only when she disappeared did I finally exhale.I had no intention of being entangled in a love affair.And yet—she was interesting.That was the word that lingered.Annabel hadn’t begged. Hadn’t flinched. Hadn’t softened where most people did—especially women. They usually came to me desperate to be saved, compensated, or noticed.She hadn’t asked for anything.That alone made her dangerous.I slipped my hands into my pockets, my jaw tightening as I replayed the moment she pulled away from me. It hadn’t been fear. Not disgust.But control.She’d been tempted. I’d felt it, the way her body reacted, and still, she stepped back.A woman who could say no when everything in her wanted to say yes was not weak.She was unfinished.And I was still curious—far more than I should be.I hadn’t planned to notice the embroidery o

I stood in the sample room presenting my design, running my hands over the dress form as I explained how each fabric would drape, breathe, and move. I swapped swatches, adjusted pins, and demonstrated how the silhouette softened or sharpened depending on texture and weight.When I finished, there was no hesitation.Everyone went straight to work.We were short on time, but the room buzzed with purpose, hands moving, voices coordinating, scissors cutting fabric in a steady rhythm. It felt good. Not just to be heard, but to be trusted. To see people responding to my vision, refining it, believing in it.My phone vibrated in my palm.I expected Marcus.Instead, Nathan’s name lit up the screen, and warmth spread through me before I could stop it.Nathan: How’s everything going over there?I typed slowly, smiling despite myself.Me: Everyone’s busy. Looks like I’m not the only one getting this bonus.His reply came almost instantly.Nathan: If sales don’t pick up, none of you will. So stay

I woke slowly, wrapped in quiet.For a brief moment, I didn’t know where I was, only that the sheets were softer than anything I owned, the air cooler, the room washed in pale morning light. Then memory settled in. The penthouse a night with Nathan.I turned instinctively toward the other side of the bed.Empty.The space beside me was cool now, the faint indentation already fading. My chest tightened, not in panic, but in something gentler. Disappointment softened by understanding. I knew he would leave early; I wasn’t expecting someone like him to still be in bed by now.Still, I lay there for a moment longer, staring at the ceiling, listening to the distant hum of the city below. New York sounded different from up here—muted, almost respectful.I pushed myself upright, and the door opened softly.A woman stepped in, dressed neatly in black and white, her posture calm and professional. She smiled politely, hands folded in front of her.“Good morning, Ms. Anna,” she said. “I’m here t

With my head still resting against the window, I didn’t say a word to Nathan, watching the city drift past while his driver navigated the quiet streets. The glass was cool against my temple, and I let the silence wrap around me.After a while, I felt the subtle shift of his presence beside me. Two fingers brushed my wrist, then his hand cupped my chin, drawing my face gently away from the window. The touch was careful, deliberate—an invitation, not a demand.“Tell me,” he said quietly. “What’s weighing on you?”“The woman at the elderly home,” I said quietly. “She’s the one who took me in when I had nowhere else to go. When my life felt… unlivable.” My voice trembled despite my effort to steady it. “She was more than kind. She was a mother to me.”Nathan’s expression hardened—not with anger, but with resolve. He didn’t interrupt.“What hurts the most,” I continued, swallowing hard, “is knowing that one day, she might forget me. She might look at me like I’m a stranger and never rememb

Backstage erupted the moment I stepped off the runway.Reporters surged toward me as if pulled by gravity, microphones rising, cameras flashing, voices overlapping in a chorus of excitement.“Anna! Over here!” “How does it feel to debut as a Sweet Body designer?” “Tell us about Middlermistique—what inspired the collection?” “How does it feel to be recognized?”I barely had time to breathe.I straightened myself, smoothed my palms against my dress, and lifted my chin. My heart was racing, but my voice—when I spoke—was calm, steady, assured.“It feels unreal,” I said, a soft smile curving my lips. “Creating these designs has been my dream for a long time. I’m happy—grateful—to see them come alive on such a platform. And this is only the beginning. There’s more to come.”The certainty in my tone made the reporters lean in closer.More questions followed, rapid-fire, hungry.I answered them all gracefully, composed, each word feeling like proof that the girl I once was no longer exi