Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 10

"Come on, Ryan, baby... Forget about that and come over here..."The woman's seductive voice drifted through the phone.Emily's fingers went numb. The ultrasound photo slipped from her hand and fluttered to the floor."What's with the silence? If you've got something to say, hurry up and say it."Her husband's irritated voice was like another knife to her heart.The world seemed to tilt beneath her feet. Her knees buckled."Emily, are you all right?"A pair of steady hands caught her before she could fall.It was Alexander Sterling, who had quietly accompanied her to the hospital.Tears spilled down Emily's cheeks.She couldn't take it anymore."No. I'm not all right. I... I'm getting a divorce.""Understood."Alexander nodded without hesitation. Then he gently took the phone from her trembling hand."Hello. Emily won't be coming home. She's decided to divorce you."Before Ryan could respond, Alexander ended the call."That's taken care of. Let's find somewhere you can sit down. You l

Ryan: Who the hell was that man who answered your phone?!Emily stared at the message from her husband, her lips trembling."What am I supposed to do...?"She tightened her grip on her phone, about to type a reply."Don't respond."Alexander's quiet voice stopped her."Your husband isn't thinking rationally right now. No matter what you say, I doubt he'll be willing to have a reasonable conversation.""But if I don't answer...""He'll get angry."Alexander looked directly into her eyes."But his anger isn't your responsibility, Emily."She raised her head in surprise."Right now, you need to think about yourself and your baby, not about keeping your husband happy."Her chest tightened painfully.Whenever Ryan got angry, Emily had always assumed it was because she'd done something wrong.She'd spent so long believing that."Don't reply to him today. And don't delete any of his calls or messages.""Keep them?""Yes."Alexander offered no further explanation.Yet somehow, his calm certai

"Would you allow me to take care of things?"Emily caught her breath at Alexander's unexpected offer."But... I can't possibly impose on you any more than I already have.""You're not imposing."Alexander gave her a gentle smile."Frankly, I'd be far more worried about leaving you alone in your current situation."Emily found herself at a loss for words.It wasn't as though they'd only met today.Alexander was a regular customer at the café where she worked.He usually visited outside the busiest hours. And whenever the staff were overwhelmed with orders, he would wait patiently without a single complaint.He was always polite, always considerate, and never treated anyone as though they were beneath him.Emily had noticed those little things.Unlike some customers who snapped their fingers or complained about the smallest delay, Alexander always thanked the staff.Sometimes, on particularly exhausting days, his quiet kindness had been enough to make her feel a little better.Perhaps t

The suite door closed quietly behind the hotel manager. After one last respectful bow, he had disappeared down the corridor without making a sound.Emily remained where she stood, looking around the enormous living room. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city was beginning to glow beneath the setting sun. Gold and orange light spilled across the furniture, making the room look even more beautiful than before."Are you really sure I can stay here?" she asked."Of course." Alexander smiled. "The security here is excellent. For tonight, I want you to put everything else aside and get some rest."Emily nodded, but the question troubling her refused to disappear."Um... Alexander?""Yes?"She gathered her courage. "Why are you doing all this for me?"He looked at her without speaking."I'm just a waitress at a little café. Why would you go to so much trouble for someone like me?"She knew how that sounded. Yet after everything he had done—the hospital, the car, this magnificent suit

Something more important.Alexander's words continued to echo in Emily's mind.It hadn't sounded as though he was talking about business.For one strange moment, she'd almost felt as if he were talking about her.But that couldn't possibly be true.Until today, she'd been nothing more than a waitress at a small café.Alexander was a customer. A kind, considerate regular, certainly, but still just a customer.Why would someone like him rearrange his entire work schedule for her?The more she thought about it, the less sense it made."Is something bothering you?"Alexander's gentle voice interrupted her thoughts."Oh, no..."Emily quickly shook her head."It's nothing."He didn't press her."Your soup is getting cold.""Ah, right."She picked up her spoon again.The warm soup soothed her throat, and with each mouthful, she felt a little of the tension leave her body.It was strange how something so simple could make such a difference.Only a few hours ago, she'd been standing outside a