As she drifted toward sleep, she heard Richard say softly, «That song you wrote, Rise from the Ashes. It’s remarkable. The world should hear it.»
Emma woke to sunlight streaming through hospital blinds. For a moment, she didn’t remember where she was. Then the events of the previous night came flooding back: the wedding, the song, the fall, and Richard ending his marriage minutes after it began.
A nurse entered, checking the monitor that still tracked the baby’s heartbeat. «Good morning. How are you feeling?»
«Better,» Emma said. «Is my baby still okay?»
«Strong heartbeat, normal movement. The doctor will be in soon to discuss discharge.»
The nurse adjusted Emma’s pillows. «You have visitors waiting. Should I send them in?»
Before Emma could answer, the door opened, and Margaret Bennett entered, carrying a small suitcase. Behind her came Antonio with a box of Emma’s belongings.
«Oh, my dear,» Margaret said, taking Emma’s hand. «How are you feeling?»
«I’m okay. The doctor says the baby wasn’t harmed.»
Antonio set the box down. «I packed everything from your room. Vanessa was still there when I left, but she was packing too.»
«What happened after I left?» Emma asked.
Margaret sat in the chair beside the bed. «Chaos at first. Then Michael took charge, explaining to guests that the reception was canceled due to a medical emergency. Most people left quickly.» She paused. «Vanessa’s parents tried to convince Richard to reconsider, but he was firm. The marriage is over.»
Antonio nodded. «The recording has already spread. I received calls from three guests asking for copies.»
«I never meant to cause such trouble,» Emma said quietly.
«You didn’t cause anything,» Margaret assured her. «Vanessa created this situation herself.»
The door opened again, and Richard entered, carrying coffee cups. He had changed from his tuxedo into jeans and a button-down shirt. «I thought you might need this,» he said, offering coffee to Margaret and Antonio. To Emma, he handed a cup of tea. «The nurse said this was allowed.»
«Thank you,» Emma said. Their fingers brushed as she took the cup, and she quickly looked away.
«I spoke with your doctor,» Richard said. «They’ll discharge you this afternoon if all remains stable.»
«That’s good,» Emma replied, though anxiety clouded her face. «I need to find a place to stay and look for another job.»
«Actually,» Richard began, «I wanted to talk to you about that. You don’t need to worry about either right now.»
«What do you mean?»
Richard sat on the edge of the bed. «I have a guesthouse on my property. It’s separate from the main house with its own entrance. You’re welcome to stay there until you figure out your next steps.»
«I can’t accept that,» Emma protested. «It’s too much.»
«Consider it part of your severance package,» Richard said. «Plus, I have a business proposition for you.»
Before Emma could respond, a doctor entered the room holding a clipboard. «Ms. Wilson, let’s check on you and the baby.»
Margaret, Antonio, and Richard stepped out while the doctor examined Emma. In the hallway, Richard received a call from Michael. «How bad is it?» Richard asked.
Margaret and Antonio could only hear Richard’s side of the conversation. «That’s expected. No, I don’t regret it. Yes, please have my lawyer call me. Thanks for handling everything, Michael.»
When he hung up, Margaret touched her son’s arm. «Is everything all right?»
«Vanessa’s family is threatening legal action,» Richard explained, «and there are already stories circulating online about what happened.»
«Are you worried?» Antonio asked.
«No. The truth is on our side, thanks to your recording.»
Inside the room, the doctor finished her examination. «Everything looks good, Ms. Wilson. You and your baby are healthy. Just take it easy for a few days. No heavy lifting or strenuous activity.»
«When can I go back to work?» Emma asked.
«Light duties only for at least a week,» the doctor advised. «Avoid standing for long periods.»
After the doctor left, the others returned. Emma looked at Richard. «What was this business proposition you mentioned?»
Richard pulled his chair closer to the bed. «Your song last night was extraordinary, not just the performance, but the composition itself. I have connections in the music industry through my company’s entertainment clients. I’d like to introduce you to some producers who could help record your song professionally.»
Emma stared at him in disbelief. «You want to help me with my music?»
«It’s not charity,» Richard clarified. «I believe your song has commercial potential. This would be a business arrangement. If the song succeeds, we both benefit.»
«I don’t know what to say,» Emma replied.
«Say yes,» Margaret encouraged. «Richard never makes business offers unless he sees genuine potential.»
Antonio nodded in agreement. «Your voice moved everyone in that room last night, Emma. Even people who came expecting to laugh were crying instead.»
Emma twisted the small silver ring on her finger, a nervous habit she’d had since childhood. «But I’m going to have a baby in three months. I can’t exactly start a music career right now.»
«That’s why the guesthouse is perfect,» Richard explained. «You can rest during your final trimester, record demos when you feel up to it, and we’ll develop a plan for after the baby arrives.»
As they discussed the details, a nurse entered with discharge papers. While Emma signed them, Richard’s phone buzzed continuously with messages.
«Is that about the wedding?» Emma asked.
Richard checked his phone. «Partly. Vanessa’s bridesmaids posted photos claiming we had a secret relationship. Fortunately, the recording is circulating too, discrediting their story.»
«I’m so sorry this is affecting your reputation,» Emma said.
«Don’t worry about my reputation,» Richard replied. «My company is solid. My real friends know the truth.»
Once the paperwork was complete, a hospital aide arrived with a wheelchair to take Emma to the exit. Hospital policy required all patients to leave this way, despite Emma’s protests that she could walk.
As they reached Richard’s car, Emma noticed a photographer across the street. «Someone’s taking pictures of us.»
Richard helped her into the passenger seat. «Ignore them. The story will die down soon enough.»
During the drive to Richard’s Westwood home, Emma gazed out the window, lost in thought. Her life had changed completely in twenty-four hours.
«Are you okay?» Richard asked.
«Just overwhelmed,» Emma admitted. «Yesterday I was your maid. Today you’re offering to help with my music career.»
«Life changes quickly sometimes.»
When they arrived at Richard’s mansion, he drove past the main entrance to a tree-lined path leading to a small but elegant guesthouse. Built in the same Spanish style as the main house, it featured large windows and a private patio.
«This is the guesthouse?» Emma asked in surprise.
«It’s been empty since my sister moved out last year,» Richard explained. «Antonio brought your things earlier and stocked the kitchen with food.»
Inside, Emma found a spacious living area with comfortable furniture, a fully equipped kitchen, and a bedroom with an attached bathroom. Her few belongings had been carefully arranged on the dresser.
«This is too much,» she said, turning to Richard. «I can’t.»
«You can,» he interrupted gently. «Consider it a temporary solution while we figure out next steps for your music.»
Emma walked to the window, looking out at the garden. «Why are you doing this? Really?»
Richard was quiet for a moment. «Partly because I feel responsible for what happened. Partly because I believe in your talent. And partly because… sometimes people deserve a second chance at their dreams.»
A knock at the door interrupted them. Margaret entered, carrying grocery bags. «I brought some pregnancy essentials,» she announced. «Ginger tea for nausea, a body pillow for sleeping, and those stretch mark creams everyone recommends.»
Emma smiled, touched by the thoughtfulness. «Thank you, Mrs. Bennett.»
«Please call me Margaret. I think we’re past formalities.»
As Margaret unpacked the bags, Richard’s phone rang again. He checked the screen and frowned. «I need to take this,» he said. «It’s my lawyer.»
While Richard stepped outside, Margaret sat beside Emma on the couch. «He’s a good man,» Margaret said quietly. «Better than his taste in fiancées would suggest.»
Emma blushed. «I know, he’s been very kind.»
«It’s more than kindness,» Margaret observed. «He recognizes your talent. Richard has always had an eye for potential, in business and in people.»
Outside, they could hear Richard’s voice growing firmer. «No, I will not meet with her. The recording speaks for itself. I understand the legal implications.»
When he returned, his expression was tense. «Vanessa’s family is pressing for a settlement to keep things quiet.»
«Will you agree?» Emma asked.
«No, I have nothing to hide.» Richard sat across from them. «Antonio’s recording has already circulated among most of the guests. Vanessa’s version of events isn’t gaining traction.»
Margaret stood to leave. «I should go. Emma needs rest, and you have calls to make.»
She kissed Emma’s cheek. «I’ll visit tomorrow. Call if you need anything.»
After Margaret left, Richard and Emma sat in awkward silence for a moment. «I should go too,» Richard finally said. «You must be tired.»
«What happens now?» Emma asked. «With your music connections, I mean.»
«I’ll make some calls tomorrow. There’s a producer named Sam Jackson who might be particularly interested in your sound.»
Richard stood. «Rest today. Tomorrow we can start planning your future.»
As Richard walked to the door, Emma called after him. «Thank you for everything.»
Richard turned. «Thank you for that song. It changed more than you know.»
After he left, Emma sat alone in the quiet guesthouse, one hand resting on her belly. «Well, baby,» she whispered, «our life just changed in ways I never imagined.»
Over the next two months, Emma’s life transformed in ways she never imagined. The small guesthouse became her sanctuary as her pregnancy advanced. Richard converted part of the space into a simple recording area with soundproofing panels and basic equipment.
«Sam Jackson is coming tomorrow,» Richard said one morning as he adjusted a microphone stand. «He’s very interested in your song.»
Emma rested her hand on her now-large belly. «I’m nervous. I haven’t performed professionally in years.»
«He heard the wedding recording. He already knows you’re talented.»
The first meeting with Sam went better than Emma expected. A tall man with gray dreadlocks and decades of music industry experience, Sam listened intently as Emma sang Rise from the Ashes while Richard recorded.
When she finished, Sam smiled broadly. «That’s something special right there. Raw, honest, powerful. We can work with this.»
Over the following weeks, Emma recorded demos while Sam arranged studio musicians and created production plans. Despite being eight months pregnant, Emma found new energy in creating music again.
Meanwhile, Vanessa’s attempts to damage Richard’s reputation fell flat. The recording of her plan to humiliate Emma had spread throughout Los Angeles’ social circles, and several wedding guests publicly supported Richard’s version of events.
«Her family’s foundation lost three major donors,» Michael told Richard during a visit to the guesthouse.
«Good,» Richard replied. «Maybe she can rebuild her life in New York.»
Emma tried to stay out of the drama, focusing instead on her music and preparing for her baby. Margaret visited almost daily, bringing baby clothes and pregnancy advice.
«My water broke,» Emma said early one Tuesday morning, calling Richard’s phone at three o’clock. «I think the baby is coming.»
Richard arrived at the guesthouse within minutes. «I’ll drive you to the hospital. Your bag is packed by the door?»
Emma nodded, breathing through a contraction.
At Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Emma’s labor progressed quickly. Richard called Margaret, Antonio, and Michael, who all arrived to wait in the hospital lobby.
«You don’t have to stay,» Emma told Richard as the contractions intensified. «This could take hours.»
«I’m not going anywhere,» he replied, surprising both of them with his certainty.
After six hours of labor, Emma gave birth to a healthy baby girl weighing seven pounds and four ounces. «She’s beautiful,» the nurse said, placing the tiny infant on Emma’s chest. «Do you have a name picked out?»
Emma looked at the red-faced, squirming baby with wispy dark hair. «Lily. Her name is Lily Wilson.»
Later, when Emma had rested, Richard entered the hospital room with Margaret, Antonio, and Michael. «She’s perfect,» Margaret whispered, gently touching Lily’s tiny hand.
Antonio wiped away a tear. «Like a little angel.»
Michael placed a large gift bag beside the bed. «From all of us. Baby essentials.»
Richard stood slightly apart from the others, watching Emma hold her daughter with a look of wonder. Something shifted in his chest, a feeling he wasn’t ready to name.
When the others left to find coffee, Richard sat beside Emma’s bed. «Thank you for being here,» Emma said. «I never expected to have anyone with me for this.»
«I wouldn’t have missed it,» Richard replied. His phone buzzed with a message. «It’s from Sam. He’s been working on your recording while you’ve been here.»
Emma adjusted Lily in her arms. «What does he say?»
«The label loves your song. They want to release it as a single.» Richard showed her the message. «They think it has hit potential.»
Emma looked down at Lily, then back at Richard. «Everything’s happening so fast. Two months ago, I was your maid, and now I have a baby and possibly a music career.»
«Life changes quickly sometimes,» Richard said, echoing his words from the day after the wedding.
During Emma’s recovery in the hospital, Sam sent daily updates on the recording’s progress. Studio musicians had added gentle instrumentation to Emma’s vocals, enhancing the emotional quality without overwhelming her voice.
«Listen to this latest mix,» Richard said, holding his phone near Emma’s bed on her third day in the hospital.
Emma closed her eyes as the music played. Her voice, backed by piano and soft strings, filled the small room. When the song ended, she opened her eyes to find Richard watching her.
«It’s beautiful,» she said. «I never imagined it could sound like that.»
«Sam wants you to record the final vocals next week. He can set up equipment at the guesthouse so you don’t have to travel with the baby.»