Page 158 of The Substitute Fiancée

“That’s a risk I knowingly took.”

“What are you going to tell them?”

I look at Sam, sitting on the bed, the sheets pulled up to her chest, hair tousled, eyes fixed on me, anxious.

“The truth,” I say. “I made a choice. And I stand by it.”

Silence on the other end.

“Alright. Then I’ll stand with you.”

“Thank you, David.”

I hang up.

*

Two hours later, I’m in the boardroom, facing the sixteen members of the board.

Ms. Bertau stares at me with an icy expression.

“Mr. Delaunay,” she begins sharply. “Yesterday, you left a crucial meeting, abandoning your team and this board in the middle of a crisis. Then we learn through social media that it was to attend… an art presentation. What do you have to say in your defense?”

I stand. All eyes turn to me.

“I didn’t hide anything from you when I left yesterday,” I say. “I left that meeting to be present for a pivotal moment in the life of the woman I love. I acknowledge that I should have better structured the meeting to ensure it ended on time. That was a mistake.”

“A mistake?” Ms. Bertau repeats, incredulous. “The company is going through its worst crisis and you—”

“Please allow me to finish,” I interrupt, politely but firmly.

She falls silent, lips pressed tight.

“I’m sorry I had to leave before the meeting concluded. I should have informed you at the beginning of the meeting about my constraints.”

I pause, scanning the room.

“For years, my priority was work. But things change. I have a woman in my life now, and she will always be my priority.”

A murmur ripples through the room.

“That does not make me a less committed CEO—just a more balanced one. So yes, from now on, I will set boundaries. I will protect my private life and stop living solely for my job.”

“Obviously, we are not asking you to sacrifice your personal life,” says Mr. Arnaud, another board member. “But what about results?”

“The recovery plan is being deployed. The team is engaged and motivated.”

A heavy silence settles.

“Very well,” Mr. Arnaud concludes. “We will take note of your position.”

53. Results

Samantha

Alexander comes with me to school for the announcement of the results. For the occasion, he’s wearing a black turtleneck and jeans. Despite his desire to stay unnoticed, every gaze lands on him. His natural presence and charisma draw attention without effort.

Some whisper as they look at him, clearly recognizing the CEO who walked out of a multibillion-dollar strategic meeting to be there for his fiancée. The story has gone viral.