Page 162 of The Substitute Fiancée

David laughs.

“Come on, it’s good news in disguise. You get to tell them not only that we avoided disaster, but that we turned a crisis into an opportunity.”

He’s right. But that means reworking the entire pitch. I wonder if it’s too late to take a spontaneous vacation.

*

Sitting in Dr. Lebrun’s office, I review the latest events of my life with her.

“You’ve done remarkable work on yourself, Alexander,” she says. “You can be proud of how far you’ve come.”

“So… that’s it?” I ask, hopeful.

“No,” she answers gently. “You’ll always be someone with workaholic tendencies, someone who’s been betrayed and who can feel jealousy. The temptation to fall back into old patterns will never completely disappear. But now that you’re aware of it, you’ll recognize the warning signs. As long as you stay vigilant, you’ll remain in control.”

“I understand,” I say after a moment. “That’s how you build a healthy relationship, isn’t it? By being attentive. By staying aware.”

“Exactly. The difference is that now you have the tools to manage those emotions instead of letting them control you.”

*

When I get back to the penthouse that evening, Sam smiles at me from the drafting table I just bought for her. She doesn’t get up to greet me; her brush, loaded with watercolor, keeps gliding over the Arches paper with delicate precision.

I love watching her paint. There’s so much beauty in the gesture. Absolute focus. A kind of communion with her art.

She brings beauty into my life.

“So?” she asks without looking up, completely absorbed.

“Dr. Lebrun says I’m on the right track.”

Her smile widens. She finishes the section she’s working on, carefully rinses her brush, sets it down, then comes to wrap her arms around me.

Our embrace is tender. We simply savor being together.

“That was my last session,” I tell her softly. “I can’t promise to be perfect. But I can promise to work on myself every day.”

“I don’t need a perfect man,” she replies, lifting her eyes to mine. “I love you with your strengths and your flaws. And now that we’ve chosen each other, you won’t be alone against your demons—and I won’t be alone against mine.”

Her words move me more than she’ll ever know.

*

That evening, we meet the whole group at the restaurant. Manon, Oliver, David, and Florence are already seated at the table. We’ve barely finished greeting them when Emelyne, Mara, and Matthieu arrive as well.

The evening is pleasant, filled with laughter and gourmet dishes—until Kristel walks in, accompanied by two of her friends.

She stops beside our table, her gaze sweeping over Sam and then me, filled with a mix of contempt and barely restrained rage.

“What a charming little scene,” she sneers. “You really deserve to be put on display right here, right now, in front of everyone. What do you think people will say when they find out my beloved little sister stole my fiancé? We’ll see what that does to your IPO.”

The atmosphere around the table freezes instantly.

I look at her calmly, not even bothering to stand up.

“True, the shareholders wouldn’t appreciate that kind of revelation,” I reply evenly. “But if you do this, I’ll protect Sam. And I won’t hesitate to reveal your own role in all of this.”

“No one will believe you!” she snaps—though I catch a flicker of doubt in her eyes.