Page 47 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
"It's just fatigue, nothing a good night's sleep can't solve."
"In that case, go home now to rest."
Weariness was overwhelming me.I no longer had the strength to protest.I called Maud to inform her of my absence and ask her to notify Tristan.
"He's in a meeting with Audrey; I'll tell him as soon as they're finished."
I nodded, in a second state, and hung up.Of course he was with her.
As soon as I got home, I collapsed on the couch and fell into a restless sleep.It was Tristan's arms that woke me, lifting me with a delicacy that hurt my heart.He carried me to our bed, his gestures imbued with an almost painful tenderness as he undressed me and pulled the sheets over me.
"I'm sorry, Eva.I know I hurt you," he said in a voice laden with remorse."I don't know how, but I'll fix things."
These words, which should have comforted me, hurt me even more.How could he claim to fix anything when he refused to face the truth?From the beginning, Audrey had been manipulating him with formidable skill, and he, blinded, fell into each of her traps.First the Australian subsidiary project, which she had so cleverly appropriated.Then this expensive necklace, which she had obtained by playing the forgetful ingenue.And now, she was interfering in a project I had worked on for months.What words had she whispered to Tristan to betray me like this?How had she managed to convince him, he who is usually so loyal?This thought tortured me more than anything: the upright and faithful man I loved was transforming into someone I no longer recognized.
The night was an endless parade of nightmares where Tristan left me, each awakening more painful than the last.Drenched in sweat, the same question haunted me, increasingly insistent: when does one need the courage to give up?At what point must one accept that love is no longer enough, that some wounds are too deep to heal?
29.I had messed up
TRISTAN
Eva was sad and angry, and she had every reason to be.I had messed up, and not just a little.Each attempt at reconciliation crashed against the consequences of my own mistakes.The subsidiary, the necklace, Project Hope...every decision I had made in Audrey's favor now came back as evidence of my weakness.
I had given her the Australian subsidiary because I couldn't resist her, because her presence alone was enough to cloud my judgment.
In New York, I had been blind and pathetic.Completely fascinated by Audrey, I hadn't thought about the consequences of my actions.That necklace...it wasn't just an inappropriate gift, it was already a betrayal.I wanted to see her smile, to dazzle her, like a teenager trying to impress.The very thought now made me sick.
And Project Hope...Eva's most personal project, the one that made her eyes light up when she talked about it—I had authorized Audrey to interfere with it as if it were just a simple administrative task.I had dismissed Eva's aversion to my assistant with a wave of my hand, turning what was her source of joy into a hostile environment.Whether Audrey wanted to do well or not didn't matter: I had no right to do what I did.
I was accumulating betrayals, and I no longer knew how to be forgiven.I would like to go back in time, erase my mistakes, start all over, but it was impossible.
Eva wasn't just angry—she was disappointed, and that was much worse.The disappointment I saw in her eyes was like a mirror reflecting the image of my own cowardice.I hadn't lived up to her love or her trust, preferring to be guided by a stupid attraction rather than protecting what we had built.
Her silences were killing me slowly.
For three days, she had been acting as if I didn't exist, as if I had become a ghost in our own home.Every averted look, every move to escape my touch was a deserved punishment that burned my skin.
The guest room had become her refuge, further widening the gap between us.Tonight, the sound of that door closing echoed like a verdict, leaving me alone with my regrets.I constantly wondered if she could ever forgive me, or if our story was already fading away in an icy silence.
At the office, she remained impeccably professional, almost frighteningly so.No one could have guessed our situation.Her mask was perfect, but I, who knew her by heart, saw the pain behind every forced smile, every measured gesture.
Something had gone out in her, as if she had suddenly given up on us.That flame that characterized her, that passion that had made me fall in love with her, seemed to be dangerously flickering.
Since I had found her asleep on the couch, she seemed constantly exhausted and went to bed early after dinner.I no longer knew if it was an excuse to avoid me or if my attitude had ended up breaking her.She seemed to fade a little more each day, and that vision terrified me.She, who was always so lively, so energetic, now resembled a shadow of herself, drained of all strength.What if my mistakes, my repeated betrayals, had finally extinguished that light that made her so unique?
I then made the decision that had to be made.
Two days before Christmas, I entered Samy's office, the HR director.He showed no surprise at my impromptu visit.
"What can I do for you, Tristan?"he asked in his calm tone.
"I need to review my team organization.The current situation is creating tensions that are hampering work efficiency."
Samy nodded, inviting me to continue.
"I think we need to redefine Audrey's role.She has skills, but her current position isn't ideal.I'd like to offer her a position more in line with her abilities, perhaps on specific projects, while recruiting someone else for the assistant position."
"Do you have a specific idea for Audrey?"
