Semua Bab Remember me naked: Bab 21 - Bab 30

AlexandreThe days pass faster than I anticipated. Between last-minute meetings, last-hour adjustments with our partners, and logistical preparations, I don't have a second to myself. Yet, the imminence of the trip keeps running through my mind. More specifically, the presence of Lyra by my side during this journey.I know her place is justified. She has worked tirelessly on this file for weeks. Her strategic insight and precision make her an indispensable ally. But that’s not what occupies my thoughts at this moment.The day before our departure, I sit in my office at headquarters, a cup of coffee cooling beside me. I've turned off my phone for an hour to avoid interruptions. I’m immersed in the final tweaks of our presentation, my thoughts drifting involuntarily to Cassandre. Her insistence on wanting to accompany me caught me off guard. And that conversation... it left a bitter taste, a mix of irritation and concern.A light knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts. I look up. I

LyraThe next morning, I wake up with renewed energy, ready to face this day full of challenges. Everything seems in place, the meetings well planned, and I am confident that we have all the assets to succeed. The view from my hotel room, magnificent, reminds me that the world is within reach, all it takes is to seize every opportunity.But what happened the day before, after our arrival, still lingers in my mind:After dropping off our belongings and taking a moment to freshen up, Alexandre and I decided to head down to the hotel restaurant for dinner and to fine-tune the last details of our presentation. Lucas, exhausted from the trip, preferred to stay cooped up in his room.The restaurant, plush and elegant, offered ideal intimacy, a bubble out of time. We chose a table by the window, the city sparkling in the background. An almost too perfect setting for what was about to unfold.— So, where do we start? Alexandre asks, his eyes glued to the documents spread out before him.I smi

CassandraAfter leaving our partners, we came to the restaurant. I sit at the table, the silence between us is heavy and palpable. Lyra has just slipped away, and I feel that Alexandre is trapped by my words and my looks.I observe him discreetly. He is tense, almost awkward, like a man caught off guard. This tension he is trying to mask is evident, both to me and to Lucas.Between them, there is something powerful, a sort of electric current, a fire that burns intensely. And Lyra… she seems serious on the surface, but when she is near Alexandre, a palpable energy emanates from them.I cast a cold, almost analytical gaze, but I cannot ignore what I feel. Their proximity surpasses the simple professional framework. It is much more than that. An oppressive tension floats between them.Alexandre averts his gaze. I know he is hiding his face, trying to convince himself that everything is fine, that it’s nothing, that he has control. But I know that… if I am not careful… he will succumb.I

AlexandreI hate this evening.I hate the polite smiles, the feigned laughter, the handshakes that sweat hypocrisy. And more than anything, I hate the way Daniel keeps circling around her, like a predator dressed in charm.Lyra.She is everywhere. Or rather, she is here, and that is enough to throw off everything I am trying to contain.I see her laughing with Anaëlle, leaning toward Lucas to whisper something in his ear. And at every moment, Daniel is never far away. A drink in hand, a well-placed word, a calculated smile.I hold back my teeth from clenching. Cassandre is talking next to me, but I’m not listening. My jaw tightens when Lyra places a light hand on Daniel’s shoulder to call him. An innocuous gesture. But not for me.I stand up abruptly.Cassandre looks at me, surprised.— Where are you going?— To get some air.I don’t wait for her response. I need to distance myself before I do something I will regret. Or maybe I already regret doing nothing.I step out onto the terrac

LyraI smooth my dress. I tie my hair. I pinch my cheeks to chase away the redness. But I know that nothing will be enough. He is still here. On my skin. In my mouth, in my thoughts, in my heart.I fix my reflection one last time, and I hate what I see. Not because I am a mess. But because I am no longer quite myself. That kiss changed everything, overturned everything, rewrote everything.I leave the bathroom, my heels unsteady, my heart pounding at the edge of my lips.When I reappear in the main hall, the atmosphere has slightly changed. No more glasses in hand. No more slightly forced laughter. But above all, no more Daniel. No more Cassandre. No more Alexandre.And Lucas... Lucas is here.His eyes find me instantly.They narrow.I know that look. I've seen it a thousand times on his face when he tries to figure me out. It’s the one he has when he knows. When he feels. When he senses that I’ve done something stupid.He approaches slowly, a glass in hand.— Where have you been? he