Célestine kept her expression neutral.
But when the meeting ended, she noticed that Alaric was almost smiling.
Later, in the corridor, he fell into step beside her.
“Good observation.”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to look so surprised.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“You look surprised.”
She smiled despite herself.
“Perhaps I’m simply not accustomed to being right.”
“That’s unfortunate. You seem to enjoy it.”
Their eyes met.
For one brief moment, they were back at the harbour.
Then Célestine remembered the application.
And Alaric remembered her supposed husband.
They both looked away.
Bastien became involved in the deception by accident.
One Thursday, Léonie developed a fever while Bastien was working outside Paris.
The school called him.
Unable to leave immediately, he asked Célestine to collect his daughter.
She explained the situation to her manager and left early.
The following Monday, someone from human resources casually asked whether Léonie was feeling better.
Célestine answered without thinking.
“Much better, thank you.”
Then the woman said, “Your husband must have been worried.”
Célestine froze.
“Yes.”
That evening, Bastien found her pacing around his kitchen.
“You told them what?”
She covered her face.
“I know.”
“Célestine.”
“I know.”
He leaned against the counter.
“You said you were Léonie’s mother?”
“On the application.”
“And that you’re married?”
She nodded.
Bastien was silent.
Then he said, “You understand this is not going to end well.”
“I know.”
“Then why haven’t you told them?”
She looked toward the living room.
Léonie was sitting on the rug, colouring a picture of a purple horse.
“Because for the first time in months, I can pay Maman’s bills without borrowing money.”
Bastien’s expression changed.
He understood that.
He didn’t approve.
But he understood.
When the company announced a weekend family testing event at one of its countryside properties, Célestine panicked.
The pilot employees were encouraged to attend with their children and spouses.
She considered pretending to be ill.
Then the research director personally asked whether Léonie could participate.
Bastien stared at her when she explained.
“No.”
“Célestine…”
“Absolutely not.”
“It’s one weekend.”
“I’m not pretending to be your husband at a corporate retreat.”
She looked down.
“Fine.”
He watched her for a moment.
Then sighed.
“Have you considered telling the truth?”
“Every day.”
“That isn’t the same as doing it.”
She knew.
In the end, Bastien agreed to attend as Léonie’s father, but refused to be introduced as Célestine’s husband.
Célestine promised.
She meant to keep that promise.
Unfortunately, Alaric arrived before she could explain anything.
He saw Léonie run into Célestine’s arms.
He saw Bastien carry their luggage.
And he heard another employee say, “What a lovely family.”
Alaric’s expression became unreadable.
That evening, the employees gathered for dinner in the hotel’s garden.
Léonie insisted on sitting beside Célestine.
Bastien sat opposite them.
Alaric arrived late.
He paused when he saw the seating arrangement.
Célestine watched his jaw tighten almost imperceptibly.
“Good evening,” he said.
Bastien stood and extended his hand.
“Bastien Leroux.”
“Alaric von Eltz.”
They shook hands.
Bastien smiled.
“You’re Célestine’s director?”
“Among other things.”
“She’s told me you work everyone terribly hard.”
Célestine closed her eyes.
“Bastien.”
Alaric glanced at her.
“Has she?”
“Only good things.”
Alaric’s expression suggested he doubted that considerably.
Léonie looked between the adults.
“Why is everyone talking like they’re at school?”
Bastien laughed.
“Excellent question.”
Alaric smiled at the child.
“And what do you think we should talk about?”
“Dolphins.”
“An improvement.”
Célestine laughed.
For a moment, the evening became easy.
Then Léonie leaned toward her father.
“Papa, can Célestine sleep in our room tonight?”
Alaric looked up.
Célestine stopped smiling.
Bastien answered gently, “Not tonight, sweetheart.”
“But she always reads the funny voices.”
“You’ll survive one evening with my terrible ones.”
Alaric set down his glass.
Papa.
The word remained in his mind long after dinner ended.
Over the following months, Alaric began noticing things he could not explain.
The family’s story did not quite fit.
Léonie called Bastien Papa but never called Célestine Maman.
Bastien and Célestine behaved with the easy closeness of old friends, but without the quiet habits Alaric associated with long-married couples.
Whenever anyone referred to Célestine’s marriage, she became tense.
Alaric could have asked directly.
Instead, he waited.
Partly because he wanted evidence.
Partly because he was afraid of what he might learn.
And partly because his feelings had become deeply inconvenient.
He began noticing whether Célestine had eaten lunch.
He remembered when she had meetings she dreaded.
He listened more carefully when she spoke during presentations.
When she developed a terrible cold, he left tea and medicine outside the office where she was working.
Célestine found the paper bag after lunch.
Inside was a note.
You sound terrible. Go home.
There was no signature.
