POV Alex
I finally return to the chalet.
The day has been… perfect.
Jon and I.
Every moment. Every second.
We talked, laughed, shared memories, as if the years had never existed.
As if time had simply waited for us.
And above all…
Jon said yes.
Yes to the merger.
And yes to the marriage.
Our promise.
At last.
I smile just thinking about it.
Soon, the oath we made years ago will be honored.
I gently push open the front door and head toward the living room, still carried by that joy.
Inside, I find Asael and Mina.
They are talking, laughing, as close as ever.
They look up at me at the same time.
— Good evening, ladies. How are you? I say, unable to hide my smile.
They exchange an amused glance before answering together, almost automatically:
— Good evening.
Asael studies me for a moment, a knowing smile on her lips.
— You look like you had an excellent day.
— The best, I answer immediately. With the best friend.
Mina tilts her head slightly, teasing.
— Hmm… that's true. Your face says it all.
You look like a child who just walked out of a toy store with full pockets.
Asael bursts out laughing and high-fives Mina.
— Exactly!
I roll my eyes, pretending to be offended.
— Yes, yes, make fun of me. You're just jealous.
Now that I've found my friend again, I'm not letting him go.
We're going to make up for lost time.
— Yeah, yeah, we believe you, Asael replies, laughing even harder.
But try to come home and sleep sometimes.
I laugh too.
A silence settles in.
Not awkward.
A full, satisfying silence.
Then Asael speaks again, more serious.
— So… what did Jon say?
I straighten slightly.
— He agreed.
Mina frowns.
— The merger?
I nod.
— Yes.
And not only that.
Asael's eyes widen.
— You mean—
— Yes.
He also agreed to marry our children.
Asael lets out a sigh of relief, as if she had been holding her breath for too long.
Then I add, more softly:
— Now we just have to convince Esther.
— Oh yes… Asael murmurs.
She'll never agree to marry someone she doesn't know.
— And yet, she won't really have a choice, I say.
It's for her safety.
Mina, who has been silent until now, speaks.
Her voice is calm. Steady.
— Wait.
We turn toward her.
— On one hand, Esther will never want to marry someone she doesn't know, and that's normal.
On the other hand, you're trying to protect her.
She pauses.
— Esther is mature. Intelligent.
If you explain everything to her honestly, without forcing her…
She will understand.
Trust her. And above all, show her that you're doing this out of love, not control.
I think about her words.
She's right.
— We'll go gently, I finally say.
No pressure.
I would do anything to protect my daughter and make her happy.
POV Jon
I finally return home.
The door closes behind me and, for a few seconds, I remain still.
The day keeps replaying in my mind.
Alex.
Our reunion.
The promise.
I find Elisabeth in the living room.
She's reading.
She looks up when she sees me.
— You're home late.
— Yes… but it was worth it.
She immediately senses that something has changed.
— Sit down, she says softly.
I do and take a deep breath.
— I saw Alex today.
She stiffens slightly.
— Alex Besson?
— Yes.
We talked for a long time. About everything. The past. Our families.
And… he agreed.
— Agreed to what?
— The merger.
Silence.
— And… I add after a moment, the marriage too.
Elisabeth lowers her eyes.
I see hesitation pass through her gaze.
— Jon… are you sure this is the right thing?
— No, I answer honestly.
But I am sure of one thing:
Esther is in danger.
And this alliance can protect her.
She thinks for a long moment.
— I don't know… Tony hasn't been the same for years, and if he—
— He won't do anything, I interrupt.
And I can assure you that Esther is the best partner Tony could ever have.
She remains silent for a moment.
— And how do you plan to convince him to accept this marriage?
I give her a reassuring, confident smile.
— Don't worry about that.
I have a way to make him agree.
She looks up at me.
— I'm afraid we're deciding for them.
— Me too.
But sometimes, protecting means making difficult decisions.
I pause.
— Esther… she's different.
She brings peace wherever she goes.
I'm convinced she could heal much more than we imagine.
Elisabeth sighs softly.
— If it's for their good…
Then I trust you.
She places her hand on mine.
— I agree.
I squeeze her fingers.
That night,
I understand that everything is about to change.