Chapter 4 Chapitre 4

The appearance of the other woman, a familiar figure but perceived as a weapon in the silent war he was waging, came into Luca's daily life like a punch, intended to break what was left fragile in Amelie. It was a calculated maneuver, a way for Luca to mark his territory, to push her into her entrenchments. But deep down, he wasn't sure what he was really hoping for. After all, he had never believed that his provocation strategy would work as he had planned. He expected an explosion of anger, a reaction, anything. But she remained there, so calm, so indifferent.

It was a Friday night, and they were invited to an important party in the posh part of town. The kind of party where you strut around, where you pretend to be someone you're not, where fake laughter mixes with the sound of the piano and the clinking of glasses. Luca had chosen that precise moment to make a spectacular entrance. He was accompanied by Julia, a younger, more vibrant woman, a mistress who was anything but discreet.

They arrived together, arm in arm, their gazes displaying an obvious complicity. It was a masterstroke, designed to make Amelie react, to lose her footing, to finally rebel. Luca looked at her sideways, his heart beating faster than usual, but it was anticipation, excitement, almost contempt. He had only one idea in mind: to see her suffer.

The room was filled with guests in suits and ties, women in sparkling dresses, but as soon as Luca entered, everyone's gaze turned to him. He knew that his mistress would attract all eyes, that Amelie would be the only one left in the shadows of this spectacle. Julia slipped in beside him, a light in the darkness, displaying a confident smile.

Luca walked over to Amelie, who was, as always, standing back. She wasn't the type to mingle with the crowd. But tonight, there was something different in her attitude. Her face, usually impassive, seemed to have lost some of its calm. But Luca didn't have time to look for more answers. He stood in front of her, with a theatrical gesture.

- Amelie, this is Julia, he said, emphasizing her name as if to emphasize the humiliation. She is... very dear to my heart.

Amelie looked up at him, then slowly turned to Julia. There was no anger, no sadness, nothing that betrayed any feeling. Just this eerie calm, this almost glacial silence. She held out her hand to Julia, who took it without hesitation, in a gesture a little too forced to be natural.

- Nice to meet you, said Amelie, her tone as polite as it was distant.

Luca watched the scene, attentive to every movement, every reaction. He waited to see something. He waited for a sign, a shudder. But no. Amelie said nothing, made no gesture to indicate her displeasure. She remained there, motionless, while Julia smiled, a smile that was meant to be reassuring, but which seemed more like a challenge.

- I'll let you talk, Luca said finally, without a backward glance, heading towards another group of guests. He didn't need more. He knew that this meeting, this staging, would leave a mark.

The rest of the evening passed in a strange atmosphere. Luca, in the middle of the crowd, found himself regularly looking at Amelie. He expected to see her flee, to see her withdraw into herself. But no. She remained there, calm, almost withdrawn, observing everything with an attention that, with each moment, seemed more penetrating. When he met her gaze for a moment, he felt a shiver that he could not identify. Was it guilt? Doubt? Maybe. But all he could get from it was that she still did not react.

At the end of the evening, Luca didn't feel victorious. He had expected a big blow, an outburst, but the only thing that came out of it was a strange feeling of emptiness. He headed for the exit, Julia at his side, but he turned one last time to Amelie. She was there, still as straight, still as calm.

He stared at her, but she didn't move. She waited. And that unsettled him.

The next morning, with the sun barely peeking through the curtains, Amelie went to Luca's. The silence in the house was almost deafening. He was waiting for her, sitting in the living room, a strange look on his face. He knew what was coming. But this time, he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of having control of the situation. She was calm, much too calm, and this attitude was starting to annoy him deeply.

Amelie entered without a word, closing the door softly behind her. Luca stood and looked at her, his eyes scanning her every movement. He waited for an explosion, a scream, anything to shatter the icy tranquility. But she said nothing. She simply sat across from him, her gaze unwavering.

- So? he finally said, broken by the silence. What do you have to say after what happened last night?

Amelie stared at him without blinking. Her lips parted slowly, as if she were weighing each word before speaking it.

- You wanted to provoke me, Luca. But I am far from being a woman who can be manipulated like that. I see your game, but I will not participate in it.

Luca choked inwardly. This was even worse than he had imagined. She could see him. She knew exactly what he was doing. And yet, she didn't react. It was like she was light years away from whatever he was trying to create. He felt an unpleasant shiver invade his mind.

- Do you really think this will protect you? she asked, her voice as cold as steel.

Luca bit the inside of his cheek. He knew she was leading him into territory he didn't understand.

- I'm not trying to protect you," he said abruptly, his tone hardening. "But I'm going to tell you something, Amelie. If you think you can ignore what's going on, you're wrong. Julia and I have a relationship that has nothing to do with what you imagine. So don't think you can remain unmoved by all this."

Amelie stood up slowly. She had no intention of letting him have the last word. But she didn't confront him directly.

- You're the one who's making a mistake, Luca. Julia isn't what you think she is. And you don't even know what game you're getting yourself into.

Then, without another word, she turned and left the room. Luca, frozen in his chair, felt a growing unease in his stomach. What did she mean by that?