After discussing the cover of my first novel with the graphics team, they sent me some draft versions based on their preferences as well as mine. I fell in love with it. It's a cover showing an illustration of a couple with a predominance of blue and red. Everything was exactly as I wanted it.

— Daniel, look!

He joined me by my reading chair and glanced at my screen.

— But Liz, that's exactly what you were describing to me last week.
— Yes, I know! It's brilliant...
— That's why I stayed with this publishing house, they take into account the opinion of their authors for this kind of thing.
— It's just incredible. I didn't think I was going to get all these opportunities but look at this...

The rest of the afternoon flew by as I exchanged numerous e-mails with the publishing house about the next steps to be taken. I had also planned to send my novel to journalists who could write articles to promote it. I was also thinking of running a competition to win copies and I would have liked to organise an autograph session, as I already had readers who followed my writing on a regular basis.

Daniel was working remotely that day and had decided to spend some time with me, as Eve had gone home the day before. I'd told her she could stay as long as she liked, but she was keen to get back to her flat, at least for the time being. Guillaume had stopped contacting her, realising that it was truly over between them. Daniel had asked her if she didn't want to make a complaint, but she preferred to leave it in the past. Although I think she should have taken him to court, I didn't want her constantly dwelling on everything that had happened. Work had given her a way out, but only time would help. However, we had planned evenings together so that she wouldn't spend several days in a row locked up in her flat.

— What are your plans for this evening? Daniel asked me as I was packing my bag.
— Probably a movie marathon, but I don't know which ones.
— Your obsession with watching films is really weird.
— But who doesn't like sitting in front of the television for hours on end? Apart from you, I said before he could say anything.

He shook his head, then gave me a kiss on the temple.

— Very cute, I added to him before he went into the living room.

As I lay down on my bed, my memory box on top of my wardrobe caught my eye, not being exactly where I usually left it. I immediately sat up and pulled at it. I caught it with my right hand, underestimating its weight, and it fell heavily beside me. I winced in pain, I'd just sprained my wrist.

— Liz? shouted Daniel from the living room before running to my bedroom.
— I've hurt myself, I said as I sat down on my bed.
— Come on, put on a coat and I'll take you to the A&E for an x-ray.
— I don't think I need it.
— It wasn't a question.

He grabbed my coat and helped me put it on. We went downstairs quickly. On the way, I texted Eve as best I could, letting her know about the incident and that I'd let her know when I got out of the emergency room. When I got there and saw the thirty or so people waiting to be treated, I realised that I'd be waiting a long time. However, the nurses at the reception all seemed to know Daniel, and I was sent to the radiology department about ten minutes later.

— How do you know them?
— My father is a doctor in this emergency department.

I didn't know how I'd missed such a detail. I hadn't thought to ask what his parents did for a living. After I'd taken the X-ray, we moved back to the waiting room, and Daniel's father Charles came to see us. One of the hospital staff must have told him we were here. He walked quickly towards us, visibly worried.

— Liz, are you all right? What's the matter?
— I hurt myself taking out a box that was high up.

He seemed relieved.

— Ah, let me see that.

I removed the ice pack I'd been given to reduce the swelling. Charles winced at the sight of my wrist.

— Ouch. Did you get the x-ray done?
— Yes, we're still waiting for the results.
— How are you feeling? No dizziness?
— No, nothing like that.
— All right, I'll get back to work, but call me if there's a problem.

He moved quickly towards a stretcher with a screaming child on it. I really admired the jobs in the emergency services. It took incredible mental strength to deal with that on a daily basis. Suddenly, my pain intensified. I couldn't understand why the medication wasn't helping. Daniel stroke my back to soothe me. Despite his good intentions, I winced as I rested my head on his shoulder.

—Is there anything I can do to help?
— No, but that's nice.

A nurse called for us and took us back to an office. A doctor invited us to sit down and explained that I had to avoid doing anything with my wrist or putting any weight on it. He put a cast on my wrist to immobilise it.

— I could prescribe a splint but I'm afraid you'll move too much. So, as a precaution, I'm going to leave you in this cast for three weeks. We'll see after that, but a simple splint should suffice after that. If the pain persists, we'll take another x-ray. In the meantime, I've prescribed some codeine painkillers to ease the pain for the time being. Do you have any questions?
— No, thank you very much, Doctor.
— It's nothing, have a nice evening.

He opened the door for us.

— Thanks, you too, I replied, in sync with Daniel.

I breathed in deeply as the pain took over. The receptionist asked us to fill in some paperwork before we left. As I'm right-handed, I let Daniel fill up the information. I remembered that it was the first time he'd written by hand in my presence. When I examined the paper more closely, I was struck.

— It's funny, your handwriting looks familiar to me even though it's the first time I've seen it.

Strangely, Daniel didn't make any comments. I continued to watch him as he added my postal and e-mail addresses. Perhaps I'd seen some documents he'd filled in by hand before? Although I would have remembered them all the same. His 'r's and 's's really rang a bell. As I thought about it, I remembered that the stranger writing the notes had exactly the same handwriting...

Oh no.

I looked up at Daniel when he'd finished and noticed that he seemed sorry. I tried to keep calm, but it was impossible. As he completed the final formalities with the nurse, I was boiling inside. He had pretended not to know anything about the stranger. He'd even pretended to be worried that I was developing feelings for him. I had experienced the greatest torment of my life, feeling guilty about the way I felt about this individual as I got to know Daniel. How could I trust someone who had lied to me for so many months? Was he testing me to see if I would decide to meet the stranger as we built our relationship? How could he betray me like that?

As I left the hospital, Daniel tried to walk towards me.

— Stay away from me, I said, tears welling up in my eyes.
— Liz, I can explain.
— Explain what, Daniel? You want to explain why you lied to me, tested me, maybe betrayed me?
— It's not what you think...
— That's exactly what I think. You played me. It must have been funny to see me so tormented by the notes I was receiving when I was staying with you for my own safety? You could have revealed to me that it was you at any time between the day you knew I was the recipient of those notes and now.
— I was afraid of losing you, Liz. I was afraid you'd be angry and...
— That's no reason, Daniel, I cut him off. I had a right to know. Instead, you led me on.
— Liz, I love you.

His voice trembled with fear and sadness. Despite the pain in my heart, I couldn't soften my stance. I had never tolerated lies in my life.

— I don't know if that's enough for me to forgive you.
— Tell me what I can do and I'll do it.
— Give me time and space.
— Liz! he cried as I started to walk away towards the bus stop, tears streaming down my cheeks. 

At least let me take you home.

I remembered that he had his things at home and I didn't want him to come by later to pick them up.

— Fine, but I don't want to talk to you, you've broken all my trust by lying to me, Daniel.

I was crying so hard I was gasping for breath. I could tell he wanted to help me, but he didn't.

When we got into the car, I saw that Daniel was crying too. I wanted to take him in my arms and comfort him by telling him it was nothing, but I couldn't. He'd hurt me badly and I needed to think. I'd never tolerated lies, so why start now? I didn't want to be the kind of person whose principles and expectations change for someone in particular. If he had finally told me himself, I would have tried to understand why it had taken him so long to tell me. But I wasn't sure he'd ever have told me the truth... Despite everything he'd done for me, I couldn't accept the discomfort I'd felt because of him.

After I'd closed the door of my flat behind Daniel, I collapsed to the floor. I didn't care if he could hear me from the corridor, I was devastated. I called Eve immediately, and she had never arrived at my flat so quickly.

The rest of the evening passed as if in a fog. Had I lost Daniel for good? He said he loved me, but how can you lie to someone you love?