Page 40 of The Substitute Fiancée

“Listen…” he finally begins. “I’ve heard what happened. It’s… regrettable. But you know, youthful mistakes happen.”

I slowly raise an eyebrow.

— Are you talking about the fact that I caught Kristel fucking another man?

He jumps. The vulgarity of my words hits him.

The irony. As if the real obscenity wasn’t what I saw in that bedroom.

“It’s… well… it was a lapse in judgment,” he stammers. “It won’t happen again.”

I let the silence stretch. Long. Heavy.

Then I ask quietly,

“And how can you be so sure? What tells me she won’t do it again in three months? Or in a year?”

He inhales deeply, as if preparing to reveal some great truth.

“You have to understand one thing,” he tries to explain. “Kristel was only seven years old when her mother died. Even though my second wife treats her like her own daughter, her insecurity grew when Samantha was born. Since then, she’s constantly felt she had to prove more than everyone else.”

He pauses.

“Having a lover means nothing to her. It’s just a way to reassure herself, to feel desired.”

So that’s how he wants to play it.

By disguising betrayal as fragility, pulling at my heartstrings.

“Instead of making excuses for her,” I snap back, “you’d be better off finding her a good therapist.”

He clenches his fists, visibly offended.

“Listen… if this is a matter of pride, nothing is stopping you from… seeing other women yourself. One or two conquests, and the issue is settled. But don’t throw your relationship away over so little.”

I freeze.

He’s just managed to shock me more than his daughter ever did.

I’ve never liked Arthur. His condescension toward Sam has always disgusted me. I’ve hated the way he constantly belittles her, dismisses her opinions with a wave of his hand.

But this—

This makes me two seconds away from punching him in the face.

I straighten slowly.

“Listen, Arthur. It’s time for you to leave. What happens between your daughter and me is none of your business. And certainly not the business of someone who confuses love, betrayal, and bargaining.”

“You’re throwing me out?” he asks, outraged.

“The weekend was particularly long and exhausting,” I say, jaw tight. “And it’s late.”

His eyes narrow.

He presses on.

“You have no interest in breaking things off now. Think about MatchMapping’s reputation. Imagine what people will say: ‘the CEO of a dating app incapable of maintaining a stable romantic relationship?’”