And I can hear him in the kitchen, hear cupboards being opened and closed. Hear the kettle flicking on. But it’s as I hear the fridge door close that I know exactly how this story ends.

It ends in tragedy.

Love stories always ends in tragedy eventually; in death, disillusionment or divorce. There is no fourth choice.

I know that.

But maybe hearts are just made to be broken.

Because as I sit here, on the bed we slept in last night, listening to him opening drawers in the other room, I know with total certainty that, despite it all, I’m going to do it anyway. It doesn’t matter that it’s illogical and it can only end it tears. It doesn’t matter that it goes against everything I know to be true. Maybe biology has finally blinded me, maybe I have PTSD from Thomas so I’m not thinking straight, maybe society has sucked me back into their way of seeing things, or maybe it’s just that everything beautiful in life is temporary. I don’t know. All I know for sure is when people ask how we met, I’ll revel in saying, ‘Well, it was Paris in the autumn. I was sleeping with a serial killer and he was married to someone else.’ Or maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll say none of that. Maybe I’ll just smile and say, ‘Well, it began like any anti-love story. With Chapitre Un.’

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

Thank you to my publisher, Fiona Henderson, for your ongoing belief in me, your invaluable creative input and for always going the extra mile. To Dan Ruffino for your support from day one. To my editors, Deonie Fiford and Michelle Swainson, for your attention to detail and thoroughness – I always know my books are in great hands. To Mark Evans and Katherine Ring for your fantastic proofing skills. And to Anthea Bariamis for checking the French phrases in this book and all your work creating the audiobook.

Thank you too, to Elissa Baillie, Gareth Woods-Jack and the entire team sales team at Simon & Schuster Australia for always championing me and getting my books into the hands of booksellers. To Kirstin Corcoran for your next-level marketing prowess. And to Anabel Pandiella for all you have done to promote my books, for being the most amazing tour buddy, and for making sure I don’t overdose on vegetable juice.

To my wonderful agent, Mollie Glick – thank you for being in my corner! You have no idea how much I appreciate you. And to the books to film team at CAA: thank you for taking my stories out into the world of film and TV!