55 pages • 1 hour read
Danielle SteelTriangle
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2024A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 13-16Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 13 Summary
Stephanie’s convalescence becomes a strain for Olivier, though he appreciates the unwavering support of Stephanie’s friends. Lizzie, in particular, remains almost constantly at Stephanie’s side. As Olivier manages the household bills, he reflects on how funding Stephanie’s lifestyle enabled them both to live separate, independent lives. This arrangement now feels less like freedom and more like avoidance as the emotional distance between them becomes increasingly apparent. Stephanie asks Olivier if her accident ruined his new relationship. Olivier brushes off her concern, assuring her that he is fine.
Meanwhile, Amanda faces renewed tension when Tom calls, furious that she involved the police after his assault. In a heated exchange, Tom bitterly questions why Amanda was willing to be with Olivier but not him. Amanda retaliates, condemning him for his actions. Tom attempts to justify his behavior, claiming that his desire for her overwhelmed him. He insists that he loves Amanda, but she dismisses his claims, labeling his emotions as possessiveness, not love. Amanda warns Tom never to contact her again. Later, Tom sends a text accusing Amanda of breaking his heart, which prompts her to remember their time at NYU. She recalls how their relationship ended when she refused his request to continue long-distance while he attended Stanford. Tom’s behavior then, including accusatory letters and paranoia about infidelity, now seems eerily consistent with his current instability.
Amanda shares Tom’s latest call with Pascal, who feels torn. While he believes Tom’s denial about breaking into Amanda’s apartment, he remains concerned about Tom’s mental state. Tom ceases his calls. However, Amanda continues to receive the late-night “breather” phone calls. Though she refuses to answer, the harassment leaves her on edge. The intruder’s prior ability to bypass her safety measures compels her to always leave her alarm on. As a precaution, Amanda documents the bruises Tom left during his assault.
As Stephanie’s recovery progresses, she visits the stables for the first time since her accident. Finally mobile enough to use a wheelchair, she reclaims small pieces of her former routine. In a conversation with Lizzie, Stephanie acknowledges the state of her marriage. Lizzie, sensing tension, offers to leave, worried that her presence might hinder reconciliation between Stephanie and Olivier. However, Stephanie is candid in her response, affirming that while Olivier is a good man, their marriage is over.
Chapter 14 Summary
Amanda takes additional measures to secure her safety, installing new security devices and always keeping her alarm on. Despite these precautions, she feels an unsettling sense of being watched, which disrupts her ability to eat or sleep properly. With Amanda’s continued silence and refusal to answer his calls or texts, Olivier reluctantly decides to stop reaching out. He resolves once again to divorce Stephanie and reconnect with Amanda when she feels ready.
Recognizing Amanda’s increasing anxiety, Pascal persuades her to move into his apartment, which he no longer uses since spending all his time with Delphine. Amanda finally begins to feel safe and starts sleeping regularly. Though she stays at Pascal’s apartment each night, she visits her own during the day. However, after a heavy rainstorm, she discovers severe leaks in Pascal’s apartment. Pascal apologizes for not warning her about the issue. When the leaks worsen, Amanda reluctantly returns to her apartment after just 11 days.
Meanwhile, Stephanie requests a private conversation with Olivier. Reflecting on their 26-year marriage, she confesses that she knew it was a mistake almost immediately. However, pressure from her parents and her priest convinced her to continue, with the priest even suggesting that having a child would strengthen their bond. Stephanie admits that motherhood did not fix the underlying issues and that she sought solace in her horses to escape her unhappiness.
Olivier acknowledges that he, too, has been considering ending the marriage. In an open and honest exchange, Stephanie reveals a long-held secret: After their second son, Edouard, was born, she realized she was a lesbian. At age 27, Stephaine fell in love with Lizzie. Stephanie apologizes for depriving Olivier of the opportunity to find a fulfilling relationship like the one she shares with Lizzie. She expresses her desire to divorce Olivier and marry Lizzie, even though she knows it will be challenging for their sons. Stephanie recognizes that their sham marriage has held them both back from living authentic lives.
Stephanie further reveals that their friends Veronique and Valerie are also a couple. Unlike Lizzie, whose family disowned her for coming out, the others have kept their relationships hidden. Touched by Stephanie’s sincerity, Olivier offers to walk her down the aisle when she marries Lizzie. Stephanie, in turn, encourages Olivier to go to Amanda and make amends.
When Lizzie sees Stephanie and Olivier holding hands, she panics, fearing he might oppose their relationship. Stephanie reassures her, explaining that she has told Olivier everything and that he has been wonderfully supportive. The two women begin to plan their future together.
Chapter 15 Summary
Olivier tries to contact Amanda through calls, texts, and emails, but she does not respond. Determined to see her, he decides to go to her apartment. As he arrives, Olivier notices a man dressed entirely in black climbing the building and leaping onto Amanda’s balcony. Alarmed, Olivier rushes to the front door and calls the police.
Inside, Amanda steps out of the shower and finds Tom in her bedroom, holding a knife. Weighing her options, Amanda considers locking herself in the bathroom but fears for Lulu’s safety. Tom taunts her, referencing his novel. He reveals his intention to rape and kill her. When Amanda resists, he slaps her across the face. As Amanda struggles, Olivier breaks down the door and rushes in. A violent scuffle ensues, during which Tom slashes Amanda’s thigh and Olivier’s arm before Olivier manages to subdue him.
The police arrive moments later, handcuffing Tom as he screams obscenities at both Amanda and Olivier.
At the hospital, Amanda and Olivier receive stitches for their injuries and are kept overnight for observation. The police visit Amanda and confirm that Tom confessed to planning to rape and kill her. They also inspect the apartment’s security measures and promise to follow up later.
Once they are alone, Amanda and Olivier finally discuss everything. Olivier explains that he visited her to share news of his upcoming divorce when he saw Tom climbing the building. He reveals that Stephanie initiated the divorce, sharing her backstory and her plans to marry Lizzie. Together, they speculate about Tom’s fate, noting that France does not extradite citizens. Amanda calls Pascal to explain the situation, and he and Delphine arrive with food to offer support.
The police return with additional details about Tom’s past, uncovered through Interpol and Tom’s confession. They reveal that Tom previously attacked his wife, leading to a year-long stay in a psychiatric hospital. Following his felony conviction, he was disbarred. Tom also admits to stalking Amanda, breaking into her apartment, and vandalizing her belongings. The Paris police charge Tom with two counts of attempted murder and one count of attempted rape.
After everyone leaves, Amanda and Olivier finally rest, beginning the long recovery process.
Over the next few days, Amanda and Olivier grow closer as they heal. Amanda eventually invites Olivier to move in with her. Tom signs a confession and is sentenced to prison.
A month later, Stephanie fully recovers, regaining her walking ability and even resuming horseback riding. Before returning to the show circuit, Stephanie and her friends join Amanda and Olivier for a farewell dinner. Stephanie and Olivier file for divorce, a decision that does not surprise their sons. However, Stephanie decides to hold off on revealing her sexuality and plans to marry Lizzie, preferring to ease her sons into the news. When she finally tells them, Guillaume accepts it more readily than Edouard.
As Stephanie begins a new chapter of her life, Olivier finds happiness with Amanda. Guillaume and Edouard quickly warm to Amanda, and the family dynamic settles into a harmonious rhythm.
Chapter 16 Summary
In June, Stephanie and Lizzie get married, with Olivier walking them down the aisle. Stephanie’s sons serve as witnesses, marking the occasion with their support. Shortly after Olivier and Stephanie’s divorce was finalized, Amanda and Olivier married. The couple now anticipates the arrival of a baby girl, who is due in December.
Chapters 13-16 Analysis
As the novel reaches its conclusion and its characters take decisive action, Steel centers the theme of Appearances, Perceptions, and Reality. Stephanie’s coming-out scene, in particular, emphasizes how outward appearances and societal expectations can obscure an individual’s real identity. Stephanie’s traditional Catholic upbringing instilled in her a rigid societal framework that left little room for self-expression, particularly regarding her sexuality. Her initial dismissal of her feelings as “a stupid one-time girl thing” underscores the internalized shame she carried for years (212). However, after decades of hiding, Stephanie’s revelation following her accident challenges societal expectations and the appearances she has maintained for decades. Her admission—“I knew something was wrong with me. I didn’t know what. I didn’t have the guts to ask myself, but I knew […] I ran into my horse life. I created a world for myself where I could hide” (212)—demonstrates her realization that avoidance and denial came at the cost of personal happiness and fulfillment. Her decision to divorce Olivier, live openly, and marry Lizzie disrupts the couple’s carefully constructed illusion, highlighting both the harm caused by such deceptions and the liberation Stephanie finds in self-acceptance. During a rare moment of candor, Stephanie asks Olivier if her accident has put a strain on his new relationship. Though they both harbor unspoken worries—for themselves and each other—they lack the closeness to share them openly. Their conversations are polite but devoid of intimacy. Once Stephanie acknowledges the truth, she can begin to live authentically, and, in doing so, grants Olivier the opportunity to rebuild his life with a partner whom he truly wants to be with on a foundation of honesty. Stephanie’s character arc demonstrates that even after years of denial and conformity, redefining one’s life and relationships authentically is possible.
While Stephanie and Lizzie’s relationship exemplifies love’s redemptive and affirming qualities, Tom’s obsessive fixation on Amanda represents love’s darker, destructive side. Tom’s belief that stalking, raping, and killing Amanda will affirm his love for her reveals how obsession and violence can twist emotions into something harmful and sinister. His actions in the narrative contrast to the mutual respect and authenticity that define other relationships in the novel. Through Tom’s predatory, violent behavior—rooted in entitlement, control, and a distorted sense of love—Steel critiques societal tendencies to romanticize obsession or misconstrue unhealthy fixation as passion.
Tom’s character arc also explores the theme of Appearances, Perceptions, and Reality. As Olivier notes, Tom “looked like such a nice, normal guy” (229), a perception his education, professional achievements, and charming demeanor reinforce. This outward respectability contrasts sharply with his violent and obsessive actions. Amanda and Pascal initially dismiss the idea that Tom could be her stalker, influenced by his polished image and their inability to reconcile his professional success with his erratic behavior. However, his eventual attack on Amanda shatters these illusions, revealing the dissonance between perception and reality. Through Tom’s character, Steel critiques the societal tendency to equate appearances with trustworthiness. She exposes the dangers of relying on superficial indicators to assess someone’s character.
The novel concludes on a hopeful note regarding The Link Between Love and Marriage. Stephanie and Lizzie’s marriage symbolizes their ability to pursue authenticity and live openly despite previously hiding their relationship from their loved ones. Meanwhile, Amanda and Olivier’s journey from discord to stability, culminating in their marriage and Amanda’s pregnancy, represents their ability to trust one another entirely. While Amanda initially struggled to open up to Olivier due to fear rooted in her romantic history, her character arc has made strides in Embracing Vulnerability in Interpersonal and Romantic Relationships. Amanda and Olivier’s ability to overcome obstacles and commit to a shared future reflects the redemptive potential of love when founded on trust and mutual respect. Through these resolutions, Steel emphasizes that while life may be fraught with challenges, embracing one’s truth and fostering genuine romantic connections ultimately lead to fulfillment and happiness.
