Publisher's Synopsis
Haunted by the memory of his unforgettable first love - meaning his first restaurant Le Coralie - Michael's life is a merry-go-round of disasters. Twelve years ago, he was conned, betrayed by his then business partner, a most trusted childhood friend named Peter. Michael lost Le Coralie after an ugly legal battle. He found himself not only heartbroken, but also bankrupt.
To get back on track, he worked like a madman at the renowned restaurant Saillon Manoir. And it paid off. Today, Michael is considered the best Michelin-Starred chef in London. But his life is a misery, following the loss of Le Coralie he suffers from PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder). If only he could have not clung to that failure, that lost love, but the day after the verdict in court a horrible anxiety overcame him. He always had too much pride to admit his weakness, so he hid it under a rigour that became exasperating for those around him. He buried himself in his work in order not to face his anguish, his fear of emptiness. And he shielded himself from all feelings so as never to be betrayed again. But as the years passed the anxiety grew relentlessly. He would have preferred it to diminish and disappear. The exact opposite happened; Michael gradually felt himself becoming a ticking time bomb.
