Ok.
My name is Sandrine. I'm the new one.
As you see, I'm behind the bar.
Sometimes I'm the cloakroom attendant. I don't like it.
But I have to make a living.
So I just watch the show, the girls.
I'm only really interested in Nathalie.
She's my secret role model.
She's beautiful.
She can win anybody over.
Actually,
although I don't like to admit it, I wish I had that ability too.
To make them all drool and have them at my feet.
If you don't want to fuck him, you don't.
Girls, I have a club here that does well.
Why?
Because the customer knows he gets what he wants.
That's what I pay you for. You, Nathalie, I like you.
You have a cute ass that attracts many customers.
But you know that I'm...
not affected.
You, Sandrine, you're free.
Nobody tells you what to do.
Except...
the world is the way it is.
It's your choice.
Don't give in to that pig.
Asshole.
Aren't you going home?
I'm three months behind on the rent. My landlady would kick me out.
And the boss knows that, right?
Damnit.
Come to me then.
This created a true bond between us.
Do you want to eat? - No, thanks.
Champagne?
Where do you live? - In a little attic room in Montmartre.
At first, I was so happy.
It was expensive and small, but it was all mine.
But after all these evenings on my own... - Do you live alone?
Didn't you have a boyfriend? - We broke up straight after.
He was more of a buddy. Although we did sleep together.
But I hadn't left my parents
to become a prisoner again.
How was he? - What do you mean?
In bed.
It was good occasionally. Just once.
In the car.
He was driving. My left hand was on my knee.
He let go of the wheel.
Took my hand and slowly pushed it up along my thigh.
And then, still as slowly...
he forced me to caress myself. That time I felt something.
But the next day we still broke up.
And you?
Nothing special. I studied ballet. Graduated.
And ended up in that club.
Can I ask you something? - Shoot.
It's an indiscrete question. - Go ahead.
Since I work in that joint, I've...
What does it do to you to dance naked in front of all those people watching?
Nothing.
You turn them on, don't you? - Most of the time it's routine.
Most of the time?
Once, I came intensely on the stage.
More intense than with a man?
That night I had the most intense orgasm ever.
Why? - Because everybody was watching me.
Because men were watching you? - Because everybody was watching me.
It turned me on very much and I came.
It's happened more often.
So that's it.
What? - What makes you so seductive.
Did it happen tonight too? - You can't win them all.
Does it embarrass you what I just said? - No. I envy you.
I would never have dared.
Dare what? Show your nudity?
Enjoy turning them on? Or coming?
All those things.
But I'm not pretty enough. - That's what us girls all say.
I was afraid that evening too.
The evening you... - Yes.
I had had some champagne.
Like tonight.
Just enough to feel light...
nice... without being drunk.
And I had the guts.
And I came intensely.
Am I shocking you? - No.
Like I said, I envy you.
What stops you from doing it too? - I'd never dare.
Are you drunk?
No.
No, I feel ok.
Let's play a game then.
What kind of game? - A dare game.
Dare cross that border in your head
that none of your female friends will ever cross.
And it will give you pleasure.
I would have preferred to leave.
No. - Stay, I'm not going to jump you.
It has to happen in your head first.
Ok.
Now close your eyes.
Let yourself get carried away.
The rest will follow automatically.
Go to the bed.
At the same time, I was thinking:
What's the risk? You can leave whenever you want.
Well, will you have the guts?
Get under the sheet.
Undress under the sheet.
Close your eyes.
Let yourself go.
Each time you hesitate.
It takes only a little effort to go further
and to dare enjoy it.
Softly caress your body.
Try to discover it.
Without any shame.
Softly stroke your skin.
Find the spots that give you enjoyment.
Softly stroke with your hand over your thigh...
over the inside of your thigh.
Is it good?
Take of your bra.
And your panties.
Start caressing yourself again.
Is it good?
Keep going.
Now remove the sheet.
You're beautiful.
Give in to the enjoyment of being naked and being watched.
Is it good?
Keep going to the extreme.
Now.
Goodnight.
Where did you sleep? - I have another room.
How do you feel?
Very good. I'm here. You're here.
But then there's my landlady.
We'll have to negotiate.
I have to find a new job. - Do you want to live here?
I can lend you some money until you're on your feet.
Then you return it. - That would be great.
It would be fun even.
But I'd be in your way. You must have friends.
They never visit me at home.
Do you like women. I'm not a lesbian.
Me neither.
No, it's just...
I'm fed up with being alone but I don't want a man.
And somehow...
I like you.
Come, move in with me and we'll find you a job.
Hello, mum.
Hi... And?
Did you move? Tell me. Here, here.
Don't leave crumbs everywhere. What's that friend of yours like?
She's nice. We each have our own room.
And she doesn't ask questions. I don't have to justify everything I do to her.
Have you got a job? You're not waitress again at a restaurant?
If you could call it a restaurant.
I'm going to do office work. Bookkeeper or secretary.
Look me in the eye.
Are you lying? - No, really.
Come, give me a kiss.
And say hello to your father. - Where is he?
There, in the garden.
Each morning, he's pacing around,
waiting for a phone call about a new job.
Poor dad. He could go to the movies or the theatre with you.
Or just go for a walk together.
I responded to so many ads, back then.
And talked to so many personnel managers. But only in small companies.
In the big ones, you don't get past the subordinates.
In hindsight, Nathalie left me hanging like that on purpose.
One day we were in the subway. And we were both fed up.
I think we handled it wrong.
We were just doing what everybody did.
Without money or relations, we're eternal losers.
From now on, we're using
our guts and our bodies to get ahead. - We won't be the only ones.
Shyness can't slow us down.
We're going further and we'll do more than all the other girls.
Come on. Let's show some guts right away.
How? - You understood.
Discretely take off your bra. - Here?
Yes. - Are you mad?
Do it.
In front of everybody? - Nobody will notice.
Look.
Now you.
Pretend it's perfectly normal.
Put your handbag in your lap to cover yourself.
Caress yourself.
One guy saw me.
There, on the left.
Keep going.
How does it make you feel?
I'm kind of scared.
It's exciting to be watched.
Show yourself now.
Quickly.
Come!
To stop there would have been too easy.
But she knew the subway stations were full of cameras.
Do it now.
I thought you didn't fancy women? - I want to make you come.
We've been caught. - Doesn't matter. Go on.
Quick, hurry.
Strange to walk around naked under our coats
amongst the clueless crowds.
Strange, but very good.
And this is how we continued.
I had developed guts
and that gave me a feeling of superiority over everybody I met.
Next chapter. Men, the manual.
First you have to choose a good one. But don't jump his bones.
Play the innocent girl who still has to learn everything and who picked him as her protector.
We can all do that. Men want sex and then the next woman.
That's why you shouldn't fuck them. Or at least, not necessarily.
You study him and let him talk.
Look for his weak spot and find out what drives him. Money, cars...
I don't know, dough, work. Once you know, you flatter him.
Once you've picked the right one, you succumb.
But not right away. He shouldn't think you're easy.
But not too slowly either. He'd get bored.
After three or four dinners you pull out the big guns.
You give him pleasure and make him think only he can make you come.
You play the obedient, happy girl. But not for too long.
In bed, you soon stop the comedy.
He gets peeved off right away when you don't come anymore.
You drop him and you cheat on him.
Openly.
With meaningless flings. Also with a woman, if possible.
That humiliates him. He'll go crazy and come to you on his knees.
And that always works? - Almost always.
That's the mystery of human nature.
You get attached to what resists to you or escapes you.
Who taught you that?
Life. My mother.
But we were a poor family.
I read a lot too. I studied, just like you.
And we still ended up in the same nightclub.
Women lack self confidence and guts.
We always need somebody to encourage us.
In a way, we're like proletarians.
My mother said she'd always stay one
because she was afraid to improve herself. "Have guts," she always told me.
Human nature had no secrets for her.
I never came with a man. - I know.
And that's fine. - Yes... Well, as a manner of speech.
Yes, really. You'll soon understand. What did you do with your boyfriend?
I faked it. - Why?
Because I wanted to please him.
No. You felt guilty because you thought it was you.
Wrong. Third lesson: A femme fatale
tends to be narcissistic or lesbian and frigid with men.
They only come when they feel like it, which is not often. That's their power.
With the famous courtesans... - You want to turn me into a classy whore.
No, I'm explaining life to you.
As I said, with the famous courtesans
every man hopes to succeed where all the others failed.
Out of pride, they're prepared to pay fortunes
to smugly parade next to them.
A bit of frigidity with men performs miracles. You quickly become addicted to the weapon of sex.
And you should leave being a slave to others.
You can now come on your own. You're free. Understand?
And what about love? - That's our biggest enemy.
The real risk of the trade. During war, if you start to think, you're dead.
When you fall in love, you're fucked.
Was your life a dream so far?
You have no choice if you want to escape. Nobody will help you.
That big love can come later.
Now show me how you faked it.
Did you do that with your boyfriend?
What did you do on stage? - I faked my real orgasms.
Ok, one more time.
And, did I come or not?
Why, was that fake? - Yes.
Well, sort of. - That's good.
It's really difficult to fake it when you don't feel like it at all.
There are only offices here.
You don't want me to work there, do you? - Yes, I do.
Is that why I'm wearing these bourgeois clothes?
No, I won't do it. I can't.
It reminds me of my father.
We're beautiful. We can try our luck in fashion or showbiz. Or the movies.
In those scenes, girls are picked up and thrown down again by the dozens.
Remember our nightclub.
There's less competition in offices.
And you mentioned your father.
I bet work was his life.
And he worked for ungrateful people too.
But he must have had fantasies.
Forget he's your father. See him like anybody else.
Do you think he had fantasies? - Like anybody.
And did he pursue them with your mother?
Believe me, he didn't pursue them with anybody.
Dirty magazines, porn movies, maybe a whore.
But always in secret and in shame. Am I wrong?
A nerdy loser who never lived would be an easy prey, yes.
Now think of men like him
but much higher on the social ladder.
They'll be our victims.
Good morning, ladies.
Are you here for the ad?
Sit down. You'll be called.
This is when Nathalie really surprised me. That man was the personnel manager.
I didn't think he had looked at anybody during those few seconds.
I don't know how she did it, by crossing her legs or opening them...
she didn't exactly flash her breasts...
Nor her legs.
The look in her eyes, maybe? - Miss?
Me? - Come please.
You too, miss.
We were both hired. I was hired at Statistics,
a department where everybody did calculations. Well, I wasn't that good with numbers.
So, I was only a secretary and a hostess. A maid, so to speak.
But Nathalie
became personal assistant of the Human Resources Manager
as that's called these days.
And in the main office too. She worked at the Champs Elysées.
I envied her a bit.
You work here at central office SM.
That stands for Stock Management. We're the brain of the company.
Everybody here is your colleague. They're each responsible for a range of products.
And there behind his desk
is Mr. Cadène, your superior.
With him is Mr. Delacroix.
In the Barnay Group, two men are important: Mr. Delacroix
and Barnay senior, but he's 65.
He's very ill. We rarely see him anymore.
Mr. Delacroix is really in charge.
He's very friendly, you'll see. Sometimes a bit absent minded.
But authority isn't always easy.
And he?
That's Barnay Jr., our General Director.
His first name's Christophe. We don't see him in the office often.
But for less serious reasons than his father.
A man with charm,
but dangerous.
Sir... I'd like to introduce the new girl.
Good morning, miss. No, stay seated.
I hope you'll like it here.
This is the most important department of the company.
And the most interesting one.
If you work well, you can expect a lot.
You'll be one of the rare women between 35 men.
Don't let them pamper you too much.
Good luck, miss.
See you later.
If you can stay a bit longer this evening...
Don't worry, just to get to know each other.
Excuse me.
And? Do you like it here?
What do you find the most interesting? - It's too early to say.
Actually, I'd like to do as much as possible.
Get to know everything about the company.
You see, I recently experienced a big disappointment.
In matters of love?
I'm not over it yet and I'd like to forget it.
By burying myself in work.
I don't want to go home early
and I'd like to work overtime.
Work.
Even after everybody has gone home
and the offices are deserted. - But...
Do you live on your own?
Sorry, I'm indiscrete.
No, with a friend.
I'll try to take care of it. The overtime, I mean.
Do you know about IT? - Only from school.
I only did high school.
The company computer is being upgraded completely.
All data have to be entered again.
I can get you involved with that.
Fine. Thank you.
Sorry, I didn't know it was this late. - No problem.
On the contrary.
See you tomorrow. - You're not going home through that rain, I hope?
Will you wait with me in the pub?
No, thank you. - Then I'll take you to the subway.
No, that's ok. Thank you.
Beautiful, a broken heart.
What was the name of the guy? - Cadène.
Robert Cadène? - Yes.
I have information about everybody.
Telephone, health, address.
Even confidential stuff. - Secrets?
Cadène, 35. Studied commerce. Lives in the 20th arrondissement.
Apolitical. Comment:
Sound, professionally efficient.
Got preferential treatment from the company, so they could get a grip on him. Looks for an attractive woman
to receive guests in the weekend.
No. The only really important man is Barnay Jr.
When the old man dies, he becomes the boss of the company
and of all of his father's empire.
Unfortunately, I know nothing about him, except the company gossip.
Or wait, he has a sister. - Why isn't he married?
Loves women too much. - Quite a challenge for us.
What do you mean?
He's dangerous and wild.
Almost impossible to tame.
We have to be careful with him.
But under him, there's Delacroix. 49, married for 22 years.
Two children, 16 and 18.
Plays tennis every Tuesday night.
Lives for his work and family. More for his work, actually.
Beautiful apartment in Neuilly.
Never had an affair.
The ideal target.
For now, keep sucking up to Cadène. He can prove useful later on.
But Delacroix will be our first target.
Every Saturday he has lunch with his mother, after leaving the office.
Hello, how's it going?
Shall I bring a coffee? - No, thank you.
A glass of water? - No, thanks.
A juice then? - No, that's ok.
Shall we have a drink together, tonight?
No, thank you.
See you later then. - See you later.
Do you have the Port Cergy model? I can't find it.
Everything has been blocked until tomorrow. - Damn.
All we can do, is wait until tomorrow.
Miss, please pass me the invoices of Mrs. Castaldi,
Mr. Guédiguian,
of Sacif and Societep. Thank you.
You should promote her.
Who? - That new girl. Sandrine.
She's serious and works hard.
And she's always friendly.
And the high number? - Here.
My bag!
Mommy!
What is it? Did you hurt yourself? Did you fall?
It's nothing.
It's nothing. Better thank the lady. - Thank you... But...
You're the girl from the office. - And you're Mr. Delacroix.
What a coincidence.
Thank you.
What happened?
A boy wanted to take your mother's bag. I was able to prevent it.
Do you live near here? - Not at all. Quite a coincidence.
Well, goodbye then.
Don't let her go like that. - Don't get upset.
Miss!
What can I do to thank you? - Nothing.
Thank you.
Ok... And now... here.
No, you start here.
Is Sandrine there? - Yes.
Yes? - Mr. Delacroix wants a word with you.
Right now? - Yes, right now.
Mr. Delacroix.
Sandrine...
Hello, miss.
Sit down.
Ok.
Miss...
my secretary's swamped in work.
We're creating a new job to help her. I was thinking of you.
You'll get paid more and, in the long run, the work will be more interesting.
You have no reply to that?
Can I ask you an honest question? - Yes, of course.
Are you suggesting this because of the incident with your mother?
Yes. I mean... no.
I don't want a reward for doing that. Really.
I'd like a better job the day you think I'm suitable for it
because of my work.
Everybody here is very content with you.
You don't blame me, do you? - No.
Can I go now? - But of course.
Maybe I exaggerated a bit.
Don't eat that one. Take this one. Look.
There's nothing in it. - That's why.
Oh, you eat that? - Just chew.
There you are.
I feel good with you.
Me too.
Really very good.
Are you angry?
I'm sorry.
Is your last experience still bothering you?
I had completely forgotten about my broken heart.
You should tell me about it. - Tell you what?
It's good to talk about it.
It's a relief. - I can't really forget it yet.
It only started to get better after 2 years.
I was lucky to have my job, the office, the nice people.
That's why I refused the promotion.
I'm falling in love with you.
It's too early.
Maybe later.
At least accept it, please. Accept your promotion.
I'll ask them to forget about your refusal.
Do you promise to accept?
Ok.
Thanks. - For what?
The movie, the restaurant.
Everything.
I envy the man you'll marry.
Who was that? - You scared me.
Who was it? - Who do you mean?
Cut it out. Was it your department manager?
Or the man of your heart?
You're mean.
You never say anything, just like the men.
I tell you everything, you know everything about me, but I know nothing about you.
Come on, I'm not a jealous guy.
I'm superstitious. - So not your department manager.
The man of your heart.
You don't confide in anybody.
I'm hiding him, because it's serious. I want to be sure he's for me.
Oh dear, a schoolgirl.
But she did have guts.
She's really hiding him because she was afraid of me.
But I would never have stolen her guy from her.
Besides, she was taking me for a ride.
Her big lesson about love as the big enemy
applied to others, but not to herself.
Miss Sandrine Tessier? - Yes.
I'm the secretary of Mr. Barnay Jr. You're expected by the Board.
Right now? - Yes.
I'll be right there.
Nathalie? I've hit the jackpot.
You didn't sleep with Barnay Jr., did you? - No, they want to see me.
Keep your head cool. Don't blow it.
He tries to get girls so he can hurt them later.
Come in.
Damn, he's handsome.
For a moment I even forgot why I was there. I came closer,
not because I had to, but to see him from up close.
And he turned out even more handsome. - Sit down.
Let me see the white raven.
White raven? - You, miss.
What do you mean?
I'm going to give you an order.
To become the second secretary of Mr. Delacroix.
Soon private secretary.
Don't speak. I'm ordering you.
And you can't leave the Barnay company. - Why would I do that?
In case you thought you didn't earn
the job I'm ordering you to accept, by your own work.
Miss Tessier, the company can't do without a precious element like you.
A young woman
who gives her heart and soul to work and overtime.
Denies herself a personal life,
hired for her arithmetic skills.
Although you're mainly a secretary.
You see, miss, these days...
someone with your merit
and morals
is a beautiful and rare find.
One wonders why, by the way.
We see the proof every day: Merit...
that's the only thing that counts.
I'm the living proof.
I congratulate you on your promotion. See you soon, miss.
Your character intrigues me.
My character? - Your personality, I mean.
Everybody really appreciates you.
Mr. Delacroix is a remarkable man.
And well positioned. - What do you mean?
That you're very interesting to...
the company and myself. You can go now.
Hello. - Hello, Sandrine.
You look a bit pale.
You haven't refused again, have you?
Mrs. Mercier, please get a bottle of champagne.
I announce to you the promotion of Sandrine.
She'll be my second secretary.
You've served me with dedication for 15 years. You deserve some help.
But I can handle fine. - Really, you'll be a lot happier.
Sit down.
One month later, Nathalie had secured her pre-pension.
Are you listening?
Hello. Everything ok?
I've got 2 tickets for Madonna tomorrow.
That's not possible. We're working until 10 o'clock at least.
You do have time for a drink, don't you? - Too much work.
Honestly, are you avoiding me?
You haven't wanted to see me for weeks. - I'm seeing you now.
You know what I mean. - I'm really busy.
You know, soon we'll all be completely lonely because
of those machines, those computers.
Sandrine?
Good evening, sir.
There's nobody left. Will you turn off the lights?
As always. - Thank you, goodbye.
Stop it.
Yes.
One moment, please.
The Japanese.
Hello? Delacroix speaking.
Yes, how are you?
Fine, fine.
Yes, the contracts will be ready.
Within two months.
Stop it.
Don't do that.
We're expecting you in Paris.
For the contracts.
We're ready for the meeting.
I'm coming. Close the door.
I don't know
what's happening with the line.
I can't hear you.
Can you hear me?
I can't hear you.
I'll call you back.
Ok, I'll call you back.
Everything ok? - Yes, sure.
Where are you going?
See you later then. - Ok.
Hi. How is it going here?
Fine.
There's something wrong with your tie.
See you later.
Hello, Sandrine.
Everything ok? - And you?
How are things with Delacroix? - Fine.
Will we see each other tonight?
Yes, see you tonight. - See you then.
Miss...
I need you right away.
A shame I could never afford that.
Do you want to see my stockings?
Stop it.
You're crazy.
Taxi!
2 months ago I couldn't have known you'd make me discover life...
at the age of 50.
Every second without you hurts.
Please don't get attached to me. - It's too late.
It can't last between us...
but I can't think of that or I start to panic.
The direct line. Must be your wife.
Hello?
Oh, it's you.
I must have given the loser a short moment of happiness.
He told me all these
sweet little things that showed he's in love.
I never experienced it myself. I started to envy him for it.
I pretended I loved him, as if I came with him.
Everything. And in the end I had nothing at all.
Except Nathalie, but she was no knight in shining armor.
That's why I wanted Christophe.
Do you know the Barnay family well? - Especially the father.
He's a self-made man, old school.
With a strong sense of honor
and responsibility. A dinosaur.
We founded the company together and overcame a lot of problems.
That created a bond of mutual trust.
I've often been invited to his chateau. - Chateau?
Can't you take me one day?
You know that's impossible.
And Christophe?
He got the most beautiful women of the company.
Tell me...
Now that you're here, I'm jealous. - Silly.
No, really. I'm very afraid of him. And of his father.
He wants me to keep a discrete eye on him. - Why?
It goes back more than 20 years.
The old man had to work hard in his new company.
One day he had to go to Africa for 2 months.
Little Christophe stayed with his mother and his sister, who was a baby still.
They had no staff yet, back then. The mother died suddenly.
A heart attack. Totally unexpected.
Little Christophe was unshaken and stayed with his dead mother
for almost two weeks, without telling anybody.
Not even his father over the phone.
The body started to decompose.
The boy only moved to feed his little sister.
How old was he?
Nine.
There were no consequences, he was doing fine even.
Except, he wasn't afraid of anything or anybody anymore.
He said: "We're just a piece of wood."
He kept saying he wanted to attack the sun,
take it away from the earth or set the world to fire with it.
He also said: "That would be criminal."
Or "Would that make me as evil as God?"
Boy talk.
Except he still said it when he was 19 and when he was 25.
And he defied death, in the air, with his car.
He manipulated people for fun
and he hung out with dangerous types, to see whether they would kill him.
He pushed women to suicide.
Gossip. - No.
He seduced a number of employees.
They say he tortured and hurt them to the point
that two of them poured petrol over themselves
and set themselves on fire.
They buried alive in front of him.
Do you think he's mad?
He knows perfectly well what he's doing.
It's the women who are crazy.
Crazy about him. Especially if they know about their predecessors.
I wanted to fire him
or at least put him out of action. But that's impossible.
His father feels so guilty he forgives him for everything.
Maybe, after his death, he'll give me some control over his son.
That would be good.
Thanks to his relations, Christophe's untouchable.
If he had the power, he'd be terrifying.
I've been wanting to tell you for a while...
Why don't you get a replacement for Mrs. Mercier?
But I'm constantly drowning in work.
They'd be on to us soon and they'd start gossiping.
Not at all. I have a friend who'd be suitable.
Please don't insist.
Leave me alone. Don't touch me.
Give it.
You didn't want to take the whole bottle, did you?
What's wrong?
Please... tell me.
Come on.
You don't want to tell me?
You should talk about it. It relieves.
You act like a girl in love who was rejected.
Was it a man who wasn't available?
We're all the same.
You can't do anything for me.
It's nothing anyway.
I was just dreaming.
It'll pass.
All that counts...
is that we pursue our plan.
You've got Delacroix.
Convince him to replace Mrs. Mercier with me.
But never forget my advice.
Don't fall in love, stick with comedy.
That doesn't hurt as much.
Yes? - Mr. Delacroix? The personnel department.
Miss Tessier reported in sick and will be absent for at least a week.
What's wrong with her? - Stress from over fatigue.
Mr. Delacroix?
Mr. Delacroix, the signatures please.
Come back in an hour.
It's urgent, sir. - Please.
Come in.
I'd rather talk to you alone.
Why? Nathalie can hear everything.
Are you in love with her? - No.
What then? - We both felt like it.
Isn't it the same with you?
That was not the same. - It was.
Why did you do that to me?
I didn't want to see you again, but it's not possible.
I wanted to kill you the other day.
I was in such pain I wanted to strangle you.
I'm not your daughter or your wife.
But I am your slave.
I'm in the office 13 hours a day.
Most evenings I'm with you.
And also on Saturdays and Sundays now.
And I have to be beautiful.
Beauty parlor, shopping, the laundry on Saturdays.
But you refuse to help me.
Do you want me to leave my wife?
Do you want us to live together? - No.
I only want a bit less work.
And for discretion's sake, I want it to be Nathalie.
And I look the other way when you two make love in the office?
I'm free.
When will you come to work again?
Maybe never.
What does it depend on? - On you.
Sandrine?
I've been selfish. When can your friend start?
The man entered hell.
Beat it, sister. I'll see you at home tonight.
Come along, please.
Please wait here ladies. Mr. Delacroix.
Sit down.
True enjoyment is rare.
Many women or people will never know it.
It's a drug.
A she-devil that grabs you and then keeps escaping.
You'll only live for her.
Not?
Your relationship with your wife and family is none of my business.
In a way, I envy you.
Except, you work for the Barnay company.
You carry a huge responsibility. Suppose everybody acted like you do.
The company would be one big fucking palace. It wouldn't function anymore.
Unfortunately.
You should have been an example.
Am I saying things you disagree with?
Well then.
This document states what you did
with your two subordinates. Sign it.
You also accept your dismissal as a result of grave professional misconduct,
so without severance pay.
I'm being sacked. - No.
I'll keep my mouth shut about the affair.
I'm placing you under surveillance.
Under surveillance of an assistant of my choice, of course.
Right.
I'm expecting your signature.
Thank you.
Poor loser.
What are you doing to him?
Did he pressure you?
Did he abuse his authority? - No.
So you don't choose hypocrisy as your defense.
Should I have?
Useful and socially acceptable vices soon become virtues.
We appreciate the same truths.
First I thought he wanted to show off his wealth. I thought it was vulgar.
But he was handsome. I longed for him
and could forgive him anything.
Money.
It rules our dreams and desires...
determines the size of our prisons.
See ladies, just like you, I'm going to have a taste of true freedom.
Dare to play with the social order...
whether it's just or not
or of divine or human origin.
I reject the rules...
the straitjacket.
I propose to you a game.
Nathalie, you go work with Delacroix again. - Do you know each other?
We're lovers.
Well, sometimes.
Sandrine, I know all the employees.
I have a confidential file about everybody.
And I'm often looking for distraction one way or another
with one person or the next.
Nathalie has slowly replaced Delacroix. Ok, not officially.
He's still my technical advisor.
And, in secret, she's
my eyes,
my ears,
my mouth. - Also with me?
Miss Sandrine Tessier...
it's my honor to ask for your hand...
for a temporary commitment. A game.
What kind of game?
Maybe the game of chance or love.
A new form of entertainment.
Who will say?
For just a few months. A game with a useful side to it.
My father will die soon.
And he's still hesitant
to trust me with his entire empire.
He's heard rumors saying I'm too whimsical,
too careless with people to be entrusted with a large employee base.
But I want that power.
Because debauchery isn't possible without money and protection.
"Depending whether thou art mighty or poor..."
I disabled Delacroix.
My potential rival and guard dog.
But I'm not taking any risks.
Before my father dies, I want to make him think I gained respectability
and seriousness as a result of love.
This, of course, is a deal you'll accept...
like the donkey, lured by the carrot and threatened by the stick.
And what's the stick?
Immediate dismissal and a public scandal.
And the carrot: I marry you.
For the law and for the church.
I insist on the church and on community of property.
My father could be suspicious. And not without reason.
The religious side plus participation in my fortune.
Will be a firm foundation of our short lived amour fou.
Of course, in a couple of months we'll divorce.
And you'll receive a generous allowance.
But we remain married in the eyes of the church.
I'll patiently await God's punishment.
Why me and not Nathalie?
Nathalie's more useful at the office, to keep an eye on Delacroix.
And you're a likelier candidate as the young woman
from a working class background, innocent, refreshing and lively.
Good for my image as a dynamic employer.
Shall we start our game now?
You go to the ladies' bathrooms...
you get into a cubicle
and you start making love. I'll join you in 5 minutes.
Wait for me before finishing.
And, Sandrine, do you accept my game?
Will you continue your brilliant social rise or end it?
Then, for the first time I came with a man.
But I'm sure he hadn't reached his climax yet.
Have you been lovers for long?
From when we started at Barnay's?
He knew things that could only come from you.
He knew were he could catch us with poor Delacroix.
Your mysterious lover was Christophe.
Now I understand why you warned me about him.
Shall I tell you something?
While you were manipulating Delacroix.
Christophe was manipulating me.
I thought I'd made him fall in love.
How could I be that stupid?
Even though I wasn't naive anymore.
Well, he's stronger than you, than me, then the two of us together.
He's had so many women,
so many people, in bed or somewhere else
and in each possible combination
that love nor any other form of normal sexuality can hold his interest.
And the tragic thing is that he loves enjoyment.
Do you know why he needs you?
Like he said: For the enjoyment of playing with others on a large scale.
He already pushed women to commit suicide, he'll be able to destroy many more.
And I cheat...
I lie to everybody.
He leads me in everything.
I actually behave like a slave.
A slave who even enjoys it, out of love.
You're talking nonsense. Like a crazy woman.
Listen to what the crazy woman reads in your little head.
You secretly hope he loves you.
Sometimes you even believe it.
You think that, at the very worst,
you keep your chances open because you stay in the picture.
Well, you're dreaming, girl.
When you're no longer required and all used up,
he'll dump you like an old rag.
Why make such a scene about a staged wedding?
I never had anything in my life.
Nothing and nobody.
You don't love him. He's mine.
I won't let you or anybody else take him from me.
Christophe had transferred me.
I now had my own office at the Champs Elysées.
Sandrine?
Can I talk to you?
Are you ok?
I wanted to tell you that everything's over between us.
And it's better that way.
But out of everything that happened, I'll remember one thing.
You gave me some of the only moments of real happiness in my life,
of intense passion,
of pain,
but also of great tenderness.
I will always keep you in my heart.
That's what I wanted to say. The rest doesn't matter.
Take good care of yourself, Sandrine.
Goodbye.
This man wasn't after revenge.
I only realized later that he loved me...
with an intensity I couldn't comprehend,
without expecting anything in return, not even my presence.
I should have been very touched, but back then I only thought of him as a weak man.
Besides, I was pining for a phone call from Christophe. And then...
Make yourself very beautiful tonight. Charlotte will pick you up at midnight.
You'll become my sister-in-law. The only one before God.
For a very short time. - A day, a month, a year.
What's that in the face of eternity?
My new sister.
Welcome among us.
I only ask one thing of you. Be who you are.
We're born in a world of lies.
Be nice to us, genuine...
and never lie to us.
Christophe and I always speak the truth.
Especially when the truth hurts or burns.
Let the party begin. And may we all enjoy ourselves.
Charlotte, get up.
Sandrine, you too.
Sandrine, stand against her back.
Caress her neck.
Her arms.
Her breasts.
Everything I do to you, you should do to Charlotte.
I open your dress.
I take it off.
I caress your breasts...
your belly...
the inside of your thighs.
How dare you spoil my pleasure?
Why do you choose them? I can still pleasure you the way you taught me.
Why do you reject me?
Where did you get the key?
I'm from another race than all the women you seduced and rejected.
I'll never commit suicide. I won't give you the satisfaction.
Never.
But you're nothing anymore.
Tomorrow, the lock will be changed.
Today, I see you for the last time. And give back that key.
Come and get it.
I repeat.
I'm stronger than all those you rejected. - Give it back!
Come and get it.
Hit me.
You taught me how pain can lead to pleasure.
I never want to see you again.
Can't you see I'm suffering?
That means you're alive.
Unfortunately.
But creatures like you are like dogs.
Unfortunately, I need you at the office.
But as soon as my father dies, you disappear.
For me you already don't exist anymore.
I'll give you a new party that's worthy of you. I promise.
I can still help him and protect him.
You'll only be hated more.
Which means he loves me.
I have no more pride or dignity.
I've got nothing left.
Give me the money you owe me.
The next day I went to get my savings.
I gave her everything I had, which wasn't much.
She took the notes and sat on the ground.
She counted them en counted them again.
I no longer existed.
She sat there on the floor of her apartment,
looking almost ugly with her eyes closed tight.
She counted and recounted difficult things using her fingers.
I was never more touched by her than then.
For the first time, without wanting it, I had the heart of a 15 year old girl.
I couldn't believe it. My husband was so beautiful.
And I was wearing my white wedding dress.
Christophe had chosen the tactics of the surprise wedding.
I was only going to be introduced to father Barnay the next day.
And then there was Nathalie.
Christophe had gotten her a restraining order.
When I came outside, I suddenly saw her.
Our eyes met.
She hated me.
Admire this beautiful symbol of our worldly lives.
"And I am the death of everything
and I am the birth of everything.
Word and memory, stability and mercifulness
and the silence of the secret things."
Sir, your father just passed away.
Our father is no longer alive.
He just passed away.
He left me as only president of the group.
Isn't that a beautiful coincidence?
The president is dead!
Long live the president. And tonight
more than all other nights: Love each other.
Oh, my sister...
"You cry for people you shouldn't cry for.
A wise man doesn't mourn the living or the dead,
since we have never been,
me... nor you... nor these kings...
and never shall we cease to be."
Finally we enter the kingdom of princes,
pharaohs and gods.
Please, stop!
You had no right to treat me this way.
Am I more cruel than life and creation?
More cruel then the Creator, if He exists?
Have you watched the violence of death on the faces of the creatures?
Alive we are like chained gods...
most of the time too cowardly to taste real freedom.
Vanity of vanities.
Only death is the big cleansing.
You might have helped me to skillfully plan
the fate of man.
You could even have brought me the sun.
A shame.
Once the divorce is settled, you're free.
It will take a couple of weeks.
You again?
Leave us alone.
Look at me.
What's the use? You don't exist anymore.
No, don't do that.
I'd see you again up there.
To aggravate us, me,
the devil and all my other fellow players.
To endure you until eternity...
How horrible.
The police came. Nathalie was cuffed and taken away.
She never answered the question everybody asked:
Why?
The media got on to the case,
but the essential truth remained carefully hidden.
Nathalie was sentenced to years in jail and the case was forgotten.
Married in community of property and widowed so quickly,
I automatically became the heiress of my legal husband.
With Charlotte I ruled the empire here brother had wanted so badly,
with the expert assistance of Delacroix,
who proved to be a discrete and loyal employee.
Life went on.
After her sentence, Nathalie married
her prison guard.
Of the three of us, she's the only one who really married.
Years later, I happened to see her.
There she was...
with her husband and child.
They all looked nice.
After a while we approached each other.
We looked at each other.
In silence.
I only saw her.
Then we had to go our ways.
We kept looking at each other...
knowing it was the last time.
Then she bent over to me
and asked for forgiveness.
Me.
We looked at each other one last time
and then I kissed her.
Then she walked on,
with her husband and child
and disappeared.
Forever.
And for the rest of my life, every day that went by,
I'd think about her at least once.