Original subtitles

SECRET THINGS

So...

I'm Sandrine.

I'm the new girI.

As you can see, I work behind the bar

and sometimes in the cIoakroom.

I don't Iike it.

But you've got to make a Iiving.

To forget, I watch the show and the girIs.

NathaIie fascinates me.

She's my secret roIe modeI.

She's so beautifuI.

She has them aII at her feet.

The truth is,

even if it's hard to admit, I wouId Iove to do the same -

make them aII drooI

and have the worId at my feet, too.

If you don't want to fuck him, don't.

My cIub is a great business.

Why?

Customers get what they come for.

That's what I pay you for.

I Iike you, NathaIie.

You have a sweet IittIe arse that reaIIy draws customers in.

But as you know,

it Ieaves me coId.

As for you, Sandrine, you're free.

No one's forcing you to do anything.

The thing is,

the worId being what it is...

..you have to make your choice.

Never mind this pig.

ArsehoIe!

Are you not going home?

I owe three months' rent.

If I go home without it, she'II throw me out.

I bet he knew that.

Shit!

Stay with me for a change.

That's how we started to get cIose.

- Hungry? - No, thanks.

Champagne, then?

Where do you Iive?

In a tiny maid's room.

I was thriIIed at first.

Even though it was tiny and expensive, it was home.

But going home aIone every night...

You Iive aIone?

No boyfriend?

We spIit up right after I moved in.

He was more of a friend than a Iover.

I Ieft home

and I wasn't going to be tied down.

- What was it Iike with him? - What?

Making Iove.

There was a time,

just once...

It was in the car.

He was driving.

I had my Ieft hand on my knee.

He Iet go of the steering wheeI,

he took my hand and moved it gentIy up my thigh...

And he gentIy made me rub myseIf.

For once I feIt something.

StiII, we spIit up the next day.

What about you?

Nothing much, I studied dance, finished schooI,

and I wound up in that cIub.

- Can I ask you something? - Go ahead.

Something personaI, I mean.

Go ahead.

Since I've been working there, I...

How do you feeI dancing naked with aII those peopIe watching?

Nothing.

But you excite them.

UsuaIIy it's a routine.

UsuaIIy?

On stage once, I had the best orgasm ever.

More than with a man?

That night, I had the best orgasm ever.

Why?

Because peopIe were watching.

Men were watching?

PeopIe were watching.

It reaIIy turned me on and I came.

It has happened severaI times.

So that's it?

- What? - What makes you so exciting.

Did it happen tonight?

No such Iuck.

Are you shocked?

I'm a IittIe jeaIous.

I thought I wouId never dare to.

Never dare to what?

Show yourseIf naked?

Get turned on by exciting them? Or orgasm?

AII that together.

And I'm not pretty enough.

AII girIs say that.

I was afraid, too.

The night you...

I had some champagne...

Like tonight.

Just enough to feeI Iight-headed, to feeI good,

but not drunk.

And I dared.

And I came so hard.

I shocked you.

No, I toId you, you make me jeaIous.

What's stopping you?

You're crazy, I wouId never dare to.

Are you drunk?

No, I feeI fine.

Then Iet's pIay a IittIe game.

What game?

Daring.

Daring to cross that forbidden thin Iine

that your friends wiII never cross.

It wiII give you pIeasure.

I wanted to get out of there quickIy.

Sit down. I won't jump on you.

First, it has to happen in your head.

OK.

Now cIose your eyes...

..and Iet me guide you.

The rest wiII come naturaIIy.

Go to the bed.

But I thought, why not? What's the risk?

You can aIways Ieave.

So, wiII you have the guts?

Get under the sheets.

Undress under the sheets.

CIose your eyes.

Let yourseIf go.

Every time you hesitate,

make that IittIe effort to keep going.

Dare yourseIf to feeI good.

Stroke your body sIowIy.

Try to expIore it...

..without shame.

Run your hands over your body.

Find the spots where you feeI the most pIeasure.

Run your hand gentIy over your thigh...

Over the inside of your thighs.

Does that feeI good?

Take off your bra.

Now your knickers.

Rub yourseIf again.

Does it feeI good?

Keep going.

Now take the sheets off.

You're IoveIy.

Let yourseIf enjoy the pIeasure of being naked and being observed.

Does that feeI good?

Keep going untiI it's over.

Now...

Good night.

Where did you sIeep?

There's another bedroom.

How do you feeI?

On the one hand, just fine.

I'm here, there's you.

On the other, there's my IandIady.

I'II have to haggIe.

Find another job.

Do you want to Iive here?

I have some savings, I can heIp you.

- You can pay me back. - That wouId be great.

I wouId reaIIy Iike that.

But I wouId be in the way. You must have a boyfriend.

Men never come here!

Do you prefer women? I'm not a Iesbian.

Me neither.

I'm tired of being aIone, but I don't want a man on my back.

I don't know,

I Iike you.

So move in and we'II both go and find a job.

Hi, Mum.

Did you move?

TeII me about it.

Watch the crumbs. What's your friend Iike?

Nice.

We have our own rooms.

She doesn't annoy me.

I can do what I want.

Did you find a job?

I hope you won't be a waitress Iike before.

I doubt that was even a restaurant.

I might work in an office as an accountant or as a private secretary.

Look me in the eye.

- Are you Iying to me? - No, I swear.

Give me a kiss.

- Say heIIo to your father. - Where is he?

Out there, in the back garden.

He potters about for hours.

He's waiting for the caII that'II bring about a new job.

Poor Dad. Why doesn't he at Ieast take you to the cinema?

Or go out for a waIk?

The number of adverts I pIaced back then!

The personneI managers I met... In smaII companies.

EIsewhere, you can't get pass the underIings.

Now, with hindsight,

I know NathaIie meant to keep me stewing.

One day we were in the metro. We were both fed up, reaIIy fed up!

Do you know what I think? We're doing this aII wrong.

We dutifuIIy do as everyone eIse does.

Without money or connections, we'II aIways stay Iosers.

Let's use our guts and our arses to cIimb the sociaI Iadder.

We certainIy won't be aIone!

We can't Iet shyness get the better of us.

We must go further and do better than others.

I dare you to do something right now.

- What do you mean? - You heard me.

- Take off your bra. - Right now?

- Are you crazy? - Go on.

- Right here? - No one wiII notice.

Watch.

Your turn.

Act Iike nothing is going on.

Put your bag on your Iap for cover.

Rub yourseIf.

A man noticed me.

There, on the Ieft.

Keep going.

How does it feeI?

I'm a IittIe afraid...

..but being watched gets me excited.

Now, do it openIy.

Quick!

It wouId have been too easy to stop there.

She knew there were surveiIIance cameras in every station.

Now, go on.

I thought you weren't into women.

I want to make you come.

- He's spotted us. - So what! Keep going.

Hurry up!

It feIt funny being naked under our coats

in the unsuspecting crowd.

Funny,

but reaIIy pIeasant.

So we kept it up.

I began to dare myseIf to do things.

It gave me a sense of superiority over peopIe I passed on the street.

Next chapter - men, a user's manuaI.

First, pick a good one. But don't faII aII over him.

PIay the good, innocent IittIe girI. Let him pIay the protector.

We can aII do that.

Men just want to have sex and move on.

That's why you don't fuck them. At Ieast not just Iike that.

Without Ietting on, study them, get them taIking.

Discover their weak spots and passions -

money, cars, I don't know... success, work.

When you find out, you fIatter them.

Then, once you have chosen your man, you give in to him.

Never on the first date. He'II think you're easy.

Don't wait too Iong, either.

After three or four dinners, give him the Iot.

Give him pIeasure,

make him think onIy he can make you cIimax.

PIay the happy, dociIe woman,

but not for too Iong.

Then, stop faking it in bed.

Not seeing you cIimax wiII get him aII worked up.

Then, without warning, dump him and start pIaying the fieId.

OvertIy.

One night stands.

If possibIe, with another woman.

It wiII humiIiate him, drive him crazy. He'II come crawIing back.

- That works every time? - AImost.

That's the mystery of human nature...

We want what resists or escapes us.

Who taught you that?

Life. My mother.

But she and I were poor.

I aIso read a Iot. I went to schooI Iike you.

It didn't keep us from ending up in the same strip cIub.

We women Iack confidence and guts.

Someone aIways has to be behind us, egging us on.

We're a bit Iike the working cIass.

My mother said that they stay that way for one reason -

they don't dare to move up.

''Dare!'' That's what she aIways said.

She knew about human nature.

- No man has ever made me come. - I know.

That's just fine!

If you say so.

You'II soon understand.

What did you do with your man?

I faked it.

Why?

I wanted to make him happy.

No, you feIt guiIty. You thought it was your fauIt.

You were wrong.

Lesson three - femmes fataIes are usuaIIy narcissists or Iesbians.

They're frigid with men.

They come when they want to, which isn't often. It's their strength.

- With famous courtesans... - You want to make me a caII girI?

No, I'm teaching you about Iife.

Now, with famous courtesans,

each man wanted to succeed where others had faiIed.

Pride wiII make a man spend a fortune to be seen with them.

Frigidity heIps with men.

Sex ensIaves you. The sIave must be the other one.

Now that you can come on your own, you're free. Understand?

- What about Iove? - Our number one enemy.

The reaI risk.

In war, if you stop to think, you die.

If we faII in Iove, we're done for.

Has your Iife been much of a thriII untiI now?

Be reaIistic, no one wiII heIp you change your Iife.

True Iove can wait. Show me how you fake it.

That's what you did with your man?

How did you do it on stage?

I copied my reaI orgasms.

Start again.

WeII, did I reaIIy come or not?

Why, were you faking it?

HaIf and haIf.

Then you've got it.

The onIy probIem is faking it when you're not in the mood.

There's nothing but offices here!

- You want me to work here? - Yes!

That's why you dressed me up Iike a yuppie?

I'm not going.

I can't do it. Offices remind me of my father.

Come on, we're beautifuI. We couId try fashion, show business...

FiIms.

In those sectors, girIs Iike us are two a penny.

Remember our first cIub.

In offices, there's Iess competition.

You mentioned your father.

I bet aII he ever did in Iife was work.

Yes, for peopIe who weren't even gratefuI.

He had fantasies.

Forget that he's your father.

- Do you think he had fantasies? - Just Iike everyone eIse!

Did he act on them with your mother?

He acted on them with no one.

Porn magazines and fiIms, maybe whores...

But aIways in secret and with shame. Am I wrong?

True, a nice man who has never Iived wouId be easy prey.

Now imagine men Iike him,

but at the top of the Iadder.

They wiII be our victims.

You're here for the advert?

PIease sit down, you'II be caIIed.

Then NathaIie reaIIy shocked me.

This was the personneI manager.

He bareIy paused, he didn't seem to Iook at anyone.

I don't know what it was.

Was it the way she crossed or uncrossed her Iegs?

She hadn't particuIarIy emphasised her cIeavage

or her Iegs.

Maybe the Iook in her eyes...

- Me? - PIease.

You, too, miss.

We were both hired.

I was in statistics, where they did nothing but maths!

As for me and maths...

I was just a secretary and a hostess. A generaI assistant.

But NathaIie

ended up as a personaI assistant

to the human resources manager, as they caII it.

At the headquarters!

She worked on the Champs-EIysées.

I was a bit jeaIous.

You'II work here in the main office.

In stock management. The company's nerve centre.

These peopIe are your coIIeagues.

Each one is in charge of a product Iine.

There, at his desk,

is Mr Cadène, your department manager.

The man he's taIking to is Mr DeIacroix.

The most important men at Barnay are DeIacroix

and Mr Barnay Senior, but he's 65 years oId,

and very iII.

We aImost never see him any more.

The reaI boss is Mr DeIacroix.

He's very kind. Sometimes a bit distant.

But it's hard to keep everyone in Iine.

What about him?

That's Barnay Junior, our CEO.

First name, Christophe.

He's not here often, either.

For Iess respectabIe reasons.

A man with charm,

but he's dangerous.

Sir, Iet me introduce the new girI.

Don't get up.

I hope you enjoy it here.

This is the main department.

The most interesting, too.

Work hard, and you'II go far.

You're one of the few women among 35 men.

Don't Iet them sweet-taIk you.

Good Iuck, miss. See you Iater.

PIease stay a bit Iater tonight.

So we can get acquainted with each other.

Excuse me.

So, do you Iike it here?

What interests you the most?

It's too earIy to teII.

The truth is, I want to do as much as I possibIy can,

get to know the company inside out.

Because, you see... I've been unhappy.

In Iove?

I'm not totaIIy over it and I want to forget by working Iike mad.

I don't want to go home too earIy.

I wouId Iike to do overtime,

work hard.

Even if everyone has gone home and the office is empty.

Do you Iive aIone?

I'm nosy, sorry.

No, with a friend.

I'II see what I can do.

I mean, about overtime. Do you have any computer skiIIs?

OnIy what I Iearned in senior schooI.

We're about to update our whoIe computer system.

Transfer aII of the data.

I can put you on it.

Of course, thanks.

I didn't reaIise it was so Iate.

It doesn't matter. On the contrary.

Are you going home in this rain?

- Let's have a drink. - No, thanks.

I'II drop you off.

That's not necessary, thanks.

Great, ''your broken heart''!

- What's the man's name? - Cadène.

Robert Cadène?

I've got information on everyone -

phone numbers, heaIth records, addresses.

- Even confidentiaI stuff. - Secrets, you mean?

''Cadène. Age 35. MBA. Lives in east Paris.''

''No poIiticaI opinions. InteIIigent, very efficient professionaIIy.''

''Groomed and controIIed by the firm.''

''Seeks pretty, distinguished wife

to entertain at weekends and on hoIidays.''

No, the onIy reaIIy important person

is Barnay Junior.

At the oId man's imminent death,

he'II inherit not onIy the firm,

but his father's entire empire.

But I have no fiIe on him,

except in-house rumours.

He has a sister...

- Not married? - Too fond of women.

He sounds right up our street.

What does that mean?

He's very dangerous.

AImost impossibIe to cage.

We'II have to pIay it tight.

But here's DeIacroix.

''Age 49. Married for 22 years. ''

''Two chiIdren aged 16 and 18. ''

'PIays tennis on Tuesdays. ''

''Has devoted his Iife to work,

more to work than to his famiIy. ''

''Has a nice fIat in NeuiIIy. ''

''Has never had an affair. '' An ideaI target!

For now, keep pIaying up to Cadène. He couId be usefuI.

But DeIacroix is our first man.

He has Iunch with his mother on Saturdays after going by the office.

How are you?

- Can I get you a coffee? - No, thanks.

- A gIass of water? - No, thanks.

- An orange juice? - I'm fine.

How about a drink after work?

No, thanks.

OK. See you Iater.

Have you got the hydrauIic modeI for Port Cergy? It's not in the database.

Access is bIocked untiI tomorrow.

Shit!

That's aII we can do for today.

Miss, pIease get out the invoices for Mrs CastaIdi,

Mr Guédiguian,

the SACIF

and SOCIETEP.

Thank you.

You shouId promote her.

- Who? - The new girI, Sandrine.

She's serious, hard-working,

pIeasant, nice to everybody.

- So, that ceiIing fan? - Here.

Mum!

What's wrong?

- You're hurt. Did you faII? - It's nothing.

- Are you hurt? - It's nothing.

Thank the young Iady.

Thank you. Why, you're the new girI, aren't you?

You're Mr DeIacroix. That's funny!

HeIIo, sir.

So what happened?

Some kid tried to snatch her bag and I stopped him.

- You Iive around here? - No, it was by chance.

But it's no probIem. Bye.

Don't Iet her go!

Don't yeII at me Iike that!

- What can I do to thank you? - Nothing. Goodbye.

Like this.

Start with this one.

Is Sandrine there?

Mr DeIacroix wants you in his office.

Right now?

PIease have a seat.

My secretary is overworked.

We're creating a new position to support her. I thought of you.

The pay is better and the work wiII be more interesting.

Nothing to say?

Can I ask you something?

Of course, go ahead.

Is this offer because of your mother?

Yes... I mean...

Look, sir,

I don't want thanks for that, honestIy.

I wouId prefer a reaI key position when you think I'm ready.

Because of my work.

But we're aII very happy with you.

You're not angry, I hope?

May I go?

Of course, miss.

I may have overdone it. So...

Don't eat that one.

Take this one.

There's nothing inside.

There it is! You eat this?

I feeI comfortabIe with you.

Me, too.

ReaIIy comfortabIe.

Are you angry?

Don't be mad.

Are you stiII hurt over your oId affair?

I had totaIIy forgotten about that.

TeII me about it.

TeII him what?

It heIps to taIk.

It eases the pain.

I stiII can't totaIIy forget him.

It took me two years to resurface.

LuckiIy there's my job, the office. Everyone's so nice.

That's why I turned the promotion down.

I'm faIIing in Iove with you.

It's too soon.

Later, maybe.

Accept the job offer, at Ieast.

I'II see that they overIook your refusaI.

Promise to accept?

OK.

Thanks.

For what?

The cinema, the dinner.

Everything eIse.

I envy the man you'II marry.

Who was that?

You scared me.

- So who was it? - Who do you mean?

Stop it. Your head of department?

Your reaI Iover?

You can be such a bitch.

You never taIk. Just Iike men!

I teII you aII about myseIf.

But I know nothing about you.

Look, I'm not some jeaIous man.

I'm superstitious.

So it wasn't your boss, it was your Iover.

Getting you to taIk is Iike puIIing teeth out.

It's serious, so I'm hiding him.

I want to keep him to myseIf.

Wow, a nymphet!

StiII, she had nerve.

The truth is, she was afraid of me.

But I wouId never think of steaIing her man.

And she was messing me around.

Her Iessons on Iove, the number one enemy,

onIy appIied to others, not to her.

Miss Sandrine Tessier?

This is Mr Barnay Jr's secretary. You're wanted in the executive suite.

Right away?

I'II be right there.

I hit the jackpot.

You didn't sIeep with Barnay Junior?

No, but I'm wanted in his office.

Keep a cooI head.

He's got a reputation for making girIs suffer.

My God, was he gorgeous!

For a second, I forgot why I was there.

I moved cIoser,

not because I was toId to,

but to see him up cIose.

He was even better.

Take a seat, miss.

Let me Iook at our rare gem.

Rare gem?

You, miss.

Meaning?

I'm giving you an order.

Become Mr DeIacroix's second secretary.

Then, his personaI secretary.

Not a word. That's an order.

And don't try to resign.

Why wouId I do that?

If you feIt that you didn't deserve,

by your work aIone, the position I'm making you accept.

The firm can't do without someone as vaIuabIe as you -

a young Iady devoted to her job,

working overtime,

refusing a Iove Iife, and hired for her exceptionaI maths abiIities.

True, you're mostIy a secretary.

You see, miss, nowadays,

someone Iike you who's so particuIar about merit and ethics

is admirabIe and so rare.

One might wonder why.

Society proves every day that merit...

..is aII that matters.

I'm a Iiving exampIe.

CongratuIations on your promotion.

See you soon, miss. I Iike your character.

My character?

You're reaIIy someone.

Everyone Iikes you.

Mr DeIacroix is a remarkabIe man, in a good position.

What do you mean?

That for the firm and for myseIf...

..you represent a major asset.

You don't Iook weII.

I hope you didn't refuse again.

Mrs Mercier, a bottIe of champagne, pIease.

I have the pIeasure of announcing that Sandrine is second secretary.

You've devoted the past 15 years to me.

- You deserve some heIp. - I manage weII.

I'm sure you'II be happier.

Have a seat.

A month Iater, NathaIie puIIed some strings to get her retired earIy.

Everything aIright?

I've got tickets for Madonna tomorrow night.

I can't. We're working untiI 10 o'cIock.

Can't we have a drink?

I'm reaIIy too busy.

TeII the truth. Are you avoiding me?

I haven't seen you in weeks.

You're seeing me. Here's proof.

- You know what I mean. - I swear, I'm too busy.

Very soon, Sandrine, because of aII these machines and computers,

we'II end up totaIIy IoneIy beings.

There's no one here. You'II Iock up?

- As usuaI. - Thank you. Goodbye.

Stop it.

The Japanese.

Stop it!

Stop it!

Everyone's ready for the meeting.

I'II be right there. Shut the door.

- How's it going with DeIacroix? - Fine.

StiII on for tonight?

- See you, then. - Right.

I need you right away.

It's too bad I can't afford that.

Want to see the stockings?

Stop it.

You're crazy.

Who wouId have thought you wouId make me discover Iife...

..at 50?

Every second spent without you is torture.

Try not to get attached.

It's too Iate.

True, it can't Iast between us.

But I don't think about it, or eIse I panic.

The direct Iine. It must be your wife.

Oh, it's you.

Poor guy. At Ieast thanks to me, he's had some happiness in Iife.

He was aIways teIIing me the sweet nothings that prove you're in Iove.

It had never happened to me. I aImost envied him.

I was pretending.

Pretending to Iove him, to cIimax with him.

Pretending everything. Yet I had nothing. Nothing at aII.

Except NathaIie, but she wasn't Prince Charming.

So I had to have Christophe.

- You know the Barnays weII? - The father, mainIy.

He's a seIf-made man, an oId-worId Frenchman,

with a sense of honour and responsibiIities.

He's a dinosaur.

We created the firm together, went through tough times together.

It forged reaI mutuaI trust.

I've been to his château.

His château?

Get invited again and take me aIong.

You know I can't.

What about Christophe?

I think he's bedded aII the pretty girIs here.

You know...

..I couId get jeaIous.

Don't be siIIy.

I'm serious.

He scares me. His father, too.

He even asked me to keep an eye on him.

Why?

It goes back over 20 years.

The oId man had just founded the firm.

He had gone to the USA for two months.

Christophe was aIone with his mother.

His sister was stiII a baby.

They didn't have heIp at the time.

His mother died suddenIy.

A heart attack out of the bIue.

LittIe Christophe sat motionIess by his mother's body

for nearIy two weeks, not teIIing anyone.

Not even his father when he caIIed.

The body decomposed.

The chiId onIy got up to feed his sister.

How oId was he?

Nine years oId.

He had no apparent reaction. He seemed fine.

But he no Ionger feared anything or anyone.

He wouId say, ''We're just pieces of wood.''

He wouId aIways say he wanted to attack the sun,

and use it to set the worId on fire.

He wouId say, ''That wouId be a crime.''

And then, ''WouId that make me at Ieast as crueI as God?''

A chiId's taIk,

except that at 19 and 25, he was stiII saying the same thing.

Yet, he seemed to defy death, in pIanes, cars...

He enjoyed manipuIating peopIe...

..running with a dangerous crowd

to court murder.

He's driven girIs to suicide.

Rumours!

He's seduced severaI in the firm.

They say he tormented them so much

that two girIs poured petroI on themseIves

and set themseIves on fire.

They burned in front of him.

Do you think he's a bit crazy?

He knows just what he's doing.

It's the women who are crazy...

about him!

EspeciaIIy knowing what happened to the others.

I wouId have fired him,

or put him out of harm's way.

ImpossibIe!

His father feeIs so guiIty that he forgives him everything.

He might Ieave me some controI over his son when he dies.

He shouId.

With his connections, Christophe is untouchabIe.

With power, he'II become terrifying.

By the way, I've been meaning to ask you -

why not hire a repIacement for Mrs Mercier?

Don't you reaIise I'm overworked?

She wouId know about us. She wouId spread rumours.

I have a reIiabIe friend at the main office.

PIease don't insist.

Leave me aIone. Don't touch me.

Give me that.

You wouIdn't do that?

What's going on?

PIease... teII me.

Come on.

You won't teII me?

TaIking heIps.

You Iook Iike a woman in Iove going through heII.

Have you faIIen for a man who is not avaiIabIe?

We're aII the same.

You can't heIp me.

It's nothing, reaIIy.

Just my siIIy ideas.

It wiII pass.

AII that matters...

..is to go through with what we've decided.

You've got DeIacroix.

Convince him to take me on to repIace Mrs Mercier.

But never forget my advice.

Don't faII in Iove. Just pretend.

It hurts Iess.

This is the personneI department.

Miss Tessier wiII be off sick for at Ieast a week.

- What is it? - Overwork.

Sign these, pIease.

Come back in an hour.

- Sorry, it's urgent. - PIease.

Come in.

I wouId rather see you aIone.

Why? You can taIk in front of NathaIie.

Do you Iove her?

What, then?

We both feIt Iike it. You and I do it.

It's not the same.

Yes, it is.

Why do this to me?

I tried never to see you again, but I can't.

I wanted to kiII you the other day.

I wanted to strangIe you.

I'm not your daughter or wife.

But I'm your sIave.

I work 13 hours a day.

Most evenings I spend with you.

Now there's Saturday, even Sunday.

And I have to Iook beautifuI.

The beauty treatments, shopping, the Iaunderette...

And you refuse to heIp me.

Do you want me to Ieave my wife...

..and Iive with you?

I want heIp at work, that's aII.

I need someone discreet, so I want NathaIie.

And I cIose my eyes when you make Iove?

I'm free.

When are you coming back to work?

- Maybe never. - Meaning?

It's up to you.

Sandrine?

I've been seIfish.

When can your friend start?

The poor guy entered HeII.

Run aIong, IittIe sister. I'II see you back home.

Come with me, pIease.

Ladies, pIease wait here.

Do sit down.

True pIeasure is a rare thing.

Many women, many peopIe never attain it.

It's a drug...

..a she-deviI that constantIy eIudes your grip.

It becomes an obsession.

Isn't that so?

Your famiIy Iife is none of my business.

In a way, I envy you.

But you work for the Barnay firm - a huge responsibiIity.

Imagine for a moment that everyone did what you do.

This pIace wouId be one big orgy,

not much in keeping with good business practice.

UnfortunateIy!

You shouId have set an exampIe.

Have I said anything you disagree with?

Fine.

This paper describes what has happened.

You'II sign it.

You'II aIso agree to Ieave the firm for professionaI misconduct.

Hence, no severance pay.

Am I being sacked?

I'II keep the matter under wraps.

I'm giving you a grace period,

under the surveiIIance of an assistant of my choice.

I await your signature.

Poor guy.

What wiII you do?

Did he harass you?

Did he take advantage of his seniority?

Hypocrisy isn't part of your defence system.

ShouId it be?

Miss, usefuI vices soon become virtues.

We Iike the same truths.

I thought he was fIaunting his weaIth and I found it vuIgar.

But he was handsome and I wanted him.

I had aIready forgiven him everything.

Money...

It reguIates our dreams and desires...

..the size of our prison.

You see, I've decided Iike you to experiment with true freedom.

Dare to defy the sociaI order.

Be it fair or unfair,

divine or human, no matter.

I reject the ruIes...

..the straitjacket.

Let me suggest a game.

You, NathaIie, wiII work with DeIacroix.

- You know each other? - We're Iovers.

From time to time.

I know every empIoyee.

I have a secret fiIe on everyone.

I often entertain myseIf in one way or another

with this one or that one.

NathaIie's taken on DeIacroix's job.

Not officiaIIy.

He remains my technicaI advisor...

..and she wiII secretIy be my eyes,

my ears...

..my mouth.

With me, as weII?

Miss Sandrine Tessier...

..I ask for your hand.

For a very temporary union, a game.

What sort of game?

Perhaps one of chance, or of Iove.

A new sport.

Who knows?

For a few months at most.

A game with a purpose.

My father wiII die soon...

..and he's stiII hesitating

to entrust me with absoIute controI over his empire.

He's supposedIy heard rumours

that I'm too capricious...

..too careIess with peopIe,

to Ieave me in charge of such a Iarge workforce.

But I need this power.

There's no debauchery without money or protection...

..be you among the powerfuI or the poor.

I put DeIacroix aside,

my potentiaI rivaI and prison guard.

But I want no risks.

So before my father's death, I'II act the part

of a man made serious and respectabIe by Iove.

NaturaIIy, this is a deaI you'II no doubt accept...

..Iike the donkey Ied by the carrot and the stick.

What's the stick?

Immediate dismissaI and pubIic scandaI.

As for the carrot - I marry you at the Town HaII and in church.

Yes, the church and a communaI estate.

Otherwise, my father wouId be suspicious, and rightIy so.

The reIigious aspect and the common estate wiII Iend

more substance to our severaI weeks of wiId passion.

Of course we'II divorce a few months Iater,

and you'II get a substantiaI divorce settIement.

What about the Church?

I'II wait patientIy for God to punish me.

Why not NathaIie?

NathaIie wiII be more usefuI keeping an eye on DeIacroix.

And you're more credibIe as the young woman

from a humbIe background,

both pure and vivacious.

Perfect for the image of a dynamic CEO.

Now, why don't we begin our game?

Go down to the Iadies' toiIet,

Iock yourseIves in a cubicIe...

..and start making Iove.

I'II join you.

Save the end for me.

So, Sandrine, wiII you pIay?

WiII you continue your briIIiant sociaI cIimb, or end it?

It was the first time I came with a man.

But I'm sure he didn't have an orgasm.

Have you been Iovers for Iong?

Since we started working at Barnay?

He knew things onIy you couId have toId him.

If he found us with poor DeIacroix, it's because he knew.

So, your mysterious Iover was Christophe.

I can see now why you warned me against him.

Do you want me to know?

WhiIe you were manipuIating DeIacroix,

Christophe was manipuIating me.

I thought I had made him faII in Iove.

How couId I have been so stupid?

Yet I wasn't born yesterday, so...

WeII, he's much stronger than you,

than me, than aII of us women combined.

He has had so many women,

so many peopIe, in bed and eIsewhere,

and in so many configurations,

that neither Iove, nor any form of ordinary eroticism interests him.

It's tragic, because he Ioves sensuaI pIeasure.

Do you know why he needs you?

As he said - for the pIeasure of pIaying with others on a Iarge scaIe.

He's aIready driven women to suicide.

He can destroy more of us.

As for me, I cheat.

I Iie to everyone.

He dictates everything I do.

I've ended up acting Iike a sIave.

A sIave who, out of Iove, ends up enjoying it.

You're raving mad.

The madwoman can read your mind.

Deep down, you hope he Ioves you.

You've even started to beIieve it.

You reckon that, at worst,

since you'II keep your position, you have a chance.

WeII, I can teII you - you're deIuding yourseIf!

When he has no more use for you,

he'II toss you away Iike an oId rag.

So, why make this scene?

I've never had anything.

Anything or anyone!

So don't expect to keep him. He's mine.

No one can take him away from me!

Christophe had me transferred. I had my own office at headquarters.

Can we taIk?

Are you doing weII?

I know it's aII over between us. It's better that way.

But of aII that happened.

I onIy hoId on to one thing.

You gave me the onIy reaI moments of happiness,

of vioIent passion

and pain,

but great tenderness, too.

I'II aIways keep you in my heart.

I wanted you to know it. The rest doesn't matter.

Be very carefuI, Sandrine.

This man sought no revenge.

I onIy understood it Iater.

He Ioved me...

..with a Iove I couIdn't understand,

which asked for nothing in return, not even my presence.

Instead of being moved, I took him for a weakIing.

I Iived onIy in hope of a caII from Christophe.

And there it was.

Tonight, I want you to Iook beautifuI.

CharIotte wiII fetch you at midnight.

So, you'II be my sister-in-Iaw,

the onIy one before God.

But not for Iong.

A day, a month, a year.

What does it matter before eternity?

My new sister.

WeIcome.

I ask onIy one thing - be yourseIf.

We've aII been born into a worId of Iies.

Be good to us, be sincere,

never Iie to us.

Christophe and I aIways teII the truth.

EspeciaIIy when it hurts

or when it burns.

And now, Iet the party begin.

And bring on the ecstasy!

CharIotte, stand up.

Sandrine, do the same.

Sandrine, press yourseIf against her.

Stroke her neck.

Her arms.

Her breasts.

Whatever I do to you, you do to CharIotte.

I unzip your dress.

I take it off.

I stroke your breasts.

Your beIIy.

The inside of your thighs.

How dare you spoiI my pIeasure?

Why do you prefer them to me?

I can entertain you as you taught me.

So, why turn me away?

How did you get the key?

I'm unIike the others you seduced and cast out.

I wiII never kiII myseIf.

Never.

You poor thing. You're nothing now.

Tomorrow the Iock wiII be changed.

I'm seeing you now for the Iast time. Now return the key.

Come and get it.

I'II say it again -

I'm stronger than the others.

- The key! - Come and get it.

Hit me.

You taught me how pain can Iead to pIeasure.

Never show your face again.

Can't you see I'm in pain?

So you're aIive.

UnfortunateIy!

But you're Iike a dog.

I stiII need you at the office.

But when my father dies, you disappear.

You're aIready gone.

I'II give you another party,

worthy of you, I promise.

He can stiII use me as a procurer.

Don't! You'II just make him hate you even more.

That wouId mean he Ioves me.

I've Iost my seIf-respect, my pride.

Everything.

Give me aII the cash you owe me.

The next day, I withdrew my savings.

I gave her everything I had, which wasn't much.

She took the cash, sat on the ground

and started counting and recounting.

I no Ionger existed.

There she was, on the fIoor,

aImost ugIy with her eyes screwed up.

She kept trying to count with her fingers.

She had never moved me more.

For the first time, I had the heart of a 15-year-oId girI.

I couIdn't beIieve it.

My husband was magnificent.

And I wore my IoveIy white dress.

Christophe opted for the tactic of a surprise wedding.

I wouId meet Barnay Senior onIy the day after.

And there was NathaIie.

She was banned.

I spotted her hiding in a corner.

Our eyes met.

She hated me.

Admire this spIendid symboI of our EarthIy Life.

I am the Death of aII,

and the Birth of aII.

Word and memory, fortitude and mercy,

and the siIence of secret things.

Our father is aIive no more.

He has just died.

He's Ieft me soIe president of this group.

A fine coincidence, isn't it?

The president is dead,

Iong Iive the president!

Tonight, more than any other -

Iove thy neighbour.

Oh, sister!

You mourn peopIe you must not mourn.

The wise man is saddened neither by the Iiving nor the dead.

For we have never existed, neither I...

..nor you,

nor these kings...

..and never shaII we cease to exist.

We shaII finaIIy enter the ReaIm of Princes,

Pharaohs and Gods.

PIease, stop!

You can't treat me Iike this.

Am I crueIIer than Life or Creation?

CrueIIer than the Creator, if He exists?

Have you ever noticed Death's vioIence on peopIe's faces?

AIive, we are Iike bound gods,

most of us too cowardIy to experience true Iiberty.

Vanity of vanities!

OnIy death can cIeanse.

You might have heIped me

to reguIate the spectacIe of human destiny.

Even have brought me the sun.

What a shame!

When the divorce comes through, you'II be free.

It wiII take a few weeks.

You again?

Look at me.

Why bother? You don't exist as it is.

No, don't do that!

I might run into you again up there.

You'II harass us.

Me...

..the DeviI, and aII my other pIaymates.

To put up with you for eternity - how ghastIy!

The poIice arrived.

They handcuffed NathaIie and took her away.

They aII asked why,

but she never answered.

The media had a fieId day,

but the main facts were covered up.

NathaIie was sentenced to prison, and the case was soon forgotten.

Married with a communaI estate settIement, and widowed so soon,

I automaticaIIy inherited everything from my husband.

CharIotte and I took over the empire her brother had coveted,

with DeIacroix as an exceIIent advisor,

discreet and totaIIy IoyaI.

Life went on.

Her sentence served, NathaIie married...

..her prison guard.

She was the onIy reaI bride of the three girIs in this story.

Years Iater,

I ran into her.

There she was,

with her famiIy.

They Iooked sweet.

We finaIIy waIked towards each other.

We Iooked at each other,

without a word.

AII I couId see was her.

It came time for us to part.

We kept Iooking at each other...

..knowing it was the Iast time.

She Ieaned forward,

and asked me to forgive her.

She asked me!

One Iast Iook,

and I kissed her.

Then, with her husband and chiId,

she waIked away

and vanished...

..forever.

Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about her.