For Better And For Worse
Chapter 75

MEXICO.

Krist is almost completely recovered. This morning, after working out in the gym in the basement, he goes to wash up and joins Gordjo at the table.

Krist: If I obey everything you ask of me and fight for you, will you let me call my wife?

Gordjo: yes, if you are nice and I am happy with you, then yes, I will let you call your wife.

Krist: Okay.

Gordjo: come on, sit down!

He sits down and they start to eat.

Gordjo: you have a destiny as a boxer Krist, you were born for it. How did you end up fighting so much?

Krist: Well, it was because of my stepfather. I was dating his daughter but he didn’t want me so he paid some guys to beat me to death. I spent several weeks in the hospital before leaving. So I signed up for karate class. It was just to defend myself against such attacks. To really put what I learned into practice, I found these guys and faced them and defeated them when there were four of them. I questioned them and recorded the interrogation for prosecution but I dropped it when I found out it was my father-in-law. I told myself that what would hurt him more was to marry his daughter and that’s what I did. But I didn’t tell my wife about it. That’s when I know how to fight.

Gordjo: I see, you really have it in your b***d and that suits me. We’re going to make as much money as possible. Tonight, we’re going to the fighting club.

Krist: I bet it’s clandestine?

Gordjo: no, it’s well known. We’re going to go to a club later, you’re going to make some money to buy everything you want.

After the meal, Gordjo and Krist led by François and Rodrigue go to a fight club. Krist participates in several fights which he wins and earns enough money. After these fights, they return home. Krist washes and gets a massage before being taken by François to go shopping.

DOTTAN

Home of Célestin.

Back at home, Célestin looks at Mélanie angrily.

Célestin: you saw what you did, are you aware of it?

Melanie: I’m sorry, I didn’t expect you to be together.

Célestin: you are going to tell me who this child is and you are going to leave immediately to replace him.

Mélanie: I already told you, the child is yours.

Célestin: and you really think I’ll believe you? It’s been 10 months since you dumped me, remember? So, if you were pregnant with me, you would have let me know. Why didn’t you do it?

Mélanie: I didn’t call you because I sincerely believed that the pregnancy was Sébastien’s but when I finally gave birth, the child was sick and he needed b***d but Sébastien’s b***d was not compatible. So he took a DNA test and the child wasn’t his.

Célestin: how am I going to believe you Mélanie, you told me that you loved me and yet it was a lie.

Mélanie: I’m sorry Célestin, I regret the wrong I did to you but forget the past and think of our baby, she links us forever. She needs a mother but also a father.

Célestin: I’m going to get married Mélanie, and now you’ve just ruined everything.

Mélanie: I’m sorry, that wasn’t my intention.

Célestin: if my fiancée accepts, I will take the child but you go.

Mélanie: I will not leave my child with a stranger. We must be together to give him a better education.

Célestin: I don’t love you anymore Mélanie.

Caution: I know, but it will come again, little by little. Look at her, isn’t she beautiful?

Célestin approaches her and takes the baby.

Célestin: hi Irene, how are you? Are you doing well ? My name is Célestin. Mom says you’re my daughter but she’s a big liar so I don’t know if I should believe her. Maybe she’s there because she needs something, since she likes money so much! Ah, you’re smiling, that means I’m right. I’m right haha!

Mélanie: stop talking nonsense to the child.

She approaches them and touches the child’s cheeks while speaking to him with a smile.

Mélanie: don’t listen to Papa Han, he’s talking nonsense.

The baby just smiles.

Mélanie: It’s beautiful, isn’t it, having a child.

Célestin looks at her and she wants to k**s him.

Célestin: what are you going to imagine?

Melanie: I missed you.

Célestin: not me, at least not anymore.

He leaves in front of her with the child and sits on the sofa. She looks at them and smiles.

Mélanie: you look so beautiful together!

Seraphin arrives.

Séraphin: please Mélanie, can you leave us alone for a moment?

Melanie: ok.

She gets up and goes to the bedroom.

Séraphin: what’s happening Célestin?

Célestin: I don’t know anymore, my brother, this situation puts me in a serious dilemma.

Séraphin: why did this girl abandon you?

Célestin: for nothing, she just said that I didn’t provide for her needs, that I didn’t give her too much importance and priority, blah blah… but I think she dumped me for another guy who was sneaking money from him… a rich guy who wasn’t from here and he had brought him.

Séraphin: and now that this guy dumped her, she’s coming back to you. Listen to me brother, you send this girl away and you marry Stella.

Célestin: I can’t do that, my daughter needs me.

Séraphin: so you plan to resume with her?

Célestin: everything that happens is God’s plan, my brother.

Séraphin: what do you plan to tell the parents?

Célestin: simply the truth.

Séraphin: ok, it’s up to you.

Isabelle’s home.

This morning, Isabelle goes through Krist’s things to get rid of unnecessary ones and she comes across a tape recorder. She takes it and listens to the recording.

Krist: This is Krist, forced interrogation of the four guys who attacked me and sent me to the hospital to spend a month.

Krist: So, do you remember me?

-no, I don’t know who you are, replied one of them.

-and why are you attacking us? asked the other.

Krist: I’ll ask my question again nicely. Do you remember me?

“We don’t know who you are, sir,” replied the third.

Krist: Who is the leader of your group?

-him.

Krist gets the group leader to stand up and starts hitting him while asking him the same question to which he ended up confessing.

Krist: I think we are making progress. Now you’re going to tell me why you attacked me and don’t make me repeat myself this time.

-It wasn’t us who attacked you, it was someone who paid us to do it.

Krist: who paid you?

-a guy called Grégoire.

Krist: where can I replace it?

-in a bar, the Las Vegas bar.

Krist: Thank you.

He punches him in the face and leaves. The interrogation continues, Krist replaces Grégoire to question him and he gives him another name, Boniface. Isabelle recognizes this name.

Isabelle: Boniface, wasn’t that my father’s driver?

She continues to listen to the recording. Krist questions Boniface after having beaten him well because he refused to tell him the truth. He ended up confessing.

Boniface: it was Mr. Bruno, it was Bruno who charged me with replaceing men to attack you.

Krist: why would he do that?

Boniface: I think you know very well why.

Krist: ok, that’s how it is. Alright. You’re going to go tell your boss that now he’s made me more determined. I’m going to speed things up and whether he wakes up or not, I’m going to marry his daughter and there’s nothing he can do to stop me.

End of the interrogation.

Isabelle: God, I can’t believe it. It was dad who wanted to kill my husband, what monster are you, what father God gave me?

She starts to cry and Stella arrives.

Stella: what’s happening to you Isabelle?

Isabelle: I have a monstrous father Stella, truly monstrous.

She consoles her before asking her to go have breakfast. It’s while eating that she asks him what happened and she tells him the story, mentioning the fact that Krist never told her about it.

Bruno’s home.

Bruno is ready to leave for work when Isabelle arrives. She heads inside after parking her motorcycle and passes her father coming out of the living room.

Bruno: hey, hello my darling!

Isabelle: I hate you dad, you are a monster, you are worse than a monster.

Bruno: my darling, what’s happening to you?

Isabelle: that you hated my husband I could still accept him but you wanted to kill him dad.

Bruno: what are you talking about my darling?

Florence arrives.

Florence: my darling, what’s going on?

Isabelle: your husband is a monster, mom. He’s the one who paid men to beat my husband to death a few years ago mom, how can a father do that to his daughter’s fiancé mom. What have I done to God to deserve such a father, mother…?

Florence: darling, tell me that everything she says isn’t true.

Isabelle: of course it’s true. I have with me the interrogation of the men who attacked Krist, the confessions of Boniface and the guy he charged with replaceing these bandits. Krist should have used it against you in court but he let it go because he has a big heart, a heart that you will never have. I don’t want you anymore Bruno. From now on you are no longer my father, I don’t need you. I’m better off without you…

She leaves in front of them, takes her motorbike and leaves.

Florence: she’s right Bruno, you are truly monstrous. I married a monster. But what did this young man have for you in the end?

She takes her car to leave and Bruno leaves later.

Bruno’s company.

Once at work, Bruno calls Francis and he goes to his company a little later. He gives her a bag full of money.

Bruno: here’s half of Gordjo’s money. The other half later. Because I don’t currently have it.

Francis: I will call him and I will convey his wishes to you.

He takes the bag and leaves. Once in his hotel, he calls Gordjo to give him the report.

Gordjo:… ok, give him some time to replace the rest of the money because I already have another source of income.

Francis: do you want to talk about Krist?

Gordjo: yes, he’s a truly indisputable fighter and with him, I’m going to make a lot of money. Thank you for offering it to me.

Francis: you’re welcome, boss. Good luck with your business.

Gordjo: thank you. Besides, this evening, we’re going to the fighting club.

Francis: Good luck.