Louis Bernard's life, outside the brothel, was an entirely different world, almost inconceivable to those who only knew him as the ruthless boss. Anna, trapped in the shadows of that house, had only a vague idea of what he might be like outside, but sometimes she couldn't help imagining the life he led, far from the austere walls where she was kept.
Louis Bernard was not only the owner of the casino but also an influential businessman, respected in the circles of power. He was a master of the game, not just in casinos but also in human relationships. Outside the brothel, he was charming, refined, always impeccable in his dark, elegant suits, reflecting the image of a man of class and prestige.
He had a circle of friends and collaborators, important public figures, and every encounter with him seemed like an event. Wherever he appeared, he was the center of attention, listened to, respected. But what Anna didn't yet know was the private aspect of his life, the one he shared with Claire, his fiancée.
Claire was a woman of great beauty, but her charm didn't only lie in her appearance. She had a natural grace, a sophistication that seemed out of another time. From a powerful family, she embodied the image of the perfect woman for a man like Louis. Together, they formed a couple that seemed like the ideal alliance between power, wealth, and reputation. Their relationship appeared fluid, but something in their dynamic troubled Anna. Claire always had that calmness, that self-control, which contrasted with Louis's ambiguous decisions. She never seemed to lose her composure, even in the most tense situations.
Louis and Claire had become engaged a few years ago, a commitment that seemed arranged as much for convenience as for sentiment. Their union was seen as a strategic marriage, a way to solidify Louis's connections in the highest social circles. Although Claire seemed deeply in love with him, Anna began to wonder if their relationship was as perfect as it appeared. Louis Bernard, with his secret life, his shady dealings, and his hold over the world—did he really have the capacity to love?
When they were together, Louis seemed to change. He was less severe, less distant, almost… human. Claire, with just a glance, knew what he was thinking. She encouraged him in his decisions, supported him in his moments of doubt. Their life seemed like a sequence of elegant evenings, high-society receptions, foreign trips to places where luxury and discretion met. Claire was always by his side, smiling and serene, like a precious accessory that allowed him to maintain his flawless public image. She never seemed to worry about the rumors surrounding him, the stories of money and power that constantly followed him.
Anna, from the depths of her gilded cage, sometimes watched Louis when he came and went from the casino. She had seen him arrive one evening, accompanied by Claire, and the scene had struck her. They looked like the perfect couple, hand in hand, a couple living in a reality far removed from hers. Claire was elegant, always with that calculating, almost unreadable gaze. As for Louis, his face was relaxed, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. This wasn't the man Anna knew, the one who commanded with authority and left no room for others' independence. That night, he seemed almost… happy.
But behind that facade of perfection, Anna wondered if Claire knew everything. Did she know that Louis owned a brothel, that women like Anna were taken and used for purposes unrelated to love? Was Claire naive about Louis's activities, or was she, too, an actor in this grand game? Anna didn't know. But one thing was certain: the relationship between Louis and Claire was not as simple as it seemed.
One evening, while attending a private reception at his casino, Louis Bernard received an invitation to a business dinner. Claire, true to her role, accompanied him. During the dinner, the discussions were financial in nature, but Anna knew, from the rumors circulating among the staff, that behind every decision, every move of Louis, there was always a larger goal: the accumulation of power. The question Anna asked herself then was whether Claire was a partner in this project or simply a pawn in a larger game.
But beyond these reflections, Anna was faced with a much more concrete reality. Every time she saw him, Louis Bernard appeared to her as a man both distant and protective, without her truly understanding why he was so keen to keep her in a sort of isolation, to keep her away from other men, to prevent her from leading a "normal" life within the brothel. Perhaps this distance between them was not just a way to control her, but also a way to protect her. Anna couldn't figure out if it was merely Louis's whim, a way for him to inflate his own importance, or if there was a deeper reason behind his behavior.
Meanwhile, life inside the casino, and with Claire, seemed to continue as usual, far removed from Anna's misery. But the question remained: if Louis had a life outside, what was he really expecting from Anna? Why was she in this position, between two worlds, unable to escape?
Perhaps one day, she would discover the answer. But for now, she couldn't stop wondering what was deep inside Louis Bernard's soul, and if Claire had ever perceived the darkness that resided in him.