For Better And For Worse
Chapter 77

MEXICO.

Gordjo’s home.

François brings someone to Gordjo’s house.

François: sir, this is Mr. Shan.

Gordjo: ah, Mr. Shan, welcome to my home.

Shan: why am I here?

Gordjo: I need your help, of course, you will be richly rewarded.

Shan: what do you expect from me?

Gordjo: I would like you to train my fighter to face Jin Fing in a few days.

Shan: a few days! Ahah, whoever your fighter is, it’s doomed in advance.

Gordjo: not if you train him, please.

Shan: Fine, if you insist!

Gordjo: thank you Mr Shan, please take a seat. François, bring Krist.

François goes to get Krist from the room, Gordjo orders his servants to bring Mr. Shan a drink. François and Krist arrive.

Gordjo: Krist, this is Mr. Shan, Shan here is my ultimate fighter Krist.

Shan: Krist, I heard about you, you’re making a name for yourself here.

They shake hands.

Christ: who are you?

Gordjo: Mr. Shan is the only one who fought 6 rounds against Jin Fing, he knows his fighting techniques and I asked him to train you for your fight against Jin Fing.

Krist: I don’t need his help.

Gordjo: oh yes, you will definitely need it.

Krist: Do I have a choice?

Gordjo: no, but it’s for your own good.

Krist: Alright, when do we start?

Gordjo: Mr. Shan?

Shan: It’s whenever you want!

Krist: In that case, let’s get started!

Gordjo: follow me!

He leads them down to the basement to the training room and leaves them there. He goes out and goes to watch his surveillance videos.

Krist: If you’re that strong, why did Fing win?

Shan: Well, simply because in a fight there is always a winner and a loser. What you need to know is that Fing uses several fighting styles, Chinese kung fu, American boxing, English boxing, tai chi, etc. This is what gives it its advantage. If you manage to counter him, he immediately changes his style, that’s how he always manages to win so you have to be attentive.

Krist: ok, let’s get started!

So they begin training..

DOTTAN.

Isabelle’s home.

All day today, Stella hadn’t gone to college, she was completely broken inside. Isabelle returns from work around 12 p.m. and finds her in the same position in the same place. She returns to work after preparing lunch that Stella didn’t eat. She returns in the evening and finds her still in the same position.

Isabelle: Stella, it’s not by depriving yourself of food and water that will make him come back…

Stella: I know Isabelle, I know but it’s not as if I’m going to rejoice at this separation, I I’m in so much pain Isabelle, you have no idea.

Isabelle: of course I understand how you feel and I am so sorry my darling. You know what I think, I think your life is alongside Yve. Sometimes we look for love far away when it is very close to us. Come on, get up, go take a shower and tell yourself that Célestin is in the past.

Stella: how easy it is! How can you forget someone you loved overnight?

Isabelle: we don’t forget it, maybe never, but we have to move on and over time, we don’t hurt as much. Come on, get up and go wash…

Stella obeys and goes to take a shower. Meanwhile, the doorbell rings and Isabelle goes to open it, it’s her father. She lets him in and they go to the living room.

Bruno: I’m only here to apologize, Isabelle. I have made so many mistakes in my life and the biggest mistake that I always regret is losing you my darling. I tried my best to get my only daughter back but until today, I still can’t do it. All I did was push him away from me again and again so if I’m here today it’s to make you understand that I’m sorry for all the hurt I’ve done to you and your husband and I think it is better that I leave your life for good because I have only brought you unhappiness, pain and suffering. I was not a good father to you Isabelle and I cannot be one now for you either, I sincerely regret it. Forgive me Isabelle and I hope that God will still give you the grace to experience happiness because that is all you deserve. Goodbye Isabelle!

He leaves. Who could be indifferent to such a statement? If there is one among us, well it’s not Isabelle.

Isabelle: Dad, wait!

Bruno stops and she runs to fall into his arms.

Isabelle: Dad, don’t leave me alone!

Bruno: never again my darling, never again!

He hugs her very tightly against him.

Bruno: It’s going to be okay, I’m sorry for all the years I wasn’t there for you.

Isabelle: I forgive you, Dad.

Bruno: ah thank you my darling, you bring me great relief!…

Isabelle: are you waiting for me to prepare food for us?

Bruno: okay darling.

So she starts cooking. Stella finishes her shower and joins Isabelle’s father to chat a little. Isabelle finishes her meal and they eat together before Bruno comes home.

Célestin’s home.

This morning, after breakfast, Mélanie approaches Célestin who is getting ready to leave for work.

Mélanie: uh, darling, I need a little money to redo the child’s layette and buy myself some clothes. I am still the wife of a great lawyer, I have to be presentable.

Célestin: listen to me very carefully, if you came back with the aim of squandering my money, you are mistaken, how greedy you are!

Mélanie: darling, I learned a lot of things and I know now that love is more important than everything, that you are more important than everything. If I came back, it’s because I know you’re a good person and I want our child to be like you. Otherwise, money is the least of my worries. Have a lovely day my darling.

She gives him a k**s on the cheek and leaves.

Célestin: wait!

He signs her a check for 250,000 and gives it to her. She k****s him on the cheek.

Melanie: thank you my love.

She goes out. Célestin goes to work after wishing his brother a good day who is also going to work. A little later, Mélanie goes shopping for herself and her baby.

University.

Stella made the effort to go to college today. While they have a few minutes of break, she leaves the room to stay on the benches under the trees. Yves finishes his class and leaves to go home. He sees her and approaches her.

Yves: Stella, what’s wrong?

Stella: Has it ever happened to you once that you no longer wanted to live?

Yves: yes, a long time ago, I confessed my feelings to a girl who told me that she preferred us to be friends.

Stella: I see, I’m sorry.

Yves: no, don’t be, tell me instead what’s happening to you.

Stella: well, it happens that I thought I found true love but I lost it before it consolidated…

Yves: what happened with Célestin?

Stella: her ex reappeared with a little girl who she claims is his so he got back together with her, supposedly for the child’s sake…

Yves: shit! I’m so sorry for you my darling.

Stella: thank you!

He sits down next to her and hugs her.

Yves: sometimes we look for love elsewhere even though it is very close to us.

That was pretty much the sentence Isabelle had said. She looks at him.

Yves: maybe your happiness is with me Stella, I am very happy when I am with you.

She looks at him without saying a word. Yves brings her head closer and k****s her on the lips. She didn’t resist but she didn’t respond to it either.

Yves: I’m sorry for everything that happened to you.

He gives her a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

Yves: if you are not able to teach, can I take you home?

Stella: Okay.

She goes to get her things and comes home with Yves. They go inside.

Yves: don’t make Stella depressed, you will only hurt yourself more. On the other hand, learn to love again, it’s the only way for you to get better.

Stella: Of course, it’s so easy to say. Why not get started immediately? Are you inviting me tonight?

Yves: uh, really!… Is that really what you want?…

Isabelle: yes.

Yves: in that case, I’ll come and pick you up this evening.

Stella: Okay.

She walks up to him and they k**s on the lips before he goes home. She takes a shower and looks serene and relaxed then she goes to the kitchen to prepare lunch. Isabelle comes home from work at noon and they eat together.

Isabelle: I find you really relaxed Stella, what’s going on?

Stella: I decided to follow your advice, there’s no point in being unhappy. I have a meeting this evening with Yves.

Isabelle: wow, I hope it sticks between you.

Stella: thank you, I hope so too.

After the meal, Isabelle goes back to work. Stella, for her part, does her best not to feel bad. In the evening, Krist’s mother arrives to visit them. She’s going to open it for him.

Stella: good evening mom, please come in.

Odette: thank you my daughter.

She comes in and sets her up, gives her a drink and chats with her. A little later, Isabelle returns and Stella gets dressed to go out with Yves. The latter arrives and they go to a feeder for dinner and drinks. After the meal, Stella demands to go to a bar but Yves refuses. Stella then gets up to order some alcoholic drinks which she drinks like crazy. She had become drunk and since Krist’s mother was there, he didn’t see fit to bring her home in that state. So he takes her to his house. He brings her to the bedroom and Stella doesn’t want to let him go. She k****s him while trying to undress him. Yves makes her lie on the bed and she grabs him by his clothes to make him fall on her. But she ends up falling asleep. So Yves gets up and takes off her shoes then puts a sheet over her. He then takes a sheet which he places on the ground and lies down on it. Early in the morning, he gets up and prepares a nice soup for her. Stella wakes up and realizes that the room is different than usual. Yves comes to greet her and ask if she slept well.

Stella: where am I?

Yves: at my place. You were very drunk so I couldn’t bring you back in that state since Krist’s mother is there and don’t worry, I informed Isabelle.

Stella: Thank you.

Yves: go wash your face, I made you some soup.

She goes to clean her face and they eat together then he takes her home, she gets dressed and they go to college together.