“Mom, I’m so hot… When is Dad coming?” whimpered little Anaïs, standing in the hallway, wrapped tightly in her winter coat, her head covered by a hat and a tightly knotted scarf.
“Anaïs, I told you to wait for your father before getting dressed. Put down your sled, take off your things, and go play a little. When I’m finished with lunch, we’ll go for a walk,” Véronique suggested in a soft voice.
But the little girl shook her head, her face pouting.
“No, Dad promised. I want to wait for him.”
The word “promised” made Véronique tremble. She looked away, walked toward the kitchen, glanced out the window, and felt tears well up.
She remembered the day she married Gérard, convinced she was experiencing a unique love story. He was the most attractive guy in their circle, and she, the shy young woman, had been dazzled by his attention. When he’d asked her out, she’d thought she was the luckiest person in the world. Her friends whispered they made the perfect couple.
A year later, Gérard proposed. Without hesitation, Véronique accepted. Preparations were in full swing, and all her friends wanted to be bridesmaids. For her, it was the ultimate dream: Gérard was not only charming, he also came from a wealthy and respected family. His father ran a successful business, and his mother owned several renowned businesses.
“You’re so lucky, Véronique. Your wedding is coming up,” Nathalie, an envious friend, had said.
“Yes, Gérard promised me we’d go on our honeymoon,” Véronique whispered proudly.
“Unbelievable, I dream about it!” Nathalie had sighed.
Everyone envied Véronique. Everyone except Thérèse, her mother, who was preparing the ceremony with a worry she couldn’t hide.
“My daughter, don’t rush. A year is too short. Gérard has had many conquests…” she had tried to warn him.
“Mom, stop. We love each other, and that’s all that matters.”
“Love passes, but to build a life, you need a reliable man,” Thérèse insisted.
“You don’t understand! Gérard promised we’d have a big house. You can come whenever you want. He also told me he’d buy me a car. I’ll be the happiest,” Véronique replied enthusiastically.
Thérèse had sighed: Promises… always promises.
The wedding day arrived quickly. Gérard came to pick up his fiancée in a beautiful white car. Radiant, Véronique left her mother’s apartment for the last time.
At the town hall, Thérèse felt uncomfortable. On her daughter’s side, almost no one was there. Most of the guests belonged to the groom’s family. During the exchange of rings, Gérard quickly slipped his onto Véronique’s finger, but she, nervous, dropped the ring intended for her husband.
“Oh…” she breathed, ashamed.
In two steps, Gérard caught the ring. The guests laughed at his speed. But Thérèse turned pale. In her family, it was always said that a wedding ring falling off on the wedding day brought bad luck.
Some people don’t believe it. But what followed proved that this bad omen was not unfounded.
At first, everything seemed fine. The couple lived with Gérard’s parents. Véronique quit her job despite her mother’s protests.
“Don’t worry, Mom. Gérard promised to take care of everything,” she insisted.
Soon after, she became pregnant. Anaïs was born, and Thérèse only saw her granddaughter on rare occasions.
Véronique and her daughter lacked nothing: clothes, toys, everything was provided for them… but always chosen by her mother-in-law. All she could do was keep quiet.
“Gérard, what if we moved somewhere else?” she dared to ask one day.
“Why not? Here, everything’s taken care of,” he replied indifferently.
“But you promised us a house.”
“My father is having financial problems. Later, Véronique.” Later.
Years passed. Gérard’s absences increased. Véronique began to have doubts. Arguments broke out.
“It’s just an evening with friends, you’re exaggerating!” her mother-in-law would say to calm her down.
“No, Sylvie. I can’t take it anymore. I’m going with Anaïs to my mother’s!”
“Go away, but my granddaughter won’t move!” Gérard yelled, drunk.
That day, Véronique really did leave. Thérèse was worried, but deep down, she could breathe. However, a few days later, Gérard brought them back by force, claiming that his daughter wouldn’t live “in a two-room apartment with an old woman.”
He calmed down for a while, then returned to his usual routine. In the small town, rumors spread fast. Thérèse saw everything, understood her daughter’s pain. Her heart, too fragile, finally gave way. She died in the hospital of a heart attack.
This was the turning point for Véronique. Now alone, she took her destiny into her own hands. She gathered her belongings, returned to her mother’s apartment, and filed for divorce.
Gérard gave in easily: he already had a new partner. His mother protested violently, but Véronique remained firm.
“You can see Anaïs whenever you want, but I won’t be coming back.”
Soon after, Véronique met Damien. Together, they rebuilt their lives. He considered Anaïs his own daughter, even going so far as to want to adopt her. But Gérard opposed the move.
