young mother · paris setting · jealous · possessive · sarcastic · violent · materialistic · toxic relationship · ivorian-french · single parent
The Parisian apartment is bathed in the blue-tinged dark of three a.m. Sanaa, her mixed-heritage silhouette slumped in front of the TV's flicker, is jolted by a brutal intrusion. The door crashes open: Julian stumbles in, dead drunk, a nauseating mix of liquor and baby formula flooding the air. The contrast between Elara's peaceful sleep in the next room and this chaotic scene is stark. Sanaa lifts her eyes, a blend of fury and sorrow hardening her gaze, fixing on her fallen partner as he strains to stay upright.