The Winner Stands Alone - Seventh Chapter By Paulo Coelho

He takes a few steps and his head begins toAt least there’s one consolation. She
ache terribly. This is perfectly normal: the blood ishasn’t woken up in a five-star hotel next to a
flooding the brain, an understandable reaction inman telling her to put her clothes on and leave
someone who has just been under extremebecause he has important business to deal with,
tension.like buying or selling films.
Despite the headache, he feels happy. Yes, heShe gets up and looks around to see if any of
has done what he set out to do.her friends are still in the apartment. Needless to
He can do it. And he’s happier still because hesay they’re not. They’ve long since left
has freed the soul from that fragile body, freed afor the Boulevard de la Croisette, for the
spirit incapable of defending herself against aswimming pools, hotel bars, yachts, possible lunch
bullying coward. If her relationship with herdates and chance meetings on the beach. There
boyfriend had continued, the girl would haveare five fold-out mattresses on the floor of the
ended up depressed and anxious and devoid of allsmall shared apartment, hired for the duration at
self-respect, and would have been even morean exorbitant rent. The mattresses are
under her boyfriend’s thumb.surrounded by a tangle of clothes, discarded
This had never been the case with Ewa. She hadshoes, and hangers that no one has taken the
always been capable of making her own decisions.trouble to put back in the wardrobe.
He had given her both moral and financial support‘The clothes take up more room here than
when she decided to open her haute-couturethe people,’ she thinks.
boutique; and she had been free to travel asNot that any of them could even dream of
much as she wanted. He had been an exemplarywearing clothes designed by Elie Saab, Karl
man and husband. And yet, she had made aLagerfeld, Versace or Galliano, but what they
mistake: she had been unable to understand hishave nevertheless takes up most of apartment:
love or his forgiveness. He hoped, however, thatbikins, miniskirts, T-shirts, platform shoes, and a
she would receive these messages; after all, hevast amount of make-up.
had told her on the day she left that he would‘One day I’ll wear what I like, but right
destroy whole worlds to get her back.now, I just need to be given a chance,’ she
He picks up the throwaway mobile phone he hasthinks.
just bought and on which he has entered theAnd why does she want that chance?
smallest possible amount of credit. He sends aQuite simple. Because she knows she’s the
text message.best, despite her experience at school - when she
11.00 a.m.so disappointed her parents - and despite the
It all began, they say, with an unknownchallenges she’s faced since in order to prove
19-year-old posing in a bikini for photographersto herself that she can overcome difficulties,
who had nothing better to do during the 1953frustrations and defeats. She was born to win and
Cannes Festival. She immediately shot toto shine, of that she has no doubt.
stardom, and her name became legendary:‘And when I get what I always wanted, I
Brigitte Bardot. And now everyone thinks theyknow I’ll have to ask myself: Do they love
can do the same. No one understands theand admire me because I’m me or because
importance of being an actress; beauty is the onlyI’m famous.’
thing that counts.She knows people who have achieved stardom
That’s why women with long legs and dyedon the stage and, contrary to her expectations,
hair, the bottle blondes of this world, travelthey’re not at peace with themselves;
hundreds or even thousands of miles to be inthey’re insecure, full of doubts, unhappy as
Cannes, even if only to spend the whole day onsoon as they come off stage. They want to be
the beach, hoping to be seen, photographed,actors so as not to have to be themselves, and
discovered. They want to escape from the trapthey live in fear of making the one false step that
that awaits all women: becoming a housewife,could end their career.
who makes supper for her husband every‘I’m different, though. I’ve always
evening, takes the children to school every day,been me.’
and tries to dig up some dirt on herIs that true? Or does everyone in her position
neighbours’ monotonous lives so as to havethink the same?
something to gossip about with her friends. WhatShe gets up and makes herself some coffee. The
these women want is fame, glory and glamour, tokitchen is a mess, and none of her friends has
be the envy of the other people who live in theirbothered to wash the dishes. She doesn’t
town and of the boys and girls who alwaysknow why she’s woken up in such a bad
thought of them as ugly ducklings, unaware thatmood and with so many doubts. She knows her
they would one day grow up to be a swan orjob, she’s devoted herself to it heart and
blossom into a flower coveted by everyone.soul, and yet it’s as if people refuse to
They want a career in the world of dreams evenrecognise her talent. She knows what human
if they have to borrow money to get siliconebeings are like too, especially men – future
breast implants or to buy some newer, sexierallies in a battle she needs to win soon, because
outfits. Drama school? Forget it, good looks andshe’s 25 already and nearly too old for the
the right contacts are all you need. The cinemadream factory. She knows three things:
can work miracles, always assuming, of course,(a) that men are less treacherous than women;
you can ever break into that world. Anything to(b) that they never notice what a woman is
escape from the prison of the provincial city andwearing because they’re always mentally
the long, dreary, repetitive days. There are millionsundressing her;
of people who don’t mind that kind of life,(c) that as long as you’ve got breasts, thighs,
and they should be left to live their lives as theybuttocks and belly in good trim, you can conquer
see fit. However, if you come to the Festival youthe world.
must leave fear at home and be prepared forBecause of those three things, and because she
anything: making spur-of-the-moment decisions,knows that all the other women she’s
telling lies if necessary, pretending to be youngercompeting with try to emphasise their attributes,
than you are, smiling at people you loathe, feigningshe pays attention only to item (c) on her list. She
an interest in people who bore you, saying ‘Iexercises and tries to keep fit, avoids diets and,
love you’ without a thought for theillogical though it may seem, dresses very
consequences, or stabbing in the back the frienddiscreetly. This has worked well so far, and she
who once helped you out, but who has nowcan usually pass for younger than her age.
become an undesirable rival. Don’t let feelingsShe’s hoping that it’ll do the trick in
of remorse or shame get in your way. TheCannes too.
reward is worth any amount of sacrifice.Breasts, buttocks, thighs. They can focus on
Fame. Glory. Glamour.those things now if they want to, but the day will
Gabriela finds these thoughts irritating. It’scome when they’ll see what she can really
definitely not the best way to start a new day.do.
Worse, she has a hangover.