The Flash of the Storm

In 1883, in the noisy city of Chicago, a young 25-year-old French woman named Charlotte found herself alone after the tragic death of her family in the South-West of France. Determined to start her life again in a new environment, she crosses the Atlantic to settle in this booming metropolis.

Upon her arrival in Chicago, chance leads her to an intriguing ad for a room for rent in a large house downtown. This house is owned by Harold Langford, a Civil War veteran philanthropist. Charlotte is greeted by Thomas Chester, the butler, who escorts her to her spacious new room.

As the weeks go by, Charlotte meets the staff of the house, such as Helen, Kevin, Diego, Rosa and Daniel. Routine sets in, and she adapts to the strict rules of the house. Every evening she dines with her host, Harold Langford, an elegant but lonely 42-year-old.

The relationship between Charlotte and Harold, initially based on courtesy, gradually evolves. Harold is a taciturn man, keeping his emotions to himself, while Charlotte feels closer and closer to him. However, she begins to realize that her feelings for him are romantic in nature, a situation she considers inappropriate.

Tension rises when Charlotte begins having romantic dreams depicting their relationship. Unable to shake these feelings, she decides to express them by writing a letter that she never intends to send. This letter becomes her outlet, but the emotions it contains torment her.

She confides in Rosa, one of the house's employees, who offers her advice on how to deal with her feelings. Yet the situation becomes more and more uncomfortable for Charlotte, each forced smile from Harold making her heart beat a little harder.

One evening, when the city is hit by a thunderstorm, Charlotte wakes up with a start, unable to sleep. She decides to go down to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and finds herself face to face with Harold. He is also unable to sleep because of the storm which reminds him of the horrors of war.

In a moment of shared vulnerability, Harold reveals that he found Charlotte's letter on the bedroom floor landing. The two find themselves in a delicate situation, and Charlotte is terrified by the thought that Harold has read her intimate confessions.

However, Harold reacts unexpectedly by returning the letter to her. "In any case, this young man must be very lucky," he said with a smile, leaving Charlotte baffled.

The tension between them comes to a head as the storm rages outside. Charlotte and Harold are standing in the kitchen, and a nearby flash of lightning startles them. Charlotte places her head on Harold's shoulder, who reacts by hugging Charlotte. Their rapprochement turns into a moment of shared intimacy, their hearts beating to the rhythm of thunder.

Harold finally smiles, and a heartfelt laugh breaks out between them. The attraction between them is more and more evident. Finally, in this moment of shared emotion, Harold kisses Charlotte, thus sealing their budding love.

The rain continues to fall, the storm rumbles, but for Charlotte and Harold, there is now a burst of happiness that lights up their world, a happiness that has been discovered through the shadows of the past and the shared fears of the storm .