For years, my husband mocked my weight, often using cruel remarks to chip away at my self-esteem. I turned to food for comfort, and our already strained marriage only worsened. The breaking point came when he humiliated me in public, comparing me to a slim, beautiful woman. That moment sparked a fire in me to take control of my life. What he didn’t expect was the talent I would soon reveal, leaving him speechless.
For as long as I can remember, I struggled with my weight. No matter how hard I tried, the extra pounds clung to me like an unwelcome shadow. My dream had always been to become a skilled pastry chef, and the kitchen became my sanctuary, where I spent countless hours perfecting my desserts. Creating art from flour and sugar was my escape, but tasting everything I made became part of the process. The more I baked, the more I ate, and before I knew it, the weight piled on faster than I could have imagined. Each glance in the mirror left me feeling like a stranger in my own body. And Bryce, my husband, only made it worse.
“Maybe if you spent more time at the gym and less in the kitchen, you’d look better in that dress,” he’d say with a smirk. Those words cut deep. I’d overhear him on the phone, laughing with his friends about my weight, thinking I couldn’t hear him. But I always did. And it hurt.
There was a time when I was always by Bryce’s side, the perfect, supportive wife. I attended all his work events, always with a smile, but as the pounds added up, my confidence plummeted. I stopped going out with him, becoming a shadow of the woman I used to be, hiding away in the kitchen while Bryce continued to live his life without me. I felt lost, drowning in a sea of self-doubt and loneliness.
Everything changed the night of an important event—the first one I was catering as a chef. My desserts were the highlight of the evening, a moment I had dreamed of for months. Bryce was also attending, as the party was hosted by his business partner, Rowan. As we arrived, I felt a wave of anxiety, smoothing down my dress nervously. But as soon as we stepped inside, I noticed Bryce’s attention drifting toward a slim, attractive woman across the room. Her name was Elise, and she captivated everyone with just a smile. Bryce’s gaze lingered on her.
“Now that’s how a woman should look in a dress,” he said, his voice dripping with admiration. Then, with a glance at me, he added, “Maybe you should ask her for some tips, sunshine.” His words stung, and I could feel my confidence crumbling with each passing moment. Bryce found every excuse to be near Elise, leaving me feeling more invisible than ever. I wanted to disappear.
That’s when I met Rowan. He was standing in the same corner, unnoticed by the crowd, but unlike me, he wore a warm smile. When he spoke, his gentle humor immediately put me at ease. We started talking, and the topic of my love for baking came up. Rowan listened with genuine interest and then surprised me with an opportunity. He suggested I try to win the tender for developing the dessert menu for his restaurant. My heart leaped at the chance, but before I could respond, Bryce appeared, loud and brash.
“Well, if it isn’t the star of the show,” Bryce said, turning to Rowan. “Thanks for the invitation, but we need to head home. Gotta drop Elise off as well, you know how it is.” Then, with a smug grin, he added, “You should consider Elise for your team. She’s got a real knack for culinary stuff. We had a great chat about it.” I could barely believe what I was hearing. My own husband was recommending a woman he’d just met, dismissing everything I had worked so hard for.
As soon as we got home, I confronted Bryce. “How could you suggest Elise, of all people, to Rowan? What about me? Don’t you think I’m capable?” Bryce shrugged, not even looking at me as he loosened his tie. “Oh, come on, sunshine. It was just a suggestion. Don’t take it so personally.”
Those words were the final straw. Inside, something shifted—a resolve I hadn’t felt in years. “I’ll show you,” I whispered to myself. “I’m going to prove that I’m worth something. You’ll see.”
I threw myself into my work, determined to make the most of Rowan’s offer. With a budget in hand and a team of assistants, I dedicated myself to developing the dessert menu. It wasn’t easy, but for the first time in years, I felt truly alive. I also started taking care of my health, beginning each day with a run and exercises at home. Each push-up and sit-up was a small victory, a step closer to reclaiming my confidence.
Bryce, of course, didn’t miss a chance to belittle me. “You think those leggings are doing you any favors?” he’d say, or “All this work, and for what? You’re still the same, Clara.” But I didn’t let his words deter me. I kept pushing forward, keeping Rowan’s competition a secret. This was something I had to do for myself.
The day of the competition finally arrived. The event was set up like a culinary show, with stations for each chef to present their creations. Judges and guests would taste each dish and decide the winner, who would secure the contract and represent the restaurant. As I looked around at the other chefs, all seasoned professionals, doubt began to creep in. What if I wasn’t good enough?
Then I saw Elise. She was even more stunning up close, her perfect figure only adding to my insecurities. “Well, well, if it isn’t the pastry princess,” she sneered. “Shouldn’t the buns be in the bakery, not hanging off the baker?” Her words cut deep, but I forced myself to focus on the task at hand. But when I saw Bryce with her, laughing and chatting, I felt my world collapse. He was there for her, not for me.
Just as I was about to walk away, Rowan appeared by my side. “Clara, I have high hopes for your dessert,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine. “But if you’re too weak to continue, you should leave now. I need a strong team. If you can’t handle the pressure, there’s no place for you here.” His words were blunt, but they reignited the fire inside me. “I can do this,” I whispered to myself, and then louder, “I’ll do this.”
I poured my heart into every detail of my desserts, blocking out everything else. When the results were announced, I stood there in disbelief. I had won the contract! Me—the woman who had been belittled and mocked by her husband—had won.
I looked over at Bryce, and for the first time, he was speechless. But the surprises didn’t stop there. Along with the contract came an opportunity to study in Paris, the culinary capital of the world. When the announcement ended, Bryce’s face twisted with anger. “What the hell, Clara?” he hissed, pulling me aside. “You did all this behind my back? This nonsense? You need to stop this right now and come home where you belong.”
But before I could respond, Rowan stepped forward. “Bryce, Clara is a remarkable woman. From the first moment I met her, I knew there was something special about her. I’ve watched how you’ve treated her, how you’ve tried to break her spirit, and I’ve also seen how she’s changed over the past month. Her determination and hard work have yielded incredible results, and I’m more certain than ever that I’ve fallen in love with an extraordinary woman.”
Bryce was stunned into silence. His eyes widened, and for once, he had nothing to say. Finally, I found my voice. “I am a free woman, Bryce,” I said, looking him directly in the eye. “I deserve more than to live in your shadow, and I will not let you control my life any longer. I want a divorce, and you can go to Elise if that’s what you want.”
Bryce’s face flushed with anger, but he remained speechless. At that moment, Rowan handed me a beautiful bouquet. “Shall we?” he asked, inviting me to dinner. He then revealed another surprise—a pastry chef position waiting for me in Paris. After my training, I could stay there if I wished. “I hope that by then, you’ll have wrapped up your affairs here, and maybe you’ll want to start fresh in a new country. I’ll be there by your side, supporting whatever decision you make.”
A wave of happiness washed over me, and it felt as though the whole world was at my feet, ready to offer me a new life filled with love and creativity.
Сlаudiа Саrdinаlе: Неrе’s whаt thе Itаliаn film iсоn lооks likе аt 85
Claudia Cardinale is Italy’s counterpart to France’s Brigitte Bardot. She quickly rose to stardom to almost just as quickly disappear from the scene later on. Now, Claudia Cardinale celebrates her 85th birthday.
The Italian star was originally discovered at a beauty contest held in 1957 by the Unitalia film company. The “most beautiful Italian woman of Tunis” subsequently won a trip to the Venice Film Festival that was to become a decisive turning point in her life. The sultry young woman was born on April 15, 1938, in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Her mother was French, and her father Italian.
In 1958, Cardinale, known as CC, played her first role in “Goha” opposite Omar Sharif before being trained as an actress at the Italian Film Academy in Rome. Her talents as an actress renowned for her dauntless rambunctiousness gained her fame, and her gaze into the camera became legendary.
Famous director Luchino Visconti gave her minor roles in “Rocco and his Brothers” (1960), as well as in the historical drama “The Leopard” (1962) with Alain Delon. As she later recounted in a biographical interview, she rebuffed all of her famous film partners, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Marcello Mastroianni, Alain Delon and Burt Lancaster.
A beauty queen turned into a film diva
Cardinale is Italy’s counterpart of Brigitte Bardot. But in contrast to Bardot, Cardinale never appeared nude in a film: “I always thought it was more erotic to leave some room to imagination, hinting at things rather than showing everything,” she told the German magazine Stern in 2014.
CC achieved her breakthrough with her performance in the highly popular Italo western “Once Upon a Time in the West” (1969). The classical western directed by Sergio Leone and starring Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson was shot in Rome’s Cinecittà studios and in Spain with some scenes set in Utah’s Monument Valley. The film that flopped in the US only acquired cult status in Europe.
CC’s career already saw a downswing in the 1970s. She then turned to television films, especially entertainment films where she showed some talent as a comedian. She got her last main role in a movie in 1971 when she starred opposite her main rival, Brigitte Bardot, in the Italo western comedy “Frenchie King.”
Spending time in a jungle with Werner Herzog
Ten years later, CC starred in German director Werner Herzog’s historical film “Fitzcarraldo” (1981). Although Claudia Cardinale had a difficult time enduring the bouts of anger of her eccentric film partner Klaus Kinski, she greatly enjoyed shooting and working with director Werner Herzog: “Being in the middle of the jungle with insects all around me and nothing to eat was one of my most wonderful adventures,” she later stated.
Claudia Cardinale and other heroines of European film
Claudia Cardinale is seen as Italy’s counterpart to France’s Brigitte Bardot. The actress who became a star in the 1950s and 60s now celebrates her 85th birthday.
Claudia Cardinale
She’s the youngest of Italy’s three major female stars. Claudia Cardinale worked with outstanding directors like Luchino Visconti and Federico Fellini. She fascinated audiences with her charming smile and acting skills in westerns, among them “Once Upon a Time in the West” and “The Professionals” (pictured).
Gina Lollobrigida
One of the most highly acclaimed European stars of the 1950s and 60s was Gina Lollobrigida who was born in the East of Rome in 1927. “Lollo” even made it to Hollywood where she was equally showered with praise. In the 1970s, however, she withdrew from showbiz.
Sophia Loren
Another Italian actress, Sophia Loren, who was a few years younger than Lollo, became her fiercest rival. The mutual hatred and jealousy of the two stars was a frequent topic in tabloids. In contrast to Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren continued to perform in movies even as an older woman.
Brigitte Bardot
During the same time, another sexpot rose to stardom in France with movies like “And God Created Woman” and “Love is my Profession.” Brigitte Bardot, the superstar of the Grande Nation, withdrew from film production in the 1970s to devote herself to animal rights causes.
Catherine Deneuve
A decade later, Bardot’s compatriot Catherine Deneuve broke onto the film scene. Deneuve differed much from both Loren and Lollo by playing roles as aloof and myterious women early in her career. Deneueve’s talent as an actress guaranteed her success throughout her life.
Romy Schneider
The two decades between 1960 and 1980 were also the golden era of German-French actress Romy Schneider. Born in Vienna, she made her breakthrough in the German-speaking world as “Sissi” before moving to France. In Paris, she became one of the most charismatic and impressive actresses of European film scene. But in her private life, she was anything but lucky. She died in 1982.
Penélope Cruz
One of the most famous Europen actresses in recent decades is Spanish actress Penélope Cruz. Cruz started her career in her home country before achieving fame in other European countries and, finally, Hollywood. Her performances received a lot of acclaim, especially in films by director Pedro Almodóvar, among them “Volver” (pictured).
Irene Papas
After 1945, actresses from smaller European nations were able to conquer the hearts of audiences across Europe. One of them was Irene Papas who is also renowned as a singer in her home country, Greece. She celebrated her biggest success in “Zorba the Greek” (1964) before also working in other European countries, and in Hollywood.
Tatjana Samoilova
While films from Italy, France, Germany and England dominated the film scene during the postwar era, it should not be forgotten that eastern Europe had much to offer too. One of the biggest female stars of Russian film was certainly Tatjana Samoilova who achieved world fame with the movie “The Cranes are Flying” (1957).
Krystyna Janda
Polish actress Krystyna Janda became known in the 1970s for her performances in films by Polish director Andrzej Wajda. She then performed in international co-productions with stars like Lino Ventura. In her home country, Krystyna Janda is also known as a singer and an an author.
In 1993, CC received a Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival to be followed in 2002 by an “honorary bear” at the Berlinale. The spirited actress performed in more than 100 films.
In 2017, CC once again drew attention at an international film festival. A photo depicting her as a young actress embellished a placard in Cannes where she had often been invited as an honorary guest. On April 15, Claudia Cardinale will turn 80. Happy birthday!
This article was originally published April 15, 2018 and updated.
Leave a Reply