His Obsession, The Story of Jean-Pierre Renault (A Short Story): A Prequel to "Hannah's Dream"

The beginning of Jean-Pierre Renault's story. It is a complete portrait of his early years.

He is a villain in the novel “Hannah’s Dream,” but how did wealthy Parisian Jean-Pierre Renault become the murderous Pierre Rousseau? The seeds of Pierre Rousseau’s obsession with Hannah Dawes are buried in his past.

Born to wealthy parents in Paris, France, Jean-Pierre leads a normal life until, on his sixteenth birthday, he is seduced by his beautiful, young art teacher, Brigitte Pascal. Redheaded Brigitte tells Jean-Pierre, “If you want to paint well, you must experience all things life has to offer,” then she guides his hands as they make love.

Six months later, his mother learns of the affair and sends Brigitte packing. Jean-Pierre is devastated. He is sent to an English boarding school where his parents hope he will forget about Brigitte, but separation from her only fuels his obsession. When he returns to Paris, he spends hours in his studio painting portraits of his beloved over and over again. Hoping to rekindle their romance, Jean-Pierre hires a private detective to find Brigitte, only to be spurned by her. After her rejection, Jean-Pierre’s paintings take on a dark, sinister tone, and he begins to stalk Brigitte.