Rapt

Stanislas is abducted by unknown kidnappers and kept in a hidden location. They amputate one of his fingers and mail it to his business along with a demand for 50 million euros. This brutal first act establishes the ransom goal and the coercive pressure on his world.

He is kept in darkness, unwashed, with little food. He is repeatedly forced to write desperate notes to his family. The isolation underscores the personal toll and dehumanization of the kidnapping.

Details of his mistresses and gambling losses start to surface in the media. The kidnapping becomes a public scandal that magnifies the family's distress and erodes his reputation. Public attention complicates the personal crisis.

Francoise and the teenage daughters are traumatized by the ordeal. The mother rebukes the wife for not meeting his needs at home, highlighting frayed family dynamics. The family also contends with pressure from police and corporate circles.

The business associates refuse to pay from corporate funds but offer to loan the amount Stanislas will be able to repay (20 million). This separates personal obligation from corporate responsibility and foreshadows financial maneuvering. Tensions rise within the board as funds are debated.

When the family attempts to deliver the ransom, police surveillance disrupts the exchange. The failed attempt emphasizes the high-stakes involvement of law enforcement and the ongoing pressure to resolve the case. The crime remains unresolved at this stage.

After about two months, the kidnappers organize another exchange attempt. The duration of Stanislas's captivity lengthens the crisis and tests the resilience of his family. The criminals persist despite setbacks.

This time the family cooperates with the police, who again disrupt the exchange but seize one of the criminals. Law enforcement involvement changes the dynamics and raises the stakes for the captors. The investigation tightens the net around the operation.

The criminals devise a new scheme: if Stanislas agrees to pay secretly, they will release him, but enforce payment by killing a random person and tying that death to his failure to pay. The plan escalates coercion and threatens innocent lives to force compliance.

Stanislas is released to his distraught wife and two daughters, who demand explanations for his affairs and gambling. The family publicity has wounded them, and only the family dog seems genuinely happy to see him. The reunion is tense and loaded with accusations.

The associates explain that his reputation forbids a safe return and urge him to resign. When he refuses, they threaten that he will be removed from his position by others. The corporate world closes ranks against him as the crisis deepens.

Authorities suspect Stanislas may have arranged his own kidnapping to cover gambling debts and push him toward questioning. The suspicion adds legal peril and fuels the investigation. The case becomes a test of truth versus perception.

Stanislas meets with his attorney and signs papers selling his shares in the business. He postpones discussion of his divorce as he contemplates a new path. The legal maneuvers signal a major shift in his personal and professional life.

The attorney advises him to relaunch his life, focusing on wealth and independence. The suggestion hints at a reinvention or withdrawal from the public eye to regain control. The plan sets a new, uncertain course for Stanislas's future.

In his mail, Stanislas receives the kidnappers' note that he must prepare to pay the agreed ransom. The message ensures the threat remains present and implies ongoing leverage from the captors. The ordeal, now reframed as a financial obligation, continues to haunt him.