Previously, in Class Act Episode 1, we were introduced to the life of Bernard Tapie, a multifaceted individual who went on an ambitious journey, spanning business, sports, and politics. In Tapie’s initial days, he wanted to start an electronic store called the “Tapie Store,” where customers could join a special subscription to get big discounts on electronic products. Initially, he found it hard to convince people to invest in his venture. However, things changed when he met a wealthy businessman named Marcel Loiseau. They decided to open the store together, but Loiseau would own most of it. This led to complications because Tapie and Dominique, who worked for Loiseau, developed feelings for each other even though Tapie was already married. So, their business partnership faced its share of challenges, affecting both their professional and personal lives.
Spoilers Ahead
What is heart assistance?
Class Act Episode 2, Bernard Tapie found himself in a dire situation. Marcel Loiseau, his business partner, took legal action against him, accusing Tapie of some serious wrongdoings. The court didn’t look kindly upon Tapie, as they discovered that he had made some questionable choices. Firstly, he had a worker do gardening at his home without paying them, which gave Loiseau a chance to file a complaint against him to get him out of the business for good. Additionally, he allowed his friend Farid to buy a high-end Ferrari at a discounted price, which raised some legal concerns. These actions led to a harsh verdict from the court: Tapie was forbidden from owning any businesses, and Loiseau took control of their store. Loiseau’s behavior was ruthless, and he even went so far as to insult Tapie by offering him a coin as if he were a beggar.
Returning home, Tapie faced the wrath of his parents, who were deeply disappointed in him. His relationship with his wife, Michelle, grew strained as well. His father placed the blame squarely on Tapie for tearing the family apart. Amid these personal troubles, Tapie shifted his focus to filming a project, hoping for a fresh start. However, conflicts arose between him and Michelle regarding their daughter, Stephanie. Tapie was eager to include his daughter in his film project, but Michelle firmly objected, which further intensified the tension in their already troubled family life.
As the story progressed, it became clear that the film Bernard was working on was actually a presentation for a new business venture he was undertaking. This venture was none other than the “Heart Assistance” emergency health service, designed to provide immediate aid to patients with heart conditions. Bernard, along with his team consisting of Farid, Dominique, and Dr. Nahon, who had previously treated Tapie’s father, faced huge challenges while filming the project. Despite some bumps along the way, they managed to convey their message effectively.
Why did Dr. Nahon leave Heart Assistance?
Their presentation was directed at a group of cardiologists, and they stuck to their subscription-based business strategy, just as they had in their previous ventures. However, here’s where things took a questionable turn. While, in reality, Tapie had only managed to secure 700 subscribers for Heart Assistance, he exaggerated the numbers for the doctors, claiming they had a whopping 10,000 subscribers. To add to the deception, he promised that unemployed individuals would receive free subscriptions. Dr. Nahon felt increasingly uneasy about the situation, as he was particularly worried because the business was registered in his name. As Tapie had previous legal troubles that prevented him from running any businesses, any issues arising from their actions could end up damaging Dr. Nahon’s reputation.
Meanwhile, in the midst of their journey, Tapie and Dominique crossed paths with one of Dominique’s friends, Alexis, a wealthy hunter. Tapie had an ambitious idea in mind. He tried to convince Alexis to invest in their heart assistance venture. However, Alexis, who was not as adventurous as Tapie, wasn’t interested in any investment opportunities. On their way back from meeting Alexis, Dominique shared that her friend had suggested she audition for a musical. Tapie was happy with this idea and urged her to pursue this opportunity. Unfortunately, Dominique’s busy schedule with Heart Assistance made it challenging for her to follow her dreams. Clearly, she had strong feelings for Tapie and placed great faith in him. So, she just prioritized his aspirations over her own.
As they returned, Dr. Nahon approached them with growing concerns about potentially losing his medical license. Since their service isn’t fully operational yet, it might cause a lot of problems while playing with their subscribers’ trust. In a desperate move, Tapie spun another lie, claiming that he had secured a generous investor willing to give them 200,000 francs for their project. However, this was far from the truth, as Alexis hadn’t agreed to invest at all.
A turning point came that night when Tapie received an emergency call from a patient. Nahon struggled to reach the scene promptly due to high demand, and Tapie had to step in to perform CPR. Although Nahon arrived shortly after, their efforts proved insufficient, and the patient required immediate medical intervention. Heart Assistance’s reliability was called into question, and Nahon blamed Tapie for this. He felt extremely foolish for trusting him and investing in the venture. Without listening to him further, Nahon made a quick move and left Tapie all alone with his unreliable business venture. Tapie, crushed by his failure, turned to his father for support and began working as a mechanic to repair water heaters.
What was Tapie’s next business venture?
During this challenging period, he made an effort to see his daughter, and although Michelle initially disapproved, Tapie convinced her that Stephanie was the one remaining anchor in his life. Michelle eventually agreed to share custody of their daughter. Meanwhile, Dominique pursued her career in dancing but she found her relationship with Tapie was getting strained by her choice. Tapie’s masculine ego was offended. He was even growing jealous when, during the rehearsal, some other guy would look at Dominique. Though he didn’t express his concerns to Dominique verbally, it was evident in his odd behavior. This led to a heated argument and uncertainty about their future together. As Dominique returned home and started contemplating her next move, Michelle unexpectedly arrived with Stephanie. She had decided to share custody of her child with Tapie.
On the other hand, Bernard Tapie, down on his luck and drowning his sorrows in a bar, got into a brawl and sustained an injury. However, with the one franc Loiseau had contemptuously given him, he went on another impulsive and unexpected journey. Tapie went to visit a financial advisor named Boegart, who was well aware of Tapie’s track record as a failed businessman and his criminal conviction. So, he offered him that one symbolic franc intending to buy his assistance. Initially Boegart had no interest in supporting any of Tapie’s new ventures, bluntly asking Tapie to leave his office.
But Tapie was undeterred. He made a bold move. He waited and hid in a room, sneaking a peek at financial accounts, files, and documents. When Boegart discovered him, Tapie presented a fresh idea. Against all odds, he managed to persuade Boegart to assist in his next endeavor, which was to acquire a dormant brochure factory called Diguet-Deny and revive the business. Though Boegart loved the idea, he had one reservation: Tapie wasn’t supposed to start businesses due to his legal restrictions. However, Tapie had a solution for this as well.
Back at home, Tapie found his daughter with Dominique, which was a moment of immense joy for him. Seizing the opportunity, he took Dominique to the Diguet-Deny factory, where he made her a proposition that she couldn’t refuse. Initially, Dominique was skeptical and hesitated, but Tapie asked for her signature to run the business and showed her that she could be the one running it. But Dominique was more concerned about their marriage and a settled future together. Therefore, in a romantic gesture, Tapie proposed marriage to her while on bended knee. Dominique, once again, fell for Tapie’s charms and agreed to stand by his side through thick and thin. The fate of this new business venture now hangs in the balance, and we eagerly await the next episode to see if it will thrive or falter just like the previous ones.
