The Au Pair Ending Explained: Who is Sandrine and What Happened when Zoe was 15?

The Au Pair is a short, sweet thriller full of twists and turns. In the story, we are introduced to Sally Bretton’s Zoe Dalton. She lives a seemingly perfect life in a house comparable to a mansion with two stepkids and a successful husband. Also, she has a tailoring business that’s thriving, and to add a cherry on top, she has a baby on the way. 

However, things change when the family hires an au pair to help Zoe manage the house and kids. When the actual identity of the help is revealed, it sends shockwaves down Zoe’s spine. In this article, we will discuss what happened at the end of The Au Pair. 

Who is the Woman who Enters Zoe Dalton’s life as an au pair?

The Dalton family hires a woman called Sandrine as an au pair. Initially, she seems like the ideal fit, but soon her true intentions are revealed as she tries to wreak havoc on Zoe’s life. She tries to ruin Zoe and Chris’ relationship, drugs Zoe’s diabetic father, and also gaslights her. 

But why is she doing all this? All because Sandrine is actually Stephanie Lacroix, Zoe’s daughter. Born on May 01, 2002, Stephanie was the result of Zoe becoming pregnant at 15 due to a drunken night at a party. Her dad, George, thought that he was doing the right thing by giving the baby up for adoption. 

Zoe was told that her baby had died due to asphyxia. So, Stephanie was adopted by a couple in France. However, instead of going to a loving home, she was abused and humiliated by her adopted family. Dying for revenge, Stephanie found her birth mother when a woman who was involved in her adoption approached and helped her. 

What Happens at the end of The Au Pair?

While Zoe’s dad, a doctor, and mum, a midwife, were both involved in the adoption regarding Sandrine/ Stephanie, the biggest culprit was her husband, Chris. He was a junior doctor who was working with George when Zoe’s baby girl was born. George had asked him to look at possible adopters in France. 

However, Chris didn’t find the best family for the baby and instead sold her to the highest bidder. For that, he became involved in illegal black-market adoptions. He also didn’t stop with Sandrine and found pregnant young women who were vulnerable and could be exploited. 

He convinced them to give up their babies so that he could sell them to the highest bidder in France. In the finale, Chris was arrested for his deeds and also for abducting Sandrine to kill her. He also tried to kill George. 

Speaking of George, he was ready to take responsibility for his actions in the illegal adoption. Due to this, he was eventually able to make peace with his granddaughter and daughter. The four-episode short series ended with Zoe enjoying being around her family, that now includes Sandrine as well. 

Will There be a Series 2 of The Au Pair?

At the time of writing, there has been no confirmation regarding a series 2 of the show. It’s also unlikely that it will receive one. 

The Au Pair is streaming on My5.