- 4 months ago
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00:00It all went down the day after Thanksgiving.
00:08I was really looking forward to my leftover turkey sandwich when this newspaper slapped me in the face and I dropped it.
00:16My stomach churned. One, because my lunch was now dirt. And two, I just caught a face full of Ryland's grin.
00:25The unstoppable superstar I can't escape.
00:28Ugh, I hated him. And then my day just got a whole lot worse.
00:34It's for my granddaughter. Which one do you think she'll like more? The silver jacket, Ryland, or the gold jacket, Ryland?
00:42They look the same to me.
00:44They're not the same, dear. The golden one makes his eyes look more blue. And the silver makes his hair look glossier. And if you see closely...
00:55Oh my god! They're just stupid figurines! He's not gonna jump up and do a private concert in your cart!
01:01Just then my boss started calling me and I rushed back to work. In the evening, I headed to an ice cream parlor to catch a break.
01:08But blocking my way was a life-size cutout of Ryland. Get out of my way!
01:15Ma'am, are you okay?
01:17Does this thing really need to be right at the entrance?
01:20Yes, it's part of the Ryan Pierce Summer Sweets campaign. We get a bonus if we sell enough triple scoop sundaes.
01:27I don't care if this gets you a golden ticket to Willy Wonka's factory. Get this thing out of my face!
01:33The lady's scaring me!
01:36I grabbed the cutout and stomped on it! The store manager tried to stop me, but I was so furious I couldn't stop. And before I knew it, I was booked for vandalism.
01:48Hi, I'm Eva, and I hate Ryland Pierce. But can you really blame me?
01:54Ryland and I grew up in the same tiny town. For me, music was an escape when things at home got heavy.
02:01Dad was always losing jobs, and Mom never had the education to get one. My sister Skye and I started working young just to keep the fridge full.
02:09But for Ryland, music meant everything. He wanted the spotlight, the stage, the world.
02:18One day, I'm gonna be rich enough to leave this town and make music that actually makes people feel something.
02:23And what? Leave me behind?
02:26No way! You're my inspiration, Eva. I'm taking you with me.
02:30But right after high school, Ryland started singing at this little cafe downtown and got spotted by a music label.
02:36He moved to LA with his mom. And for a while, we stayed in touch. But then he just cut me off.
02:43He didn't answer my calls, never replied to my texts. And one night, I saw him on TV, surrounded by girls, smiling without a care in the world.
02:52It was obvious he'd forgotten all about me. So eventually, I gave up going after him.
02:59We were best friends. And I always thought we could be more. But clearly, I was wrong.
03:06That was three years back. And now he's a superstar with his face splashed across every billboard on Earth.
03:13And every time I see him, I'm reminded of his betrayal. Like today.
03:18The police let me off with a warning. And I asked Skye to come pick me up.
03:23So what happened?
03:25I just wanted to have ice cream. But this giant Ryland cutout was in my face. So I gently pushed it aside.
03:33You shredded it to pieces and traumatized a five-year-old. And this is not even the first time you've reacted like this.
03:39You go feral every time you hear Ryland's name. You have a playlist called Songs I'd Sing If Ryland Didn't Leave Me.
03:46You're still in love with him.
03:48No, I was never in love with him. I just liked him. A teeny, tiny, microscopic, okay, a medium-sized amount.
03:57You cried enough to sink the Titanic when he left. Look, all I'm saying is you clearly have some unresolved trauma with Ryland.
04:05And if you don't start unpacking that, you'll turn into one of those vicious cat ladies who scream at people for laughing.
04:11I tried to close Ryland's chapter and get on with my life. I left my hometown and moved to New York with Skye.
04:17I got a haircut, even went on dates. And most of them sucked.
04:22But to be fair, it wasn't entirely their fault things didn't work out.
04:27So I'm studying to be a zoologist.
04:30Ah, perfect. As a zookeeper, do you think you could get me a snake?
04:34I've been thinking about keeping one as a pet. I'll name him Ryland. Cool, right?
04:39This band makes such good music.
04:42But you know who doesn't make good music? Ryland Pierce.
04:47I have this theory that if you remove the background music, he sounds like a dying dolphin.
04:53Also, I think he uses auto-tune.
04:56Somehow, every conversation circled back to Ryland, which obviously put my dates off.
05:03So eventually, I just gave up on love and threw myself into work.
05:07I worked for this magazine, where I mostly follow my boss around at fancy events.
05:12And I was doing a pretty good job. Until one afternoon, everything changed.
05:17My boss had opened a golf club.
05:19And I was managing the launch event for the magazine when I saw someone familiar.
05:23Ryland? I thought I was hallucinating.
05:26But my boss had invited celebrities to play a few rounds of golf, so...
05:31It wasn't totally impossible.
05:33So I ditched the interview and decided to follow him.
05:36I trailed him around the corner and saw him walk into the men's changing room.
05:40I waited outside, but when he didn't come out after five minutes...
05:44I threw all my common sense to the trash and went in.
05:48Oh my god! It is you!
05:56My brain flat-lined.
05:58And all the angry speeches I'd rehearsed for five years blew out the window.
06:02It felt like an out-of-body experience.
06:06Like the betrayed version of me was frozen in place.
06:09And the part that still loved Ryland broke free and threw her arms around him.
06:14What are you doing?
06:16I swear, I thought I was gonna kick you in the face the next time I saw you.
06:20But I'm just so happy right now.
06:22I've missed you so much.
06:24Suddenly, two strong hands gripped me and pulled me off Ryland.
06:29Guys, I know you're doing your job, but I know him.
06:32Tell them, Ryland!
06:34Tell them what? I have no idea who you are!
06:36What? Of course you know! I'm Eva!
06:39You're not gonna stop, are you? Here, take this and get out!
06:43He turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm.
06:46Ryland, it's me!
06:48Eva, why are you pretending not to know me?
06:51What kind of sick game are you playing?
06:53Get off me, you psycho!
06:55His security dragged me out as I kicked and screamed, and then they threw me out of the venue.
07:01If that wasn't humiliating enough, my boss fired me for creating a nuisance.
07:07I lost my job, my dignity, and my emotional stability all in one day.
07:13And I was devastated.
07:16I spent years imagining this moment, where I'd yell, he'd apologize, maybe laugh, maybe cry.
07:23I never thought he'd just look through me like I was a complete stranger.
07:29That's because he is a jerk, and now that you've hit rock bottom, you can only go up from here.
07:34Or I could keep digging till I enter another dimension and get away from my miserable life.
07:40Sky tried to cheer me up, but I couldn't stop thinking, why would Ryland pretend not to remember me?
07:47I spent the whole night digging for answers.
07:50And sure, Ryland mentioned his hometown in his interviews, but nothing about school, friends, or any childhood memories.
07:58Even other people were confused.
08:00That's so weird.
08:02No one forgets high school unless they want to.
08:05What if Ryland Pierce is just a stage name for this guy, and the real dude's locked in a basement somewhere?
08:12Most of these theories made no sense.
08:15But after the way he acted at the golf club, I knew something was up.
08:19And as luck would have it, his team was apparently hiring an assistant for him.
08:25Bingo!
08:26I applied under a fake name, told Sky I was off on vacation, and booked a flight to LA.
08:32If Ryland wasn't going to let me get close to him as Eva, I had to go in as a completely different person and find out what had happened in the last five years.
08:42So I dyed my hair and changed my eye color.
08:45But when I got to the interview, the place was crawling with applicants.
08:50Mostly girls with Ryland's face slapped across their t-shirts.
08:53I was the only one who didn't look like a deranged fan.
08:56And that's exactly what got me in.
08:59I was beginning to wonder if anyone normal is going to show up.
09:02Most of these girls are hoping Ryland will walk in and sign their forehead.
09:06Yeah, I noticed he's not around.
09:09He hates interviews or anything public.
09:11The last time he was out at this golf event and he got ambushed by this crazy fan.
09:16Anyway, your resume's strong and you don't look like an idiot obsessed with Ryland.
09:20So I guess, welcome to the team, Leah.
09:23Yep, they really had no idea.
09:26By the end of the day, Ryland's team showed me the ropes and gave me a not so short list of things I had to do for Ryland.
09:34I managed to cover most of it.
09:36But the next morning when he walked in, I was still wildly unprepared.
09:41So you're the new assistant.
09:42Yes, I'm Leah. Huge fan.
09:45Shocker.
09:46What's my day looking like?
09:47It's a bright sunny morning with a temperature of 23 degrees outside.
09:51I met my schedule.
09:53Right, of course.
09:54I was just going through it.
09:56Haircuts at 10, PR shoots at 3, move the podcast to Friday, cancel dinner with Logan, he talks too much.
10:01And if anyone calls, I'm unavailable until further notice.
10:04Should I tell them why you're unavailable or...?
10:07Tell them I've joined a cult or moved to Mars.
10:10Whatever gets them to stop calling.
10:12Wait, just one more thing.
10:13Please bore someone else with your questions.
10:15I'm not listening.
10:16Then he just left.
10:18Since when had this boy become so rude?
10:21Over the next week, I bent over backwards to make Ryland's life easier.
10:26Color-coded his schedule, fetched his dry cleaning, chased him across studios.
10:31But he barely looked at me.
10:33Except, of course, when he needed to bark orders.
10:36This is the wrong shade of black.
10:37I said onyx, not raven.
10:39They're literally identical.
10:41Oh, really?
10:42I must be blind then.
10:43I didn't mean...
10:44Give me the right t-shirt now.
10:46I'm already late for the interview.
10:49God, it's awful.
10:51How difficult is it to get one iced latte right?
10:54Am I asking for the moon here?
10:56Fix it!
10:57He'd made it his life's personal mission to offend everyone around him.
11:01And I was so busy trying not to set him off, I barely had time to breathe.
11:05Let alone dig into the mystery I came here to solve.
11:08But one night, I spotted him in the media room watching a movie.
11:12And I decided to ask some questions, pretending they were an interview for a magazine.
11:17But as I got closer, I realized he was sleeping.
11:20I leaned in just to confirm.
11:23When suddenly, he grabbed my wrist and pinned me to the couch.
11:32What are you doing?
11:34I was just checking if you were alive.
11:36You're a really quiet breather.
11:38Why are you here?
11:40I just had to ask you about this interview for a teen magazine.
11:43And this couldn't wait until morning?
11:45Yes.
11:46But then I thought, maybe not.
11:48Rylan finally let me go.
11:50And I sat up straight.
11:51Don't ever do that again.
11:52I could've hurt you.
11:53It's totally my fault.
11:54I'm very sorry.
11:56Wait.
11:57You're watching...
11:58Frozen?
11:59Rylan fumbled with the remote and shut off the TV.
12:02I wasn't judging.
12:03I love Frozen too.
12:04Everyone thinks it's for kids.
12:06But it's really about breaking free of expectations.
12:09Get to the point.
12:11Right.
12:12So, could you tell me a bit about the town you grew up in?
12:16It was a small town.
12:17Nothing special.
12:18And high school?
12:19Were you popular?
12:20Did you have any friends?
12:22Or maybe best friends?
12:24Nope.
12:25Nope to all four questions?
12:27Who cares about all this?
12:29Your fans do?
12:31They want to know more about you and your life.
12:33More personal stuff like, you know, first crushes.
12:37Or maybe you could talk about that scar on your arm?
12:40How do you know about that?
12:41I froze.
12:42That scar happened when Rylan fell off his bike in middle school.
12:45But I wasn't supposed to remember that.
12:47Not as Leah.
12:48Oh, uh, I saw it once.
12:51At the pool.
12:52You were swimming.
12:53You were watching me swim?
12:55Yeah, but like, not in a creepy way.
12:58I was just there, hovering in the background, in case you needed something.
13:02Rylan got closer.
13:04And I stopped breathing.
13:06You know, that sounds both suspicious and creepy.
13:09And I don't like either.
13:10You got any more questions?
13:11Uh, yeah.
13:13Have you liked and subscribed to MSA?
13:15It's this really cool channel on YouTube.
13:20He practically threw me out of there.
13:22But hey, I bet he's gonna do it later.
13:24And you better do it too.
13:26After that bombed spectacularly, I was pretty sure Rylan was on to me.
13:31I caught him watching me intensely a few times.
13:34And someone from the team casually mentioned he'd asked for my background.
13:38I needed to fix things.
13:39So when his manager said he had a big concert in Korea coming, I figured it was my chance
13:45to get in his good books.
13:46I was doing his bookings when I found a crazy deal on a five-star hotel.
13:51But just as I punched the card details, the screen went blank.
13:55And minutes later, Rylan burst in.
13:58Who used my card to make an online booking?
14:00I did, but I don't think it went through.
14:03My laptop sort of... died on me.
14:05Oh, it went through?
14:06To hackers?
14:07Half my account's been drained.
14:09Thank God I caught it early and froze the card.
14:11What were you thinking?
14:12I'm sorry.
14:13I swear it was a mistake.
14:15There was this massive discount on a really good five-star hotel.
14:18And I thought...
14:19You got my card hacked for a discount?
14:21I'm Rylan Pierce.
14:22I don't need discounts.
14:24Man, this has got to be the dumbest thing I've heard.
14:27Okay.
14:28Yes.
14:29I messed up.
14:30But I can fix this.
14:31No.
14:32Just pack your things and leave.
14:34You're fired.
14:35His words hit like a punch to the gut.
14:38And that night, I cried into my pillow like a total wreck.
14:42This was my one chance to be around Rylan again.
14:45And I blew it.
14:47Still, if I was getting kicked out, I figured I might as well go out swinging and remind him who I was.
14:54I had nothing to lose and he'd already fired me.
14:57But the next morning when I walked up to his room, I heard him yelling on the phone.
15:01You could threaten me all you want, but if you will lay a hand on her...
15:05Are you listening to me?
15:07And then he hung up and hurled the phone at the wall.
15:09And then he saw me.
15:11He saw me.
15:12Oh, so now you're eavesdropping too?
15:14I wasn't trying to listen.
15:16But...
15:17Are you okay?
15:18That's none of your business.
15:19Get out!
15:20Why are you so rude, dude?
15:22I know I've made a mistake, but you're not exactly boss of the year either.
15:26You're rude, mean, and you act like everyone around you is beneath you.
15:30I don't know what your deal is, but I'm not your punching bag.
15:34But Ryland's eyes were locked on the window like I wasn't even there.
15:38Look at me when I'm talking to you!
15:40Oh, God.
15:41I need to leave.
15:42Oh, no, no, no.
15:44You don't get to leave.
15:45Not until I'm done talking.
15:47Dang it!
15:48I don't have time for this!
15:49He grabbed my hand, yanked open the door, and dragged me into the hallway.
15:53I scrambled to keep up as he charged down the stairs straight into a basement that looked like something out of The Conjuring.
15:59Where are we going?
16:01Just keep moving.
16:02Where?
16:03It looks like we're headed into a dungeon.
16:05I don't have a good feeling about this.
16:07At least tell me what's happening.
16:09Just then, Ryland kicked open a side door and led me outside to a motorbike.
16:14Hop on.
16:15On that?
16:16No way!
16:17That thing's barely got a seat!
16:18Just then, I heard shouting.
16:20I turned around and saw these men in suits running toward us.
16:24One of them fired a warning shot.
16:26It hit the metal door frame behind us.
16:28Oh my god!
16:29Why are they firing at us?
16:31Just get on the freaking bike!
16:33I hopped on, and he hit the gas.
16:35The bike shot forward, and I screamed like a dying goat.
16:39I'm too young to die!
16:41I don't even know how to file my own taxes!
16:44I still lie to my dentist about flossing!
16:46Why am I on this bike?
16:49We swerved into the street, narrowly missing a trash truck, a street bender, and a dog.
16:56Just as I thought we'd lost them, a car came out of nowhere behind us.
17:00Before I could even sit up, two men in dark clothes grabbed me.
17:07A strong smelling napkin was held to my face, and everything went dark.
17:13I woke up in the middle of this abandoned amusement park tied to a pole, with two weird looking men staring at me.
17:20Oh, look, she's up! I thought we broke you, little birdie!
17:25Yeah, little birdie, cause you look fly!
17:27Can I just get a little bit of space? We talked about this before!
17:31I will come in, I'll talk to the hostage, while you stand in a corner and look intimidatable!
17:35Um, sorry to interrupt, but intimidatable is not a word.
17:38You said, I'll do it!
17:40You said, I'll do it!
17:41I'll do it!
17:42I'll do it!
17:43I'll do it!
17:44I'll do it!
17:45I'll do it!
17:46I'll do it!
17:47I'll do it!
17:48I'll do it!
17:49I'll do it!
17:50I'll do it!
17:51I'll do it!
17:52I'll do it!
17:53I'll do it!
17:54I'll do it!
17:55See what you did?
17:56She's correcting my grammar now!
17:57You made me look like an idiot!
17:59An idiot.
18:00Shut up!
18:01You're tied to a pole!
18:02Be scared, ask us why you're here, who we are, et cetera, et cetera!
18:07Why, it's obvious you've kidnapped me.
18:10But if this is for ransom, you should know that I'm really broke.
18:14The only thing I can offer is a handful of skincare samples and maybe a healing crystal my mom picked up on Black Friday.
18:20I doubt that's what you're after.
18:22So please, be a gentleman and let me go.
18:25I don't think so.
18:26I turned around and saw this guy.
18:29Tall, broad, with eyes so cold, it made my bones shiver.
18:34Hi there.
18:35I'm Charles Luciano.
18:37But most people call me Lucky.
18:39Lucky?
18:40It's misleading.
18:41I know.
18:42Sounds harmless.
18:43Even... charming.
18:45But if you've heard my name, it means things have already gone very wrong for you.
18:50Now, where is Rylan?
18:53I have no idea.
18:54He literally threw me on the pavement and zoomed away.
18:57If you find him, tell him that was a jerk move.
19:01I find that particularly hard to believe.
19:04Because you guys left his house together.
19:06And if my information is correct, you were best friends with him in high school.
19:10Right, Eva?
19:11How do you know that?
19:13Oh, I know a lot more.
19:16Like your sister Skye.
19:18I also know where your parents live, what they do, what time I leave the house every day.
19:23You're not that hard to track.
19:25I gulped hard as Lucky inched closer.
19:28You look scared.
19:29Good.
19:30That means you understand the situation.
19:32So, let's try this again.
19:34Where is Rylan?
19:36Is Rylan.
19:37Look, I swear I don't know where Rylan is right now.
19:41I came here because that fart face forgot me.
19:44And I just wanted answers.
19:46And I can tell you his schedule, what he likes in his coffee.
19:49But beyond that, I'm useless.
19:51Oh no, you're very useful.
19:53People like Rylan always show up when something they care about starts to bleed.
19:57Lock her down.
19:59His men grabbed me by the arms and threw me into some grimy maintenance room.
20:04And one of them jabbed me with something.
20:07Ow!
20:08What was that?
20:09Just something to help you sleep.
20:12When suddenly, someone tapped on the window.
20:15Oh my god!
20:16It's the ghost of Prince Harry!
20:18It's me, Rylan, you lunatic!
20:21Rylan?
20:22I don't know any Rylan.
20:24You...
20:25You don't recognize me?
20:26Heh!
20:27You should see your face.
20:29That doesn't feel nice.
20:31Right?
20:32Right?
20:33He popped the lock on the window and climbed through like an action hero.
20:36I don't know what's wrong with you, but we gotta hurry.
20:38Can you climb through that window?
20:40Which one?
20:41I can see like...
20:42Five?
20:43Did you hit your head or something?
20:45No...
20:46My head is fine.
20:48But my butt?
20:50Not so much.
20:51I think it's the injection these people gave me.
20:54I feel like a microwaved rubber duck.
20:57Very melty.
21:00Oh, great.
21:01They tranquilized you.
21:03Tranqu-what?
21:04Tranquilized.
21:05You know what?
21:06Let's just not talk about that right now.
21:07Can you run?
21:08I can run to the end of the world for you, Rylan.
21:14Oh wait.
21:15I have a better idea.
21:16I picked up a broom and started kicking it wildly.
21:19What are you doing?
21:21I'm seeing if this is magic.
21:24You know, like Harry Potter.
21:26Maybe we could fly out of here.
21:29That would be awesome.
21:31But Rylan just rolled his eyes and quickly stacked a makeshift ladder from crates and buckets.
21:37Somehow, I managed to crawl onto the crates while Rylan pushed from behind.
21:42With one final shove, I tumbled out the window and landed in a bush.
21:47Rylan climbed out behind me, swept me off my feet, and we sneaked out of the amusement park.
21:52What kind of kidnappers were these?
21:55Trash security.
21:57Shouldn't you be happy you're not tied to a pole?
22:00I am happy you're here.
22:03I held onto Rylan tight.
22:05He was close.
22:06So close I could feel his heartbeat.
22:08And his abs.
22:10Which, if I'm being honest, were to die for.
22:16I don't remember much after that, but I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck.
22:22Then I looked around and saw I was in an unknown room.
22:26An unknown house.
22:28I panicked and ran downstairs and saw Rylan making pancakes.
22:33What is this creepy place?
22:37It's my friend's house.
22:38You look like someone ran you over with a lawnmower.
22:40Geez, Rylan.
22:42Slow down on the compliments.
22:44And please, tell me why I was kidnapped by a bunch of weirdos.
22:48And who the heck is Lucky?
22:51And that's when Rylan told me the whole story.
22:54Three years ago, I signed a record deal with Lucky.
22:56Everything was great, but then things started getting shady.
22:59Lucky controlled my money, who I could talk to, or where I could perform.
23:02It just didn't sit right with me.
23:04And that's when I found out that he was taking my money and running shady businesses in my name.
23:09What kind of businesses?
23:11Smuggling tech in the name of concert equipment, and then funneling black money through my account.
23:15So if things go bad, I take the fall and he goes scot-free.
23:18Oh my god, that's awful.
23:21Yeah, I didn't want to be a part of it.
23:23So I told Lucky I was done, but he threatened to sue me for breach of contract.
23:27I had enough evidence to take him down, so Mom and I decided to run.
23:31But before we could get away, I got in a car accident.
23:35I was apparently in a coma for a while, and when I woke up, I lost my memory.
23:44Wait, what?
23:45Coma?
23:46And what do you mean you lost your memory?
23:49I remembered my name, my mom, some early childhood stuff, but that's it.
23:54I didn't even remember what I knew about Lucky.
23:57So when he showed up at the hospital with contracts and said he was my manager, I just believed him.
24:02He even told me that my mom was no longer around, that she'd run off with some rich guy.
24:06It didn't make sense, because my mom wouldn't leave me for anything.
24:10I felt desperately alone and so frustrated that I didn't remember anything.
24:15So I threw myself into work and trusted Lucky blindly.
24:19But then the same red flags came back.
24:22No control over my money or my shows.
24:24Then a few months ago, I overheard him on the phone threatening someone.
24:28And the voice sounded a lot like mom's.
24:31I managed to get a hold of Lucky's phone, got that number and called it.
24:35And it was her.
24:36She filled me in on everything that I'd forgotten.
24:39And how Lucky had caused the accident.
24:41She told me she's okay and never to call her again.
24:45But Lucky found out almost immediately that I contacted her.
24:48And now he's holding her hostage somewhere.
24:50It's been threatening to hurt her if I don't do what he says.
24:53So that's what I've been pretending to do.
24:55While gathering evidence on him and trying to find her location.
24:59I can't bring him down until I know mom's safe.
25:02And now that you're here, what if he harms your mom?
25:06He won't.
25:07The Korea concert is his biggest money consignment yet.
25:10If he harms my mom, he loses leverage.
25:12And if I don't go, he loses money.
25:14It's a big loss for him.
25:16As I listened to Ryland's story, I started to grasp everything he'd been through.
25:21The manipulation, losing his mom and his memory.
25:24But what really hit me was realizing he really didn't remember me.
25:30Every moment we'd spent together had just been wiped clean from his life.
25:35And before I knew it, I was fighting tears.
25:38You're upset because we used to be friends, right?
25:41Ava?
25:42Wait, what?
25:43Do you remember me?
25:45I don't.
25:46I'm really sorry.
25:48I put a tracker on you when we escaped.
25:50Just in case we got separated.
25:52And followed you to the amusement park.
25:54There, I overheard Lucky say you were my best friend in high school and that your name was Ava.
25:59I guess it just makes sense.
26:02I've been a total jerk to you and you still stuck around.
26:05So it's obvious I meant something to you.
26:07Well, yeah.
26:08You were my best friend.
26:10We spent some of our best times together.
26:13So when I saw you at the golf event and you acted like I was a stranger to you, it tore me up.
26:19So that's why you'd look so familiar.
26:22Yeah.
26:23I just wanted to know why you refused to recognize me.
26:26So I pretended to be someone else and came here looking for answers.
26:31And now I'll help you find your mom.
26:34No.
26:35I'm not putting you in more danger than I already have.
26:37Rylan, I spent three years angry at you for shutting me out without knowing what you were really going through.
26:45That scumbag Lucky pulled you in and when you tried to get away he staged the accident that stole your memory?
26:52And now he's using your mom's leverage to keep you under his thumb?
26:56We need to put an end to this.
26:59So let me help you.
27:01Maybe then I can finally let go of the past.
27:04And also, I need payback.
27:07For whatever the heck he injected me with.
27:10Rylan smiled at me.
27:12And then we got right to business.
27:15He said the only two places that Lucky could have some information on his mom was in his main office or his home office.
27:22He'd already been to the main one and didn't find anything.
27:25And his home office was locked behind a fingerprint scanner.
27:28Lucky's having an art exhibition at his place tonight.
27:31We'll go in as waiters so it's easy for us to get a glass, a spoon or anything with his fingerprints.
27:36Security would be too busy managing VIPs to notice a couple of background staff.
27:41Here, take this.
27:42Ew.
27:43Whose teeth are these?
27:45Yours.
27:46It's part of your disguise.
27:47And this mole too.
27:49Okay.
27:50But why do I need to look like the second cousin of the ugliest person on earth?
27:54Because ugly girls are invisible to Lucky.
27:57Trust me.
27:58You don't want to look pretty around him.
27:59He's a total creep.
28:00Yeah, I kinda got that feeling.
28:03But wait.
28:04Did you just say that I'm pretty?
28:07I thought that was obvious.
28:09He said it so casually.
28:11Like he hadn't just kicked my heart into Olympic level backflips.
28:15Not that I had time to process it.
28:17Because an hour later, we had to leave for Lucky's mansion.
28:20The place was packed.
28:23But our disguises were foolproof.
28:25Yet somehow, I was still nervous.
28:28Would you just leave that thing alone?
28:30I can't help it.
28:31It's so itchy.
28:33Can we drop this please?
28:35Oh.
28:36Now remember the plan.
28:37You take his fingerprints and come straight to me.
28:39I'll wait for you on the second floor behind the third pillar.
28:42Wait.
28:43Third from the left or the right?
28:44There's only one way up.
28:46Unless you're Spider-Man and you can climb walls.
28:48Right.
28:49Sorry.
28:50Just nervous.
28:51Suddenly, his hands were on my shoulders.
28:53We can still back out if you want, Ava.
28:56Nope.
28:57I'm doing this.
28:58But I could use a little help.
29:00Can you sing Baby Shark for me?
29:03It always calms me down.
29:05Now?
29:06Yes.
29:07Please.
29:08Ugh.
29:09Fine.
29:10B-baby shark do-do-do-do-do-do-do.
29:14Ryan started flapping his arms like a deranged penguin.
29:18And I laughed so hard I nearly doubled over.
29:21Ha ha ha ha ha.
29:24That was epic.
29:26Also, I was just kidding.
29:29But thanks for the distraction.
29:30Glad I could help.
29:32Now let's get this show on the road.
29:34Rylan slipped inside the house, and I took a deep breath and made my move.
29:39The party was in full swing.
29:41And Lucky stood in a corner, chatting with some people.
29:44Just then, I spotted a waiter passing by.
29:47Hi.
29:48Sorry.
29:49Your fly's open.
29:50He looked down.
29:51I snatched the tray from his hands.
29:54Give that back!
29:55He grabbed one end of the tray, but I held on.
29:58And when he didn't let go, I kicked him in the shin and sent him limping.
30:03And then, slowly made my way to Lucky.
30:06May I interest you in some amoozy-bouch, sir?
30:10What?
30:11The, uh, mouse-booch?
30:14Oh, your glass is empty.
30:16Let me just get that refilled.
30:18I plucked the glass from his hand and turned to walk away.
30:21Stop.
30:22I froze.
30:23Oh, my God.
30:24Did he recognize me?
30:26But then Lucky just walked up to me and smiled.
30:29I was ready to bolt.
30:31It's amooze-bouche, not moze-bouch.
30:35Of course.
30:36My German's a little slippery.
30:38It's French.
30:39You're so sophisticated.
30:41I'll get you your drink, sir.
30:43And before he could say another word, I ran upstairs to Rylan.
30:47Where's your mole?
30:48I don't know.
30:49Probably lost it somewhere in that fight with the waiter.
30:52Oh, yeah.
30:53I saw that.
30:54Kinda cool.
30:55Okay, let's go.
30:57Rylan led me down the hallway to the office and I gave him the glass.
31:01He pulled out a strip of tape and pressed it carefully over the spot where Lucky had touched it.
31:06Then, he placed the tape over the scanner.
31:09And it worked!
31:10But before we went in, Rylan pulled something from his pocket and handed it over.
31:15Take this tracker and put it in Lucky's car.
31:17If this goes sideways, I want at least one of us free to keep the plan alive.
31:21I'll text you the license plate.
31:23Now get out of here!
31:24Rylan!
31:25No arguments.
31:26Just go!
31:27I nodded and slipped out of the house.
31:29I found Lucky's car and put the tracker under the rear bumper.
31:33I was on my way back to the house when suddenly, I saw Lucky's men dragging Rylan toward the car.
31:39He spotted me too and signaled me to hide.
31:42I wanted to pounce on Lucky and kick him in his smug face.
31:46But I knew the plan mattered more.
31:48So I stayed hidden.
31:50And the next morning, I found out that Rylan had left for Korea.
31:54If I wanted to know where they were keeping his mom, I had to act fast.
31:58So I spent the next few hours tracking Lucky's car.
32:01Most of it was boring rich guy stuff.
32:04Studio lots, hotel rooftops, a gaming center.
32:07But then, he went to an old lighthouse on a cliff.
32:11It had been abandoned years ago.
32:13What was he doing here?
32:15I pushed through the door and walked into a hallway.
32:18And then I heard voices and followed them.
32:21I stopped outside a half open door and spotted Lucky inside talking to some men.
32:26Is Rylan gonna behave now?
32:28Oh, he'll behave.
32:30If he doesn't, his mommy becomes collateral damage.
32:33And frankly, I'm done babysitting that spoiled star boy.
32:37After this concert is over, I'll destroy his career, his name, everything.
32:43And the girl?
32:44She's just a stupid girl in love with Rylan.
32:46I'll handle her too.
32:48Now, let's discuss the details of the shipment, shall we?
32:51Well, this stupid girl in love is about to poop on your plan.
32:56I pulled out my phone, but just as I clicked record, the flash went off.
33:01What was that?
33:02I bolted, as Lucky's men poured out of the room after me.
33:06The staircase curled around me as I ran up, desperately trying to find an escape.
33:11And the guards pounding right behind me.
33:14Just when I thought I was out of options, someone grabbed me and yanked me inside a closet.
33:19Mrs. Pierce?
33:20Shh!
33:21Not now.
33:22We waited in silence until the stairs cleared.
33:25And then, Mrs. Pierce led me to a tiny room tucked under the staircase.
33:29Are you trying to get yourself killed?
33:32I came here for you.
33:34I'm Aoife.
33:35You remember me?
33:36Of course I do.
33:38You always clogged my toilets when you came.
33:41You had really bad plumbing.
33:43But we'll talk about that later.
33:45Right now, we need to leave.
33:47I grabbed her arm, but she pulled away.
33:50Please, Mrs. Pierce, if we don't go, Rylan will get into a lot of trouble.
33:55And if I do, Rylan might die.
33:58She told me that when Rylan first got his contract with Lucky's label, she suspected Lucky was bad news.
34:05I tried to get Rylan to step away sooner, but he was really enjoying his fame.
34:10I didn't want to take that from him.
34:12But eventually, he saw the truth for himself and tried to leave.
34:16But then, the accident happened.
34:19You should have contacted me, Mrs. Pierce.
34:21I could have helped you.
34:23Lucky made it very clear.
34:25He wanted me to stay away, or Rylan would suffer.
34:28I was too scared to reach out to anyone.
34:31I always felt like he was keeping tabs on me.
34:34But somehow, Rylan found me.
34:36And when he called, I couldn't just lie to him.
34:39So I told him everything.
34:41And Lucky found out.
34:43And now he's got me trapped in this dingy place.
34:46Well, Rylan's been collecting proof to pin Lucky down.
34:49But he can't do anything till he knows you're safe.
34:52So please, you need to come with me before things really get out of hand.
34:57Somehow, I convinced Mrs. Pierce, and we slipped out of the room quietly.
35:02But when we looked down, the guards were still patrolling.
35:06So she took me to the top floor, opened this heavy metal door, and the wind slapped me in the face.
35:13Hurry, we need to climb down this maintenance ladder.
35:16You can't be serious.
35:18It's the only way, honey.
35:20Yeah, the only way to heaven.
35:22And Rylan will kill me if anything happens to you.
35:25Although, I might die anyway.
35:27Oh, don't worry about me.
35:29Back in my day, I was a trapeze artist.
35:32This is nothing for me.
35:34Yeah, well, I failed gym class, so I'm not so sure.
35:38But as I said in my last prayers, I grabbed the first rung.
35:42The wind nearly knocked me off.
35:44But somehow, I balanced myself, and we made it to the bottom.
35:48I let out an excited whoop.
35:51And just then, a bunch of guards spotted us.
35:54Before I could even think, Mrs. Pierce grabbed my hand and started running to the edge of the cliff.
35:59Are we seriously going to do what I'm thinking we're going to do?
36:03It's the only...
36:04Do not finish that sentence!
36:06Take a deep breath and tuck in your knees.
36:09Jump in on three...
36:11One...
36:12Two...
36:15And we crashed in the water.
36:17The current was strong, but she held onto me and we swam to the shore.
36:22Then, we hitchhiked, stopped at a payphone, and I dialed Rylan's number.
36:27But it went to voicemail.
36:29So I dropped him a message that his mom was safe with me and prayed that he would receive it.
36:34It's been almost a month since Rylan went live on stage and exposed everything.
36:39How Lucky manipulated him, used his name for illegal deals, and kept his mom hidden to control him.
36:45And once he came back from Korea, he handed over every piece of evidence he had to the police.
36:51And got Lucky's butt thrown in jail.
36:54As for me, I came back home.
36:57Sky gave me the earful of the century and grounded me like we were twelve again.
37:02Which, I didn't mind.
37:04I was exhausted.
37:06The only downside was that the news really blew up in the media.
37:10And since Rylan was caught in the middle of this mess, he'd gone radio silent.
37:15Again.
37:18Wow, your aim's incredible.
37:20Not one on the board.
37:22Anyway, someone's here to see you.
37:24I rushed downstairs and saw Rylan standing at her front gate.
37:30I quickly yanked him inside.
37:32Are you insane?
37:34If someone spots you, this place will turn into a stampede.
37:37Nice to see you too.
37:38I thought you were laying low.
37:40Yeah, well, I got tired of hiding.
37:43Also, I haven't thanked you properly for helping my mom.
37:46But I heard the escape plan was mostly hers and you were just crying for your life.
37:51Excuse me?
37:52I literally risked my life to get your mom out.
37:55I may have caused a tiny scene when she asked me to climb down the lighthouse and then jump
38:02off a cliff.
38:03But anyone would get freaked out by that.
38:05Okay, okay, I believe you.
38:07And hey, I'm so sorry I left all those years ago and didn't stay in touch.
38:14And I'm sorry for being such a jerk when you came looking for me.
38:18I was so frustrated with my life.
38:21I think taking it out on people around me made me feel like I had some control.
38:26But thanks for not giving up on me.
38:29And if you'll let me, I'd love to get to know you all over again.
38:34Are you sure?
38:35Cause that's gonna take a while.
38:37Oh, I got plenty of time.
38:40Okay then, we'll start with middle school.
38:44You were just enough.
38:45You were just enough.
38:46You were just enough.
38:49You were just enough in the middle school.
38:50You were just enough.
38:51You were just enough to go back to the middle school.
38:56You
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