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El tardío resplandor - FULL - Reelshort
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00:05My husband, who married into my family 10 years ago, had no idea I'd planned to transfer
00:0915% of the company's shares to him.
00:11That all changed on the day of our physical exam.
00:14As two type O blood types, my husband and I should never have had a son with type A
00:18blood.
00:18Staring at the little boy who looked just like a mini version of my husband, I said nothing.
00:23Instead, I calmly did two things.
00:25First, I secretly pulled a strand of my son's hair.
00:27My husband, who married into my family 10 years ago, after watching Jack walk into school,
00:32I turned around and headed straight for a paternity testing center.
00:36How soon can I get the expedited results?
00:39Regular service takes five working days.
00:41For expedited, it'll be ready by 4 p.m. today, but the fee is triple.
00:45My hands trembled as I submitted the samples, swabbing the inside of my cheek before sitting
00:49in the waiting area.
00:51Staring at the clock as each minute dragged by.
00:53In the meantime, I contacted a private detective.
00:55I need to investigate my husband, Robert Carter especially his whereabouts over the past few
00:59months.
01:00At 3.40 p.m., my phone rang.
01:02The results were in.
01:04Based on DNA analysis, the probability of a parent-child relationship between Laura Mitchell
01:08and Jack Carter is 0.0001%.
01:11Genetic marker testing does not support Laura Mitchell as Jack Carter's biological mother.
01:15Even though I'd braced for it, panic washed over me for a split second.
01:19I leaned against the wall to study myself.
01:21He's not my child.
01:22I'd raised a boy who wasn't mine for nine years.
01:25So where was my real child?
01:27I rushed to the maternal and child hospital where I'd given birth nine years ago, and
01:31asked to see the obstetrician.
01:33Who delivered my baby, now the department director.
01:35I need to access my delivery records and hospital files.
01:38It's been so long, those files might have been archived.
01:41After some hassle, the archivist brought me a folder.
01:43I flipped through it to find barely any details, only admission and discharge dates, delivery
01:48method, and the newborn's wait.
01:50No detailed birth process, no nurse handover logs, no pediatrician checkup reports.
01:54That's all?
01:55That's everything in the system.
01:57Obstetric records are usually kept for 10 years, and yours is almost expiring.
02:00What about the newborn's footprints?
02:02The blood test records?
02:04Those should be in the newborn's file, but we can't find it.
02:06It was obvious something was wrong.
02:08An overly vague medical record, a missing newborn file, and a son who looked just like
02:13my husband but wasn't biologically mine.
02:15My phone rang.
02:16It was Robert.
02:18Where are you?
02:19I picked up Jack already.
02:20I'd completely lost track of time, school had ended hours ago.
02:23Luckily, I told the teacher I might be late.
02:26Have you eaten?
02:27I'm handling something outside.
02:29I'll be home soon.
02:30I replied before hanging up.
02:32After dinner, I excused myself to my room early, claiming a headache.
02:36Robert stayed in the living room helping Jack with homework, their voices drifting in faintly.
02:40Is mom mad?
02:41Mom's just tired.
02:43Finish your homework and go to bed early.
02:44Once everyone was asleep, I searched the entire house.
02:47Our bedroom, the living room, Jack's room, but found nothing.
02:51As soon as they were gone, I rushed to the study and turned on the computer.
02:55I heard footsteps outside.
02:57I quickly closed the document.
02:59When Robert pushed the door open, I was tidying the desk.
03:02He glanced at the screen, which had returned to our desktop wallpaper,
03:05a photo of us at the beach three years ago.
03:08Aren't you asleep yet?
03:09Just organizing some old files, I replied, shutting off the monitor.
03:12Rest early.
03:13I sat in the dark, listening to his footsteps fade away.
03:16That night, I didn't open the computer again.
03:19I lay in bed, my thoughts in chaos.
03:21The next morning, I still asked Robert to drop Jack off at school.
03:25He looked at me, grabbed his car keys, and left.
03:28As soon as they were gone, I rushed to the study and turned on the computer.
03:31I tried our wedding anniversary as the password, wrong.
03:35His birthday, wrong.
03:36Jack's birthday, still wrong.
03:38I tried the date we first met, his mother's birthday, the day the company was founded,
03:42all incorrect.
03:43The system prompted me to try again in Jack five minutes.
03:46I stared at the login screen.
03:48The computer we'd bought together was now locked against me.
03:51That evening, Robert came home from work.
03:53I'm going on a business trip to Philadelphia tomorrow.
03:56Not sure how long I'll be gone.
03:57I brought dishes out of the kitchen.
03:59So sudden?
04:00Who are you going with?
04:01He set his briefcase on the table and turned to me, annoyed.
04:04Laura, do you have to ask everything?
04:06Can't you just trust me?
04:07It's just work.
04:08I turned back to serving rice, my hands trembling.
04:11I was just asking casually.
04:13He said nothing and went straight to the bedroom.
04:16Dinner was silent.
04:17Jack, sensing the tension, didn't complain about his food for once.
04:21After Robert finished showering, he picked up his coat from the sofa to hang it up.
04:25A receipt fell out of his pocket and landed at my feet.
04:28I picked it up.
04:29It was for an expensive bottle of perfume, purchased the afternoon before.
04:32I didn't recognize the brand, but I knew it wasn't for me.
04:35In ten years of marriage, Robert had never given me another gift.
04:39I'd always made excuses for him, he was unromantic, busy with work, just a down-to-earth guy.
04:44Now I realized, it wasn't that he couldn't be romantic.
04:47He just reserved that romance for someone else.
04:50Early the next morning, after Robert left for the airport.
04:53I called the perfume counter, I need to check a receipt, from yesterday afternoon.
04:57One moment.
04:58Found it.
04:59The purchaser was Ms. Chloe Miller.
05:01The name rang a bell.
05:03Chloe was Robert's secretary, hired six months ago, a divorced woman in her thirties.
05:07On my way to the airport, I wondered what I was hoping to confirm.
05:11Maybe the perfume was a gift for a client?
05:13Maybe I was overthinking.
05:15I waited outside the international departure hall for half an hour before spotting Robert
05:19Carter, with her.
05:20Chloe was wearing a beige trench coat, pulling a small suitcase as she walked beside Robert.
05:24He had a relaxed smile on his face, the kind I hadn't seen in years.
05:28At the security checkpoint, Chloe stopped and naturally adjusted Robert's collar.
05:32He didn't pull away.
05:33He leaned down and whispered something in her ear, making her laugh.
05:37She then tiptoed and kissed him on the lips.
05:39His hand resting on her waist for a long moment before they pulled apart.
05:42It was a gesture of long familiarity.
05:44My last shred of self-dissection vanished.
05:47All those late nights working overtime, all those impatient looks, now I knew why.
05:51As I watched their intimate interaction, a suspicion crept into my mind.
05:55Could the child who wasn't mine be related to this woman?
05:58On my drive back, I called the private detective again.
06:01I need you to investigate someone else, Chloe Miller.
06:04I want to know everything about her, especially if she has any children.
06:08The detective worked fast.
06:09The next afternoon, I received his rapper, Chloe Miller, 32, divorced 5 years ago, with
06:15a Jack's 0-year-old son named Ethan Miller, who attended a primary school in the western
06:20part of the city.
06:21That date hit me like a punch.
06:23Chloe's son was only one week younger than Jack.
06:2510 years.
06:26For the first time, I felt my blood boil.
06:29I sat on the sofa, clutching the detective's report, and a terrible thought took shape.
06:34I ran to the study.
06:35My fingers hovering over the keyboard.
06:37Slowly, I typed in Chloe's birthday.
06:40The desktop unlocked.
06:41There was only one folder, labeled Work Backups.
06:44I opened it to find subfolders organized by year, starting from 10 years ago.
06:48In the oldest folder were scanned old photos.
06:51Robert and Chloe, in school uniforms, standing under a pagoda tree.
06:5519-year-old Robert was smiling, his arm around Chloe's shoulders.
06:59She had a ponytail and was looking up at him.
07:01The next photo was from college, they were in the library.
07:03Then a graduation photo, both were in bachelor's gowns, holding hands.
07:08That was the same year Robert had told me the company was in trouble, and we canceled
07:11our wedding anniversary trip.
07:13I closed the folder.
07:14My stomach churning.
07:1610 years of lies.
07:17Staring at our wedding photo on the desktop, I felt sick to my stomach.
07:21At 3 p.m., I drove to the western part of the city.
07:24The primary school was even older than the detective had described.
07:27When the school bell rang, children poured out of the gate.
07:30I sat in the car, gripping the steering wheel.
07:33He walked out alone, no one came to pick him up.
07:35He looked left and right, then walked slowly along the sidewalk.
07:38I held my breath.
07:40That child, Ethan Miller.
07:42No.
07:42That's my son.
07:43He walked just like me, with a slight pigeon toe.
07:46When he lifted his hand to brush his hair.
07:48I saw a birthmark on his wrist, in the exact same spot as mine.
07:52His eyelashes had dust on them.
07:54His lips were chapped.
07:55And his shoes were scuffed at the toes, the saws peeling.
07:58His eyes were empty, nothing like a 10-year-old's.
08:01I covered my mouth to muffle a sob.
08:03He walked farther away, disappearing around a corner.
08:06I laid my head on the steering wheel and cried, for the little boy walking home alone.
08:10For the 10 years of my life that had been a lie.
08:12For the fool I'd been, living in someone else's script.
08:16Then I wiped my tears and started the car.
08:18At the law firm, I placed a USB drive in front of Mr. Thompson.
08:21It has backups of all the photos, the paternity test report, scanned copies of the hospital
08:25records, the perfumer seat, and information on Chloe Miller and Ethan Miller.
08:29I want a divorce.
08:31I want him to leave with nothing.
08:33I want custody of my child, and I want him to pay for what he's done.
08:36As I walked out of the law firm, I remembered Robert's words when he proposed 10 years ago.
08:41Laura, I'll give you a lifetime of stability.
08:43Turns out his lifetime was only 10 years.
08:46No, maybe not even that.
08:47I took out my phone and called the company's second largest shareholder, Mr. Peterson, an
08:51old colleague of my father.
08:52Robert had apparently forgotten, this company bore the Mitchell name.
08:56He'd become general manager only because I'd begged my father to give him a chance.
09:00I'd lifted him up, and I could just as easily tear him down.
09:03I liquidated all my assets that could be converted to cash.
09:06Every afternoon these days, I went to wait near Nisawa Primary School in the West.
09:10Once, it rained.
09:12He didn't have an umbrella, so he stood under the eaves of a small shop at the school gate
09:15for half an hour before running home in the rain.
09:17I sat in the car, watching as the rain blurred the windows.
09:20On Friday afternoon, I arrived early.
09:23When Ethan came out, I got out of the car and pretended to be a passerby.
09:27I accidentally dropped my folder in front of him.
09:29He froze for a moment, then bent down to pick it up.
09:32Thank you, little guy.
09:34Where's your mom?
09:35He shook his head.
09:36Mom's working overtime today.
09:38How are you getting home?
09:39Bye, boss.
09:40I pulled an unopened bottle of mineral water from my bag and handed it to him.
09:44Have some water.
09:45He hesitated, then took it and whispered.
09:48I noticed he had a habit of pursing his lips when he spoke, just like me.
09:52His eyes were the same shape, too.
09:54He nodded, then shook his head.
09:56Does your mom work overtime often?
09:58Sometimes.
09:59What about your dad?
10:00He didn't answer, just stared at his shoes.
10:03The sneakers had peeling saws.
10:05I didn't ask more.
10:06I pulled 200 yuan from my wallet and stuffed it into his school bag.
10:10Buy yourself a new pair of shoes.
10:11He stepped back.
10:13No, I can't take this.
10:14It's a thank you for helping me pick up my folder.
10:16I tucked the money into the side pocket and walked away.
10:19After a few steps, I glanced back.
10:22He was staring at the money, looking confused.
10:25That night, I stood at Jack's bedroom door.
10:27He was playing with a new Lego set Robert had bought him, a limited edition space shuttle,
10:31expensive.
10:32Mom, what's wrong?
10:33I walked in and touched his hair.
10:35Finished your homework?
10:36Yep, ages ago.
10:37He showed me the model.
10:39Dad said if I get top 10 in the midterm exam, he'll take me to Disneyland.
10:42I forced a smile.
10:43That's nice.
10:44As I turned to leave, my smile faded.
10:47Robert's double standards for the two boys felt like a knife twisting in my heart.
10:51My biological son was wearing peeling shoes and taking the bus alone, while this child
10:55had everything.
10:56Two weeks later, Robert finally came home from his business trip.
10:59He dropped his suitcase and asked immediately,
11:02Where's Jack?
11:02Why is it so quiet?
11:03I signed him up for tutoring, two hours a day.
11:06Why suddenly?
11:07He's only in fourth grade.
11:09I didn't answer.
11:10I could smell the perfume on him.
11:12He reached out to hug me, but I stepped aside.
11:15Why do you smell like perfume?
11:16Who were you dining with?
11:18He froze, then looked annoyed.
11:20Laura, are you being paranoid again?
11:21It's just from sitting next to a client at dinner.
11:24Can't you start with this?
11:25I suddenly found it hilarious.
11:27How had I never seen through his terrible acting?
11:29I pulled an envelope from the coffee table drawer and slowly took out the photos.
11:34Robert's face darkened.
11:35He picked up one photo and threw it back on the table.
11:37He followed me.
11:38Does it matter?
11:39I smiled.
11:40What matters is what would happen if these photos ended up with the board of directors.
11:44Or your clients.
11:45He collapsed onto the opposite sofa, covering his face with his hands.
11:48What do you want?
11:49I stared at him, my voice cold.
11:52First, fire Chloe Miller.
11:54Promise never to see her again.
11:56Second, tell me what happened at the hospital ten years ago.
11:59He stood up, and raged.
12:00You're crazy.
12:01Just because of some photos.
12:03My voice turned icy.
12:05Robert, don't forget this company is Mitchell property.
12:07You have everything because of me.
12:09I can give it to you, and I can take it all away.
12:11I almost softened until I remembered Ethan's peeling shoes, the way he'd waited alone in
12:15the rain.
12:16For the sake of ten years of marriage and the child, if you do what I ask, we can keep
12:19going.
12:20I turned and fetched a document from the bedroom, handing it to him.
12:23It was a pregnancy test report showing I was five weeks pregnant.
12:27Robert stared at the report, then looked up at me, shocked.
12:30You are pregnant.
12:31I nodded, placing my hand on my stomach.
12:34Five weeks.
12:35The doctor says this one is stable.
12:37His expression shifted back and forth, his throat bobbing as he looked between me and
12:41the report.
12:41So, I continued.
12:43As long as you cut ties with Chloe make her leave the company and our lives I can let the
12:47past go.
12:48We still have Jack.
12:49And now this baby.
12:51Robert's gaze lingered on my stomach.
12:53There was obvious conflict in his eyes.
12:55I need to think.
12:56He said hoarsely, turning to the bedroom.
12:58That night, the light in his room stayed on until late.
13:01The next morning, I was drinking coffee when Robert walked out, dark circles under his
13:05eyes.
13:06I pushed a glass of water toward him.
13:08He took it silently, avoiding my gas.
13:10I've made up my mind, Laura.
13:12We.
13:13I don't need to hear it.
13:14I cut him off, pulling a divorce agreement from the folder and slamming it on the table.
13:18He looked furious.
13:19What are you doing?
13:20We're having another baby.
13:22I said coldly.
13:23I told you I was pregnant, and you needed an entire night to decide if you'd break up
13:27with her.
13:27He stood up.
13:28We have a child on the way.
13:30Don't you care about the baby?
13:31Or Jack?
13:32Baby.
13:33I laughed bitterly.
13:34Are you referring to the child I've raised for 10 years who turns out to be yours and Chloe's?
13:38Robert's face turned ashen.
13:40He stumbled backward, hitting the table.
13:42How did you find out?
13:44When?
13:44I held up my phone, showing him a photo of the paternity test report.
13:48Thanks to the files on your computer password, Chloe's birthday.
13:51You've been using that for 10 years, haven't you?
13:54His breathing quickened, panic setting in.
13:56Let me explain.
13:57My voice was calm, laced with mockery.
14:00Explain how you swapped our babies at the hospital?
14:02Explain how you got Chloe hired at the company?
14:04Or explain how you and her laughed at me behind my back all these years?
14:07I took a step closer.
14:09The funniest part is those moments of guilt you'd sometimes show when looking at Jack.
14:12Were you feeling guilty for lying to me?
14:13Or for neglecting your own son?
14:15Ethan.
14:16Robert suddenly whispered, as if remembering something.
14:19Where is Ethan?
14:20He looked furious.
14:21It's too late.
14:22I said, opening the door.
14:24Your son?
14:25No, our son?
14:26Is somewhere you'll never find him.
14:28Your and Chloe's son is still upstairs sleeping, unaware of the choices father is facing.
14:32Robert rushed over and grabbed my arm, yelling.
14:34Laura, you can't do this.
14:36That's my child.
14:37I pulled away.
14:38You lost the right to be a father the day you swapped our babies.
14:41Now get out of my house.
14:43After closing the door, I heard him pounding on it, then the sound of a car driving away.
14:47I knew where he was going, to find Chloe, and the son he'd abandoned for 10 years.
14:52Three days earlier, when the private detective had given me Chloe's file, I'd gone to see
14:56Ethan again.
14:57I told him the truth.
14:58He'd been surprisingly calm, his eyes, so like mine, holding a maturity beyond his years.
15:03I'd taken his hand and said, I'll take you away.
15:06We'll start over.
15:07He'd been silent for a long time, then nodded softly.
15:10We'd flown abroad the afternoon before, with my assistant accompanying him.
15:14There was a good school there, a house, new friends.
15:17Once I wrapped up things here, I joined my son.
15:19The divorce agreement sat on the table for three days before Robert finally showed up.
15:24He stood at the door, unshaven with dark circles under his eyes.
15:27I hadn't seen him this disheveled in years.
15:29Laura, can we talk?
15:31I leaned against the doorframe in my loungewear, not letting him in.
15:35The agreement is clear.
15:36There's nothing to talk about.
15:38He looked desperate.
15:40I can't get divorced.
15:41For the sake of 10 years of marriage and the children.
15:43Which children?
15:44I cut him off with a sneer.
15:46The one on video, or the one upstairs?
15:49Robert's face paled.
15:50A week earlier, Chloe had sent me a bunch of files, videos of Ethan crying, being beaten,
15:56locked in a dark room.
15:57The email had only one line.
15:59Thank you for raising my son for so many years.
16:01I'd watched them all night.
16:03By dawn, I'd thrown up three times.
16:06He seemed to want to explain.
16:08Those videos, Chloe, she just loses control sometimes.
16:11I laughed coldly.
16:13That's your son.
16:14You saw him every week.
16:16You notice her new perfume and manicure, but never the bruises on your own child?
16:20If you don't sign, we'll go to court.
16:22I said, the evidence of the baby swap, your affair photos, they'll all become part of
16:27the record.
16:28He yelled.
16:29You're crazy.
16:29The company is about to go public.
16:31Before closing the door, I said one last thing.
16:34So sign.
16:35While I'm still giving you a way out.
16:37He stood outside for a long time before leaving.
16:40Three days later, Robert signed the divorce agreement.
16:43On the fourth day after the divorce, photos of Robert and Chloe's wedding popped up on my
16:46social media feed.
16:47Chloe was wearing a white wedding dress, Robert's arm around her, but his smile looked
16:51forced.
16:52The caption read, 10 years of waiting, finally united.
16:56I took a screenshot, then turned off my phone.
16:58That afternoon, Mr. Thompson called.
17:01Ms. Mitchell, we have all the evidence.
17:02The transfer records of the baby swap, their communication logs, the abuse videos and medical
17:06records.
17:07It's enough to press charges.
17:09One more thing.
17:10He added softly.
17:11Do you really not want to see him one last time?
17:13He came to the firm yesterday, asking me to pass along that is sorry.
17:16It's too late.
17:17Early the next morning, my plane took off.
17:20My assistant met me at the airport.
17:22She said, Ethan's doing better this week.
17:25He's starting to talk more.
17:26Yesterday he asked when you'd arrive.
17:28My heart raced.
17:30The car pulled up in front of a white house.
17:32In the garden, a thin little boy was squatting on the ground, watching ants.
17:36Ethan.
17:36He looked better than in the videos, but still too skinny.
17:39I walked over and knelt down in front of him.
17:42I'm mom.
17:43He stared at me for a long time, then nodded slightly.
17:45I gently hugged him.
17:47He didn't pull away.
17:48I'm sorry I'm late.
17:50I whispered.
17:51He trembled in my arms.
17:52For the next two weeks, I put work aside to focus on him.
17:56I took him to the park.
17:57He clung tightly to the railing on the carousel for the first time.
18:00I took him to the library and discovered he loved books about stars.
18:03At night, after he fell asleep, I gently brush his hair.
18:07He still didn't talk much, but he'd smile at me occasionally.
18:10At 3 a.m., the bedroom door creaked open slightly.
18:13Faint sobs pierced the silence like needles.
18:15I jolted awake, immediately knowing it was Ethan.
18:18I pushed open his door.
18:20Moonlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting dappled shadows on the floor and illuminating
18:23his small, curled-up figure in bed.
18:25His hands were clenched tightly around the quilt, cold sweat on his forehead.
18:29He kept muttering.
18:30Mommy, no, don't lock me in the dark room, there are mice.
18:34I rushed over, sitting carefully on the edge of the bed and wrapping my arms around his cold
18:37shoulders.
18:38His body stiffened for a moment, then he threw himself into my arms like a frightened fawn,
18:42sobbing quietly but despairingly.
18:44His tears soaked through my pajamas instantly.
18:47Mommy, I'm scared of that storage room, it's so dark.
18:49My heart felt like it was being torn apart with a blunt knife, a dull, lingering pain.
18:54I patted his back repeatedly, my voice trembling but steady.
18:57Ethan, it's okay.
18:59Mommy's here.
19:00No one can hurt you now.
19:02Mommy will protect you.
19:03Tears fell silently onto his hair.
19:05I thought of the videos Chloe had sent, of this little boy huddled in the dark, trembling,
19:09of the old and new scars covering his body.
19:11I wanted to tear apart everyone who had hurt him.
19:14That night, I held him on the sofa until dawn.
19:17I told him about how I'd been afraid of thunder as a child, how my dad would hold me, count
19:21stars,
19:21and sing lullabies.
19:22I told him about my first days running the company, how I'd been bullied by senior employees,
19:27cried in the stairwell, then wiped my tears and went back to negotiate.
19:31I told him about the clumsy intern at the company who'd spill coffee on an important contract
19:35and turned white with fear.
19:36He listened quietly, occasionally looking up at me with his eyes, so like mine, and
19:40asking, Mommy, weren't you scared?
19:42I was.
19:43I am touching his hair.
19:45But I knew that if I kept going, things would get better.
19:48And now that I have you, Ethan, I can't be scared anymore.
19:51He nodded, seemingly understanding, and quietly squeezed my fingers.
19:55A few days later, I took Ethan to an observatory in the suburbs.
19:58We took a bus through endless wheat fields, the air filled with the scent of grain.
20:02Ethan leaned against the bus window, his eyes full of wonder.
20:05As night fell, the observatory's dome slowly opened.
20:08The sky was filled with stars, like scattered diamonds across a deep blue canvas, too bright
20:13to look away from.
20:14The guide pointed to Orion and told the story of the hunter Orion.
20:17Ethan's eyes lit up like stars, a faint smile spreading across his face.
20:20On the way back, the bus rocked gently.
20:23He leaned his head on my shoulder and whispered,
20:25Mommy, the stars are so far away, but it feels safe to see them.
20:29I squeezed his hand, feeling the warmth of his palm.
20:32My heart felt soft and full.
20:33I knew the wounds buried deep in his heart wouldn't disappear overnight,
20:37certainly not from one trip to the observatory.
20:39Like old scars, no matter how carefully you tend to them, faint marks remain.
20:43But as long as I was with him, warming him with love and patience,
20:46the starlight would eventually pierce the darkness and light up his future.
20:49That afternoon, we were baking cookies in the kitchen when the doorbell rang.
20:53My assistant, Emily, went to answer it.
20:55I heard him say,
20:57Mr. Carter.
20:58The flower sifter slipped from my hand, spilling onto the table.
21:02Through the glass door, I saw Robert standing at the entrance.
21:05His hair was messy, his eyes sunken, and he was holding a small suitcase.
21:09Laura, I've been looking for you for half a month.
21:10I wiped my hands and walked out of the kitchen, closing the door behind me.
21:14Now you've found me.
21:15You can leave.
21:16He glanced at the thin figure in the kitchen.
21:18I want to see the child.
21:20Our child.
21:21He paused, his voice trembling.
21:23I've been having nightmares these days, about him as a baby, about Chloe hitting him.
21:27I never knew.
21:28I cut him off.
21:29You knew, you just chose not to see it.
21:31He looked at my stomach.
21:33Is the baby still there?
21:34I smiled, the first genuine smile in a long time.
21:37Of course.
21:38The doctor says it's doing well.
21:40It'll be born next spring.
21:41His face turned ugly, and he suddenly grew agitated, lunging toward me.
21:45I stepped aside, and he stumbled, hitting the hallway cabinet.
21:49Laura, I want to see my son.
21:51I looked at him coldly and say,
21:53What you should be worried about, Robert, isn't seeing my son, it's whether your own son will be born safely.
21:57If you want that to happen, clean up your mess with Chloe first.
22:01Settle your own debts.
22:02With that, I kicked him out.
22:04Now, just looking at him made me sick.
22:06As I closed the door, I saw Robert collapse to the floor, running his hands through his hair, desperate and
22:11pathetic.
22:12Soon after, Mr. Thompson called.
22:14Ms. Mitchell, it's gotten ugly.
22:16But the outcome isn't ideal.
22:17It turned out Robert and Chloe had already divorced and were suing each other.
22:21In court, Chloe had screamed, exposing how Robert had embezzled company funds to give her money over the years, how
22:26he'd promised to divorce me and marry her.
22:28I gripped the phone, listening calmly.
22:30But Robert had shifted all the blame to Chloe, claiming she coerced him into swapping the babies.
22:34In the end, Chloe was convicted of child abduction, forgery of documents, and commercial fraud.
22:40She was sentenced to three years in prison.
22:42Robert, however, had gotten off scot-free.
22:45He'd cried bitterly in court, claiming he was also a victim, manipulated by Chloe for ten years.
22:50It sounded absurd, but the judge had believed it.
22:53Or perhaps Robert's lawyer was just that good.
22:56Before hanging up, Mr. Thompson said softly,
22:58I'm sorry, Ms. Mitchell, the outcome isn't what we hoped for.
23:01If you want, we can plan the next step.
23:03I said,
23:04That's enough, at least I have my child back.
23:07Ethan was doing his homework at the table.
23:09I walked over to him.
23:11Ethan, mommy made the bad people pay for what they did, but maybe not enough.
23:15Do you blame me?
23:16He looked up.
23:18Mommy, I know who's good to me and who's not.
23:20I covered my mouth, tears spilling out.
23:22He lowered his head and kept writing, adding quietly.
23:25You look ugly when you cry.
23:26I laughed through my tears.
23:28These days, I've been trying to make up for ten years of lost motherly love.
23:32I transferred all my company shares to Ethan's name, he's still young, but I know what the
23:36security means.
23:37I enrolled him in the best international department of a local school.
23:41After seeing his previous report cards, the principal praised him highly,
23:44Chloe had barely cared about his studies, leaving him to fend for himself.
23:47I hired three tutors, for Chinese, math, and English.
23:52Ethan was diligent, studying late into the night every day.
23:54One morning, I brought him a glass of milk and found him asleep at his desk, a pen still
23:59clutched in his hand.
24:00I didn't wake him, just gently covered him with a blanket.
24:03On Friday afternoon, I went to pick him up from school.
24:06The entrance was crowded with parents.
24:08Ethan ran out with a new school bag, his face flushed from playing sports.
24:12Mom!
24:13I passed my math quiz today!
24:14I reached for the paper, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure in the window
24:18of
24:18the coffee across the street.
24:20Robert was sitting in the corner, a five o'clock shadow on his chin.
24:23He looked haggard, nothing like the confident company executive he'd once been.
24:27Ethan followed my gaze.
24:28I squeezed his hand.
24:30Let's go home.
24:31We just turned around when we heard hurried footsteps.
24:34Robert had crossed the street and stood in front of us.
24:37Laura, can we talk?
24:38I signaled for Ethan to get in the car first, then faced the man in front of me.
24:42There's nothing left to say.
24:44Chloe is in prison.
24:45He rushed to explain, as if trying to prove something.
24:48I've taken care of everything.
24:49I've cut ties with her completely.
24:51I laughed.
24:52Robert, I'm the one who hired the lawyer to put Chloe in jail.
24:55What does that have to do with you?
24:57Weren't you the one sobbing in court, playing the victim?
24:59I know I was wrong, Laura.
25:01Forgive me, for the child's sake.
25:02His eyes drifted to my stomach.
25:04Our child.
25:05Oh, that one?
25:06It's fake.
25:08Smoothing the wrinkles in my coat slowly.
25:10Robert froze, his eyes widening in shock.
25:13I met his gaze calmly.
25:14The pregnancy test report was fake.
25:16I just wanted to see what choice you'd make.
25:18I stepped closer, letting him get a clear look at my flat abdomen.
25:22If I really was pregnant, wouldn't I be showing by now?
25:24His eyes lingered on my stomach for a long time.
25:27It doesn't matter, even without this baby, we still have Jack.
25:30We still have 10 years of shared memories.
25:32I cut him off sharply.
25:33Robert, wake up from your dream.
25:35Get a grip on reality.
25:36He acted as if he hadn't heard me.
25:39Suddenly, as if remembering something, he pulled a velvet box out of his briefcase.
25:43Look, this is the gift I bought you for your 30th birthday.
25:46His voice trembling.
25:47The company was facing cash flow problems that year, so I couldn't bring myself to give it to you.
25:51Then came a second box, a third.
25:53He laid them all out on the ground in a row.
25:56This one's for our seventh wedding anniversary.
25:58This one's from the year we moved into this house.
26:00This one's for...
26:01The little velvet boxes lined up on the pavement looked almost absurd.
26:04I just never gave them to you.
26:06Now I'll give you all of them, okay?
26:07Please, just give me one more chance.
26:09He's lifting his head.
26:11His eyes red-rimmed.
26:12I knelt down and opened a nearby box.
26:14Inside was a diamond necklace, the pendant shaped like an iris, my favorite flower.
26:19Once, I would have been overjoyed by such a gift.
26:21I would have worn it, holding his arm at every dinner party, showing off my happiness.
26:26Now, it just made me feel sick.
26:28I stood up and put the necklace back in the box.
26:31Robert, the time I loved you most was when I'd stay up worrying if you didn't text back
26:34when I'd cook soup and bring it to the office while you worked overtime.
26:37When you'd say thank you for your hard work, wife, and I'd think everything was worth it.
26:41I set the box at his feet.
26:43That version of me, who loved you so much, died a long time ago.
26:46Now, this necklace is just garbage to me.
26:48He opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out.
26:52His shoulders slumped, as if all the strength had been drained from his body.
26:55I didn't look back.
26:57I walked toward the car.
26:59For me, none of it mattered anymore.
27:01Three years later, in late autumn, Ethan had grown much taller, now reaching my shoulders.
27:05Mom, can you come to the parent-teacher meeting next week?
27:08I put my hand on his shoulder.
27:10Of course, son.
27:11Nothing could keep me away from your parent-teacher meeting.
27:14He turned to me and smiled.
27:16These three years, Ethan had been so sensible it hurt.
27:18He'd cook his own noodles when I worked late, raised his grades from the bottom to the middle
27:22of the class, and spoke English better than some local kids.
27:25His teachers praised his resilience, the neighbors called him well-behaved.
27:28But only I knew what lay behind that maturity.
27:31On a weekend evening, we were making dumplings together.
27:34Ethan's dumplings were always overly neat, each pleat identical.
27:37Ethan, you don't have to be so good for me.
27:40I knelt down and looked into his eyes.
27:42You can throw tantrums, be stubborn, say no like other kids.
27:46I don't love you because you're obedient.
27:49I love you just because you're you.
27:51He blinked.
27:52But what if I do something wrong?
27:54Will you stop loving me?
27:55I pulled him into my arms.
27:57Never.
27:58The best thing I've ever done in my life is find you.
28:00He stayed quiet for a long time, then nodded softly.
28:04Ethan's primary school was holding an open house.
28:06I left work early and drove to the school.
28:08The autumn sun was warm, filtering through the leaves and casting soft light on the playground.
28:13Ethan was in a relay race, running the final leg.
28:16His small figure darted forward like the wind, giving it his all as he sprinted toward the
28:20finish line.
28:21When he crossed it, I stood up and cheered.
28:23He looked back just then, saw me, and broke into a bright, clean smile.
28:28In that moment, I knew all my efforts had been worth it.
28:31After the race, parents started to leave.
28:34I took Ethan's hand, planning to keep my promise, ice cream at the dessert shop nearby for finishing
28:38the race.
28:39Suddenly, a woman rushed over and blocked our way.
28:42It was Chloe.
28:43She'd been released from prison.
28:45Her hair was dry and yellow, tied messily at the back of her head.
28:49She stared at me with a venomous glare.
28:51Laura!
28:52How dare you steal my son from me?
28:54Her voice was shrill and grating, like nails scraping across glass.
28:58Instantly, the surrounding parents turned to stare, curiosity written all over their faces.
29:03Some stopped in their tracks, watching us.
29:06I instinctively pulled Ethan behind me, shielding him protectively, and stared back at Chloe
29:11coldly.
29:12I said sharply, Ethan was never your son.
29:15You only ever abused and neglected him.
29:17You never gave him an ounce of motherly love.
29:19You don't deserve to be called his mom.
29:21I carried him for 10 months.
29:23I gave birth to him.
29:25He has my blood running through his veins.
29:27Thankfully, the school's security guards rushed over just in time and restrained her.
29:31She struggled violently, her hair falling loose around her face, making her look almost deranged.
29:36She shrieked.
29:38You've taken everything from me.
29:39Robert doesn't want me anymore.
29:41The company's gone.
29:43You won't even let me see my own son.
29:45Why do you get to live such a good life?
29:47Ethan peeked out from behind me, his small face showing no fear.
29:51He looked at Chloe, his eyes calm beyond his years.
29:54He said clearly and firmly,
29:56You're not my mom.
29:57You hit me, locked me in the dark room, never cooked me a meal, never came to pick me up
30:02from school.
30:03Miss Mitchell is my mom.
30:04Chloe froze, seemingly shocked that the child she'd given birth to could say such things.
30:08She stared at him for a few seconds, then burst into hysterical tears.
30:12She screamed.
30:14I had no choice.
30:15Robert only cared about your money.
30:17He never cared about us.
30:19Raising a child alone, do you know how much pressure I was under?
30:23I only hit him because I had no other way.
30:25Pressure is no excuse for abusing a child.
30:28I said that, pulling out my phone and opening a folder I'd prepared in advance.
30:32It contained Ethan's old medical records, photos of his injuries, and backups of the abuse
30:36videos.
30:37These are all evidence.
30:38If you keep harassing us, I'll have my lawyer file charges immediately.
30:42Just then, a familiar figure rushed over, it was Robert.
30:46He looked even more haggard than he had three years ago.
30:48When he saw Chloe, his brows furrowed in annoyance.
30:52He snapped.
30:53What are you doing here?
30:54I told you not to bother them.
30:55Chloe shouted, pointing at Ethan.
30:58Robert, look at your son.
30:59He's living so well now, new clothes, good food, a mom who loves him.
31:04What about us?
31:05Robert's gaze fell on Ethan, his eyes filled with guilt and longing.
31:09In the end, he turned to me.
31:10Laura, I'm sorry.
31:12I'll take her away.
31:13You won't hear from us again.
31:15I said nothing, just stared at him coldly.
31:18Mommy, let's go.
31:19I don't want to see them.
31:20Okay.
31:21I said, kneeling down to smooth his hair gently.
31:24We'll go get ice cream.
31:25I took Ethan's hand and turned to leave, not glancing back at Chloe and Robert.
31:29Behind us, we could hear Chloe's sobs, Robert's attempts to calm her, and the whispers of
31:34other parents.
31:35But none of it mattered anymore.
31:36Ethan held my hand tightly, his steps steady.
31:39That afternoon, I took Ethan to eat his favorite chocolate ice cream.
31:43He ate until his face was covered, like a little cat.
31:46I pulled out a tissue and wiped his mouth gently.
31:49He said with a smile,
31:51Mommy, the ice cream is so sweet.
31:53Every day will be sweet from now on.
31:55I told him, looking into his bright eyes.
31:57My heart felt clear and light.
31:59The dust of the past might occasionally be stirred up by the wind, but as long as Ethan
32:03and I were together, moving forward side by side, we would surely embrace a sunnier,
32:07warmer future.
32:08Those who had hurt us would be left behind in the dust, never able to affect our lives
32:13again.
32:13The late autumn rain came suddenly.
32:15By school let out, large raindrops were pounding the ground.
32:18The school gate was crowded with parents picking up their children.
32:21I held an umbrella, standing under the old pagoda tree where we'd agreed to meet.
32:26In the distance, I saw Ethan walking out of the school with a classmate, a faint smile
32:29on his face.
32:30It was the first time he'd voluntarily walked home with a friend.
32:33Just then, a woman in a red raincoat suddenly rushed over and grabbed Ethan's arm.
32:37Ethan Miller, come with me.
32:39Your mom is suffering in jail.
32:41How can you be so happy here?
32:43It was Chloe Miller's younger sister, Sarah Miller.
32:46The detective's report had mentioned her, she was close to Chloe Miller, had helped
32:50her with various things, and was one of the people who'd known about the baby swap.
32:54Who are you?
32:55I don't know you.
32:56I'm your aunt.
32:57Sarah said, gripping his arm so tightly her nails dug into his skin.
33:01Laura is a liar.
33:02She stole you from your real mom.
33:04How can you be so stupid?
33:06Come with me, I'll take you to see your mom.
33:08Other parents stared, some reaching out as if to intervene, but Sarah's fierce glare
33:12scared them off.
33:13Ethan's classmate froze, unsure what to do.
33:16My heart raced.
33:17I ran over as fast as I could.
33:20I pried Sarah's hand off Ethan's arm and pulled him behind me, my voice cold as ice.
33:24Let him go.
33:25You have no right to touch my child.
33:27Sarah stumbled backward, then looked me up and down, her eyes filled with jealousy and
33:31resentment.
33:32Laura, you thief.
33:33You stole my sister's man, her money, and now her child.
33:36How can you live with yourself?
33:38Conscience?
33:39I laughed coldly, pulling out my phone and opening the recordings and files I'd prepared
33:43in advance.
33:44I have videos of your sister abusing Ethan, transfer records of her and Robert plotting
33:47to swap the babies, and proof that you took bribes from Robert to keep quiet.
33:51Do you really think it's my conscience that would bother me if we went to the police?
33:54Sarah's face turned pale, her eyes darting nervously.
33:57You're lying!
33:58Those are all fake!
34:00Fake?
34:00I took a step forward, my voice sharp.
34:03All this evidence is on file with the court.
34:05You're only here making a scene because you want to extort money from me, aren't you?
34:08The whispers around us grew louder.
34:10Some parents pulled out their phones to record, others quietly called the school security guards.
34:15Sarah's face turned red and then white, panic creeping into her eyes as she looked at
34:18the crowd.
34:19I'm not extorting money!
34:21She insisted, but she took a step back instinctively.
34:24I just want the child to recognize his real family!
34:27Recognize his real family?
34:28Ethan suddenly stepped out from behind me, his small body straight with determination.
34:33He looked at Sarah firmly.
34:34I don't have an aunt like you, and I don't have a mom like her.
34:37Miss Mitchell is my mom.
34:38She doesn't hit me, doesn't lock me up, cooks for me, takes me to school, protects me.
34:43Please leave.
34:44I never want to see you again.
34:45Sarah froze, unable to say a word.
34:48Just then, Ethan's homeroom teacher rushed over.
34:51When she saw what was happening, she immediately stood in front of us.
34:54Ma'am, please leave the school gate immediately.
34:57Otherwise, we'll call the police.
34:59Sarah saw that more and more people were gathering, and realized she wouldn't get anything out of
35:03this.
35:03She glared at me angrily, muttering, you haven't seen the last of me, before rushing into the
35:07rain and disappearing around the corner.
35:09The rain was still falling.
35:11Ethan's hair was damp from the splashing water, sticking to his forehead.
35:14I quickly held the umbrella over him, pulled out a tissue, and wiped his face gently.
35:19Did that scare you?
35:20He shook his head, throwing his arms around my waist.
35:23His voice was a little shaky but determined.
35:25No, mommy.
35:27I knew you'd come to save me.
35:28Silly boy.
35:29Mommy will always be here for you.
35:31No matter what happens, I'll never let anyone hurt you.
35:34Miss Mitchell, I never expected this to happen.
35:36Ethan must be frightened.
35:37Shall we take him to the office for some hot water?
35:39Thank you, Miss Davis.
35:41I nodded, taking Ethan's hand and walking into the teaching building.
35:45The warmth of the hot water spread from the cup to my palm.
35:49Ethan held the cup and whispered.
35:51Mommy, was what that aunt said true?
35:52Am I really Chloe's son?
35:54I knelt down and looked him in the eyes, serious.
35:57Ethan, you are my biological son.
35:59That will never change.
36:01You are my precious baby, the person I want to protect most in this world.
36:05He blinked, his eyes a little red, then nodded firmly.
36:08I know, mommy.
36:10You're the only mom I'll ever have.
36:12That night, Ethan told me about the times Chloe had brought Sarah to their house.
36:17Auntie always called me stupid, said I wasn't as good as Jack.
36:20She'd steal my things when no one was looking.
36:23He curled up next to me, his voice soft.
36:26Back then, I wished I had a mom who really loved me.
36:28I held him in my arms, patting his back gently.
36:32It won't be like that anymore.
36:33The rain outside gradually stopped.
36:36Moonlight broke through the clouds, illuminating a corner of the room.
36:40I looked at Ethan as he drifted off to sleep, and made a silent vow, I would give this child
36:44a stable, warm future.
36:46That determination gave me the courage to accept a new relationship when I met David
36:50Anderson not long after.
36:52I wanted to give Ethan a complete family, and give myself a second chance at happiness.
36:57I met David at a community book club.
36:59I'd taken Ethan to borrow books and been drawn to a talk about a woman's memoir.
37:04David was the host, his voice was gentle yet powerful.
37:07After the talk, he stopped me at the door.
37:10Your perspective was really interesting.
37:12Would you like to get to know each other?
37:14That's how we started talking.
37:16David was from Philadelphia, divorced for five years, with a daughter who lived with her
37:21mother.
37:21He was a middle school history teacher and volunteered at the community center in his spare time.
37:26Our first official date was at the Science Museum, with Ethan.
37:30Of course, David didn't try to curry favor with Ethan.
37:33In the space exhibition, he naturally started talking about the Apollo program.
37:38Do you know why astronauts bring wrenches to space?
37:40Ethan shook his head.
37:42To fix equipment, the most dangerous thing in space is a loose screw.
37:45Ethan laughed, a relaxed, genuine laugh.
37:48A year later, in spring, David came to our house for dinner.
37:52Afterward, Ethan did his homework while David Anderson and I drank tea on the balcony.
37:56The night was cool, so he draped his coat over my shoulders.
38:00Ethan's made new friends.
38:00I saw him playing basketball with his classmates.
38:03I was surprised.
38:04My son had always been alone before.
38:07David said gently.
38:08He needs time, so do you.
38:10That night, I told him everything about the past few years.
38:14David listened quietly, and when I finished, he took my hand softly.
38:18You must have been so tired.
38:19Going through all that alone, you must have been exhausted.
38:22Those words made my eyes fill with tears.
38:25For so long, all I'd needed was someone to see the weight behind my strength.
38:29Mommy, if you like Uncle David, you can be with him.
38:32Ethan said one day, as he assembled a model airplane.
38:35I stared at him, shocked.
38:38Why would you say that?
38:39Because when you look at him, you smile, a real smile, not a fake one.
38:44I sat down next to him.
38:46What do you think about it?
38:47I want someone to love you, just like you love me.
38:50You deserve that.
38:51I hugged him tightly.
38:53He'd grown up without me noticing.
38:55Dating David was nothing like dating in my 20s, no passion, no anxiety, just a steady,
39:02comfortable intimacy.
39:03After dinner, we'd take walks, chatting about my work, Ethan's school, even the supermarket's
39:09special offers.
39:10He'd say, holding my hand.
39:13Life is made of these little moments, and I want to be part of yours.
39:16Ethan gradually grew used to this new rhythm.
39:19When David helped him with history homework, they'd argue about historical events, then
39:24laugh it off together.
39:25One night, I came home late from work to find them playing chess in the living room, with
39:30soup simmering in the kitchen, filling the house with warmth.
39:33In that moment, I realized the happiness I'd once thought was out of reach was already in
39:38my hands.
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