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00:00i was born in a town so small it didn't even have a traffic light my father was a hardline
00:05patriarch who was obsessed with having a son to work the farm and girls just left when the doctor
00:10said it's a girl my mother didn't cry my father did not from joy from disappointment we were
00:17already dirt poor two daughters one collapsing farmhouse bill stacked higher than the corn
00:23silos and then there was me the third girl my father told everyone it was god's mistake
00:29he didn't even look at me he wrapped me in a thin blanket and started walking toward the edge of
00:34the woods probably planning to leave me at some abandoned trailhead but he ran straight into the
00:38local pastor hill pastor hill knew exactly what was happening he talked my father down arguing that a
00:44girl could at least do the chores and keep the house clean he even promised to help settle some
00:48back taxes the family owed that's the only reason my father didn't leave me for the coyotes that night
00:53two months later my mother was pregnant again they became obsessed pouring what little money we had
00:59into miracle cures to ensure the next one was a boy i survived on powdered milk and scraps fed to
01:04me by my seven-year-old sister sarah years later she joke she was so tough she could eat solid
01:10food at
01:10six months i wasn't being tough sarah i was starving finally the heir was born my mother acted like she
01:19birthed a king she'd strep through the local market wanting my brother to every woman who didn't have a son
01:24finally feeling like she had some status in her miserable life nobody had time for me most days
01:29i was literally tethered to the bedpost with a nylon rope so i wouldn't get in the way of my
01:33brother's
01:34royal daytime it's a miracle i didn't die when i turned five it was time for school but my parents
01:40refused to pay for my supplies or the bus fees they didn't see the point in educating a girl then
01:45i got
01:46hit with a brutal lung infection i was burning up coughing until i choked night after night eventually
01:52my brother started coughing too and that's when my parents actually started to care not about me
01:57but about him they took us to a local clinic the doctor told them plainly the girl has a severe
02:03infection she needs a real hospital or she's not gonna make it and you need to quarantine her or
02:10she'll kill your son on the walk back my mother clutched my brother and took off walking as fast as
02:15she could to get him home i was gasping for air my chest tight as a vice i kept screaming
02:20mom but she
02:21never even glanced back she was leaving me behind literally and figuratively the cold was bone deep
02:27my vision blurred my stomach was a knot of hunger and then the world just went black i collapsed in
02:34the tall grass by the roadside when i woke up i was under a thick warm quilt three boys were
02:39hovering
02:40over me whispering and looking at me like i was some kind of strange creature they'd found in the woods
02:44a kind sturdy woman mary miller walked in with a bowl of chicken noodle soup i inhaled it
02:50but once i finished she told me she had to take me home in a town this small everyone knows
02:56who
02:56everyone belongs to her sons followed us calling my name and trying to make me laugh halfway there
03:02it started to snow the oldest boy leo took off his oversized gloves and slid them onto my tiny
03:08frozen hands when we reached the porch i heard sarah's voice from inside where's maya she's been gone
03:14all night my mother's voice was cold and sharp i hope the cold got her at least she won't be
03:18here to
03:19make your brother sick anymore i let out a jagged painful cough when my mom opened the door and saw
03:25me the look on her face wasn't relief it was pure disappointment my father just growled from the
03:30couch god she's still alive mrs miller looked at them then at me she didn't say a word just turned
03:38and started walking away with her boys the snow was coming down in thick sheets now leo let me keep
03:43the
03:43gloves but the warmth was gone i felt like a ghost standing in my own yard my father barked at
03:49me to
03:49go out and slap the hogs when i didn't move fast enough he grabbed a heavy broom and lunged at
03:54me
03:54but then mrs miller's truck screeched to a halt she'd come back she jumped out and stood between us
04:01staring my father down with a look of pure steel she looked at my bruised face then at him and
04:06said
04:06you know what give me the girl i've got three boys and no daughter since you clearly don't want her
04:11i'll take her we did it by the book as much as you can in a place like this mrs
04:17miller made them sign
04:18a notarized relinquishment form right there in the pastor's office so with 50 bucks the deal was done
04:24and just like that i became mrs miller's daughter as i was leaving linda leaned against the porch
04:30spitting sunflower seeds she's a sickly little jinx she's your problem now don't come crawling
04:37back in a month trying to get a refund because we aren't taking her back mrs miller my new mom
04:44dressed me in her youngest son's oversized hand-me-downs and bought me a pair of thick
04:48wool socks and sturdy boots for the first time in my life i had a warm breakfast every single morning
04:54at night she tucked me into bed and hold me close she smelled like laundry soap and wood smoke
04:59when i tried to muffle my coughs so i wouldn't bother anyone she just gently rubbed my back
05:04until i could breathe again my three new brothers treated me like a fragile treasure always letting
05:09me have the last bit of dessert or the best seat by the fire it felt too good to be
05:13true i spent
05:14every day waiting for someone to wake me up from this dream then winter really hit and mr miller came
05:20home he'd been away working a grueling construction job across the state only coming back for the holidays
05:25he was a giant of a man worn down by hard labor and quiet as a grave when mom introduced
05:31me he
05:32just stared at me with a deep scowl i could tell instantly he didn't want me there that night i
05:38pretended to sleep while they argued in the next room we're living paycheck to paycheck mary i heard
05:43him growl we can barely feed the boys what were you thinking bringing another mouth to feed into this
05:50house she hardly eats anything it's not just about the food mary you take a kid in you're responsible
05:57for her for life we can't afford that kind of commitment i'm out of cash and she needs a doctor
06:04that cough is getting worse do you have anything left from your paycheck there was a long heavy silence
06:11followed by the sound of him sighing in defeat and the rustle of his work clothes hitting the floor
06:15before the sun was even up mom woke me people in this town can't afford insurance on a seasonal
06:20worker's wage so a trip to the clinic was a massive financial blow you usually just prayed and hope you
06:25didn't die i gripped the doorframe refusing to budge i was terrified that if they spent too much money on
06:32me they'd realize i wasn't worth the cost and send me back to frank and linda we were at a
06:36standstill
06:36until dad walked over without saying a word he scooped me up tossed me over his shoulder like a
06:42sack of grain and walked out into the cold maybe someone up there was finally looking out for me
06:47halfway to town we ran into an old retired doctor visiting family he took one look at me listened to
06:53my chest and told my parents it wasn't terminal just severe malnutrition and exhaustion he said he gave
06:59us some medicine for free and didn't charge for the visit after three days of rest i could finally take
07:04a breath without feeling like my chest was exploding by late december the whole town was buzzing for the
07:10holidays there was a huge christmas market in the town square and when mom found out i'd never been
07:15she insisted on taking me and the boys dad stayed behind his foreman had asked him to fix his roof
07:20for
07:21free dad hated being used as free labor but the guy still owed him two months back pay he figured
07:26if he
07:26did the favor he might actually get his money wage theft was a way of life back then you could
07:31break your
07:32back for a year and end up with nothing but despite the struggle the market was packed with people
07:37trying to find a bit of holiday joy mom bought me a huge candy apple none of my brothers got
07:42one but
07:43they didn't even complain i was staring at the lights and the crowds trying to soak it all in that's
07:48when i
07:48saw him in a sea of happy faces there was this little boy two adults had him pinned between them
07:54clutching his arms way too tight he was fighting tears streaming down his face his mouth was wide open
08:00gasping for air like a fish out of water but no sound came out i tugged on my mom's sleeve
08:05mom
08:07look at that boy something's wrong mom took one look in her face went pale the boy was dressed in
08:12fancy clothes but he was barefoot even worse his feet were raw and bleeding from being dragged across
08:18the asphalt mom's eyes narrowed tracking them like a hawk the couple looked frantic trying to shove the
08:24kid into a beat up old truck no but my mom she's got a heart of gold and a backbone
08:28of steel she grabbed
08:29us and marched straight into their path the man had a thick out-of-state accent hide this is my
08:36son
08:36this is a family matter but when mom looked the boy in the eye and asked if he knew them
08:41he just sobbed
08:42and shook his head violently a crowd started to gather show me some id her voice echoing in the square
08:48either we see some papers or we're calling the sheriff right now that broke them realizing they
08:53were about to get busted they literally shoved the boy to the ground jumped in their truck and floored
08:57it leaving a cloud of exhaust behind mom was leading us toward the station when a neighbor came running
09:02up mary what are you doing out here your husband just fell off a roof at the construction site you
09:07gotta get to the hospital fast i saw the color drain from mom's face she was just a substitute teacher
09:13making pennies dad was the one keeping the lights on if something happened to him we were finished
09:18my brothers were also freaking out but she didn't crumble she gave a quick statement to the police
09:24about the boy then turned to leo my oldest brother he was only 11 but she looked at him like
09:30he was a
09:30man she squeezed his shoulder hard leo you're in charge now look after your brothers and maya
09:36the snow started coming down and heavy blinding sheets leo led us home through the drifts but the joy
09:42of the christmas market was gone i looked at the candy apple in my hand now covered in gray slush
09:47i took
09:48a bite it tasted like bitterness leo made some plain oatmeal for dinner but none of us could eat
09:53only the mute boy we saved ate a full bowl an old neighbor lady came over to stay the night
09:58with us
09:59she kept stroking our hair and sighing that heavy god help us kind of sigh the wind held against the
10:04house all night and i couldn't close my eyes for a second at dawn mom came back her eyes were
10:10bloodshot
10:10and she looked 10 years older she started grabbing everything of value the laying hens the cured meat from
10:16the cellar and then she put on her boots to go door to door begging for loans dad was in
10:20bad shape the
10:21surgery alone was going to be eighty thousand dollars and without insurance that might as well
10:26have been a billion dollars to us dad had been making sixty dollars a day his foreman was a total
10:31scumbag he claimed dad tripped on his own and only offered two hundred dollars for hush money
10:35he even tried to say he'd already paid dad's back wages knowing dad was unconscious and couldn't call
10:40him a liar mom scoured the whole town and only came up with about a thousand bucks she was packing
10:45to head back to the city hospital when i ran after her with a small carton of eggs i'd found
10:49in the
10:49kitchen mom maybe you can sell these too that was the first time i called her mom i was terrified
10:55that
10:55if the money ran out the love would run out too she teared up and stroked my hair keep them
11:00for your
11:00brothers maya and listen to me no matter what happens you are our daughter forever before she left
11:07she gripped leo's hands look after maya and the quiet boy she whispered keep them safe leo don't
11:13you worry about your father i'm going to handle it i'll find a way i watched her walk away into
11:18the blizzard until she was nothing but a shadow in the white out later when the water ran out leo
11:24went
11:24to the well and i followed him a group of local women were huddled there gossiping linda was right
11:29in the middle of them one woman looked at me inside if the millers go broke over this accident
11:34they won't be able to keep that girl she'll probably end up back where she started she's a
11:38jinx things were fine for them until she showed up there's no way that little brat setting foot in
11:44my house again not a chance i won't have her cursing my precious son she can rot in the street
11:50for all
11:50i care leo grabbed my hands so hard it hurt he stood tall and stared them down maya is my
11:56sister
11:56as long as i have a crust of bread she'll have half of it we are never giving her up
12:01tears stung my eyes
12:03for the first time ever i felt like i had a real family linda just rolled her eyes and scoffed
12:08you brat you don't call the shot leo leo's face was beat red with rage finally mrs smith snapped
12:15for god's sake linda shut up that girl came out of your own body don't you have a shred of
12:20decency
12:21left oh i hope she finds everyone here started murmuring in agreement but linda just gave a nasty
12:27little smirk oh i have gotta gotta don'ts a girl but let's be real she ain't born for happy endings
12:35for lunch that day i only took a tiny scoop of mashed potatoes i figured if i didn't eat too
12:40much
12:40maybe my parents wouldn't have to worry about one more mouth to feed maybe that money could go to
12:45the hospital but leo saw right through me he grabbed my bowl piled it high with a second helping and
12:50scraped the last of the scrambled eggs onto my plate here you go maya his voice firm but kind he
12:56turned to
12:56the runaway boy we'd rescued and gave him an extra scoop you too kid you need your strength the boy
13:02struggled for a long time his jaw working as if he'd forgotten how to use it thank you
13:09so he wasn't mute after all his voice sounded like gravel grinding together probably from the trauma or
13:14some infection he caught while on the run toward evening sarah snuck over to our porch she stared at
13:20my clean warm sweater i nodded did mrs miller buy that for you yeah my mom got it for me
13:31listen linda
13:32said that if the millers go broke and try to return you she's not taking you back she's already talking
13:36to some creepy guy in the next county who's looking for a live-in maid she's gonna sell you for
13:40cash
13:41maya i only came here to warn you because we share the same blood mom stayed at the hospital again
13:47that
13:47night the old neighbor lady mrs gable came over to tuck us in but the house felt empty and haunted
13:52without mom's warmth i had a horrific nightmare i dreamt i was back in frank and linda's shack
14:01locked in a rusted dog kennel while they stood over me with a belt i woke up drenched in cold
14:05sweat my
14:06heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird suddenly a violent pounding erupted at the front
14:13door mary leo open up it was the pastor hill's voice and he sounded frantic my first thought dad is
14:21gone leo bolted upright and scrambled to the front door it wasn't the sheriff's bad news about dad it
14:26was the quiet boy's parents his name is ethan you could tell just by their clothes designer coats and
14:32expensive leather boots that they were from a completely different world their faces were etched
14:36with pure raw desperation the moment the woman saw ethan rubbing his sleepy eyes in the hallway
14:41she let out a choked sob and threw herself at him clutching him like she was afraid he'd vanish if
14:46she let go ethan struggled for a moment his voice still raspy and broken but then he managed to choke
14:51out one word mom that broke her she started sobbing even harder ethan used a mix of broken words and
14:58frantic gestures to explain everything that had happened since those kidnappers snatched him mrs harrison
15:03kept kissing ethan's forehead then she reached out and squeezed my hand her eyes shining with gratitude
15:07maya she said maya you saved our son tell me honey what do you want i'll get you anything in
15:15the
15:15world i looked down at my scuffed boots and whispered i want my dad to wake up i want him
15:22to
15:22be okay the pastor hill stood in the corner and let out a heavy sigh they adopted this unwanted child
15:28and
15:28now the child's father is critically ill with medical bills piling up they're good people it's just
15:34life hasn't been kind to them lately mr harrison finally spoke up in my world kindness like that
15:41doesn't go on reward he walked over and placed a reassuring hand on my head don't you worry maya
15:47your father is going to be just fine i'm going to make sure of it
15:52they stayed the night in our cramped little house the next morning the harrisons loaded all of us into
15:57their sleek black suv to head to the city hospital it was the first time i'd ever been inside a
16:02car that
16:02didn't smell like wet hay and gasoline back then nobody cared about seat belt laws or overcrowding
16:07we kids were squeezed together in the back seat half scared and half amazed watching the mountains
16:12blur past the window the surgery had already started when we reached the hospital we found
16:18mom in the hallway literally on her knees begging the head of billing to authorize dad's surgery
16:22but rules were rules no cash no surgery mr harrison didn't say a word he just walked straight to the
16:30counter pulled out a black credit card and cleared the entire eighty thousand dollar balance in seconds
16:34minutes later the hospital's chief of staff personally came down to greet us suddenly dad was
16:40a priority they moved him to a private suite and paged the best neurosurgeon in the state
16:45by that afternoon the atmosphere changed completely the guy in an expensive suit the owner of the
16:51construction company showed up with dad's sleazy foreman in tow they were sweating bullets bowing and
16:56scraping to mr harrison like he was the king of the city turns out mr harrison sat on the city
17:01council
17:02and oversaw all their building permits the foreman who had been laughing at us two days ago suddenly
17:07found the missing back pay he handed mom an envelope full of cash and stammered that the company would
17:12cover every cent of dad's recovery they were terrified of what mr harrison could do to their business
17:17we were all standing there in shock trying to process how our world had flipped upside down in three
17:21hours mom couldn't stop crying clutching mrs harrison's hands and thanking her over and over
17:26mrs harrison just held her tight mary i thought ethan was gone for good you saved him
17:33this means far more to me than words can express her voice broke and right there in the middle of
17:38the sterile hospital hallway these two women from completely different worlds just broke down and
17:42sobbed in each other's arms as i listened to them talk the pieces started to fit together
17:47the harrisons were heavy hitters from the capital back in this tiny mountain town to visit their old
17:52family estate for the holidays they'd spent years struggling with infertility before ethan was born
17:57so he was their miracle child they usually had a full-time nanny but they decided to handle the trip
18:02alone this time one split-second distraction at the market was all it took for those monsters to snatch
18:07him if it wasn't for mom's meddling heart ethan would be a statistic by now and the craziest part
18:13the shock of being saved by us actually broke the selective nudism ethan had struggled with for
18:18years he was finally talking when dad finally rolled out of surgery the lead surgeon gave us
18:23a thumbs up his leg was saved it was only then that i realized it was christmas eve mr harrison
18:28ordered a full catering spread from the best steakhouse in the city for our christmas dinner
18:32i sat there staring at the prime rib and loaded potatoes realizing there were flavors in this world
18:37i couldn't have even imagined in my wildest dreams after dinner it was time for the harrisons
18:42to head back to the capital ethan wouldn't let go of my hand he looked at his parents then at
18:48me
18:48maya come with us mrs harrison talked to mom in hush tones for a while then she knelt down to
18:55my
18:55level maya sweetie how would you like to come live with us in the city you'd have your own room
19:00you
19:01could go to the best private school with ethan and you'd never have to worry about a meal again
19:05i looked at mom my heart sinking was she trying to get rid of me did she finally believe linda's
19:11words about me being a jinx mom's eyes were brimming with tears as she stroked my hair
19:15they're kind people maya they can give us a life we only dream of you deserve that i grabbed mom's
19:23hand and shook my head so hard it hurt i didn't want a mansion i wanted her mrs harrison pulled
19:29me
19:29into a hug smelling of expensive you're a loyal soul sweetheart you love your family more than gold
19:35and that makes you special i believe i'll see you soon as i watched their suv disappear into the
19:42snowy night i reached into my coat pocket my fingers brushed against something thick and paper
19:46wrapped it was a massive roll of hundred dollar bills dad's leg never fully recovered because of
19:52the delay in getting him to the city even with the best surgeons he'd always have a slight limp when
19:56he walked too fast but in our town keeping your leg at all was considered a miracle around here
20:02people die or end up disabled every day because they can't afford a doctor mom told everyone who'd
20:07listen that i was the reason our family was still whole she called me the hero who saved the millers
20:11even dad started calling me a brave kid everyone in town was praising me except for frank and linda
20:18just rolled their eyes telling people that if i hadn't brought my bad luck to the millers
20:21the accident never would have happened in the first place they still hated me but honestly
20:27i didn't care i had a dad and mom who loved me and brothers who protected me that was my
20:33real wealth
20:33a few weeks later the harrisons came back for a visit their trunk was overflowing with gifts
20:39imported chocolates high-end electronics and brand new designer outfits for all of us kids
20:44but they weren't just there to bring gifts mrs harrison had an offer she pulled some strings to get dad
20:50a job as a security supervisor at a major tech plant in the city it paid triple what he made
20:55on the farm
20:55had full benefits and was a lot safer than climbing roofs for mom they found an opening at a
21:01prestigious charter school in the city they'd set up an interview for a teaching position that could
21:05eventually lead to a full-time tenure contract and for us four kids they already looked into the
21:10school district so we could all transfer together my parents were hesitant afraid of being a burden
21:16but mrs harrison just laughed it off it's not a favor mary it's an investment i just want ethan
21:23to grow up surrounded by kids as brave and kind as yours ethan had gone silent again the second they
21:30got back to the city it wasn't until mrs harrison mentioned coming back to visit us that he finally
21:34started talking in his broken raspy voice he was attached to us to me news of our lottery win spread
21:40through the mountains like wildfire before the harrisons could even pack their suv frank and linda
21:45showed up looking like they just smelled money linda had this fake sugary smile plastered on her face that
21:51i've never seen before you know i went through 18 hours of labor for this girl she told mrs harrison
21:57i'm her real flesh and blood her only mother her eyes were darting toward the harrison's expensive car
22:05dripping with greed if you're handing out rewards shouldn't the real parents be getting paid
22:10frank stepped up too grabbing my other arm like i was a piece of property
22:17arthur arthur arthur we just can't bear to be apart from maya we're taking her back
22:22she belongs with her real family mary was frantic let her go you're hurting her please just stop
22:32but they didn't budge they held on to me like i was a golden ticket they were afraid to lose
22:37mr harrison watched them with a look of pure disgust mrs harrison knelt down in front of me
22:42ignoring the shouting maya are these people really your parents i pressed my lips together
22:48paralyzed with fear of course we are ask anyone in this godforsaken town we shared the same roof for
22:56five years mrs harrison looked conflicted playing along for a second look
23:03we're reasonable we're reasonable you just get our son into one of those fancy prep schools in the city
23:10that's all we ask you are important people a few phone calls from you and our lives will be
23:18settled the neighbors were all gathered around watching the drama unfold maya are these your
23:25parents of course we are biological siblings mrs harrison kept her eyes locked on mine i gathered
23:32every ounce of courage i had no mary and arthur are my parents
23:37these people are strangers linda's face twisted into something demonic screaming curses at me
23:43frank lost it he raised his hand to backhand me across the face but before he could connect
23:48arthur stepped in and shoved him back so hard he nearly hit the dirt don't touch my daughter
23:54it was the loudest i'd ever heard him speak he scooped me up and handed me to mom
24:00take my inside right away my dad usually the quietest man in the county grabbed a heavy
24:06garden hole from the porch he stood his ground like an iron wall if maya says she's staying
24:11she's staying you'll have to go through me to get to her the yard turned into a chaotic shouting match
24:17finally the pastor hill stepped in listen frank you signed the paper took the money and the whole
24:24town is watching you can't sell your child and then come back to take her away when she becomes valuable
24:32the neighbors started jeering calling frank and linda out for their disgusting greed the tide was
24:37turning against them linda was hooming her face bright red i gave to her and this is an unchangeable
24:46mrs harrison stepped forward a cold elegant smile on her face linda let me make it clear we
24:53don't repay those who give birth to children but only those who've raised children well
24:58we are grateful to those who showed kindness to my son not to those who abandoned their own daughter
25:04she picked up a box of expensive chocolates and tossed it toward linda take this and go home
25:09don't ruin everyone's holiday you won't get a single cent more we're just an ordinary family linda
25:16we don't have some magic wand to fix lives for people who won't help themselves
25:22linda and arthur realized the well had run dry and slunk away like beaten dogs i stood there tears
25:27blurring my vision terrified that i'd caused too much trouble for my new family mrs harrison knelt
25:32down and wiped a tear from my cheek oh sweetie it's fine it's not your fault and you did nothing
25:38wrong
25:39you were so brave just now you chose the people who love you and that's never a mistake it took
25:45a week
25:45to pack up our lives after the holidays the car sent by the harrisons picked us up as we drove
25:51toward
25:51the city i watched the mountains shrink in the rearview mirror leaving the darkness behind arthur's
25:56size and honest face made him a perfect fit for the security team at the plant the captain liked him
26:00instantly and mary stayed up late every night prepping for her teaching demo she taught every
26:05grade back home and her passion blew the interviewers away the harrisons helped us find a rental just a
26:11few blocks from their estate they wanted ethan and me to stay close hoping our bond would keep
26:15him moving forward ethan and i started at the same elementary school he was brilliant a literal genius
26:21but his stutter made him a target for the local bullies i was terrified of the bully myself but seeing
26:27them pick on ethan made my blood boil every time someone tried to shove him i was there standing in
26:32front of him like a human shield growing up in a house full of my noisy brothers forced ethan to
26:37find
26:37his voice by third grade his stutter was gone and he was topping every class he'd even help me with
26:43my math homework teasing me and calling me a dummy when i couldn't get the equations right
26:48i wasn't the academic star of the family my grades were always just average but my brothers they were
26:54crushing it constantly making the dean's list mom worked harder than anyone she knew she'd gotten her
26:59foot in the door because of a favor so she felt she had to prove she belonged there she spent
27:04her
27:04weekends tutoring kids for extra cash never taking a day off when her first class graduated with the
27:09highest honors in the district the school finally offered her a permanent tenure contract she took us
27:15out for a huge celebratory dinner that night but later i caught her crying in the kitchen tears of
27:20pure relief dad was the backbone of that factory while other guards slept through their night shifts
27:25arthur patrolled every inch of the grounds he was too kind for his own good always covering
27:31shifts for guys who wanted to stay home i was in middle school when it happened dad had agreed to
27:37cover another late shift around 2am two intruders cut through the perimeter fence the other guards
27:42saw their knives and froze in fear but not my dad even with his limp he chased them down one
27:49of them
27:49turned and buried a blade in dad's shoulder but he didn't let go he pinned the guy to the ground
27:53and
27:54held on for dear life when the cops finally arrived they found the thieves carrying sensitive blueprints
27:58proprietary tech that would have destroyed the company if it leaked my dad the limping security
28:03guard had just saved the entire corporation the burglars confessed they were hired by a rival
28:08competitor to steal those blueprints when mrs harrison came to the hospital to check on dad
28:12she was nearly in tears arthur you can't throw your life away for a company nothing is worth more than
28:19your breath dad just gave her that humble tired smile of his you stuck your neck out to get me
28:25this
28:25job mary i couldn't let you look bad besides if a man takes a paycheck he owes the man his
28:33best work
28:35mrs harrison went silent clearly moved by his old school integrity the corporate exacts weren't blind to
28:40it either since the head of security was retiring the ceo announced that dad was taking the spot he'd earned
28:46it in blood and no one dared to complain luck was finally on our side the company had a program
28:52helping senior staff buy homes in a new development dad wasn't technically eligible yet but because of
28:57his bravery they fast-tracked him with a small loan from the harrisons and years of mom's savings we
29:02moved into a beautiful three-bedroom condo my parents had their room my brother shared the largest one
29:07and i for the first time in my life had a room of my own i used to dream of
29:11this but i never thought
29:12it would be real when we went back to the mountains for the holidays everyone treated us like royalty
29:18everyone except linda she cornered me in the kitchen hissing don't get too comfortable in that
29:22fancy condo you're a girl one day you'll belong to some man and this room will go to your brother
29:30she stared at my brand new sneakers with pure envy what size are those they look like they'd fit finn
29:39that backpack looks expensive too her eyes roaming over my things and i bet you got plenty of christmas
29:45cash give some to your brother it made my skin crawl as far as i was concerned i'd had three
29:50brothers since i was five ssat were looming mom hired a tutor and ethan spent every free second trying
29:56to drill math into my head but i just wasn't built for academics no matter how many late nights i
30:01pulled
30:02my grades barely budged the night before the big test mom brought me a glass of warm milk just do
30:08your best maya if the elite high schools don't take you we'll look into a trade school don't carry
30:15the world on your shoulders after the exams my adoptive grandma fell ill so we went back to the
30:23mountains to care for her she had several grandsons but i was her only granddaughter even
30:28though we weren't blood she treated me like her own sneaking me dollar bills from a little clock
30:32pouch under her pillow the day after we arrived linda showed up at the front door she wasn't alone
30:38she was trailing a massive middle-aged man who looked like he'd been carved out of salt pork
30:42sweaty arrogant and eyes that felt like slime what's the point of education maya we all know you aren't
30:47the smart one linda said gesturing to the man behind her this is peter he owns the biggest industrial
30:52pig farm in the tri-state area well he's not as young as you are but he's wealthy you'll be
30:56set for
30:57life if marry him you'll be the queen of that farm isn't that better than failing exam
31:05peter sized me up from head to toe a greasy smirk on his face he held up two fingers acting
31:10like a big
31:11shot i'll write a check for two hundred thousand dollars right now provided she's still you know
31:16intact and if she gives me a son another one hundred thousand dollars bonus linda pulled mary aside
31:23whispering like she was closing a business deal look mary i'm being generous here i'll take 150k for
31:30the delivery fees and you keep 50k dollars for the maintenance see raising her wasn't a waste of time
31:35after all mary looked like she was about to have a stroke maya's barely 16 she's a child linda didn't
31:44even flinch it's exactly why she's worth so much wait until she's 20 something and used up nobody's
31:49gonna pay a dime for her then my grandma sat bolt upright in her sick bed shaking with rage as
31:54she
31:54reached for a broom my uncles men with short tempers and big hearts instantly grabbed their farming tools
32:00my brothers followed suit picking up anything heavy they could find no uncle daniel jammed his
32:04toe toward peter's chest you think your dirty money buys you a seat at this table go find a mirror
32:11you
32:11pig-faced creep you aren't fit to breathe the same air as my niece my aunt ran out of the
32:18kitchen
32:18brandishing a butcher knife pointing it straight at linda maya is the only girl in this family and we
32:23aren't letting a vulture like you sell her off if this pig is such a catch why don't you marry
32:28him
32:28you look like you got the hips to pop out a dozen airs for him yourself mom pulled me behind
32:33her
32:33shielding me with her body maya is my daughter her legal papers are with the millers i am responsible
32:39for her future linda if i ever see you near her again i'm calling the police get out
32:47peter was sweating for his silk shirt terrified but linda wouldn't shut up fine kick us out but face
32:55the facts she's failing school she's got no future no one else is ever gonna offer you this kind of
33:00cash
33:01for a girl with no brains right then mom's phone started buzzing it was my homeroom teacher the
33:08entrance exam results were in who says maya can't make it my daughter is brilliant she's going to the
33:15best high school and after that elite university she's going to be someone you can only dream of being
33:21i hadn't just passed i peaked i scored 50 points higher than my best practice test with the threat of
33:27my uncle's axes linda and peter scrambled for their car and got away maya the world is harder on women
33:33like us you have to work twice as hard just to stand still but you showed them today don't ever
33:41stop
33:41trying you'll get there ethan and i both made it into the city's top high school he was ranked first
33:47in the district i was well let's just say i barely scraped in he was in the honors wing on
33:52the first floor
33:52and i was tucked away on the fourth but every single day without fail he was waiting for me at
33:57the bottom of the stairs he was popular the school's golden boy everyone was constantly whispering
34:03wondering who the average girl always by his side was the pressure was suffocating one day on the walk
34:09home i couldn't take it anymore ethan maybe we should stop walking together he stopped in his tracks
34:15his eyes narrowing why people are talking ethan they think there's something between us he didn't
34:25even look up from his textbook did you finish your calculus homework i stammered no not yet then you
34:33clearly have too much free time if you're listening to school gossip despite the rumors he kept waiting
34:38for me at the bottom of the stairs every day when the principal finally called him into the office to
34:43discuss distractions ethan just gave him a cold calm look she's family watching out for her is like a
34:49habit the administration kept an eye on us for a few weeks but since ethan's grades didn't drop and we
34:54weren't making out in the hallways they eventually let it go but then came a new headache half the
34:58girls in school started using me as a mailbox for their love letters after i delivered a few ethan
35:03actually snitched on me to my mom he told her i was neglecting my studies to run a courier service
35:08which got me grounded and made me an enemy to half the cheerleading squad
35:11my grades were still a disaster even mom had started looking into trade schools but ethan refused
35:17to give up he spent every night tutoring me explaining the same concepts over and over with
35:22the patients i didn't know he had i felt too guilty to slack off so i pushed myself just to
35:26keep from
35:27drowning senior year hit like a freight train a few weeks in ethan's world imploded mr harrison was
35:33taken away for a federal investigation his mother was forced into administrative leave in just a few days
35:39i saw the light fade from ethan's eyes he looked like he'd aged 10 years overnight i couldn't wrap
35:44my head around it the harrisons were the best couple i ever seen how could they end up like this
35:49mom just sighed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear maya in the world of power it's
35:54not
35:54always about right or wrong sometimes just standing on the wrong side of a line can destroy you
36:02over the years my parents hadn't actually spent much time socializing with the harrisons mom always said
36:08that true friendship doesn't need to be flashy they were there for us when we were at our lowest
36:12and we didn't need to suck up to them when they were at their highest but now that the harrisons
36:16were toxic everyone who used to beg for their favors had vanished except for my mom she took our
36:22family's entire life savings and went to see mrs harrison they'd talked for a long time when they
36:27finally emerged from the room mrs harrison's eyes were clearly swollen from crying mary i'm gonna be blunt
36:33this amount won't even scratch the surface of our legal fees keep it for your kids but if things go
36:39south for us please just look after him mom gripped her hand her voice shaking but certain i swear to
36:46god mr harrison he is my son always ethan tried to act like he was fine but i could see
36:53the cracks for
36:54the first time ever he dropped out of the top three in our monthly rankings i was terrified for him
36:59i started
37:00dragging him to lunch forcing him to study with me and sticking to him like glue one saturday i forced
37:05him to go for a walk by the river to clear his head the weather was turning the cold biting
37:10wind
37:10was whipping across the water and the trails were nearly empty just as i was about to head back i
37:15saw
37:15a splash an elderly man had lost his footing and fallen into the freezing current he struggled for a
37:21second then his head dipped below the surface i didn't think i didn't even look at ethan i kicked off
37:26my sneakers and get straight into the ice cold waters growing up near the mountains i've been
37:32a fish in the water since i was three when we moved to the city mom even enrolled me in
37:36swimming classes
37:37but real life rescue that was a different beast in the panic of the moment the elderly man grabbed
37:43my neck like a drowning sailor clinging to a mask i swallowed lungfuls of freezing water the weight
37:48dragging us both under thank god for ethan he found a long wooden pole and hauled us both toward the
37:53bank the second i clawed onto the grass coughing and gasping he exploded are you insane maya what
37:59were you trying to prove playing the hero if i hadn't found that pole you'd be at the bottom of
38:02the river right now he was terrifying i gotta say but i could see his hands shaking i huddled into
38:07a
38:07ball shivering violently ethan i'm so cold his eyes were bloodshot filled with a fear i'd never seen before
38:13he ripped off his coat and wrapped it around me pulling me tight don't ever do that again maya he
38:20whispered into my hair promise me the paramedics arrived and rushed with the old man who needs the
38:25i felt okay just cold but ethan wouldn't take no for an answer he made the doctors run every test
38:30in
38:30the book mom and mrs harrison arrived soon after pale with worry they both gave me the same lecture
38:36about reckless bravery their voices trembling with relief in the middle of the lecture there was a
38:41soft knock a distinguished looking man in his 60s stood there excuse me is this maya miller's room
38:49mrs harrison turned around and her entire posture changed she looked stunned almost breathless it's
38:55the state governor mr davis what what are you doing here mr davis's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked
39:03between us wait sophia you know this girl it clicked i'd seen his face on the news just last week
39:11ethan had stared at the screen with a dark expression and muttered i hope he's as honest as they say
39:16he's the only one who can give my dad a fair shake mrs harrison hesitated she's the daughter
39:21of a close friend i caught my mom's eye and she gave me a tiny imperceptible nod i knew what
39:26i had to
39:27do god ma'am what's wrong i chirped putting on my best innocent daughter act a friend's daughter
39:33aren't i your favorite goddaughter mrs harrison froze for a split second then a look of realization
39:39dawned on her she reached out and patted my head oh you silly girl what i have saved is mr
39:45davis's
39:46father i shook my head pointing at ethan it wasn't just me sir if it wasn't for ethan both your
39:51father
39:51and i would be gone he was the one who kept his head and pulled us out mr davis looked
39:56at ethan with
39:57genuine respect sophia you've raised a fine sun courage clearly runs in the family mrs harrison gave
40:04a modest smile he gets it from his father mr davis thank you after mr davis left mrs harrison came
40:10back into the room her eyes shining with something like hope thanks for that maya how did you know to
40:16call me god mom in front of him i glanced at mom feeling a bit shy mom always said if
40:25there's a chance
40:25to help you i should take it helping you means helping him but a man like mr davis didn't get
40:31to
40:31where he was by being naive mr harrison told us later that he had the police review the traffic
40:36cameras they confirmed his father had simply slipped and that ethan and i being there was
40:40nothing more than a lucky coincidence it wasn't the first time ethan and i had played the good
40:44samaritans helping old ladies carry groceries or walking lost kids home was just something we did
40:49we've been lucky so far never ran into trouble just people who were genuinely grateful about a month
40:54later the investigation cleared mr harrison it turned out he kept his nose clean but the
40:59same couldn't be said for his boss his superior was caught in a massive corruption scandal that
41:03took down half the department in the vacuum that followed mr harrison was the only one with a clean
41:08record left to leave he didn't just keep his job he was promoted to the top spot the harrison
41:13estate was buzzing with people again mom was thrilled for them but she started keeping her distance
41:18you don't show you care by hanging around when people are successful you keep them in your heart and
41:23that's enough mr harrison didn't see it that way as the holidays approached she insisted on taking
41:29mom and me out for dinner mom thought it would just be a quiet family dinner but when we arrived
41:36mrs harrison introduced us to the superintendent of the city's school district the conversation stayed
41:41light mostly just small talk over wine but the message was clear as we were leaving mom whispered to
41:46mrs harrison you didn't have to do this for me sophia mrs harrison just squeezed her hand i know about
41:53this and it's exactly what you deserve you deserve this by the time the new semester started mom had
42:01been transferred to the most prestigious elementary school in the city on new year's eve mr davis sent a
42:06car to bring ethan and me to his home for dinner his place was surprisingly modest filled with old books
42:11and worn in furniture mr davis's father pulled out a pearl necklace and a pocket watch here one for mike
42:17he whispered with a glassy look in his eyes merry christmas kids i later found out that mr davis had
42:24a younger brother and sister who had tragically drowned decades ago the old man's dementia had
42:28convinced him that ethan and ever those lost children come back to life it broke my heart to
42:33see him smile at us like that that spring dad's company went through a massive restructuring people were
42:38being laid off left and right but arthur was untouchable he kept his role as head of security
42:42got a larger team under him and even a modest raise but i barely noticed any of it my entire
42:48world had
42:48shrunk down to one thing the sat's were coming and my future was on the line
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