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00:01i was born in a town so small it didn't even have a traffic light my father was a hardline
00:06patriarch who was obsessed with having a son to work the farm and girls just left when the
00:11doctor said it's a girl my mother didn't cry my father did not from joy from disappointment
00:18we were already dirt poor two daughters one collapsing farmhouse bill stacked higher than
00:24the corn silos and then there was me the third girl my father told everyone it was god's mistake
00:31he didn't even look at me he wrapped me in a thin blanket and started walking toward the edge of
00:36the woods probably planning to leave me at some abandoned trailhead but he ran straight into the
00:40local pastor hill pastor hill knew exactly what was happening he talked my father down arguing that a
00:46girl could at least do the chores and keep the house clean he even promised to help settle some
00:50back taxes the family owed that's the only reason my father didn't leave me for the coyotes that
00:55night two months later my mother was pregnant again they became obsessed pouring what little
01:01money we had into miracle cure to ensure the next one was a boy i survived on powdered milk and
01:05scraps
01:05fed to me by my seven-year-old sister sarah years later she joke she was so tough she could
01:12eat solid
01:12food at six months i wasn't being tough sarah i was starving finally the heir was born my mother acted
01:21like she birthed a king she'd strut through the local market wanting my brother to every woman who
01:26didn't have a son finally feeling like she had some status in her miserable life nobody had time for me
01:31most days i was literally tethered to the bedpost with a nylon rope so i wouldn't get in the way
01:36of my
01:36brother's royal playtime it's a miracle i didn't die when i turned five it was time for school but my
01:42parents refused to pay for my supplies or the bus fees they didn't see the point in educating a
01:47girl then i got hit with a brutal lung infection i was burning up coughing until i choked night after
01:54night eventually my brother started coughing too and that's when my parents actually started to care
01:59not about me but about him they took us to a local clinic the doctor told them plainly the girl
02:05has a
02:06severe infection she needs a real hospital or she's not gonna make it and you need to quarantine her
02:12or she'll kill your son on the walk back my mother clutched my brother and took off walking as fast
02:18as
02:18she could to get him home i was gasping for air my chest tight as a vice i kept screaming
02:24mom but she
02:25never even glanced back she was leaving me behind literally and figuratively the cold was bone deep
02:31my vision blurred my stomach was a knot of hunger and then the world just went black i collapsed in
02:37the tall grass by the roadside when i woke up i was under a thick warm quilt three boys were
02:43hovering
02:43over me whispering and looking at me like i was some kind of strange creature they'd found in the woods
02:48a kind sturdy woman mary miller walked in with a bowl of chicken noodle soup i inhaled it but once
02:55i
02:55finished she told me she had to take me home in a town this small everyone knows who everyone belongs
03:01to her sons followed us calling my name and trying to make me laugh halfway there it started to snow
03:07the oldest boy leo took off his oversized gloves and slid them onto my tiny frozen hands when we
03:14reached the porch i heard sarah's voice from inside where's maya she's been gone all night my mother's
03:19voice was cold and sharp i hope the cold got her at least she won't be here to make your
03:23brother sick
03:24anymore i let out a jagged painful cough when my mom opened the door and saw me the look on
03:30her face
03:31wasn't relief it was pure disappointment my father just growled from the couch god she's still alive
03:37mrs miller looked at them then at me she didn't say a word just turned and started walking away with
03:44her boys the snow was coming down in thick sheets now leo let me keep the gloves but the warmth
03:49was gone
03:50i felt like a ghost standing in my own yard my father barked at me to go out and slap
03:54the hogs
03:55when i didn't move fast enough he grabbed a heavy broom and lunged at me but then mrs miller's truck
04:01screeched to a halt she'd come back she jumped out and stood between us staring my father down with a
04:07look of pure steel she looked at my bruised face then at him and said you know what give me
04:13the girl
04:13i've got three boys and no daughter since you clearly don't want her i'll take her
04:18we did it by the book as much as you can in a place like this mrs miller made them
04:23sign a notarized
04:23relinquishment form right there in the pastor's office so with 50 bucks the deal was done and just
04:29like that i became mrs miller's daughter as i was leaving linda leaned against the porch spitting
04:35sunflower seeds she's a sickly little jinx she's your problem now don't come crawling back in a
04:43month trying to get a refund because we aren't taking her back mrs miller my new mom dressed me
04:50in her youngest son's oversized hand-me-downs and bought me a pair of thick wool socks and sturdy
04:54boots for the first time in my life i had a warm breakfast every single morning at night she tucked
05:01me
05:01into bed and hold me close she smelled like laundry soap and wood smoke when i tried to muffle my
05:06cough
05:07so i wouldn't bother anyone she just gently rubbed my back until i could breathe again my three new
05:12brothers treated me like a fragile treasure always letting me have the last bit of dessert or the best
05:17seat by the fire it felt too good to be true i spent every day waiting for someone to wake
05:22me up
05:22from this dream then winter really hit and mr miller came home he'd been away working a grueling
05:28construction job across the state only coming back for the holidays he was a giant of a man
05:33worn down by hard labor and quiet as a grave when mom introduced me he just stared at me with
05:39a deep
05:39scowl i could tell instantly he didn't want me there that night i pretended to sleep while they
05:45argued in the next room we're living paycheck to paycheck mary i heard him growl we can barely feed
05:52the boys what were you thinking bringing another mouth to feed into this house she hardly eats
05:58anything it's not just about the food mary you take a kid in you're responsible for her for life
06:04we can't afford that kind of commitment i'm out of cash and she needs a doctor
06:11that cough is getting worse do you have anything left from your paycheck there was a long heavy silence
06:17followed by the sound of him sighing in defeat and the rustle of his work clothes hitting the floor
06:21before the sun was even up mom woke me people in this town can't afford insurance on a seasonal
06:27worker's wage so a trip to the clinic was a massive financial blow you usually just prayed and hope you
06:32didn't die i gripped the doorframe refusing to budge i was terrified that if they spent too much money on
06:39me they'd realize i wasn't worth the cost and send me back to frank and linda we were at a
06:43standstill
06:43until dad walked over without saying a word he scooped me up tossed me over his shoulder like
06:49a sack of grain and walked out into the cold maybe someone up there was finally looking out for me
06:54halfway to town we ran into an old retired doctor visiting family he took one look at me listened to
07:00my chest and told my parents it wasn't terminal just severe malnutrition and exhaustion he said he
07:06gave us some medicine for free and didn't charge for the visit after three days of rest i could finally
07:11take a breath without feeling like my chest was exploding by late december the whole town was
07:17buzzing for the holidays there was a huge christmas market in the town square and when mom found out
07:21i'd never been she insisted on taking me and the boys dad stayed behind his foreman had asked him to
07:27fix his roof for free dad hated being used as free labor but the guy still owed him two months
07:32back pay
07:33he figured if he did the favor he might actually get his money wage theft was a way of life
07:38back then
07:38you could break your back for a year and end up with nothing but despite the struggle the market
07:44was packed with people trying to find a bit of holiday joy mom bought me a huge candy apple none
07:49of my brothers got one but they didn't even complain i was staring at the lights and the crowds trying
07:54to
07:54soak it all in that's when i saw him in a sea of happy faces there was this little boy
08:00two adults had
08:01him pinned between them clutching his arms way too tight he was fighting tears streaming down his face
08:07his mouth was wide open gasping for air like a fish out of water but no sound came out i
08:12tugged on my
08:13mom's sleeve mom look at that boy something's mom took one look in her face went pale the boy was
08:20dressed in fancy clothes but he was barefoot even worse his feet were raw and bleeding from being
08:25dragged across the asphalt mom's eyes narrowed tracking them like a hawk the couple looked frantic
08:31trying to shove the kid into a beat-up old truck but my mom she's got a heart of gold
08:36and a backbone
08:37of steel she grabbed us and marched straight into their path the man had a thick out-of-state accent
08:43hide this is my son this is a family matter but when mom looked the boy in the eye and
08:49asked if he
08:49knew them he just sobbed and shook his head violently a crowd started to gather show me some id
08:56her voice echoing in the square either we see some papers or we're calling the sheriff right now
09:00that broke them realizing they were about to get busted they literally shoved the boy to the ground
09:05jumped in their truck and floored it leaving a cloud of exhaust behind mom was leading us toward the
09:10station when a neighbor came running up mary what are you doing out here your husband just fell off a
09:15roof at the construction site you gotta get to the hospital fast i saw the color drain from mom's face
09:20she was just a substitute teacher making pennies dad was the one keeping the lights on if something
09:25happened to him we were finished my brothers were also freaking out but she didn't crumble she gave a
09:32quick statement to the police about the boy then turned to leo my oldest brother he was only 11 but
09:38she looked at him like he was a man she squeezed his shoulder hard leo you're in charge now look
09:44after
09:45your brothers and maya the snow started coming down and heavy blinding sheets leo let us home through
09:51the drifts but the joy of the christmas market was gone i looked at the candy apple in my hand
09:55now
09:56covered in gray slush i took a bite it tasted like bitterness leo made some plain oatmeal for dinner
10:02but none of us could eat only the mute boy we saved ate a full bowl an old neighbor lady
10:07came over to
10:08stay the night with us she kept stroking our hair and sighing that heavy god help us kind of sigh
10:13the wind held against the house all night and i couldn't close my eyes for a second
10:17at dawn mom came back her eyes were bloodshot and she looked 10 years older she started grabbing
10:23everything of value the laying hens the cured meat from the cellar and then she put on her boots to
10:28go
10:28door to door begging for loans dad was in bad shape the surgery alone was going to be 80 000
10:34and without
10:34insurance that might as well have been a billion dollars to us dad had been making 60 a day his
10:40foreman
10:41was a total scumbag he claimed dad tripped on his own and only offered 200 for hush money he even
10:46tried to say he'd already paid dad's back wages knowing dad was unconscious and couldn't call him
10:51a liar mom scoured the whole town and only came up with about a thousand bucks she was packing to
10:56head
10:56back to the city hospital when i ran after her with a small carton of eggs i'd found in the
11:00kitchen
11:00mom maybe you can sell these too that was the first time i called her mom i was terrified that
11:06if the
11:06money ran out the love would run out too she teared up and stroked my hair keep them for your
11:11brothers
11:11maya and listen to me no matter what happens you are our daughter forever before she left she gripped
11:18leo's hands look after maya and the quiet boy she whispered keep them safe leo don't you worry about
11:25your father i'm going to handle it i'll find a way i watched her walk away into the blizzard until
11:30she
11:30was nothing but a shadow in the white out later when the water ran out leo went to the well
11:35and i
11:36followed him a group of local women were huddled there gossiping linda was right in the middle of
11:41them one woman looked at me inside if the millers go broke over this accident they won't be able to
11:46keep that girl she'll probably end up back where she started she's a jinx things were fine for them
11:52until she showed up there's no way that little brat setting foot in my house again not a chance i
11:58won't
11:59have her cursing my precious son she can rot in the street for all i care leo grabbed my hand
12:04so
12:04hard it hurt he stood tall and stared them down maya is my sister as long as i have a
12:09crust of bread
12:10she'll have half of it we are never giving her up tears stung my eyes for the first time ever
12:16i felt
12:16like i had a real family linda just rolled her eyes and scoffed you brat you don't call the shot
12:22leo
12:22leo's face was beet red with rage finally mrs smith snapped for god's sake linda
12:28shut up that girl came out of your own body don't you have a shred of decency left
12:33oh i hope she finds everyone here started murmuring in agreement but linda just gave a nasty little
12:39smirk oh i have gotta gotta dance a girl but let's be real she ain't born for happy endings
12:47for lunch that day i only took a tiny scoop of mashed potatoes i figured if i didn't eat too
12:52much
12:52maybe my parents wouldn't have to worry about one more mouth to feed
12:55maybe that money could go to the hospital but leo saw right through me he grabbed my bowl
13:01piled it high with a second helping and scraped the last of the scrambled eggs onto my plate
13:05here you go maya his voice firm but kind he turned to the runaway boy we'd rescued and gave him
13:10an
13:11extra scoop you too kid you need your strength the boy struggled for a long time his jaw working as
13:17if
13:17he'd forgotten how to use it thank you so he wasn't mute after all his voice sounded like gravel
13:25grinding together probably from the trauma or some infection he caught while on the run toward evening
13:29sarah snuck over to our porch she stared at my clean warm sweater
13:38i nodded did mrs miller buy that for you yeah my mom got it for me listen linda said that
13:45if the
13:46millers go broke and try to return you she's not taking you back she's already talking to some creepy
13:50guy in the next county who's looking for a live-in maid she's gonna sell you for cash maya i
13:55only came
13:55here to warn you because we share the same blood mom stayed at the hospital again that night the old
14:01neighbor lady mrs gable came over to tuck us in but the house felt empty and haunted without mom's
14:06warmth i had a horrific nightmare i dreamt i was back in frank and linda's shack locked in a rusted
14:15dog
14:15kennel while they stood over me with a belt i woke up drenched in cold sweat my heart hammering against
14:20my ribs like a trapped bird suddenly a violent pounding erupted at the front door mary leo open up
14:30it was the pastor hill's voice and he sounded frantic my first thought dad is gone leo bolted
14:36upright and scrambled to the front door it wasn't the sheriff's bad news about dad it was the quiet
14:41boy's parents his name is ethan you could tell just by their clothes designer coats and expensive
14:46leather boots that they were from a completely different world their faces were etched with pure
14:51raw desperation the moment the woman saw ethan rubbing his sleepy eyes in the hallway
14:55she let out a choked sob and threw herself at him clutching him like she was afraid he'd vanish if
15:00she let go ethan struggled for a moment his voice still raspy and broken but then he managed to choke
15:05out one word mom that broke her she started sobbing even harder ethan used a mix of broken words and
15:12frantic gestures to explain everything that had happened since those kidnappers snatched him
15:16mrs harrison kept kissing ethan's forehead then she reached out and squeezed my hand her eyes shining
15:21with gratitude maya she said maya you saved our son tell me honey what do you want i'll get you
15:29anything in the world i looked down at my scuffed boots and whispered i want my dad to wake up
15:35i want
15:36him to be okay the pastor hill stood in the corner and let out a heavy sigh they adopted this
15:41unwanted
15:42child and now the child's father is critically ill with medical bills piling up they're good people
15:48it's just life hasn't been kind to them lately mr harrison finally spoke up in my world kindness like
15:55that doesn't go on reward he walked over and placed a reassuring hand on my head don't you worry maya
16:01your father is going to be just fine i'm going to make sure of it
16:07they stayed the night in our cramped little house the next morning the harrisons loaded all of us into
16:12their sleek black suv to head to the city hospital it was the first time i'd ever been inside a
16:17car that
16:17didn't smell like wet hay and gasoline back then nobody cared about seat belt laws or overcrowding
16:23we kids were squeezed together in the back seat half scared and half amazed watching the mountains
16:28blur past the window the surgery had already started when we reached the hospital we found mom in the
16:34hallway literally on her knees begging the head of billing to authorize dad's surgery but rules were
16:39rules no cash no surgery mr harrison didn't say a word he just walked straight to the counter pulled out
16:46a
16:46black credit card and cleared the entire 80 000 balance in seconds minutes later the hospital's
16:52chief of staff personally came down to greet us suddenly dad was a priority they moved him to a
16:58private suite and paged the best neurosurgeon in the state by that afternoon the atmosphere changed
17:04completely the guy in an expensive suit the owner of the construction company showed up with dad's
17:09sleazy foreman in tow they were sweating bullets bowing and scraping to mr harrison like he was the king of
17:15the city turns out mr harrison sat on the city council and oversaw all their building permits
17:20the foreman who had been laughing at us two days ago suddenly found the missing back pay he handed
17:26mom an envelope full of cash and stammered that the company would cover every cent of dad's recovery
17:30they were terrified of what mr harrison could do to their business we were all standing there in shock
17:35trying to process how our world had flipped upside down in three hours mom couldn't stop crying
17:40clutching mrs harrison's hands and thanking her over and over mrs harrison just held her tight
17:46mary i thought ethan was gone for good you saved him this means far more to me than words can
17:52express
17:52her voice broke and right there in the middle of the sterile hospital hallway these two women from
17:57completely different worlds just broke down and sobbed in each other's arms as i listened to them
18:01talk the pieces started to fit together the harrisons were heavy hitters from the capital back in this
18:07tiny mountain town to visit their old family estate for the holidays they'd spent years struggling
18:12with infertility before ethan was born so he was their miracle child they usually had a full-time
18:17nanny but they decided to handle the trip alone this time one split second distraction at the market
18:22was all it took for those monsters to snatch him if it wasn't for mom's meddling heart ethan would be
18:28a statistic by now and the craziest part the shock of being saved by us actually broke the selective
18:33nudism ethan had struggled with for years he was finally talking when dad finally rolled out of
18:38surgery the lead surgeon gave us a thumbs up his leg was saved it was only then that i realized
18:44it
18:44was christmas eve mr harrison ordered a full catering spread from the best steakhouse in the city for our
18:49christmas dinner i sat there staring at the prime rib and loaded potatoes realizing there were flavors in
18:54this world i couldn't have even imagined in my wildest dreams after dinner it was time for the
18:59harrisons to head back to the capital ethan wouldn't let go of my hand he looked at his parents
19:04then at me maya come with us mrs harrison talked to mom in hushed tones for a while then she
19:12knelt down
19:12to my level maya sweetie how would you like to come live with us in the city you'd have your
19:17own room
19:18you could go to the best private school with ethan and you'd never have to worry about a meal again
19:23i looked at mom my heart sinking was she trying to get rid of me did she finally believe
19:29linda's words about me being a jinx mom's eyes were brimming with tears as she stroked my hair
19:33they're kind people maya they can give us a life we only dream of you deserve that i grabbed mom's
19:41hand and shook my head so hard it hurt i didn't want a mansion i wanted her mrs harrison pulled
19:47me
19:47into a hug smelling of expensive you're a loyal soul sweetheart you love your family more than gold
19:53and that makes you special i believe i'll see you soon as i watched their suv disappear into the
20:00snowy night i reached into my coat pocket my fingers brushed against something thick and paper
20:05wrapped it was a massive roll of hundred dollar bills dad's leg never fully recovered because of
20:10the delay in getting him to the city even with the best surgeons he'd always have a slight limp when
20:15he
20:15walked too fast but in our town keeping your leg at all was considered a miracle around here people die
20:21or end up disabled every day because they can't afford a doctor mom told everyone who'd listen
20:25that i was the reason our family was still whole she called me the hero who saved the millers even
20:31dad started calling me a brave kid everyone in town was praising me except for frank and linda just rolled
20:37their eyes telling people that if i hadn't brought my bad luck to the millers the accident never would
20:42have happened in the first place they still hated me but honestly i didn't care i had a dad and
20:48mom
20:49who loved me and brothers who protected me that was my real wealth a few weeks later the harrisons
20:55came back for a visit their trunk was overflowing with gifts imported chocolates high-end electronics
21:00and brand new designer outfits for all of us kids but they weren't just there to bring gifts
21:05mrs harrison had an offer she pulled some strings to get dad a job as a security supervisor at a
21:11major
21:11tech plant in the city it paid triple what he made on the farm had full benefits and was a
21:16lot safer
21:17than climbing roofs for mom they found an opening at a prestigious charter school in the city they'd
21:22set up an interview for a teaching position that could eventually lead to a full-time tenure contract
21:27and for us four kids they'd already looked into the school districts so we could all transfer together
21:32my parents were hesitant afraid of being a burden but mrs harrison just laughed it off it's not a favor
21:39mary it's an investment i just want ethan to grow up surrounded by kids as brave and kind as yours
21:47ethan had gone silent again the second they got back to the city it wasn't until mrs harrison mentioned
21:52coming back to visit us that he finally started talking in his broken raspy voice he was attached
21:57to us to me news of our lottery wins spread through the mountains like wildfire before the harrisons could
22:03even pack their suv frank and linda showed up looking like they just smelled money linda had this fake
22:09sugary smile plastered on her face that i'd never seen before you know i went through 18 hours of
22:14labor for this girl she told mrs harrison i'm her real flesh and blood her only mother her eyes were
22:23darting toward the harrison's expensive car dripping with greed if you're handing out rewards shouldn't the
22:28real parents be getting paid frank stepped up too grabbing my other arm like i was a piece of
22:34property arthur arthur we just can't bear to be apart from maya we're taking her back she belongs
22:43with her real family mary was frantic let her go you're hurting her please just stop but they didn't
22:53budge they held onto me like i was a golden ticket they were afraid to lose mr harrison watched them
22:59with a look of pure disgust mrs harrison knelt down in front of me ignoring the shouting
23:05maya are these people really your parents i pressed my lips together paralyzed with fear
23:10of course we are ask anyone in this godforsaken town we shared the same roof for five years mrs harrison
23:18looked conflicted playing along for a second look we're reasonable we're reasonable you just get our
23:29son into one of those fancy prep schools in the city that's all we ask you are important people
23:34a few phone calls from you and our lives will be settled the neighbors were all gathered around
23:41watching the drama unfold maya are these your parents of course we are biological siblings
23:50mrs harrison kept her eyes locked on mine i gathered every ounce of courage i had no mary and arthur
23:56are
23:56my parents these people are strangers linda's face twisted into something demonic screaming curses at
24:04me frank lost it he raised his hand to backhand me across the face but before he could connect
24:10arthur stepped in and shoved him back so hard he nearly hit the dirt don't touch my daughter
24:16it was the loudest i'd ever heard him speak he scooped me up and handed me to mom
24:21take my inside right away my dad usually the quietest man in the county grabbed a heavy garden
24:28hole from the porch he stood his ground like an iron wall if maya says she's staying she's staying
24:34you'll have to go through me to get to her the yard turned into a chaotic shouting match
24:39finally the pastor hill stepped in listen frank you signed the paper took the money and the whole
24:46town is watching you can't sell your child and then come back to take her away when she becomes
24:53valuable the neighbors started jeering calling frank and linda out for their disgusting greed the tide
24:59was turning against them linda was swimming her face bright red i gave to her and this is an
25:06unchangeable fact mrs harrison stepped forward a cold elegant smile on her face linda let me make it
25:15clear we won't repay those who give birth to children but only those who've raised children well
25:20we are grateful to those who showed kindness to my son not to those who abandoned their own daughter
25:26she picked up a box of expensive chocolates and tossed it toward linda take this and go home
25:32don't ruin everyone's holiday you won't get a single cent more we're just an ordinary family linda
25:39we don't have some magic wand to fix lives for people who won't help themselves
25:45linda and arthur realized the well had run dry and slunk away like beaten dogs
25:49i stood there tears blurring my vision terrified that i'd caused too much trouble for my new family
25:54mrs harrison knelt down and wiped a tear from my cheek oh sweetie it's fine it's not your fault and
26:00you did nothing wrong you were so brave just now you chose the people who love you and that's never
26:07a
26:07mistake it took a week to pack up our lives after the holidays the car sent by the harrisons picked
26:13us
26:13up as we drove toward the city i watched the mountains shrink in the rearview mirror leaving
26:17the darkness behind arthur's size and honest face made him a perfect fit for the security team at
26:22the plant the captain liked him instantly and mary stayed up late every night prepping for her teaching
26:27demo she taught every grade back home and her passion blew the interviewers away the harrisons
26:33helped us find a rental just a few blocks from their estate they wanted ethan and me to stay close
26:38hoping our bond would keep him moving forward ethan and i started at the same elementary school
26:42he was brilliant a literal genius but his stutter made him a target for the local bullies
26:47i was terrified of the bully myself but seeing them pick on ethan made my blood boil every time
26:53someone tried to shove him i was there standing in front of him like a human shield growing up in
26:58a
26:58house full of my noisy brothers forced ethan to find his voice by third grade his stutter was gone
27:04and he was topping every class he'd even help me with my math homework teasing me and calling me a
27:09dummy
27:09when i couldn't get the equations right i wasn't the academic star of the family my grades were
27:15always just average but my brothers they were crushing it constantly making the dean's list
27:20mom worked harder than anyone she knew she'd gotten her foot in the door because of a favor
27:25so she felt she had to prove she belonged there she spent her weekends tutoring kids for extra cash
27:30never taking a day off when her first class graduated with the highest honors in the district
27:35the school finally offered for a permanent tenure contract cheater i caught her crying in the
27:40kitchen tears of pure relief dad was the backbone of that factory while other guards slept through
27:46their night shifts arthur patrolled every inch of the grounds he was too kind for his own good
27:51always covering shifts for guys who wanted to stay home i was in middle school when it happened dad
27:58had agreed to cover another late shift around 2 a.m two intruders cut through the perimeter fence the other
28:04guards saw their knives and froze in fear but not my dad even with his limp he chased them down
28:10one of
28:11them turned and buried a blade in dad's shoulder but he didn't let go he pinned the guy to the
28:15ground
28:15and held on for dear life when the cops finally arrived they found the thieves carrying sensitive
28:20blueprints proprietary tech that would have destroyed the company if it leaked my dad the limping security
28:25guard had just saved the entire corporation the burglars confessed they were hired by a rival
28:30competitor to steal those blueprints when mrs harrison came to the hospital to check on dad
28:34she was nearly in tears arthur you can't throw your life away for a company nothing is worth more
28:41than your breath dad just gave her that humble tired smile of his you stuck your neck out to get
28:47me this job mary i couldn't let you look bad besides if a man takes a paycheck he owes the
28:55man his best work
28:57mrs harrison went silent clearly moved by his old school integrity the corporate exacts weren't
29:03blind to it either since the head of security was retiring the ceo announced that dad was taking the
29:08spot he'd earned it in blood and no one dared to complain luck was finally on our side the company
29:14had a program helping senior staff buy homes in a new development dad wasn't technically eligible yet
29:19but because of his bravery they fast-tracked him with a small loan from the harrisons and years of mom's
29:24savings we moved into a beautiful three-bedroom condo my parents had their room my brother shared
29:29the largest one and i for the first time in my life had a room of my own i used
29:34to dream of this
29:34but i never thought it would be real when we went back to the mountains for the holidays everyone
29:39treated us like royalty everyone except linda she cornered me in the kitchen hissing don't get too
29:45comfortable in that fancy condo you're a girl one day you'll belong to some man and this room will go
29:52to
29:52your brother she stared at my brand new sneakers with pure envy what size are those they look like
29:58they'd fit finn that backpack looks expensive too her eyes roaming over my things and i bet you got
30:08plenty of christmas cash give some to your brother it made my skin crawl as far as i was concerned
30:13i'd
30:13had three brothers since i was five ssat were looming mom hired a tutor and ethan spent every free second
30:19trying to drill math into my head but i just wasn't built for academics no matter how many late nights
30:25i pulled my grades barely budged the night before the big test mom brought me a glass of warm milk
30:31just do your best maya if the elite high schools don't take you we'll look into a trade school
30:38don't carry the world on your shoulders
30:43after the exams my adoptive grandma fell ill so we went back to the mountains to care for her
30:49she had several grandsons but i was her only granddaughter even though we weren't blood
30:53she treated me like her own sneaking me dollar bills from a little cloth pouch under her pillow
30:57the day after we arrived linda showed up at the front door she wasn't alone she was trailing a massive
31:03middle-aged man who looked like he'd been carved out of salt pork sweaty arrogant and eyes that felt like
31:08slime what's the point of education maya we all know you aren't the smart one linda said
31:13gesturing to the man behind her this is peter he owns the biggest industrial pig farm in the tri-state
31:17area well he's not as young as you are but he's wealthy you'll be set for life if marry him
31:22you'll
31:23be the queen of that farm isn't that better than failing exam
31:30peter sized me up from head to toe a greasy smirk on his face he held up two fingers acting
31:35like a big
31:35shot i'll write a check for two hundred thousand dollars right now provided she's still you know
31:41intact and if she gives me a son another one hundred thousand dollars bonus linda pulled mary aside
31:48whispering like she was closing a business deal look mary i'm being generous here i'll take 150k for
31:55the delivery fees and you keep 50k dollars for the maintenance see raising her wasn't a waste of time
32:01after all mary looked like she was about to have a stroke maya's barely 16 she's a child linda didn't
32:09even flinch it's exactly why she's worth so much wait until she's 20 something and used up nobody's
32:15gonna pay a dime for her then my grandma sat bolt upright in her sickbed shaking with rage as she
32:20reached for a broom my uncles men with short tempers and big hearts instantly grabbed their farming tools
32:25my brothers followed suit picking up anything heavy they could find no uncle daniel jammed his hoe toward
32:30peter's chest you think your dirty money buys you a seat at this table go find a mirror you pig
32:37-faced
32:38creep you aren't fit to breathe the same air as my niece my aunt ran out of the kitchen brandishing
32:44a butcher knife pointing it straight at linda maya's the only girl in this family and we aren't letting
32:49a vulture like you sell her off if this pig is such a catch why don't you marry him you
32:54look like you've
32:55got the hips to pop out a dozen airs for him yourself mom pulled me behind her shielding me with
33:00her
33:00body maya is my daughter her legal papers are with the millers i am responsible for her future linda
33:06if i ever see you near her again i'm calling the police get out
33:14peter was sweating through his silk shirt terrified but linda wouldn't shut up fine kick us out but face
33:21the facts she's failing school she's got no future no one else is ever gonna offer you this kind of
33:27cash
33:27for a girl with no brains right then mom's phone started buzzing it was my homeroom teacher the
33:35entrance exam results were in who says maya can't make it my daughter is brilliant she's going to the
33:42best high school and after that elite university she's going to be someone you can only dream of being
33:48i hadn't just passed i peaked i scored 50 points higher than my best practice test with the threat
33:54of my uncle's taxes linda and peter scrambled for their car and sped away maya the world is harder
33:59on women like us you have to work twice as hard just to stand still but you showed them today
34:07don't ever stop trying you'll get there ethan and i both made it into the city's top high school
34:12he was ranked first in the district i was well let's just say i barely scraped in he was in
34:18the
34:18honors wing on the first floor and i was tucked away on the fourth but every single day without
34:23fail he was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs he was popular the school's golden boy
34:28everyone was constantly whispering wondering who the average girl always by his side was
34:33the pressure was suffocating one day on the walk home i couldn't take it anymore
34:38ethan maybe we should stop walking together he stopped in his tracks his eyes narrowing why
34:47people are talking ethan they think there's something between us he didn't even look up from
34:53his textbook did you finish your calculus homework i stammered no not yet then you clearly have too much
35:02free time if you're listening to school gossip despite the rumors he kept waiting for me at the
35:07bottom of the stairs every day when the principal finally called him into the office to discuss
35:11distractions ethan just gave him a cold calm look she's family watching out for her is like a habit
35:17the administration kept an eye on us for a few weeks but since ethan's grades didn't drop and we
35:22weren't making out in the hallways they eventually let it go but then came a new headache half the
35:26girls in school started using me as a mailbox for their love letters after i delivered a few ethan
35:31actually snitched on me to my mom he told her i was neglecting my studies to run a courier service
35:36which got me grounded and made me an enemy to half the cheerleading squad my grades were still
35:41a disaster even mom had started looking into trade schools but ethan refused to give up he spent every
35:47night tutoring me explaining the same concepts over and over with the patients i didn't know he had
35:52i felt too guilty to slack off so i pushed myself just to keep from drowning senior year hit like
35:57a freight
35:57train a few weeks in ethan's world imploded mr harrison was taken away for a federal investigation
36:04his mother was forced into administrative leave in just a few days i saw the light fade from ethan's
36:10eyes he looked like he'd aged 10 years overnight i couldn't wrap my head around it the harrisons were
36:15the best couple i ever seen how could they end up like this mom just sighed and tucked a loose
36:20strand
36:20of hair behind my ear maya in the world of power it's not always about right or wrong sometimes just
36:26standing on the wrong side of a line can destroy you over the years my parents hadn't actually
36:34spent much time socializing with the harrisons mom always said that true friendship doesn't need to be
36:38flashy they were there for us when we were at our lowest and we didn't need to suck up to
36:43them when
36:43they were at their highest but now that the harrisons were toxic everyone who used to beg for their favors
36:48had vanished except for my mom she took our family's entire life savings and went to see mrs harrison
36:54they talked for a long time when they finally emerged from the room mrs harrison's eyes were
37:00clearly swollen from crying mary i'm gonna be blunt this amount won't even scratch the surface of our
37:05legal fees keep it for your kids but if things go south for us please just look after mom gripped
37:13her hand her voice shaking but certain i swear to god mr harrison he is my son always ethan tried
37:20to act
37:21like he was fine but i could see the cracks for the first time ever he dropped out of the
37:25top three
37:26in our monthly rankings i was terrified for him i started dragging him to lunch forcing him to study
37:32with me and sticking to him like glue one saturday i forced him to go for a walk by the
37:36river to clear
37:37his head the weather was turning the cold biting wind was whipping across the water and the trails were
37:42nearly empty just as i was about to head back i saw a splash an elderly man had lost his
37:48footing and
37:48fallen into the freezing current he struggled for a second then his head dipped below the surface
37:53i didn't think i didn't even look at ethan i kicked off my sneakers and dug straight into the ice
37:58cold
37:59water growing up near the mountains i've been a fish in the water since i was three when we moved
38:05to the city mom even enrolled me in swimming classes but real life rescue that was a different
38:10in the panic of the moment the elderly man grabbed my neck like a drowning sailor
38:15clean to a mask i swallowed lungfuls of freezing water the weight dragging us both under thank god
38:20for ethan he found a long wooden pole and hauled us both toward the bank the second i called onto
38:25the
38:25grass coughing and gasping are you insane maya what were you trying to prove playing the hero
38:31if i hadn't found that pole you'd be at the bottom of the river right now he was terrifying i
38:35gotta say
38:35but i could see his hands shaking i huddled into a ball shivering violently ethan i'm so cold his eyes
38:42were
38:42bloodshot filled with a fear i've never seen before he ripped off his coat and wrapped it around me
38:46pulling me tight don't ever do that again maya he whispered into my hair promise me the paramedics
38:54arrived and rushed both the old man i felt okay just cold but ethan wouldn't take no for an answer
39:00he made the doctors run every test in the book mom and mrs harrison arrived soon after pale with worry
39:06they both gave me the same lecture about reckless bravery their voices trembling with relief in the middle
39:11of the lecture there was a soft knock a distinguished looking man in his 60s stood there excuse me
39:18is this maya miller's room mrs harrison turned around and her entire posture changed she looked
39:24stunned almost breathless it's the state governor mr davis what what are you doing here
39:32mr davis's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked between us wait sophia you know this girl
39:39it clicked i'd seen his face on the news just last week ethan had stared at the screen with
39:44a dark expression and muttered i hope he's as honest as they say he's the only one who can give
39:49my dad a fair shake mrs harrison hesitated she's the daughter of a close friend i caught my mom's eye
39:55and she gave me a tiny imperceptible nod i knew what i had to do god ma'am what's wrong
40:01i chirped putting
40:02on my best innocent daughter act a friend's daughter aren't i your favorite god daughter
40:08mrs harrison froze for a split second then a look of realization dawned on her she reached out and patted
40:14my head oh you silly girl what i have saved is mr davis's father i shook my head pointing at
40:20ethan
40:20it wasn't just me sir if it wasn't for ethan both your father and i would be gone he was
40:25the one who
40:26kept his head and pulled us out mr davis looked at ethan with genuine respect sophia you've raised a
40:33fine son courage clearly runs in the family mrs harrison gave a modest smile he gets it from his
40:39father mr davis thank you after mr davis left mrs harrison came back into the room her eyes shining
40:45with something like hope thanks for that maya how did you know to call me god mom in front of
40:50him
40:53i glanced at mom feeling a bit shy mom always said if there's a chance to help you i should
40:59take it helping you means helping him but a man like mr davis didn't get to where he was by
41:05being
41:05naive mr harrison told us later that he'd had the police review the traffic cameras they confirmed
41:10his father had simply slipped and that ethan and i being there was nothing more than a lucky coincidence
41:15it wasn't the first time ethan and i had played the good samaritans helping old ladies carry groceries
41:20or walking lost kid ran into trouble just people who were genuinely grateful and it turned out he
41:25kept his nose clean but the same couldn't be said for his boss his superior was caught in a massive
41:29corrupt followed mr harrison was the only one with a clean record left to lead he didn't just keep his
41:34job he was promoted to the top spot the harrison estate was buzzing with people again mom was thrilled
41:39for them but she started keeping her distance you don't show you care by hanging around when people
41:45are successful you keep them in your heart and that's enough mr harrison didn't see it that way
41:50as the holidays approached she insisted on taking mom and me out for dinner
41:58mom thought it would just be a quiet family dinner but when we arrived mrs harrison introduced us to the
42:03superintendent of the city's school district the conversation stayed light mostly just small talk
42:07over wine but the message was clear as we were leaving mom whispered to mrs harrison you didn't
42:12have to do this for me sophia mrs harrison just squeezed her hand i know about this and it's exactly
42:20what you deserve you deserve this by the time the new semester started mom had been transferred to the
42:27most prestigious elementary school in the city on new year's eve mr davis sent a car to bring ethan and
42:32me
42:32to his home for dinner his place was surprisingly modest filled with old books and worn in furniture
42:37mr davis's father pulled out a pearl necklace and a pocket watch here one for mike he whispered with
42:43a glassy look in his eyes merry christmas kids i later found out that mr davis had a younger brother
42:50and sister who had tragically drowned decades ago the old man's dementia had convinced him that ethan
42:55and ever those lost children come back to life it broke my heart to see him smile at us like
42:59that
43:00that spring dad's company went through a massive restructuring people were being laid off left and
43:04right but arthur was untouchable he kept his role as head of security got a larger team under him and
43:10even a modest raise but i barely noticed any of it my entire world had shrunk down to one thing
43:15the sats were coming and my future was on the line
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