On the brink of an arranged marriage, she shocks everyone by refusing to say “I do.” As family pressure, hidden motives, and unexpected love collide, she fights for her independence in this emotional short drama of choice, identity, and freedom.
#shortdrama #romance #marriage #independence #love #family #drama #relationship #choice #emotional
#shortdrama #romance #marriage #independence #love #family #drama #relationship #choice #emotional
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Short filmTranscript
00:02I was gathering the skirt of my bridal gown, about to step into the wedding car, when Derek grabbed my
00:08arm.
00:10Hold on. You're taking the taxi.
00:14What?
00:15Vanessa gets carsick. She has to ride up front. Just deal with it. It's not a long drive.
00:19Derek! This is our wedding day. I'm supposed to taxi while your secretary stay with you.
00:25You think that's okay? I've never once heard of carsick, meaning you get the bridal car.
00:30Vanessa could barely keep the smirk off her face.
00:33Sorry about this, Sophie. Marcus wanted to make sure I was comfortable.
00:39I didn't ask for this. I was about to explode.
00:42But with half our families watching, I kept my voice flat and even.
00:48If you pull up with Vanessa in that seat, people are going to think you married her.
00:54Not me.
00:55Why does it matter what people think? Everyone here knows who I'm marrying.
00:59I went straight to his mother.
01:01Mom, Derek is insisting Vanessa ride with him and wants me to out.
01:05Sophie, Marcus works so hard. He always needs Vanessa close by.
01:10If something work-related comes up on the drive, it's easier for them to handle it together.
01:14Learn to give a little.
01:16This whole family was on her side.
01:18Derek had already opened the passenger door of the wedding car for Vanessa.
01:21She got in. The guests around us were murmuring.
01:24The women from my office, who had never liked me, weren't even pretending anymore.
01:28Phones were out. They were filming the wedding car, then panning over to me, then back.
01:32The gold digger's car was caught up fast.
01:34He married her, but he won't even let her ride in the bridal car.
01:36Vanessa is who Marcus actually loves.
01:38I couldn't take it anymore.
01:40Shut up!
01:40They lowered their phones, unhappy about it.
01:44Sophie, you're still nothing compared to Vanessa in his eyes.
01:47Honestly, if I were you, I wouldn't go through with this.
01:52If you have any self-respect left, go home.
01:56I'm not going anywhere.
01:58This wedding is happening.
02:00I wasn't about to walk away and hand this to Vanessa on a plate.
02:04Everyone assumed I was the one who pressured Derek into marrying me.
02:09The truth was the exact opposite.
02:11To get me to say yes, Derek had rented out an entire cruise ship.
02:16He set off 999 fireworks over the harbor waterfront.
02:21He proposed to me 18 times before I agreed.
02:24All of that was a punchline now.
02:28I walked over and pulled open the passenger door of the nearest car and got in.
02:32He won't even let you ride in the bridal car on your own wedding day.
02:37You sure you still want to go through with this?
02:39I turned.
02:41It was Noah.
02:42My childhood best friend.
02:44The guy I'd grown up with.
02:46You came to watch me fall apart?
02:47When I'd first told him I was marrying Derek,
02:50Noah had pushed back hard.
02:52We fought about it more than once.
02:54We almost didn't make it through.
02:57I'm not that petty.
02:58A short silence.
03:00If you want out right now, I'll take you.
03:02Wherever you want to go.
03:04To the venue.
03:05You still want to marry him after this?
03:07Drive.
03:08Noah hit the steering wheel once, hard.
03:11Then he started the car.
03:13We were about halfway there when a sedan came out of nowhere and drove straight at us.
03:17And we only got clipped along the side.
03:19A girl in a very short skirt climbed out of the other car
03:22and came straight to our window.
03:23You hit my car.
03:24Nobody is leaving until you pay for the damage.
03:26Stay here.
03:27I'll handle it.
03:28That was when Derek called.
03:30Where are you?
03:31We've been here forever.
03:34What's taking so long?
03:37I was in an accident.
03:39A girl's voice nearby.
03:40A car accident on a wedding day.
03:42Is that a sign?
03:42Maybe someone up there doesn't want this wedding to happen.
03:45Don't say things like that.
03:46Sophie, just grab a cab and get here.
03:48Don't hold up the ceremony.
03:50Something went tight in my chest.
03:52I was in an accident.
03:54Your first question isn't whether I'm hurt.
03:56It's whether I'm going to be late.
03:58My wife is tough.
03:59She's fine.
04:00Grab a cab.
04:01Everyone's waiting.
04:05I just stepped out of the car when a hand locked around my wrist.
04:08You're not going anywhere.
04:09Nobody in this car is leaving.
04:11The girl who grabbed me, I didn't know her name, but I'd seen her once at the office.
04:14She was Vanessa's best friend.
04:17This is my car.
04:19You have a problem, you deal with me.
04:22There are cameras on this car.
04:24The footage footage show you drove into us.
04:26I don't care.
04:27Nobody leaves.
04:28Vanessa sent you, didn't she?
04:29The girl went very still.
04:31She hadn't expected that.
04:33I don't know any Vanessa.
04:34Video call from Vanessa.
04:36I picked up.
04:37She was standing in front of a mirror in my custom couture wedding gown.
04:42My bridal makeup artist working on her hair behind her.
04:45What do you think, Sophie?
04:47Does it suit me?
04:49This is the wedding dress I chose!
04:53Don't read into this.
04:54Marcus just thought you might not make it into time, and he didn't want to delay things.
04:59He asked me to fill in.
05:02You don't have to rush anymore.
05:05Honestly, I'll stream the whole ceremony for you live.
05:08No!
05:09Stop!
05:10No!
05:11Leave my wedding!
05:12Actually, I won't bother with the reception.
05:14It drains the battery.
05:16Talk soon.
05:17She ended the call.
05:19I sat back in the car and watched the wedding I had planned play out on my phone screen.
05:25Every flower arrangement had been my choice.
05:28I had gone back and forth on each one.
05:30The venue setup.
05:32The lighting.
05:32Every detail.
05:34Someone else was standing in the middle of it.
05:36The MC's voice came through the stream, rising.
05:41You may now kiss your bride!
05:44Derek didn't hesitate.
05:46He leaned in.
05:47The camera zoomed in on them.
05:49When they finally pulled apart, it lingered.
05:53I opened the car door and threw up on the pavement.
05:58Noah was immediately beside me, hand on my back.
06:01What happened?
06:01I'm taking you to a hospital.
06:03I waved him off.
06:05I took the water he handed me and rinsed my mouth.
06:08The bridal gown felt unbearable.
06:10I noticed a bag on the back seat.
06:12I looked inside.
06:13It was Noah's dress shirts and trousers, just back from the dry cleaner.
06:16I took off my headpiece.
06:19I changed into his clothes right there.
06:21They were too big, but I rolled the sleeves and the hems.
06:24Used a hair tie to cinch the waist.
06:26It would do.
06:27My phone lit up again.
06:28Sophie, gorgeous ceremony, wasn't it?
06:31We're about to start the table round.
06:33I won't stream this part.
06:34Batteries low.
06:35Bye.
06:37You're wearing my...
06:39You don't mind, do you?
06:40He stared.
06:41No.
06:42No, I don't mind.
06:43So you're not going to the ceremony?
06:45Marcus and Vanessa already walked through the whole thing together.
06:48Noah, you always said you didn't want me marrying someone else.
06:52City Hall, are we going or not?
06:54Noah went completely still.
06:55You mean, you and me, getting a marriage license?
06:59I nodded.
07:00If you don't want to, forget I said it.
07:02Noah's face broke into the biggest smile I had ever seen.
07:06Are you kidding me?
07:12Let's go, right now.
07:14I've been waiting for this my whole life.
07:19And just like that, we got married.
07:22Okay, now take me to the reception venue.
07:24The dinner's probably still going.
07:25You want to go back there?
07:26I want to give the happy couple a wedding envelope.
07:29Say no more.
07:32At the venue, I grabbed an envelope from the table and tucked a few crumpled dollars inside.
07:38Just five dollars.
07:40Noah and I found a quiet corner and sat down.
07:43It took a while, but eventually Derek and Vanessa made their way to our table for the toast rounds.
07:53Sophie, when did you get here?
07:55Whose clothes are those?
07:56The bride already got replaced.
07:58Wearing the dress seemed like a bad joke.
07:59Don't misread this.
08:00You couldn't make it, so I had Vanessa stand in.
08:03I didn't want to keep everyone waiting.
08:05You know how it is.
08:05Of course I understand.
08:12What are you wearing?
08:14Is that a man's shirt?
08:16Sophia, I hope you're not pulling this stunt because Marcus didn't let you ride in the bridal car!
08:22Making him look bad in front of all these people is so childish.
08:25If Vanessa hadn't stepped up, the whole family would have been humiliated.
08:30You can't keep acting like this and tell her I was in an accident.
08:33The woman who drove into us was Vanessa's best friend.
08:35She's currently in police custody.
08:38Criminal liability, probably.
08:40She wouldn't do something like that.
08:42She's not capable of it.
08:44Thank you for believing in me, Marcus.
08:46I can't even defend myself here.
08:50I'm just pointing out that Vanessa did you a favor today.
08:53You should be thanking her, not attacking her.
08:56Apologize, right now.
08:57And if you don't, don't bother coming home tonight.
08:59I will seriously consider this whole relationship.
09:01Lucky for you, someone else is already planning our wedding.
09:04Right, husband?
09:07What did you just call him?
09:08My husband.
09:09Legal and official.
09:11Thank you, Derek, for not marrying me when you had the chance.
09:14I'm Mrs. Caldwell now.
09:18Sophie, what are you talking about?
09:20I'm your husband.
09:22We had a whole wedding today.
09:23You're confused.
09:24All I did was play a few door games at the pickup this morning.
09:27All I did was play a few door games at the pickup this morning.
09:30Vanessa's the one who walked through the whole thing with you.
09:34I've said it a hundred times.
09:36She was filling in for you.
09:39You are my bride.
09:42I don't need someone to fill in for me at my own wedding.
09:46Then what exactly are you saying?
09:47Isn't it obvious?
09:48We're done.
09:50I'm grateful to you, Derek.
09:51If you hadn't kept insisting we wait until after the ceremony to file the paperwork,
09:55I never would have had the chance to choose someone else.
09:57I wish you and Vanessa all the happiness in the world.
10:02This is our gift to you both.
10:04There's barely anything in here.
10:06That's about what you're worth.
10:13Marcus, I did everything for her.
10:15And she's calling me trash to my face?
10:18Sophie, there are guests everywhere.
10:20And your own family is sitting right here.
10:23This is not the time for a tantrum.
10:24My parents are gone.
10:27As for friends, you were the one who pushed me to invite them, said a wedding needed a crowd.
10:33If they saw a little drama, fine.
10:35I'm never going to see any of them again anyway.
10:37Sophie!
10:38Sophie!
10:39This didn't have to turn into this.
10:41I'm giving you one last chance.
10:44Apologize to Vanessa.
10:47I'll act like none of this happened.
10:48Otherwise, don't come back to the apartment tonight.
10:50Because I need to seriously think about where we stand.
10:54Even if you invited me back, I wouldn't go.
10:56Although I do need to stop by and pick up my things.
10:59Everything I bought stays with me.
11:01You don't have a problem with that, do you?
11:03Okay, I'm done here.
11:11Sophie!
11:12You want to embarrass me in front of everyone?
11:15Is that it?
11:20Marcus!
11:21Marcus!
11:22Leave Sophie alone!
11:23The more attention you give her, the worse she acts.
11:27Come back inside and finish the reception.
11:29There are still tables to get to.
11:47He went back for her.
11:51Noah drove me to the apartment Derek and I had shared.
11:54I didn't say much.
11:57I just started packing.
11:59Everything I had bought, I took.
12:01What I couldn't carry, I broke.
12:03The idea of Derek and Vanessa living here among my things made me feel sick.
12:08I would rather destroy it.
12:09When I was done, I stood in the doorway and looked at the place one last time.
12:14I had imagined a life here.
12:16Children.
12:17Growing old together.
12:19All of it had dissolved into nothing.
12:22Before I left, I transferred back every dollar of the settlement Derek had given me.
12:29Then I blocked him everywhere.
12:34Stop looking back.
12:35This place has bad energy.
12:36We'll find somewhere better.
12:37Actually, there's a new development opening tomorrow on the lakefront.
12:40We could go look.
12:43Okay.
12:50Tonight.
12:52Can I stay at yours?
12:57We're legally married.
12:58We're supposed to be living together.
13:00I know you're only asking because you need somewhere to get away from Derek.
13:02But I'm still very happy about it.
13:04I couldn't quite look at him.
13:06We had known each other for over 20 years.
13:09Had been in and out of each other's lives for basically all of them.
13:17Why don't you shower first?
13:18I'll go after.
13:20Okay.
13:21I hid in the bathroom for a long time, giving myself a quiet talk.
13:25We had already filed the paperwork.
13:27We were husband and wife.
13:29There was nothing strange about this.
13:31I came out.
13:31I went to the bedroom.
13:33I waited.
13:38We let the night take its course.
13:41The way it naturally does between two people who are now, legally and officially, married.
13:56I had underestimated him.
13:59Not just the face, which had always been unfairly good.
14:04The rest of him too.
14:07And in that particular area, he was in a completely different category from Derek.
14:14I was very satisfied.
14:20The next morning after breakfast, Noah drove me out to the lakefront development.
14:25We walked through one of the newly finished estates and loved it immediately.
14:32We were about to sign when someone called out.
14:36Sophie, I finally found you last night.
14:39I went back to the apartment and all your things were gone.
14:42You sent back every cent I gave you.
14:45I tried calling, but you'd block me everywhere.
14:49I went to a place.
14:50You weren't there.
14:52Someone told me they saw you out here this morning and I came straight over.
14:56Sophie, I thought about everything last night.
15:01The ceremony got away from me.
15:02I'll admit that.
15:04You had every right to be upset.
15:06You can be as angry as you want.
15:11Just don't stop talking to me.
15:14We're supposed to be husband and wife.
15:16You don't hold a grudge overnight.
15:17Come home.
15:19Let me make this right.
15:21I'll give you a proper wedding.
15:23The one you deserved.
15:26This time, I'll do everything right.
15:30Derek, you do understand I am not solling, right?
15:33Don't say things you don't mean, Sophie.
15:36Eight years.
15:37You can't just walk away from eight years.
15:40So that's what you think.
15:41Eight years in and you figured no matter what you did to me,
15:44I'd never actually leave.
15:47I wasn't doing anything to you.
15:51Vanessa just stood in for the ceremony.
15:54Nothing happened between us.
15:56Nothing happened.
15:58I pulled out my phone and found the live stream clip.
16:03You kissed her in front of everyone.
16:06On camera, with a close-up.
16:10You want to explain that?
16:13That was the moment carried me.
16:17The atmosphere, everyone watching.
16:19It just, it just, I'm telling you the truth.
16:23Yesterday was a mistake.
16:25I don't have feelings for Vanessa.
16:27I'm done listening.
16:29My husband and I are buying a home.
16:31Please don't interrupt us.
16:33Husband.
16:35You mean Noah?
16:36You two have been friends your whole lives.
16:39Nothing ever happened in 20 plus years.
16:41And now after one day, he's suddenly your husband?
16:49That's right.
16:52You're not serious.
16:54Honey, did you bring the certificate?
16:57Open your eyes.
16:59Am I her legal husband or am I not?
17:02You actually filed.
17:04You genuinely filed with him?
17:09I told you yesterday, we're legal.
17:14Sophie, how could you be this reckless?
17:16A marriage license is not something you just sign on a whim.
17:19How could you do this without thinking about how I'd feel?
17:23Why would I think about your feelings?
17:26Do I need your permission to get married?
17:28Did you think about my feelings when you were kissing Vanessa on that stage?
17:35Sophie, this is done.
17:36It's a fact.
17:37I'm not going to fight about it.
17:38But you need to go file for divorce.
17:41Immediately.
17:42We can wipe the slate clean.
17:43We start over.
17:45We get our license first.
17:46Then we plan a real wedding.
17:48Are you actually slow?
17:50Can you not understand plain English?
17:53My wife is done with you.
17:56She is my legal wife.
17:59If you come near her again,
18:01I will not be responsible for what happens next.
18:04Get out of my face!
18:06Who do you think you are?
18:09Sophie doesn't love you.
18:11She never did.
18:13She did this to get back at me.
18:15You actually think she has feelings for you?
18:18Whether she loved you before is not my concern.
18:22Right now, her heart belongs to me.
18:26Only me.
18:28You think you can take my woman from me?
18:30You better be ready for what comes with that.
18:46I'll destroy you!
18:47I'll have my lawyers on you by tonight!
18:49You'll be finished in this city.
18:53Marcus, what happened to you?
18:54Who did this?
18:55I want him sued.
18:56I want him ruined.
19:00Are you okay?
19:02I'm fine.
19:05A marriage license is not something you just sign on a whim.
19:11I told you not to come after Sophie.
19:14She's still angry.
19:16Nothing you say is going to land right now.
19:18Come back with me.
19:20Give her a few months to cool down
19:21and she'll probably come looking for you herself.
19:24By the time a few months pass...
19:27Sophie's going to be pregnant!
19:34Sophie, you're really doing this with him?
19:36He works for a salary.
19:38What can he actually give you?
19:41You're standing here looking at these estates right now.
19:47You think he can afford this?
19:50Even if he somehow scrapes it together,
19:52you'll be paying off a mortgage for the rest of your lives.
19:58I'll buy you this place.
20:00The whole development.
20:04Just say the word.
20:07Bold offer, Derek.
20:09The full lakefront development.
20:13That's north of a hundred million dollars.
20:16Can you actually write that check?
20:17I don't have a hundred million.
20:20But I've got a hundred times more than that.
20:22If you can afford one bathroom in this building,
20:25I'll change my last name to yours.
20:28Then I guess you'd better start going by Noah Caldwell.
20:31Don't make me laugh.
20:33Do you know who developed this property?
20:35The Caldwell Group, obviously.
20:37What, are you about to tell me you're the Caldwell heir?
20:41Because if that's true,
20:42I'll get on my knees right now.
20:47Remember you said that.
20:48Noah called over the estate manager.
20:51This gentleman is interested in buying the full development.
20:54Please walk him through the payment process.
20:56Right this way, sir.
20:59Hold on.
21:01Just because you tell him to take me somewhere
21:02doesn't mean I go.
21:04How do I know this isn't some sales trick?
21:07I'm not buying anything.
21:09I'm not that easy to con.
21:11Fine.
21:12No pressure.
21:13Our properties sell themselves.
21:16But if you can't afford it,
21:18just say so.
21:19Walking it back with excuses in front of everyone
21:21is a lot worse.
21:22I can buy it or not buy it.
21:24That's entirely up to me.
21:25Stop trying to change the subject.
21:27You're the one who needs to prove you're the Caldwell heir.
21:30Don't try to flip this around.
21:32Fair enough.
21:33Noah took out his phone and made a call.
21:35Grandpa, are you free?
21:37There's someone here from Zenith Tech
21:39who wants to say hello.
21:41He turned the screen toward Derek.
21:42Derek went rigid.
21:44Sir, Mr. Caldwell,
21:46I'm Derek Walsh.
21:47I run Zenith Tech.
21:48Yes.
21:50Noah's mentioned you.
21:51You were Sophie's fiance, weren't you?
21:54Not anymore, Grandpa.
21:56Actually, I have good news.
21:57Sophie and I filed yesterday.
21:59She's your granddaughter-in-law now.
22:01Finally.
22:02I've wanted Sophie in this family for years.
22:05I kept waiting for you to do something
22:07and you never moved.
22:08You lost my mind.
22:09I was waiting for the right moment.
22:11Well, she's mine now.
22:13Wonderful.
22:14Bring her home for dinner tonight.
22:16Tell the cook to make everything she likes.
22:18Done.
22:20Noah hung up.
22:21Derek hadn't moved.
22:23You're actually the Caldwell heir?
22:25You want to know how Zenith Tech
22:26landed all those contracts
22:28with the Caldwell Group?
22:29Sophie.
22:31Every single one of those deals
22:32came through because of her.
22:34Without that connection,
22:34you wouldn't have even made the bid list.
22:36Now, I believe you promised
22:38to get on your knees.
22:40Derek was sweating.
22:41Kneeling meant humiliation.
22:43Not kneeling meant he'd broken his word
22:45in front of everyone.
22:46And Noah was no longer someone
22:47he could afford to cross.
22:49He had no move left.
22:50He dropped down
22:51and touched his forehead to the floor.
22:53I didn't even bother looking.
22:55Oh, come with me back to the office.
22:57I need to hand in my resignation
22:58and clean out my desk.
22:59You're quitting just to get away from me?
23:02I never liked that job.
23:04The only reason I stayed so long
23:05was because you said
23:06you wanted to see me every day.
23:08I have a finance degree.
23:09I spent eight years
23:10doing admin work for you.
23:12My husband is worth more money
23:13than I could spend in three lifetimes.
23:15I think I've earned the right
23:15to just go home and live well.
23:17Haven't I, honey?
23:19Everything I have is yours.
23:20Let's go.
23:23Noah drove me to the office.
23:25I wrote my resignation
23:26in about two minutes.
23:27I printed it
23:28and dropped it on Derek's desk.
23:30I quit.
23:31I'm not approving this.
23:33Approve it or don't.
23:34I'll walk either way.
23:35You can keep this month's paycheck.
23:38The women from my office
23:39who had filmed me at the wedding
23:40were craning their necks
23:41from across the floor.
23:42Can you send me the videos
23:43you took yesterday?
23:44I'd like to have them.
23:45They looked at each other.
23:47I just want the footage.
23:49I'm not here to make trouble.
23:50They hesitated.
23:51Then send the files through.
23:53I was almost out the door
23:54when I ran into Derek's mother
23:55and sister on the steps.
23:56Sophie,
23:57you've made your point.
23:58It's time to come home.
23:59His sister and I
24:00haven't slept properly
24:01in two days.
24:02That's because there's nobody
24:03cooking for you anymore.
24:04Don't worry.
24:05Vanessa can take over.
24:06She's part of the family now.
24:07That's completely different.
24:09She's just his secretary.
24:11You're the daughter-in-law
24:12I chose.
24:14You're the only one
24:16I recognize.
24:17You recognize me
24:18because my family
24:19left me money
24:19and I've been useful to Derek.
24:21You wanted to drain
24:22every resource I had.
24:24Sophie,
24:24we came to find you ourselves
24:26because we care about you.
24:28Don't be ungrateful.
24:30I'm not interested
24:31in that kind of family.
24:33Go find Vanessa.
24:34I pushed past his sister
24:36and walked out
24:36without looking back.
24:37That night,
24:38a friend forwarded me a link.
24:40Sophie,
24:41someone's spreading rumors
24:42about you online.
24:43You need to see this.
24:44I opened the video.
24:45It was posted
24:46from an anonymous account.
24:47The faces were blurred
24:48but barely.
24:49Anyone who knew us
24:50would recognize me immediately.
24:52Bride caught with her childhood friend
24:53on the wedding day.
24:54Groom discovers bride
24:55wearing the friend's clothes.
24:56Groom calls off the wedding
24:57and marries his own secretary instead.
24:59The comments were a wall of filth.
25:00This bride has absolutely no shame.
25:03She was already rolling around
25:04with some other guy
25:05and she was about to get married.
25:06She clearly has no self-control.
25:08Her parents must have raised
25:10a real piece of work.
25:10The groom and the secretary
25:12are perfect together.
25:13This woman never deserved
25:14to marry into money.
25:15Mixed in were comments
25:16praising Derek and Vanessa,
25:17wishing them well,
25:19calling them destined
25:20for each other.
25:21I read all of it
25:22and smiled.
25:23I had known Vanessa
25:24would use the image
25:25of me in Noah's clothes
25:26and spin it into something ugly.
25:28I had planned for exactly that.
25:31I uploaded the footage
25:33the office women had sent me.
25:35Then I posted my own statement.
25:37Hi, I'm the bride in that video.
25:40Here's what actually happened.
25:41On the morning of my own wedding,
25:43my fiancé told me
25:44I couldn't ride in the bridal car.
25:46He drove to the venue with her
25:47while I had to find my own way.
25:57While I was stuck at the scene,
25:59my fiancé used my absence
26:00as a reason to have Vanessa
26:02walk through the entire ceremony
26:03in my place,
26:04in my dress.
26:05I ended the engagement.
26:07I take full legal responsibility
26:09for everything I've just said.
26:11I will also be filing
26:12a defamation lawsuit
26:14against the person
26:14who posted the original video.
26:16I attached the full evidence,
26:18every message,
26:20every video of Derek's proposals,
26:22everything that showed
26:23I had never pressured anyone
26:25into anything.
26:27The comments flipped overnight.
26:29Car sick and you need the bridal car?
26:30What's next?
26:31Does she need the hearse
26:32at a funeral too?
26:32The groom and the secretary
26:33have clearly been involved
26:34for a long time.
26:35That kiss wasn't a mistake.
26:36His mother and sister
26:37just went along with it.
26:38That whole family is rotten.
26:39The fact that they went online
26:40and slandered her
26:40after everything they put her through.
26:41These people are vile.
26:42The internet found Derek
26:43and Vanessa's identities
26:44within hours.
26:45Their company address was public.
26:48Outraged people posted everywhere.
26:50Business partners saw the headlines
26:52and started pulling out of deals.
26:54Terminated its contracts
26:55with Zenith Tech
26:56and made clear
26:57they would not be working
26:58with Derek.
27:00Within days,
27:01Zenith Tech collapsed.
27:04I filed my lawsuit.
27:06Defamation.
27:07Vanessa's name
27:08on every document.
27:11The next time I saw Derek,
27:13he looked like a different person.
27:15Hollow eyes.
27:17Too thin.
27:18His sister was behind him.
27:20No trace of the confidence
27:22she used to carry everywhere.
27:25Sophie,
27:26I owe you an apology.
27:28I looked into it.
27:29The woman who drove into your car
27:31was Vanessa's friend.
27:32And I was manipulated.
27:34I've let her go.
27:36I came to say I'm sorry.
27:38Properly.
27:39And I'm asking you,
27:40given everything we meant to each other,
27:42to ask Noah to help me.
27:43Our mom collapsed
27:44when the company went under.
27:45She's in the hospital right now
27:47on oxygen.
27:48She was always fond of you.
27:49Please,
27:50for her sake,
27:51talk to Noah.
27:52We almost became family.
27:54You can't watch us
27:55end up like this.
27:57Why can't I?
28:01You brought this on yourselves.
28:03If you hadn't posted that slander,
28:05none of this would have gone public.
28:07You fired the first shot.
28:10When it ends,
28:11is my decision.
28:13You want mom to die.
28:15Is that it?
28:17She's in a hospital bed right now.
28:20She can't take any more of this.
28:22She's not in that bed because of me.
28:24She's there because of choices you made.
28:27You knew what you were doing, Derek.
28:29You hurt me the way you did
28:30because you were sure
28:31I'd never fight back.
28:33You were wrong.
28:34I'm not the kind of woman
28:35who loses herself for a man.
28:37When you were loyal to me,
28:38I loved you.
28:39You stopped being loyal,
28:40so I stopped loving you.
28:42I only let Vanessa stand in
28:43for the ceremony.
28:45Only.
28:45I took out my phone
28:47and pulled up the photographs
28:48my investigator had sent.
28:50I handed them over.
28:51You were seeing her
28:52the entire time we were together.
28:54You got her pregnant.
28:55Derek had nothing left to say.
28:57He sank to his knees
28:59in front of me
28:59and started crying.
29:01I'm so sorry, Sophie.
29:02I'm so sorry.
29:04I was wrong,
29:05but I love you.
29:07I've always loved you.
29:08Not her.
29:09Derek,
29:10you make me sick.
29:12I nodded to security.
29:13They escorted him
29:14and his sister out.
29:16His sister was still calling my name
29:18as they went through the doors.
29:19I didn't turn around.
29:21Zenith tech dissolved completely.
29:24Derek was left carrying
29:25significant personal debt.
29:27Vanessa was found guilty of defamation
29:30and sentenced to three years.
29:32And on that same day,
29:33I received the best news I'd had
29:36in a long time.
29:38I was pregnant.
29:39The ugliness was behind me now.
29:41The people who had caused it
29:42had found their way
29:43to exactly where they deserved to be.
29:46All I was thinking about
29:47was the small life
29:48beginning inside me.
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