- 7 hours ago
Fled With His Eight Children 33 Episodes
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Short filmTranscript
00:03One, two, three, four, five.
00:10I lay completely still, staring at the ceiling, my mind going blanker with every number.
00:15He finally set down the probe.
00:18Mrs. Shaw? Eight! Eight embryo sacs, all developing normally.
00:24My hand slowly drifted to my stomach, still flat, but somehow, eight lives were already there.
00:30The Shaw women had always been famously fertile.
00:32My mother delivered twins. My aunt had triplets in one go.
00:36But no one could have predicted that when it came to me, I'd skip straight to eight.
00:41The clinic was warm, but I felt only a cold gray settling over everything ahead of me.
00:46Would Lucian even want these children?
00:48He could barely stand to look at me on a normal day.
00:52And the Ford family? Would they ever acknowledge children I carried?
00:56Eight children.
00:58Formula, diapers, nannies, school fees.
01:02Every single item on that list was an astronomical figure.
01:07My own family was ordinary.
01:09I had no allies.
01:11What did I have to raise them with?
01:12The more I thought, the heavier it got.
01:15I walked back through the doors of the Ford estate.
01:18Then Leo appeared, Lucian's assistant.
01:20The CEO has spoken.
01:23Give you $200 million.
01:24Sign, and never return.
01:32$200 million.
01:34I could raise eight children in luxury, send every one of them to private school, and still have plenty left
01:41over.
01:41What did I care about the title of Mrs. Ford?
01:44What did I care whether Lucian liked me?
01:47I had Leo arrange the transfer right then and there.
01:50And right in front of him, I signed the divorce papers, without a single moment of hesitation.
01:56I went back upstairs, packed only what was mine.
01:58The couture gowns, jewelry, and designer bags from the Fords.
02:02I left every piece untouched, right where it was in the dressing room.
02:07What wasn't mine, I didn't want.
02:09I collected the check and the divorce papers, wheeled my suitcase to the door,
02:14walked out of the Ford estate with my head held high.
02:17That wealthy world I once thought so far beyond my reach.
02:21Looking back, it was all just a passing illusion.
02:24From this moment on, there was no more Mrs. Ford.
02:27There was only Aria Shaw and the eight little lives she was carrying.
02:32Later, word spread across the entire city.
02:35Lucian Ford, the man who never hesitated, never wavered, had suddenly lost his mind.
02:44Immediately mobilize all lemping and resources.
02:46Find her for me.
02:47You find her, don't expect any of you to be okay.
02:50He was hell-bent on finding her, his ex-wife.
02:54The one who'd taken his money, run off carrying eight of his children, and never once looked back.
03:00I walked out of the Ford estate and flagged down a car straight to the private bank.
03:05I converted Lucian's check into a card I could access anytime.
03:09With that done, I booked a first-class flight to Savannah.
03:12Then I stopped at a luxury car rental and got their best vehicle.
03:17Once I was in the car, I went straight to my parents' place.
03:22Then they noticed I was alone with a suitcase, and the smiles froze.
03:26They knew immediately that something was wrong.
03:29When I told them Lucian and I were divorced, Mother teared up at once.
03:32She took my hands and couldn't stop crying.
03:36Father slammed his hand on his knee, grabbed his cane by the door, and headed for the Ford estate,
03:41his whole body shaking with fury.
03:43That heartless man.
03:45Even if he didn't care for you, he had no right to treat you this way.
03:51I'm going over there right now. This is outrageous.
03:56Dad, Mom, don't.
03:58Leaving him is a relief for me, not a loss.
04:02He gave me $200 million.
04:04That's more than enough for all of us, for the rest of our lives.
04:08I'm carrying eight children.
04:12I can't put them at risk.
04:16Besides, Lucian's been overseas on business.
04:19He's not even in the city.
04:21If we go over there now, we'll only make a scene for nothing.
04:25Hearing the octuplets, they stood there stunned for a long moment, not quite able to process it.
04:30But their love for me, and for the children I was carrying, won out over their anger.
04:35My parents had spent their whole lives running a small diner.
04:38They asked for nothing more than peace and quiet.
04:42Now I had money, and a family on the way.
04:44Leaving this city that had drained me so much was the best thing for all of us.
04:48We packed the few belongings, got into the rented car, and drove to the airport.
04:53The city's glitter and its games had nothing to do with me anymore.
04:57Back at the Ford estate, a very different scene was playing out.
05:01The divorce papers and the check had never come from Lucian.
05:05They had come from Camille Sutton.
05:08Camille shared no blood with Lucian.
05:11She had been taken in by Eleanor as a child and raised in their home.
05:15She had loved Lucian for as long as she could remember,
05:18and she had always seen me as a thorn in her side.
05:22She knew Lucian was away on an overseas project.
05:25She knew Eleanor was the one running the estate in his absence.
05:28She knew I was just a girl from an ordinary family.
05:32She convinced herself I'd clung to Lucian by any means necessary.
05:37To her, our marriage was nothing but a face-saving arrangement for both families.
05:42So she had made her move.
05:44She had someone mimic Lucian's tone and send me the message.
05:48She had paid off Leo to deliver the divorce papers.
05:52She was certain I had married into the Ford family only for money and status.
05:57She was sure that once I got divorce papers, I would fall apart, cry, beg, refuse to leave.
06:05Then she would step in and play the gracious peacemaker to show everyone how generous she was
06:12and turn the whole family against me for good.
06:15But she had calculated wrong.
06:17At that moment, she was drinking tea with Eleanor in the garden.
06:21Don't worry, Mrs. Ford.
06:23Aria fought so hard to marry into this family.
06:26She's probably in her room, throwing a fit and refusing to leave.
06:32I'll go calm her down later.
06:35It'll show everyone how gracious the Fords are.
06:40A nobody from a nobody family, and she thought she deserved to be Mrs. Ford.
06:46Getting thrown out is exactly what she brought on herself.
06:50Just then, the housekeeper Martha hurried across the garden.
06:54Mrs. Ford.
06:54Miss Camille.
06:56Miss Camille.
06:57Miss Shaw is gone.
06:59She packed only a few of her belongings.
07:01She didn't take a single piece of jewelry or designer clothing she just left.
07:05Camille's hand paused on her teacup.
07:07Her lips curved into a faint smirk.
07:10She told herself I was playing hard to get.
07:13Running away to make Lucian chase.
07:15But Eleanor's face drained of color.
07:17The crystal teacup slipped from her hand.
07:20What did you say?
07:21She just left?
07:23All those valuables in this house, and she didn't take a single thing?
07:27It's true, Mrs. Ford.
07:29We all saw it clearly.
07:31Miss Aria only took her own luggage.
07:33She didn't touch a thing that belonged to the family.
07:35Eleanor stood up abruptly.
07:37She hurried straight to the master bedroom I'd been staying in.
07:41Camille followed close behind.
07:43Composed on the surface, something uneasy stirring underneath.
07:47My room had always been simple and tidy.
07:50Now, it was just empty.
07:52Every item that belonged to the Fords was still hung in the walk-in closet.
07:57Only my few casual clothes and a small stack of old books were gone.
08:02Eleanor had the rest of the estate checked immediately.
08:05The staff came back with the same answer.
08:08Miss Aria had taken only what belonged to her.
08:11Not a single item from the Ford family had been touched.
08:15Eleanor stood in the middle of the empty room.
08:17Her face paled, then turned ashen.
08:20Rage and something unnameable churned inside her.
08:25Ungrateful girl.
08:26Fine!
08:27She left!
08:28What's she proving putting on such a holiest-than-though act?
08:32But she knew better than anyone what she thought of me.
08:35That I had stayed for the money.
08:37That I had clung to the Ford name because I had nowhere else to go.
08:41And now, I had walked away without taking a thing.
08:45It felt like a slap across the face.
08:47The household staff stood with their heads down, not daring to breathe.
08:52No one had expected that kind of dignity from me.
08:55They had all quietly looked down on.
08:58Camille moved quickly to Eleanor's side.
09:00Mrs. Ford, please don't upset yourself.
09:05Aria's leaving just shows she didn't belong in this family.
09:08I'm here.
09:09I'll always be here for you.
09:20You're the thoughtful one.
09:22A hundred times better than that Aria ever was.
09:25She made a pretty speech about not wanting anything from us.
09:28But didn't she walk out with two hundred million dollars of Lucian's money?
09:31Deep down, she's just as greedy as everyone else.
09:35Two hundred million dollars.
09:38She stood frozen where she was, the blood draining from her face.
09:42She had only paid off Leo.
09:44She had only mimicked Lucian's tone.
09:47Sent the message.
09:48Had the papers delivered.
09:50She had never had any access to Lucian's accounts.
09:54Two hundred million dollars was something she couldn't have touched if she'd tried.
09:59So who had sent that money?
10:01A terrible thought detonated somewhere deep in her chest.
10:05A wave of cold dread swept through her entire body.
10:09Her plan had been simple.
10:11Make me fall apart after the divorce.
10:14Make everyone despise me.
10:16Clear the path for herself.
10:18But instead, I had walked out clean and calm.
10:22Carrying the money and vanished completely.
10:25None of this was what she had planned.
10:27Camille kept the smile on her face.
10:30But her fingertips were ice cold.
10:32And her heart had dropped.
10:34By then, I had already arrived in Savannah with my parents.
10:38Warm.
10:39Unhurried.
10:40No pressure.
10:41No scheming.
10:42Nothing that seeped into New York's walls.
10:45It was exactly the kind of place I had been longing for.
10:48I bought a penthouse right in the heart of the city.
10:51Generous light.
10:52Open space.
10:53More than enough room for eight children to grow and run and make noise.
10:58The interiors were warm and comfortable.
11:01Heated floors.
11:01The whole place breathing ease.
11:10Outside, the city moved.
11:12Inside, my parents' voices were low and easy.
11:15No cold rules.
11:17No judgment.
11:18Just warmth and calm.
11:22My mind clear for the first time in ages.
11:25When the babies came, I would be here.
11:28I would watch them grow.
11:30I would take them everywhere and give them everything.
11:34I would never have to answer to anyone again.
11:37I would never have to shrink myself to survive in someone else's home.
11:42A life like this was worth more than the Ford name could ever have been.
11:47Six months passed.
11:48I settled quietly in Savannah, my belly growing rounder each week as all eight babies thrived.
11:55Every day, I walked, read, and picked out tiny outfits and little shoes.
12:00The days were simple yet full.
12:03Back in New York, Lucien had finally returned after six months abroad.
12:07Sharp eyes.
12:08Not a single wasted movement.
12:11Mr. Ford, welcome back.
12:14Lucien got into the car and spoke without looking up.
12:18Six months.
12:19Tell me what happened at home.
12:21Leo stiffened head to toe.
12:23Mr. Ford, your wife, she...
12:27Speak.
12:29She signed the divorce papers!
12:31Lucien's eyes went dark.
12:33He had never intended to divorce her.
12:36He had never sent any papers.
12:39Drive. Faster.
12:41He went straight to the study.
12:42On the desk, folded neatly, was the divorce agreement.
12:46Lucien looked down at it.
12:47At the bottom of the page, the signature was clean and certain.
12:51Aria Shaw.
12:53Someone explain to me what happened.
12:55Mr. Ford, it was Miss Kimiel.
12:58She used your name to send Mrs. Ford the message.
13:01She used your identity to trick her into leaving.
13:04I had no choice!
13:06The temperature in the room dropped another degree.
13:11Lucien hurled the divorce agreement to the floor.
13:15The pages landed at Leo's feet with a sharp crack.
13:20Get out.
13:21Go to HR and submit a written statement.
13:24Your annual bonus is gone.
13:26You're on warehouse duty until I say otherwise.
13:29Leo fled.
13:32The room went silent.
13:34Lucien stood alone, surrounded by the weight of it all.
13:38Camille's scheming.
13:39Eleanor's blind favoritism.
13:42Leo's betrayal.
13:44All of it made his blood run cold.
13:46But none of it was what was pressing against his chest right now.
13:51That was Aria.
13:53The fact that she was gone.
13:56Three years ago, at a charity gala, he'd walked into the wrong hotel room.
14:02Spent the night with her.
14:08By morning, she stared at him.
14:11Panic in her eyes.
14:12But her chin held high.
14:14He'd been caught in a scandal at the time.
14:17A rival had paid someone to photograph him and spread rumors about his private life.
14:24Marrying her had put an end to it.
14:27After the wedding, she never demanded anything.
14:30Never competed for his attention.
14:31She simply took care of everything quietly, never making him feel she wanted anything in return.
14:39Before every business trip, she packed his bags overnight, tucked his antacids, and reminded him to take care of himself.
14:50Her eyes always gave away more than her words.
14:55At the annual gala, he hadn't been drunk.
14:58He had used it as an excuse to do what he'd wanted to do for a long time.
15:04To get closer to her.
15:06To break through the wall between them.
15:11And now she was gone.
15:13Carrying his children.
15:15Taking the money he had set aside for her.
15:20That $200 million had been sitting in a private account for months.
15:25He had planned to transfer it to her name once things between them warmed up.
15:29Something to make her feel secure.
15:31Camille had turned it into a weapon.
15:34It had become the reason Aria left.
15:36Lucian pressed his hand to his chest.
15:39Something ached there.
15:40Heavy and hollow at the same time.
15:43He understood it now.
15:45What he felt for her hadn't been cold civility for a long time.
15:49He had fallen for her.
15:51Slowly.
15:52Without realizing it.
15:53And by the time he understood that, she was already gone.
15:58Camille.
15:59Dawn had barely broken when the mood inside the Ford Estate hit rock bottom.
16:04Eleanor sat at the head of the main hall.
16:06Both hands wrapped around her string of pearls.
16:09Camille stood nearby.
16:11Fingers twisted in her skirt.
16:15Eyes full of panic.
16:17She was working hard to hide.
16:19Lucian sat across from them in a black suit.
16:22Cold-eyed.
16:23Still.
16:24Grandmother.
16:26She schemed against your grandson's wife.
16:29Against my children.
16:31This needs to be settled today.
16:33Eleanor looked at his face and said nothing.
16:36She had watched this boy grow up.
16:38He'd run Ford Group for years with precision.
16:41No room for sentiment.
16:43When he was angry, he didn't spare anyone.
16:46Not even family.
16:48Lucian, I know I was wrong.
16:50I lost my mind.
16:51I just...
16:54I love you so much.
16:57Watching Aria take the place that should have been mine, I couldn't stand it.
17:01Please.
17:02Just this once.
17:04I swear I'll never do it again.
17:06Lucian looked at her from his chair.
17:10You love me?
17:11Not a flicker of feeling in his eyes.
17:14Then why'd you impersonate me?
17:18You took the money I put aside for my wife.
17:22Just to trick her into leaving.
17:27Camille, that's not love.
17:28That's cheap.
17:30Vicious, even.
17:32You spent years throwing your weight around in this house because my grandmother dulled you.
17:38Belittling the staff.
17:40Making Aria's life difficult.
17:48Did you think I didn't notice?
17:52He paused.
17:53His voice dropped another degree.
17:56I let it go because you were raised here.
17:58I gave you that much.
18:00But you took it too far.
18:02You went after my wife.
18:04You went after my children.
18:06Camille's crying stopped.
18:07She thought Lucian was only playing around with Aria.
18:11Or putting up a front because of the rumors.
18:14But from his words, she heard something different.
18:17He'd actually fallen for her.
18:19For real.
18:21No!
18:22That's not possible!
18:26Lucian!
18:27How could you love someone so, so ordinary?
18:30She doesn't deserve you!
18:32She never did!
18:34Whether she deserves me is not your call to make.
18:38I am revoking every position you hold at Ford Group.
18:42Freezing every asset tied to this family.
18:45And sending you back to your hometown.
18:48You will not set foot in this house again.
18:51Not once.
18:52Not ever.
18:54Camille completely fell apart.
18:56I don't want to go back!
18:58I'll do anything!
18:59Please!
19:00Lucian shook her off.
19:01Hard.
19:02She hit the floor.
19:03Her forehead caught the edge of the table.
19:05A thin line of blood appeared at her hairline.
19:09Remove her.
19:10He didn't look at her again.
19:12The security moved in at once.
19:13Lifted her off the floor.
19:15And dragged her out of the parlor.
19:17Her cries faded down the hallway.
19:19And disappeared.
19:20Lucian.
19:22It was my fault.
19:24I should never have taken Camille's side.
19:27I should never have treated Aria the way I did.
19:30Grandmother, what's done is done.
19:32The frost in his expression eased.
19:34Just barely.
19:35But the warmth didn't follow.
19:38There's no point in saying this now.
19:40Aria is gone.
19:42She took my children.
19:45What I need to do is find her and bring her home.
19:49Put out the word.
19:52Use every resource the Ford family has.
19:54Find Aria Shaw.
19:55Aria Shaw.
19:56Wherever she is.
19:59Bring her back.
20:00Yes, Mr. Ford.
20:01The six months after I left New York were the most peaceful of my life.
20:06My father spent his free afternoons fishing by the lake.
20:10My mother tended to the flowers she'd planted around the house.
20:14The days were quiet and good.
20:16I thought it would stay that way forever.
20:18That I'd simply wait for the babies to arrive, watch them grow, and build a small, steady life.
20:24I wasn't expecting what came next.
20:27One afternoon, I took my parents to a fine restaurant by the waterfront.
20:31My mother's bracelet shifted as she reached for her glass.
20:35The restaurant owner stopped mid-sentence.
20:38Ma'am, that bracelet.
20:40Is that a Marley family heirloom?
20:42My mother's face changed instantly.
20:44She pulled her sleeve down and looked away.
20:47That bracelet had been with her as long as I could remember.
20:50She wore it every day, close to her skin.
20:52She had never once explained where it came from.
20:55I pressed her until she finally spoke, eyes red from years of held back tears.
21:01My mother was the only daughter of Charles Marlowe.
21:05The Marlowe family was old money in Savannah.
21:08Deep roots.
21:09Considerable wealth.
21:10Years ago, she had been visiting New York when she met my father.
21:15They fell in love immediately.
21:16But the Marlowe's refused.
21:19My father was ordinary.
21:20The gap between their families was too wide.
21:23They would not allow it.
21:26My mother chose my father anyway.
21:28She cut ties with her family, left Savannah, and spent the next decade living under a different name.
21:34She never went back.
21:35She never told anyone who she was.
21:38She had missed home every day.
21:40But she was afraid her family was still angry.
21:43Afraid of walking back into the same walls of judgment.
21:47So she kept it buried.
21:48The restaurant owner was a distant relative of the Marlowe's.
21:51He had seen the heirloom years ago and recognized it immediately.
21:55He told us that Charles Marlowe had never stopped looking for his daughter.
21:59Every year, he sent people to search.
22:02He was nearly 70 now.
22:04His health declining.
22:04And his only wish was to find her.
22:07To make up for the time they'd lost.
22:09It's my fault.
22:10You gave up everything for me.
22:13Your family, your name, your home.
22:15All these years carrying it alone.
22:18I'm so sorry.
22:20Mom, Dad, let's go see him.
22:23Whatever he feels.
22:25He's still family.
22:26Blood is blood.
22:27You've both carried this too long.
22:29It's time to go home.
22:30They nodded.
22:31The restaurant owner guided us to the Marlowe estate.
22:34My grandpa was nearly 70.
22:36White-haired, but still sharp.
22:38Still present.
22:39The moment he saw my mother,
22:41the man who'd held himself together for half his life,
22:45finally broke.
22:46My, my girl.
22:48Dad!
22:50My mother ran to him and cried like a child.
22:54My girl.
22:55I'm sorry all this time.
22:57I'm so sorry.
22:59He looked at my father.
23:01The resentment was there,
23:02but so was the evidence of 30 years of care.
23:05My mother was loved.
23:07The resentment softened, then faded.
23:09Eight!
23:10Eight babies!
23:12My granddaughter!
23:14You don't have to worry about a single thing.
23:16Your grandfather has more than enough.
23:19You and the babies will want for nothing!
23:22He bought the surrounding properties and merged them into his estate.
23:26He assigned the Marlowe's private doctor to check on me every day.
23:30He brought my father into the family business.
23:33My father had good instincts for it.
23:35With grandpa's guidance, he found his footing quickly.
23:38He soon became one of the family's most trusted advisors.
23:41And I, as Charles Marlowe's only grandchild, his most treasured person, became the natural heir to the Marlowe name.
23:50Half the family's holdings passed into my hands.
23:53The girl who once lay awake worrying about raising eight children was now one of the wealthiest women in Savannah.
24:00A family at my back.
24:02My parents beside me.
24:04Eight lives growing inside me.
24:07I had everything.
24:09I thought I would simply stay here.
24:11Grow old in this warm city with my children and my family.
24:16That this would be the end of the story.
24:18I didn't expect Lucian to find me.
24:21Savannah was softly raining the day Lucian found me.
24:23Nothing like the cold nights I remembered from New York.
24:26I was lying on the sofa.
24:28It was peaceful.
24:29Then, I heard noise from outside the gate.
24:32A familiar figure stood in the rain.
24:34Black suit.
24:35Straight posture.
24:37The same sharp edges in his face.
24:39But his eyes held something different now.
24:42Exhaustion.
24:43Something I couldn't quite name.
24:45He stood in the rain with his hair wet against his forehead.
24:49Lucian.
24:49I felt nothing stir in my chest.
24:52Not even surprise.
24:53With the Ford's power and connections, finding someone wasn't a question of if.
24:59Only when.
25:00He walked toward me.
25:01Each step a little too quick.
25:04A little too deliberate.
25:05His suit was soaked.
25:07Fabric pressed against him by the rain.
25:09He stopped in front of me.
25:10His eyes dropped to my stomach.
25:12The visible swell of it.
25:14Eight lives inside.
25:16A flicker of tenderness, pain, and regret crossed his eyes before they went still.
25:22Arya.
25:22It was the first time he had ever said my name like that.
25:26I didn't answer.
25:27I signaled the housekeeper for a shawl.
25:29Mr. Ford.
25:30This is unexpected.
25:31What brings you all the way out here?
25:33Arya, I-
25:34He opened his mouth.
25:35Closed it.
25:35Opened it again.
25:36This man who'd run boardrooms and moved markets stood before me.
25:41Speechless.
25:42I came to bring you home.
25:45Home.
25:46Mr. Ford, I think you're confused.
25:48I'm not Mrs. Ford anymore.
25:52We're divorced.
25:53We're nothing to each other.
25:54I'm doing well here.
25:56I don't need your concern.
25:58And I'd like you to stop coming here.
26:00The divorce wasn't real.
26:01Camille sent that message pretending to be me.
26:03She forged my signature on the papers.
26:05None of it came from me.
26:06I never wanted to divorce you.
26:07Not once.
26:08And the 200 million?
26:09That wasn't Camille's money to give.
26:10It was already yours.
26:11I had this set aside calmed down months ago.
26:13I was just waiting for things between us to calm down before putting it in your name.
26:16Camille told you it was a settlement.
26:17She used it to get rid of you.
26:17She's been dealt with.
26:18All her positions are gone.
26:19Her assets are frozen.
26:20She'll never set foot in New York again.
26:21The staff who made your life Marable are gone too.
26:25My grandmother knows she was wrong.
26:26She's been waiting to apologize to you in person.
26:28He reached toward my face.
26:31His hand stopped in the air between us.
26:34It has nothing to do with me.
26:36What Camille did.
26:38How she was punished.
26:40That's Ford family business.
26:43It stopped being mine the day I walked out.
26:45I didn't leave New York because of Camille.
26:48I didn't leave because of your grandmother or the staff.
26:52I left because of you, Lucien.
26:56It was your three years of coldness.
26:59It was the warmth you never gave me.
27:02It was you who made me feel like I wasn't in a home, but a cage.
27:07I could barely breathe inside it.
27:09I watched every word.
27:12I weighed every step.
27:15And now I'm out, and you want me to go back?
27:20Arya, I know.
27:21I know I was wrong.
27:22For three years, I just refused to see what was right in front of me.
27:26I told myself I didn't know how to reach you, that I needed more time.
27:30At the gala that night, I wasn't even drunk.
27:35I used that as an excuse to get close to you.
27:38I thought I'd have more time.
27:39I thought you'd still be there when I finally worked up the courage to say it.
27:45The guilt in his eyes was real.
27:47I could see that.
27:48Had I ever felt something for him?
27:50Maybe.
27:51The time he stepped between me and the rude housekeeper.
27:54The morning he quietly took the antacids I'd left for his trip.
27:58The way he looked at me at the gala.
28:00Just a moment.
28:01Before things got complicated.
28:03Maybe there had been something there.
28:05But three years of cold had worn it down to nothing.
28:09Lucian, it's too late.
28:12I have everything I need right here.
28:14My parents, my grandfather, more money than I could ever spend.
28:20And eight children on the way.
28:22I'm not missing anything.
28:25Please leave.
28:27Don't come back.
28:29Don't disturb my life.
28:31Or my children's lives.
28:36On the other side of it, Lucian stood in the rain and looked at a closed door.
28:42He didn't leave.
28:43He just stood there, still getting soaked.
28:47After that day, Lucian bought a house near mine.
28:50He didn't try to force his way back in.
28:52But he didn't disappear, either.
28:54He simply stayed close in his own quiet way.
29:00Every morning at dawn, fresh white peonies were delivered to my door.
29:04I'd once mentioned in passing that they were my favorite flower in New York,
29:08never thinking he'd heard.
29:10The dew-covered blooms filled the house with a soft, clean fragrance.
29:14Every afternoon, a prenatal tonic made by his own hands arrived.
29:18I heard he'd hired a nutritionist and spent days perfecting it.
29:23Temperature, taste, balance, all tailored just for me.
29:27Every bottle came with a short, handwritten note, firm yet gentle,
29:32always telling me to eat well, rest, and not overwork.
29:37Every evening, he stood outside my gate, staring at the window lights for hours.
29:42He only left once my bedroom lamp went out.
29:45He never entered, just watched quietly from afar, asking for nothing in return.
29:51Word spread through Savannah.
29:53The CEO of Ford Group had come all the way from New York
29:57to wait outside his ex-wife's house every night.
30:00The woman who had taken his money, run off with eight of his children,
30:04and shut the door in his face.
30:06Some people called it devotion.
30:08Some people said he had it coming.
30:10He didn't seem to care what anyone thought.
30:13I heard everything they said.
30:15I still wasn't ready to move.
30:17I could see what Lucien was doing.
30:19I could feel it, even when I didn't want to.
30:23But seeing it and being healed by it were different things.
30:26The hurt hadn't gone anywhere.
30:28It was just quieter now.
30:30Then, one morning, I went to the small chapel near the Marlow estate
30:34to light a candle and pray quietly for the babies.
30:38On the way back, three men blocked our path.
30:41They saw I was heavily pregnant, with only a few servants beside me.
30:45Their intentions were obvious.
30:47I had no time to react.
30:49The staff tried to intervene and couldn't.
30:52Then, Lucien was there.
30:53He moved fast.
31:03He dealt with them in under a minute.
31:05When it was over, he smelled faintly of blood.
31:10Anyone who touches my wife, anyone who comes near my children,
31:14they will pay for it.
31:15The men were gone before he finished the sentence.
31:19The hardness in his face fell away immediately.
31:22What replaced it was concern, pure and unguarded.
31:32Arya, are you alright?
31:36Did I frighten you?
31:37I looked at him.
31:39I felt something shift.
31:40Just slightly.
31:41A hairline crack in something I had kept sealed for a long time.
31:46That day, I didn't tell him to go.
31:48He walked behind me to the chapel.
31:50Walked behind me back to the house.
31:53He didn't say much.
31:54He just stayed close.
31:55Like a guard who had chosen his post and wasn't leaving it.
31:59Weeks later, the babies shifted abruptly one night.
32:03Jolting me awake with a sharp pain.
32:05The doctor said it was probably just pressure.
32:07But someone had to stay and keep watch.
32:10Lucien arrived within the hour.
32:12He sat beside my bed through the whole night without sleeping.
32:15He held my hand, careful, unhurried, like nothing else existed.
32:21Don't be afraid.
32:23I'm here.
32:24The babies will be fine.
32:27You'll be fine.
32:28He held my hand through the entire night.
32:31Never once let go.
32:32In the morning, I looked at his face.
32:34The red in his eyes.
32:36The exhaustion he hadn't hidden.
32:38Something in the wall around me cracked a little more.
32:42The days kept moving.
32:44And my stomach kept growing.
32:46Round and heavy.
32:48Like I was carrying a small world.
32:50Walking had become slow work.
32:52Possible only with help.
32:54Rolling over in bed needed assistance.
32:57Every little movement ached.
32:59Grandfather had brought in the best obstetric team in Savannah.
33:02They stayed at the estate around the clock.
33:05Ready for whenever the time came.
33:08Everything that could be prepared had been prepared.
33:11Lucien kept his post nearby.
33:13Daily deliveries of supplements and whatever the doctors recommended.
33:17He still didn't come inside.
33:19He checked in through the staff.
33:21Made sure I was alright.
33:23Then kept his distance.
33:24Then one morning, the pain came.
33:27Wave after wave.
33:29Harder each time.
33:30Within an hour, I was shaking all over.
33:34Drenched in sweat.
33:35Hair stuck to my face.
33:37My vision fading at the edges.
33:39The medical team moved immediately.
33:41The estate shifted into a different gear.
33:44Everyone at their station.
33:46No hesitation.
33:52Mrs. Shaw, push.
33:54Keep pushing.
33:55Almost there.
33:56Mrs. Shaw, hold on.
33:57The babies are coming.
33:59Stay with us.
33:59I lay there and used everything I had, over and over, until there was nothing left to
34:06use.
34:07Eight babies.
34:08One by one.
34:09Each birth drained me more than I thought I had left to give.
34:13Then the first cry cut through the room.
34:15Sharp.
34:16Clear.
34:16Breaking all the tension.
34:18It's a boy.
34:19Then the second.
34:20The third.
34:21The fourth.
34:22Each cry joined the last.
34:24Layering together.
34:26Filling the house with sound.
34:27But there were still two left.
34:29And I had nothing.
34:31My eyelids were stone.
34:33My arms wouldn't respond.
34:35Every part of me wanted to simply stop.
34:40Mrs. Shaw, stay awake.
34:42Two more.
34:44Your babies need you.
34:46Stay with us.
34:47Then the door burst open.
34:53Arya.
34:54Look at me.
34:56Stay awake.
34:57I'm here.
34:58The children need you.
35:00I need you.
35:01Just a little longer.
35:03His hand was warm.
35:04I looked at him.
35:05I saw it all at once on his face.
35:08Fear.
35:09Agony.
35:10None of his usual composure.
35:12He didn't care what anyone thought.
35:14About rules or how he looked.
35:16Something in me that had been holding tight for a very long time.
35:20Finally let go.
35:22I used what was left.
35:24The last two babies were born.
35:26Four boys.
35:27Four girls.
35:28Every one of them crying strong and clear.
35:32Every one of them healthy.
35:34Tiny and perfect and overwhelming.
35:41The head nurse cleaned them.
35:42Wrapped them gently.
35:46Congratulations Mrs. Shaw.
35:47Congratulations Mr. Ford.
35:49Four boys.
35:50Four girls.
35:50All healthy.
35:52Quite a blessing.
35:54I looked at the eight of them.
35:56Arya.
35:57Then the room went dark.
35:59In the moment before it did, I saw Lucian's eyes fill.
36:02Arya.
36:05Thank you for all eight of them.
36:06And thank you for giving me a family.
36:09His tears landed on the back of my hand.
36:11Warm and real.
36:12I had never seen him cry before.
36:14This man who had never seemed to need anything.
36:17Who had run a corporation with ice in his veins.
36:20Was crying.
36:21For me.
36:21For our children.
36:23Outside the room, my parents and grandfather watched through the window.
36:27Eyes glistening.
36:29When I came around, Lucian was still there.
36:32He hadn't left my side.
36:35He wiped my face.
36:38Helped me drink.
36:40And stayed by my side all night with a clumsy, focused tenderness.
36:44It was nothing like the detached man I had spent three years waiting on.
36:50He stood over the bassinet and looked at the eight of them.
36:54There was something in his eyes I had no word for, except completely undone.
36:59He held each of them as if they were made of something that could break with a breath.
37:03They had his sharpness in their features, and something of mine in the softness around it.
37:08He gave them names.
37:10For the boys, Liam Aria Ford, Noah Aria Ford, Eli Aria Ford, and Cole Aria Ford.
37:19For the girls, Stella Aria Ford, Luna Aria Ford, Lily Aria Ford, and Ivy Aria Ford.
37:28Every name held mine inside it.
37:30Every name was a quiet promise.
37:33After the birth, my recovery began, and Lucian took over.
37:37He canceled everything he had in New York.
37:40Every meeting, every obligation, everything.
37:43He stayed in Savannah and didn't leave.
37:46He followed the postpartum nurse around and learned to make recovery broths.
37:50He practiced changing diapers.
37:53He learned how to feed the babies, how to settle them, how to get them back to sleep.
37:58His technique was rough at first.
38:00He fumbled.
38:01He looked completely out of his depth.
38:03But he never complained, and he never showed the slightest impatience.
38:08Eight babies crying at once is not a quiet experience.
38:12I couldn't get real sleep, so Lucian took the nights.
38:16Every time a baby cried, he was up.
38:19He handled them with the utmost care, holding them until they settled, then returned to sit beside me.
38:25My body recovered faster than anyone expected.
38:28When I was ready to move again, the Savannah Business Association held its annual gala.
38:34I was invited as the Marlowe heir.
38:37Lucian came with me.
38:38Most of the room treated us well.
38:40Word had spread about the octuplets, and people were respectful.
38:44The vice president of the business association, Douglas Price, had never liked the Marlowe family standing.
38:50Mrs. Shaw, congratulations on the octuplets.
38:53Truly a miracle.
38:55So young, already the Marlowe ear.
38:57Mother to eight children with Mr. Ford by your side.
39:00You're the envy of this entire room.
39:02Though I do wonder, how long can luck like this last?
39:05I felt my expression shift.
39:07I opened my mouth.
39:09Lucian moved first.
39:11He pulled me to his side and stared at Douglas Price.
39:14Mr. Price, Aria is my wife.
39:17The mother of my eight children.
39:20Ah, she endured more than you'll ever know to bring them into this world.
39:31My protection, my love, none of it is remarkable.
39:35It's the least she deserved.
39:37And you just insulted her in front of everyone here!
39:42Was that a calculated move, or just a careless mistake?
39:46Douglas Price went pale.
39:49Then his knees buckled.
39:51He dropped to the floor before the entire gala, voice trembling.
39:56Mr. Ford!
39:57I'm so sorry!
39:59I misspoke!
40:00I wasn't thinking!
40:01Please, I never meant-
40:03Luciation membership frees all his business interests in Savannah.
40:07He is never to set foot in this city again.
40:10The security team moved before Price finished his sentence.
40:13His voice echoed down the corridor, and then disappeared.
40:19Lucian turned to me.
40:20The cold was gone from his face the moment his eyes met mine.
40:25He reached up and touched the corner of my eye gently.
40:30Are you alright?
40:31Did that upset you?
40:33I stood there, held against his side,
40:35and felt the last threat of resistance inside me finally break.
40:40Yes.
40:45Arya, thank you.
40:49Thank you for giving me.
40:51Thank you for giving me one more chance.
40:53Thank you for giving me a home again.
40:55Lucian held my hand as we walked along the path through the Marlow estate.
40:59The breeze off the water moved through the trees.
41:01The low, golden light of Savannah's sunset surrounded us.
41:05Arya,
41:06From now on,
41:07I'll never make you feel unimportant.
41:10I'll never let you leave my side.
41:12I'll never overlook what you need.
41:15Every bit of warmth I have
41:16belongs to you and our children.
41:19The New York estate has been renovated just how you'd like it.
41:22White panties in the garden,
41:24a full playroom for the kids,
41:25and that library you always wanted,
41:27with shelves full of books you'd actually pick.
41:31And if you don't want to go back to New York, we won't.
41:35Savannah can be home.
41:36I'll stay here with you, with all of them,
41:38for as long as you'll have me.
41:42Anywhere is fine as long as you're there.
41:44As long as they're there.
41:47That's all home has ever meant to me.
41:49He bent forward and pressed his lips to my forehead.
41:52Slow.
41:54Careful.
41:55We stayed in Savannah a long time after that.
41:58Long enough for the babies to walk and talk.
42:01To call us mom and dad in eight different voices.
42:05Each unique, yet somehow the same.
42:08It's our cream to go.
42:09We went back to New York sometimes.
42:11Eleanor would see the children and light up in a way I had never seen from her before.
42:16The Ford estate, once heavy with quiet unease,
42:20filled with noise, warmth, and the wonderful mess only eight children could make.
42:25Lucian returned to running the Ford Group on his own terms.
42:28Not consumed by it, but present in it.
42:32He made real time every day for us.
42:35From a cold estate in New York, to the warm for the rest of my life.
42:40Every year.
42:41Every season.
42:43All of it with him.
42:46All of it, warm.
42:48All of it, ours.
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