- 6 hours ago
Too Late Miss Chase Ep
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🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Mafia's tradition
00:01Whoever gives me an orchid, marries me.
00:03I stood in the hall with 11 other men, waiting to be chosen.
00:06No orchid tonight.
00:08I'd be forced to marriage her in New York.
00:10Rumors said she burned through a new guy every single night.
00:13One night, one man, then gone.
00:14I had only one way out.
00:16Charlotte.
00:18We grew up together.
00:19She was the Chase family heir, and I was a casino mogul's illegitimate son.
00:24In this city, only she dared give me that flower.
00:26Last night, I'd asked her for a fake marriage.
00:28Three years was enough to build something for myself.
00:31After that, she could love whoever she wanted.
00:33She'd said yes.
00:34Now she smiled and walked toward me.
00:40I let out my hand.
00:42Then she pressed her orchid into Tyler's hands instead.
00:47I stood frozen.
00:49Let Tyler have his moment.
00:50He's never had one.
00:52Don't worry, no one's arranging anything for you while I'm around.
00:55I watched Tyler take her arm.
00:57They looked like a couple.
00:59I stood alone.
01:00She came back with champagne, laughing.
01:03These people, honestly, I told them to save you at least one flower.
01:07I looked at the girl I'd grown up beside.
01:09Do you understand what this gala actually is?
01:11She didn't answer.
01:12Charlotte was the only one who would have chosen me.
01:15She chose someone else.
01:17The room kept moving.
01:18I felt very still.
01:20It was over.
01:20Charlotte's expression shifted, a faint flicker of guilt crossing her face.
01:24She waved Tyler off.
01:26Look, you're used to these events, but Tyler's never had anything like this.
01:30I just wanted to give him one good night.
01:32Consider it a favor from me.
01:34You're not really upset, are you?
01:35It's one night.
01:36I said nothing.
01:37It's his graduation.
01:38After tonight, I can't sponsor him anymore.
01:40I promised him one memory worth keeping.
01:42Ethan, I'm sorry if I got in the way.
01:43Don't be angry at Charlotte.
01:44I begged her to-
01:45Charlotte caught Tyler's awkward expression and her eyes cooled slightly.
01:47Ethan, it's one flower.
01:49I'll give you another one.
01:51You're more of a rose anyway.
01:53Getting worked up over one orclet isn't like you.
01:54I supposed that tract.
01:56An orchid meant purity.
01:57It symbolized the acceptance of a family.
02:00A rose.
02:00Passionate.
02:01Showy.
02:02Like a clandestine lover.
02:04The laughter around me grew louder.
02:08A bastard son who follows Charlotte around like a lapdog.
02:12And he thought he'd actually marry into the Chase family?
02:15And that was a Sussis family?
02:17Even the scholarship kid outranks him.
02:19Charlotte silenced them with a glare.
02:22But it was already enough to humiliate me.
02:24Ethan, I'm sorry.
02:26You were born into wealth while I just wanted a memorable night.
02:29Born into wealth?
02:30I'm a bastard son.
02:32Do you have any idea how this family actually treats me?
02:35Tyler froze, startled by me.
02:39My bad.
02:40But I was the only one who caught the cunning flash in his eyes.
02:45It's already done.
02:46I'll take you to get changed.
02:47And Ethan, you can head home if you want.
02:49Home.
02:50Where exactly was that supposed to be?
02:53Then they left.
02:54Vanessa Lee appeared almost instantly.
02:57You smell amazing, Mr. Holt.
02:59Charlotte told me to give you an orchid.
03:02I didn't.
03:03I told you stop chasing her and try me instead.
03:06But you never listened.
03:08How's it feel now?
03:12I just needed three years to build enough leverage to break free from my family's control.
03:19But my stepmother couldn't stand the sight of me.
03:21She was already rushing to throw me out.
03:26Ethan Holt, if you weren't so pretty, you'd be nothing.
03:30You really think the Chase family is going to protect you forever?
03:35Vanessa, don't touch what's mine.
03:38I thought you picked the scholarship kid.
03:39Why are you still keeping Ethan around?
03:40My business, not yours.
03:44Why didn't you do anything?
03:46I felt nothing but deep, tired disappointment.
03:49Wasn't this what you arranged?
03:51I can look out for you and still talk to other people, Ethan.
03:53I'm not required to stand next to you all night.
03:55But you know what tonight's gala means.
03:57Can we get some drinks?
03:57Is that okay?
03:58Sure, tonight's yours.
03:59Whatever you want.
04:00Whatever it is, we'll talk tomorrow.
04:02I'll come find you.
04:03I almost laughed out loud.
04:04Tomorrow, you'll have to find me in New York.
04:08The shyness he wore earlier was gone, replaced by something colder.
04:12You have everything, Mr. Holt.
04:14Do you really need to take this too?
04:15I should never have helped Charlotte choose him for that scholarship.
04:19You grew up with everything you could want.
04:23All I wanted was one night under Charlotte's protection.
04:28I let out a quiet sneer.
04:29You think I had it better than you?
04:31My mother died young.
04:34I was brought back to the Holt house, just a child.
04:37My stepmother looked at me like I shouldn't exist, from the very first day.
04:41My father had too many wives, too many children, to care about one more.
04:45I learned early how to read a room, how to make myself useful.
04:49I found Aunt Diana in the margins.
04:51I convinced her to train me, to back me.
04:53I stood in front of her, forcing my hands to stay still.
04:56My father has over 20 children.
04:58Why would I believe a bastard son can beat all of them?
05:01Because I have no weakness.
05:04And I'm willing to fight dirty.
05:06But my time hadn't come yet.
05:09Diana wouldn't move for me, not now.
05:11Everyone said my fiancé from the Quinn family was a deadly, poisonous flower.
05:16My family wanted the alliance, but not the cost.
05:18They wouldn't sacrifice a true heir, so they offered me.
05:22Diana had already heard how the gala ended.
05:24A message arrived.
05:25Figure it out yourself.
05:26I needed a solution.
05:30Well, can you get the orchid back from Tyler?
05:32Just for one night.
05:33I'll return it in the morning.
05:34Charlotte Blink clearly caught off guard.
05:36That's a bit awkward, isn't it?
05:37I already gave it.
05:39Stop trying to take things from Tyler.
05:40The orchid had a gold-trimmed edge.
05:43Custom made.
05:43There was no replacing it.
05:45The restraint I'd held all night finally snapped.
05:48Charlotte, you promised.
05:49Why did you have to humiliate me tonight of all nights?
05:52Ethan, no one in this city will touch you.
05:55The only person who could ever want you is me.
05:58Everyone knows you're my little shadow.
06:00Her little shadow.
06:01Her lapdog.
06:02I had played that role for years, just to survive.
06:05But hearing her say it so casually, like it meant nothing,
06:08it hit harder than I expected.
06:10Don't be angry at Charlotte, Ethan.
06:11Ethan, one night.
06:12Stop being difficult.
06:13Tomorrow he goes back to his normal life.
06:15I gave Charlotte a long, lingering look,
06:17then turned and walked out of the gala.
06:19Aunt Diana's car was already waiting outside.
06:22You lost.
06:23Tomorrow you go to New York.
06:24What happens after that is your problem.
06:26I'll come back.
06:26We'll see.
06:27We've supported you for 18 years.
06:29It's time you gave something back.
06:31You leave tomorrow.
06:31There was nothing in this house that belonged to me.
06:34Not even a plane ticket.
06:35I'd have to buy my own.
06:37Diana said nothing and went to her room.
06:39I went to mine, the smallest one, and started packing.
06:42Mom told me to watch you.
06:43You're not taking anything valuable.
06:44The suit stays.
06:45So does everything else.
06:46Oh, mom also says the woman in New York
06:48apparently has someone she's been carrying a tort for.
06:50Good luck.
06:52By the time I was standing there in just a t-shirt and sweats,
06:55she'd gotten bored and left.
06:57I was up before dawn.
06:59No goodbyes.
07:00Check-in, security, boarding.
07:02All smooth.
07:04Tyler had posted on Instagram.
07:06The wrist in the photo had my watch on it.
07:08Thank you for the most beautiful night of my life.
07:10I smiled bitterly to myself.
07:12It was all over.
07:13Maybe I should post a picture too.
07:15I posted on Instagram and attached a photo.
07:17Goodbye to this city.
07:18Then I powered off my phone and cut every thread back to the city.
07:22But just one minute later, the PA crackled.
07:25Ladies and gentlemen, we sincerely apologize.
07:26The Chase family has bought all outgown flights to New York today for someone.
07:29All passengers, please return to the gate.
07:32My mind hadn't caught up yet.
07:33The plane hadn't even come to a full stop before my phone flooded back to life.
07:38Calls, messages, a payment notification all at once.
07:41The PA crackled again.
07:42We apologize for the disruption to your journey.
07:45As a gesture of goodwill, the Chase family will be reimbursing all passengers ten times
07:49the value of their tickets.
07:51Who do you think they're looking for?
07:52Grounding every flight?
07:54It's like something out of a drama.
07:57Charlotte had shown up at my house first thing that morning.
07:59When she found I wasn't there, she'd gone straight to my room.
08:02Everything was still there.
08:03The suit, the watch, the cufflinks.
08:05Only my backpack was gone.
08:07That was when she panicked.
08:08She'd woken up the whole household, demanded answers.
08:11Someone finally told her I'd gone to New York.
08:15She'd called me immediately and must have seen the picture too.
08:18By then, I was already on the plane.
08:20Just never expected her to ground every flight to New York.
08:25Go back or keep going?
08:27It was still early, I was starving.
08:29I'd eat first and decide after.
08:31A message from Aunt Diana arrived as I sat down.
08:34Do you want to come back?
08:35The Chase family is still interested.
08:37The Holt house was full of calculation.
08:39Charlotte indulged me, yes, but she'd never embarrass herself for me.
08:43Going back meant walking straight into more of the same.
08:46There was no guarantee things would be better ahead.
08:51Anyone reasonably good looking got stopped and questioned.
09:03My phone kept buzzing against the table.
09:05She nearly tripped when no one answered.
09:07Her men reported back empty handed.
09:10I'd never seen Charlotte like this.
09:11Keep looking.
09:12Not a single flight leaves for New York.
09:14I don't care how long it takes.
09:16Then I went back to my food and waited for boarding.
09:19At the table behind me, two guys were having a full conversation about it.
09:23Imagine someone chasing you like this.
09:25I'd say yes on the spot.
09:26You don't get it.
09:27She gave her orchid to a scholarship kid last night.
09:29Not her little lover, a rich boy.
09:31The orchid was a courtship signal.
09:33Wait, she passed over a rich and for a scholarship student?
09:35So today she's regretting it?
09:37I said nothing.
09:37I took a slow sip of my coffee thinking,
09:40I can't even eat a meal without hearing gossip about myself.
09:43How do you even know that?
09:45Because I was at the gala last night.
09:47Hearing those words, I tensed up.
09:49Someone who'd been there.
09:50I glanced back, didn't recognize either of them.
09:53No way!
09:54My family has connections in those circles.
09:57Getting an invitation isn't unusual for me.
09:59Okay, but what did the air actually look like?
10:01Genuinely good looking.
10:02Then what was she thinking?
10:04Giving the flower to an outsider.
10:05Because he's a bastard son.
10:07Can't compare to those of us with actual bloodlines.
10:10But the guy raised his voice, more confident.
10:12Charlotte might come around and realize someone like me is the better option.
10:16I'm the future head of my family after all.
10:18I had no interest in listening to any more of that.
10:24What? You know him?
10:25The second guy got a clear look at my face and blurted.
10:28You're gorgeous!
10:29Aren't you-
10:30He glanced at Charlotte's men still sweeping the terminal, fumbling over his words.
10:34Is she looking for you?
10:35How are you just sitting here eating?
10:39I was halfway down the corridor when one of them finally screamed behind me.
10:43You didn't tell me he looked like that!
10:45You have absolutely zero chance now!
10:49The Chase family had brought out routes to other cities too.
10:52I stood there, phone in hand, genuinely not sure whether to laugh or cry.
10:56Then my phone rang. A New York number?
10:59Hello?
11:00Quinn.
11:01The name of the woman I was supposed to marry.
11:03Her voice was cool and clean and somehow immediately likable.
11:07I'm sorry, I-
11:07My people are already at the airport. They'll bring you over.
11:10I was about to explain about the flights.
11:17Understood.
11:19I hung up and walked straight toward the jet. It had started to drizzle.
11:22An umbrella appeared over my head the moment I stepped outside.
11:25We're here for you, sir.
11:26That was when Charlotte spotted me.
11:30Ethan, come with me.
11:33Two sides, facing off in the rain.
11:36The man leading Quinn's team was clearly a senior butler.
11:39Sharp suit, composed face, a kind of stillness that comes from decades in service.
11:44He smiled, but there was nothing readable behind him.
11:46Miss Chase, I'm here to escort him home.
11:49If you'd kindly step aside.
11:51Charlotte's eyes went hard.
11:54He hasn't left the city yet. Nobody's taking him anywhere.
11:57She looked past the butler, straight at me.
11:59Your family was forcing you into this. Why didn't you tell me?
12:03I'd tried. Several times, her attention had always been on Tyler.
12:07Charlotte, you've looked out for me for years. I'm grateful. None of this is your fault.
12:14If it's not my fault, then come back with me. I'll talk to your family. I'll marry you.
12:20The rain was coming down now. Charlotte's hair was loose around her face.
12:24The butler stepped smoothly in front of me.
12:26The time we agreed on with the Holt family has passed. He leaves with us today.
12:32Charlotte didn't look at the butler. She looked only at me. I shook my head.
12:38Charlotte, all I ever asked for was three years. I told you-
12:40Stop being stubborn. Just come back and we'll talk, okay?
12:43I was grateful, genuinely. But the moment she let go of my hand and gave that orchid to Tyler, the
12:49road split.
12:50Your husband is Tyler. The whole city knows it now. Be good to each other.
12:55I'm not marrying a scholarship, kid. Are you serious?
12:59Something in me went flat. Charlotte had always been like this. Fond of me, yes, but never quite respectful.
13:05Too much affection. Not enough regard. I'd noticed it for years. I'd let it go for years.
13:10I turned and walked toward the jet without answering. Ethan, think about what you're doing. There's no one to protect
13:16you out there.
13:18You're really not going to marry me? Walk away now and don't come back crying about it.
13:25I didn't answer. Got on the plane. The butler had thought ahead.
13:30A change of clothes was waiting. He gestured quietly toward the washroom at the back.
13:34You should dry off. Getting cold in wet clothes isn't good.
13:38The jet was something else entirely. Clearly not a rental. This was Quinn family property.
13:43Even my family didn't own a private jet. My father occasionally chartered one, at most.
13:49The jet had a full bathroom and a proper bed. But too practical, too plain. Not what I'd have expected
13:54from someone like Quinn. I changed in the washroom. The clothes fit exactly. When I came out,
14:00the butler quietly moved the other staff to the back of the cabin.
14:03Is this Miss Quinn's usual plain? He read the confusion on my face.
14:06Miss Quinn had it built for you. Everything inside was arranged to your preferences.
14:11She chose the bedding herself, the most comfortable materials available.
14:14I nearly lost my footing. Something this extravagant. Handed to a stranger without hesitation.
14:19Wasn't she supposed to have someone she was already in love with?
14:22It's a long flight. You should rest. New York is dry this time of year. We've set up a humiditator
14:27for you.
14:29No one had ever thought about what I needed before. I'd spent my whole life reading other people's
14:34moods, never having my own accounted for. The sudden consideration made me restless in a way I
14:39couldn't explain. The butler, to his credit, noticed and quietly excused himself. I took out
14:46a notebook and sketched aimlessly, my mind full of nothing but unease about what came next.
14:51The plane landed on a stretch. An estate belonging to the Quinn family. I'd grown up in a wealthy
14:58family. This was another level entirely. Quinn came out to meet me herself. Warm smile. Nothing
15:05like the cold, ruthless person I'd been told about. Miss Quinn, I know you have someone you're in love
15:11with. Marrying me wasn't your choice. I only need three years. I won't keep you from whoever that is
15:17for long. She frowned slightly. Someone I'm in love with? Three years? Three years as your husband.
15:25I wouldn't interfere in your personal life. That whole, we separate clean. Why take any from you?
15:31We can't find it triven, draw driven. Her frown deepened. She glanced toward the butler, a pointed
15:36look that got no response. Then she stepped closer. Close enough that there was almost no space between us.
15:43My face went completely red. Who said anything about that? She watched my reaction with what
15:49appeared to be quiet satisfaction. She tilted my chin up slightly. Everything I have is yours.
15:57I still hadn't recovered by the time we were inside. Ruthless and cold, they'd said. I looked around the
16:04house. Sharp lines, minimal furniture, efficient and clean. I sat on the sofa and slid a piece of paper
16:12across the table. This is my plan. I'd like to borrow some money. I'll pay it back in installments.
16:19She glanced over it. You need money? It was embarrassing. The son of a casino mogul arriving
16:24with a backpack and no gift worth mentioning. I'd looked them up before landing. The Quinn family
16:29didn't need alliances. They didn't need anything from anyone. People lined up to get close to them.
16:34I still didn't understand why they'd agreed to this arrangement with the Hulse.
16:38Yes, I don't have any. But I'll find a way to repay you. She didn't question it. She took my
16:47cold hand in
16:47both of hers. My face went red again. Her mood visibly improved. What do you need it for?
16:54Miss Quinn, I refuse to spend my life shackled to the Holt family and I refuse to spend it as
16:59a house
16:59help asking for pocket money. I want to build something of my own. And if I can manage it,
17:05I want to take back what's rightfully mine from the Holt's. She hadn't expected that. She reached
17:11over and ruffled my hair. Don't worry. Everything in this family is yours.
17:19Use this. No limit. I still couldn't read what was behind her eyes. The room she'd prepared for me was
17:24the
17:25best on the estate. Full sunlight, clean lines, airy. For someone who'd spent years in the smallest
17:30room of a house where he'd never belonged, it was almost too much to take in. I slept well for
17:36the
17:36first time in years. The next morning, a message from Diana arrived first.
17:45Charlotte is furious. Why didn't you come back? I'm a person, Diana, not a pet you can whistle for.
17:51I assumed you'd already started thinking of yourself as a weapon. Three years. I borrowed
17:55one million dollars from the Quinn family. That was all. I played the role of Quinn's husband at
18:00every function. Received, respected, flattered. A decorative presence in the room. Quinn treated me
18:06with more dignity than anyone ever had. And I didn't let myself forget my purpose. With that one
18:11million, I worked the connections. I pressured them from outside and hollowed them from within,
18:15pulling talent, cutting leverage, making my father see his legitimate children were useless.
18:20The secondary wives' children, frightened about their own inheritances, started selling off shares.
18:25I bought every one. I became a major shareholder without anyone noticing, then the largest. By the
18:31time my father had a strong quarter and was feeling generous, I was already the one holding the keys.
18:37It was ten at night when I finally got home. Quinn was already there, sitting in the living room
18:42under warm light, waiting. I crossed the room without thinking. I hugged her tightly. I held on
18:48longer than I should have, and when I finally let go, I forced myself to pull back together.
18:53You're home so late. Are you tired? I made soup. Whatever I had planned to say just disappeared.
19:02She stayed there, watching, until I finished every last spoonful. When are you going to start trusting
19:07me? You don't have to carry all of this alone. I looked at her in that warm light and felt
19:13something
19:14I couldn't quite name. The three years are up. I should go back to where I started, shouldn't I?
19:19She didn't look surprised. Diana's been good to you in her way. And Charlotte, I heard she came to New
19:23York looking for you a few times. You never saw her. I stayed quiet for a moment. She knew all
19:28of this,
19:28and never said a word. Diana used me. That was always a transaction. Charlotte stopped being
19:33someone I could walk with the day I left the city. Then why go back? I have enough now to
19:37take back what's mine. I'll repay you ten times what I borrowed. Three years in this house, and I
19:43found something I'd never had before. I had been drifting toward her for a long time, but there was
19:49still one thing. I never found the person who once saved me. Quinn, I've always known you had someone.
19:56I have one too. So the reason you kept your guard up all this time was because of this person
20:02I
20:02supposedly have? What did that mean? Was there more to this? Can I ask who it is? The person you've
20:08been
20:08thinking about? The memory was so old, it had almost disappeared. I wasn't even sure anymore if that
20:14person had ever been real. When I was little, my stepmother left me out on the street. A girl found
20:19me,
20:20and walked me home. She bought me food. I only remember she was from New York. I don't remember
20:26what she looked like. It was the first time anyone had ever been kind to me for no reason.
20:31I've wanted to find her ever since. Honestly, Quinn, I almost gave in so many times. I love being here,
20:38but I've been left behind too many times. If I know someone doesn't belong to me,
20:42I won't let myself start depending on them. As I spoke, something changed in Quinn's eyes.
20:50Ethan, how do you know the person I love isn't you? There was a little boy on the street one
20:55afternoon who offered to marry me in exchange for a meal. I haven't forgotten him. It hit me like a
21:01current through water. The person I had searched for my entire life was right here. The joy came all at
21:08once. Too big, too sudden. It made my head spin. I didn't even notice her lips on mine until they
21:14already were. The heat between us grew, and somewhere along the way, without a single clear moment,
21:20everything else just fell away. My first love had always been my person. Tears came before I even
21:27realized it. She held me carefully, watching my face. Trust me with this. Lean on me from now on.
21:35That was everything I had left to give. The Quinn family hosted a gala. The Chase family and the Holt
21:42family both came to New York for it. The Holt family butler showed up at the Quinn estate. He found
21:47me
21:47in the front room, doing nothing in particular. He hadn't changed. Same air of casual authority,
21:52same look that said I was an inconvenience to be managed. The ninth young master, your father would like
21:58to see you. With Quinn behind me, the permanent exhaustion that had lived behind my eyes had
22:04finally started to lift. You think getting married made you something? Don't forget who fed you when
22:12you were small. Interesting. A butler walks into my home and puts his hands on my husband? Quinn's voice
22:18was winter. My hand found her waist. If the Holt family wants a meeting, they submit a formal request.
22:23A butler showing up to collect someone is an insult to this household. To who exactly? That butler left the
22:28Quinn estate that evening with two broken legs, deposited in front of the Holt's hotel in a way
22:33that left no room for interpretation. The Holt family finally understood what kind of family I'd
22:38married into. The night of the gala, the hotel became the most exclusive room in the city. Hundreds
22:43of security personnel at the door alone. He quickly realized that every person in the room was heading
22:51directly to Quinn's side. I hope the Quinn family finds my son satisfactory. The room went quiet and
23:01looked at my father. He'd assumed his reputation as a casino mogul carried weight everywhere. The faces
23:06around him were politely blank. No one had the faintest idea who he was. My stepmother turned to me.
23:13Your parents are right here and you can't even come say hello? You never call, you never write. People
23:18would think we raised you with no manners at all. The message was clear. These people were not welcome
23:24here. The Holt family's money came from casinos. Expanding internationally required legitimacy,
23:30and the legitimate companies my father owned had, recently, been quietly acquired by a small firm
23:36no one had heard of. By the time anyone noticed, the leverage was gone. That was when he remembered he
23:41had a
23:41son in New York. If my father had even a shred of humility, maybe something could have been saved.
23:47But a lifetime of flattery had made him blind to everything. The Holt family left the gala with
23:53nothing. My stepmother spent the entire evening making cutting remarks, hinting that I had stolen
23:58my brother's chance to be here. In the end, she isolated herself from the entire room. I stepped out
24:04of the ballroom just to breathe. Whatever happened to this person you cared about? You wouldn't come home
24:09for me but you had no trouble changing your tune once you got here? Charlotte. It had been a long
24:13time since I'd seen her. She had changed, become harder, her gaze fixed on the pin on my lapel,
24:19like it had offended her personally. Charlotte, I'm grateful for everything you did for me over the
24:23years. But you were the one who didn't choose me. You don't get to be bitter about where I ended
24:28up.
24:28The person I care about is right here. The contentment in my voice, unguarded, real,
24:33struck her like a blow. What about everything between us? All those years? I always wanted to
24:38marry you. And Tyler? Wasn't he the one you chose at the gala? The whole city watched. Every camera
24:43in the room was on you. At the gala? The whole city watched. Every camera was on you. The Chase
24:48family had refused to recognize a scholarship student as their heir's partner. But the footage
24:53still existed. Every tabloid had run it. Tyler had started presenting himself as the future head of the
24:59Chase family. He became a joke. The Chase family had been cleaning up the mess ever since. And Tyler
25:05had disappeared. No, I don't miss him. My own creation turning on me. I should have seen it
25:15coming. The mistake I'll regret longest is letting you go. You used the time to build enough to come
25:20back and take everything. She had figured it out. The ability is there. You're the best of his children.
25:26Without question. What a waste that you're illegitimate.
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