- 5 hours ago
Rejected by My Ex, Cherished by a Billionaire
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Short filmTranscript
00:21To be continued...
00:31My husband had a last-minute work emergency, so he told his local branch to send a car for me.
00:37I walked out of the airport and froze.
00:39My driver was Seth.
00:40Yo, Seth, isn't that your obsessed ex? Isn't that Vanessa?
00:43Seth looked at me. He looked surprised for a split second, then he smirked.
00:47See? I told you guys. I knew she'd come crawling back.
00:50Vanessa vanished without a trace. Now she sees Seth is loaded. She probably cries herself to sleep every night.
00:55One of them looked me up and down. Vanessa, if you're gonna fake a random run-in, why show up
01:01in sweatpants?
01:02Couldn't you at least put on some makeup? Without Seth, you can't even buy a nice outfit? You look pathetic.
01:08It was true. I used to spend hours getting ready for Seth. Full face of makeup, tight designer dresses, always
01:14making sure I looked absolutely perfect for him.
01:16But that was before. But I didn't need to do that anymore, because I'm pregnant, and my husband refused to
01:21let me be uncomfortable.
01:22He banned heavy makeup and had this cheap loungewear custom-tailored for me in Paris.
01:26Listening to them mock me, it suddenly clicked. They only read the name on the corporate dispatch.
01:31They had no idea the VIP they were picking up was me.
01:37Vanessa, it's good you're back. Seth actually spent years looking for you. He asked about you everywhere.
01:43Seth's smug smile stiffened. He cleared his throat and acted nonchalant.
01:47Chloe's kid starts preschool next week. From now on, you're in charge of the drop-offs.
01:51He was still so incredibly arrogant. But I wasn't that naive little girl anymore.
01:56Looking at him now, I just felt exhausted and grossed out. I didn't want to waste another second on them.
02:01I was just about to tell them exactly who I was.
02:04Vanessa, please don't be mad at Seth. He's just trying to take care of you.
02:08You disappeared for three years. Who knows what kind of shady stuff you had to do to survive.
02:14Look at how run-down you are. Seth wanted to make you my personal secretary.
02:19Clearly you can't handle that. Don't worry. Being my nanny is a respectable job. No one will look down on
02:24you.
02:24Three years apart, she's still as arrogant as ever. She still makes me cringe.
02:27Seth saw my scowl and thought I was just jealous. His eyes flashed with triumph.
02:32All right, Vanessa, drop the attitude. You clearly can't survive out there. So stop throwing tantrums.
02:36Take care of the kid and learn your place. Don't worry. My mansion has a perfectly good
02:40Nersi room in the basement.
02:43Damn, Vanessa, look how good Seth is to you. He's giving you free room and board.
02:47Isn't babysitting better than whatever trashy life you're living now? Hurry up and say thank you.
02:51Chloe touched her diamond earring, putting on an affected tone. Don't you worry, dear. If my son
02:57acts up, I'll make sure to set him straight for you. I won't let you be mistreated. Seth let out
03:02a
03:02cold laugh and shot me a glance. Why would she be mistreated? She ran away over a tiny little
03:07misunderstanding. If she hit rock bottom out there, she deserves to suffer a little. Hearing that,
03:12my heart actually skipped a beat. After three years, he still thought ditching me at the county
03:18clerk's office for Chloe was just a tiny little misunderstanding. The Seth who used to love me
03:23was truly dead. He wasn't the boy who carried me across town, ignoring his own bleeding cuts.
03:28He wasn't the broke teenager who promised me the world. He wasn't the man who, despite all his fame
03:33and success, was still willing to cook for me. But whatever. It was all in the past. None of it
03:38mattered anymore. Besides, I'm about to give birth to my second baby anyway. I pushed my feelings down.
03:43I didn't want to argue with them. It was pointless. I looked at Seth. My voice was completely calm.
03:48Aren't you here to pick me up? Let's go. The whole group went dead silent. They exchanged looks.
03:53Then they burst out laughing. Chloe sneered. Pick you up? Don't make me laugh. We are waiting
03:58for Mrs. Vance. Do you even know who that is? Vance was my new married name. Of course I knew.
04:03Mrs. Vance is the matriarch of the Vance family. She is the actual wife of Grayson Vance.
04:09Grace. Grayson Vance is a ruthless billionaire. But he's completely obsessed with his wife.
04:17Rumor has it, he stayed single for years. Just waiting for her. Don't try to kiss up to Grayson.
04:23Kiss up to Mrs. Vance. She is his entire world. Listening to them gossip about my marriage,
04:29I couldn't help it. A genuine happy smile spread across my face. To win his wife's heart,
04:36Grayson Vance bought a custom diamond bracelet at Christie's. It's called Eternal Heart. It costs
04:42$20 million. Mrs. Vance is literally the most envied woman on earth. Chloe paused. Her eyes darted
04:49down to my wrist. She let out a sharp gasp. That's the exact same bracelet. Seth violently grabbed my
04:55hand. He yanked my arm up to inspect the bracelet. Then he scoffed. It's a pretty good fake. Which broke
05:02delivery guy bought this for you? Buying you a cheap knockoff? Absolute trash. I snatched my hand
05:08back and gently rubbed the bracelet on my wrist. I smirked, seeing my happy, unfazed smile. Seth's
05:16eyes narrowed in pure rage. He lunged forward. He grabbed my wrist with a crushing grip and violently
05:21ripped the bracelet off my arm. I gasped in shock. I wasn't expecting him to get physical. He tore it
05:27right off. Chloe eagerly stepped forward. She snatched the bracelet from Seth's hand and started
05:32playing with it. Wow, it really is a high quality fake. Way better than the replica I bought. But I'd
05:38never actually wear mine in public. These overseas knockups hit different. The weight actually feels
05:43real. She gave me a mocking, sickly, sweet smile. Are you going to tell us you're the real Mrs. Vance?
05:48Are you the legendary billionaire's wife? The second she said it, the frat boys erupted into hysterical
05:53laughter. To them, it was the most absurd joke in the world. Grayson Vance was a globally feared
05:59financial shark. He was ruthless and unstoppable. Chloe spun the $20 million bracelet around her
06:05finger. Vanessa, just sell this fake to me. I'll pay you double what your broke boyfriend paid.
06:09I panicked, terrified she was going to drop it. Give that back right now! Grayson gave that- I didn't
06:15even get to finish my sentence. Seth's hand slammed across my face. My head snapped to the side.
06:20Seth glared at me like I was insane. Do you have a death wish? You think you can just
06:23casually drop Mr. Vance's name? Are you trying to get me killed? His frat boy buddies stared at me
06:28with pure rage. Do you have any idea how hard we fought for this airport pickup? Grayson Vance
06:33bought out Seth's company last year. Our entire livelihoods depend on him now. The only way Seth
06:38keeps his executive spot is if we impress Mrs. Vance. And you're out here psychotic rumors that
06:43you know the CEO? Are you trying to ruin Seth's career? I wiped the blood from my split lip and
06:48slowly
06:48turned my head, then locked eyes with Seth. My stare must have been dead cold. Because Seth frowned,
06:53a flicker of genuine panic flashed across his eyes. Chloe saw that tiny shift in his expression.
06:58Her eyes turned venomous. She pointed right at my nose. Vanessa, you ungrateful bitch! Seth was kind
07:05enough to offer you a roof over your head. Don't push your luck. I know you're bitter about the
07:10past. But trying to sabotage his career out of petty revenge? That's sick. Hearing her say that,
07:16it felt exactly like three years ago. No matter what I did, Chloe would twist it. She would feed
07:21her poisoned version of reality to Seth. In the early days, he used to defend me. But by the end,
07:26he always took her side. Just like right now. Seth shook his head in disgust. You're such a jealous
07:31shrew. But this time, he didn't keep screaming at me. He went quiet for a second. Then he pulled
07:36out his checkbook. For the sake of what we used to be, I'll let this slide. Take the cash. Go
07:41buy
07:42some clothes that don't look like trash. If you really don't want a nanny Chloe's kid, I'll pull
07:47some strings and get you a decent job next week. Don't worry. Ever since the Vance acquisition,
07:51this kind of money is pocket chains to me. Watching him play the generous billionaire savior made my
07:56stomach turn. Clearly, life had been way too easy for him lately. The whole group watched me.
08:01Waiting for me to grovel and take the money. Instead, I shoved his hand away. I reached over
08:05and snatched my diamond bracelet right out of Chloe's hand. No, thank you, sir. I don't take
08:10handouts from strangers. Seth's face turned bright red. I ignored him and turned to walk away.
08:15Vanessa, you won't even take my money? What is your problem? Am I just a stranger to you now?
08:20We broke up three years ago. It's better if we keep our distance. I wouldn't want anyone to get the
08:25wrong idea. I was thinking about my fiercely loyal, slightly jealous billionaire husband. But
08:30Seth glanced over at Chloe. He looked like he had it all figured out. My company is hosting a massive
08:34gala for Mr. Vand in three days. I was actually planning to bring you as my plus one to let
08:38you
08:38experience high society. But you'd need to buy a decent dress. I can't have you embarrassing me.
08:43I really don't need to go. Thanks. He was grinding his teeth. Not because I refused the money,
08:47because I made him look small in front of everyone. Vanessa, you've really grown a spine,
08:52haven't you? It's true what they say. The poorer you get, the bigger your attitude. Fine. If you don't
08:56want to go, forget it. I'll take Chloe. Hearing that she got to attend the billionaire's gala,
09:00Chloe's eyes lit up. Seth, I promise I'll be perfect. I absolutely won't embarrass you.
09:06I was so incredibly done with them. I turned around and strode away. I practically sprinted
09:09out of the arrival's terminal, hitting the fresh air outside, finally pushing down the
09:13nausea churning in my stomach. My mind flashed back to three years ago. My parents had been
09:17pressuring me into an arranged marriage overseas. I fought them on it. I begged Seth, my boyfriend of
09:21seven years, to just elope with me. Seth agreed. But when I showed up at the county clerk's office,
09:25he brought his childhood sweetheart Chloe. He told me her baby needed a legal father.
09:29He told me he'd divorce her in a month, and marry me then. Watching him hold her hand and walk
09:33into
09:33that clerk's office. I'm completely done. I flew overseas for a blind date that very night.
09:36A month later, I married Grayson Vance. A year later, we had our first baby, and now,
09:40I'm pregnant with our second. Honestly, if it wasn't for Grayson's family memorial,
09:44I never would have set foot back in this country, and I definitely wouldn't have bumped into Seth.
09:47Three days later, I showed up to the corporate gala alone, wearing light makeup and
09:51my custom loungewear. The second Seth saw me, his eyes lit up. A smug smirk spread across his face.
09:56You said you didn't want to come, but here you are. Listen, if you want me back,
09:59you need to at least dress the part to match my new status. I brushed off his arrogance and
10:04tried to pass him. He stopped me angrily. Vanessa, I'm talking to you. Our seats are right here.
10:08Where do you think you're going? I shook his hand off. Those are your seats. My seat is over there.
10:12I pointed straight at the VIP head table. Seth's face instantly darkened. Chloe shot me a venomous
10:18glare. Vanessa, how did you sneak in here? Are you here to ruin everything? How dare you wear
10:24that bracelet? People immediately started whispering. Wait, is that the Eternal Heart
10:29Diamond bought that bracelet? Mr. Vance Vance first in Republic appearance. This girl trying
10:34to mock the billionaire's wife? She's Toko Inn. Is she trying to humiliate us in front of Mr. Vance
10:38in? They really thought they knew who they were dealing with. One of the executives turned to
10:42Seth. Excuse me, Seth. Is this young lady your friend? Seth saw that I wasn't even looking at him.
10:47He adjusted his expensive cuffs. No, I don't know her. Hearing that, Chloe looked completely thrilled.
10:52She lifted her chin and sneered at me. Take that fake bracelet off and get out. I looked at her,
10:57completely amused. Are you sure you want me to leave? Chloe realized people were watching her.
11:02Her eyes turned vicious. Stop acting like you're special. Take it off. She lunged forward to rip it
11:06off my wrist. I squatted her hand away and stepped backward, but someone's foot shot out behind me.
11:11I tripped. I was completely stunned. Before I could get up, Chloe stomped her heel down on my hand.
11:15Treating this cheap garbage like my hand throbbed from her heel. My wrist was bleeding and torn,
11:19but I just sat there, staring blankly at the snapped bracelet and the diamonds scattering across
11:23the floor. Pick her up and throw her out! A few security guards immediately surrounded me.
11:27They reached down to grab my arms and legs. Stop touching me! I am Grayson Bounce's...
11:34Chloe slapped me across the face before I could finish. Are you gonna start spreading rumors that
11:38you're Mr. Vance's mistress now? You psychotic bitch! She backhanded me a second time. Flew back to
11:45the States. I didn't want to bother with revenge. It felt beneath me, but right now, I was going to
11:49make sure she paid for this. Seth crouched down in front of me. He reached out to touch my bleeding
11:54wrist. I instinctively flinched away from him. His eyes turned ice cold. Vanessa, are you done
11:59throwing your little fit? You showed up wearing a fake diamond bracelet, dressed like a complete mess.
12:03Just because you see I'm rich now and you want to make me jealous? If you want me back, just
12:07beg.
12:08I'll say yes. I let out a dark, freezing laugh. Seth, you are absolutely screwed. But suddenly,
12:13the entire ballroom went dead silent. All the executives frantically straightened their ties
12:18and rushed toward the grand entrance. Mr. Vance is here. Behave yourself. And don't worry,
12:22Vanessa. Chloe and I are already divorced. At that exact moment, Grayson walked through the doors,
12:28surrounded by a massive entourage of bodyguards and executives. He was holding our toddler in his arms.
12:34Once they got into the ballroom, my son squirmed to get down. Grayson set him on the floor. The
12:39adorable little boy instantly captured the entire room's attention. Seth didn't notice who the kid
12:44was running toward. Vanessa, if you stop acting jealous of Chloe, I'll forgive you for vanishing
12:49for three years. I'll give you a chance to give me a child, a child of ours. Grayson followed the
12:54toddler's clumsy little footsteps where I was standing. The executives who had just watched me get
12:59assaulted, stared at me in absolute horror. The second my little boy saw me, he panicked. He
13:05threw himself into my arms. Mommy, who hurt you? Why is there so much blood? My son's warm hug
13:10instantly washed away my disgust. Mommy's fine, baby. He grabbed my bleeding hand and gently blew
13:16on the torn skin. Tears welled up in his eyes. Mommy, who dared to do this to you? Before I
13:22could comfort
13:22him, the air in the room suddenly turned freezing cold. A heavy, suffocating pressure washed over the
13:27crowd. Grayson was walking toward us. The sea of terrified executives parted for him. The bright red
13:33blood dripping down my wrist stood out starkly against my son's white shirt. Our son squirmed to
13:38get down. Daddy, someone bullied mommy. We have to get revenge. Grayson stepped forward and gently
13:44took my bleeding wrist. His face was terrifyingly dark. Vanessa, what is this? Every time I take my
13:49eyes off you, you get hurt. Who the hell dared hurt you? Seeing this ruthless billionaire turn into a
13:54fiercely protective husband made my heart melt. He was so protective, a tiny mark from sleep. He's
13:59instantly worried, but I loved how intensely he cared about me. The ballroom lights were heavily
14:04dimmed, but our son felt something hard under his shoe. He bent down and picked up the massive center
14:09sapphire from my broken bracelet. Daddy, isn't this the present you gave mommy? Grayson took the sapphire
14:14and flipped it over, seeing his own engraved initials. He looked at the crushed diamonds on the floor,
14:19then at my mangled wrist. His hand gripped the armrest of a nearby chair so hard, the metal
14:24literally deformed under his grip. Frustrated by the shadows, he gently forced me into the chair.
14:29He roared at the event staff. Turn on every single light in this room! When our eyes met, his pupils
14:35narrowed slightly. He suddenly cupped my face. What happened to your face? They actually dared to do
14:40this to you. I'm fine, Grayson. Vanessa, I am your husband. You never have to just swallow this kind
14:47of abuse. No one bullies mommy! Honestly, I could have handled Seth and Chloe myself, but maybe it was
14:53the pregnancy hormones. Or just finally feeling safe. My voice suddenly cracked. All the built-up
14:58exhaustion finally broke through. You weren't here. They all picked on me. The frat boys from the airport
15:04were literally shaking. They were gripping the cocktail tables just to stay upright. The obsessed,
15:09pathetic ex they had been mocking all week was actually Grayson Vance's wife. They were kicking
15:14themselves, desperate to find a hole to crawl into and die. But then, Chloe's little minion, Tiffany,
15:20strutted out of the crowd. Vanessa, where did you hire these two actors? Their acting is pretty good.
15:25Do you want Chloe to get them an agent? Rare, let your take stops, since you're clearly too broke to
15:29afford your own clothes. Tiffany had arrived late. She totally missed Grayson's terrifying entrance.
15:34She was just Chloe's lapdog. Dressed up to snag a rich husband tonight, and she knew the easiest
15:39way to impress Chloe was to bully me. Tiffany threw her head back and cackled at her own joke. Usually,
15:45the frat boys would instantly laugh along with her. But this time, the entire ballroom just stared at
15:49her like she was suicidal. Tiffany noticed the dead silence, but she doubled down. She looked right at
15:54Grayson and smirked. Hey, you're pretty handsome. If you dumped Vanessa, I wouldn't mind being your
16:00sugar mama. His words made the corner of my mouth twitch in embarrassment. She wanted to be a sugar
16:05mama? To Grayson Vance? I honestly didn't know if she was incredibly brave or just incredibly stupid.
16:11Anyone with functioning eyes could feel Grayson's terrifying billionaire aura. Grayson actually let out
16:16a dark, furious laugh. If I offered to be his sugar mama, he'd be thrilled. But any other woman? He
16:21would
16:21only think she was courting death. Over the years, any woman who tried to throw herself at him was
16:26never heard from again, or shipped off to some remote place and forced to marry. Tiffany finally
16:30realized the vibe was completely toxic. She nervously stepped toward Chloe for backup, but Chloe wanted
16:35absolutely nothing to do with her. Before Tiffany could even speak, Chloe spun around and slapped her
16:40viciously across the face. Tiffany crashed hard onto the marble floor. Tiffany, are you insane? You dare
16:47offend Mr. and Mrs. Vance? Do you have a death wish? Tiffany sat frozen on the floor, clutching her
16:53stinging cheek. Her brain finally processed what Chloe just said. She started muttering out loud.
16:58Vanessa is Mrs. Vance? I offended Grayson Vance? She knew Grayson's ruthless reputation. She knew he
17:04destroyed anyone who even looked at his wife the wrong way. Tiffany started shaking uncontrollably.
17:09Suddenly, someone in the crowd gasped. Every eye in the room dropped to the floor. A puddle was forming
17:14beneath her. Tiffany had literally wet herself in pure terror. Grayson didn't even blink. He just
17:19slightly furrowed his brow. Two massive bodyguards immediately stepped up and dragged Tiffany out of
17:24the ballroom. Seth and Chloe's faces burned bright red. Even though Tiffany was the one getting dragged
17:29out, everyone knew she was just echoing their insults. The elite guests stared at Seth and Chloe
17:34with absolute disgust, like they were staring at clowns. Meanwhile, Grayson's on-call doctor was
17:39frantically cleaning the torn skin on my wrist. I winced. Just a tiny hiss of pain. Instantly,
17:44Grayson and our son glared at the doctor like they were going to execute him. Grayson snarled.
17:49You don't even know how to apply ointment properly? Grayson snarled. The poor doctor's
17:53hand started shaking violently in fear. I immediately shot my husband and son a stern warning glare.
17:58Vanessa. Mom. Instantly. The terrifying billionaire and the fierce toddler melted. They both looked at me
18:04with identical, pathetic puppy dog eyes. Guys, the doctor is trying to help me. Stop glaring at him.
18:10I let out a soft sigh. With my reassurance, the doctor let out a massive- Mr. Vance, your wife
18:14is
18:15perfectly fine. The baby is perfectly safe. Her wrist is pretty torn up though. I'll use our best
18:19medical ointment to prevent any scarring. He finished his checkup and turned to Grayson. Grayson didn't say
18:24a single word. I knew exactly what that meant. That was his pre-explosion silence. Standing in the crowd,
18:29Seth looked terrified, but underneath the panic, he burned with jealousy as he watched us being close.
18:35His possessiveness was peaking, but his company's survival was on the line, so he had to bite his
18:39tongue. Grayson stood up beside me, looking out over the terrified crowd of executives. He looked
18:44so lethal, but honestly, I found it kind of cute, especially with our son standing right beside him,
18:49looking like a tiny, angry clone. I don't know exactly what happened over the last three days. If someone
18:53speaks up now, maybe you survived this, but if I have to find out myself, every single one of you
18:56is
18:56going down. It was a naked, terrifying threat. These people had fought tooth and nail just to get an
19:01invite to this gala. Mr. Vance, it's just a huge misunderstanding. As Vanessa's fiancé, I was just
19:06catching up with her. It was just an a- He desperately stepped forward to save his own skin. I
19:09froze. He
19:10actually used the word fiancé right to my husband's face. It was pure, delusional arrogance. He really
19:15thought I had spent the last three years staying pure for him, waiting for him to snap his fingers so
19:20I
19:20could run back. He completely ignored the murderous look crossing Grayson's face. Crack. I heard glass
19:25shatter. I whipped my head around. Grayson had literally crushed his crystal whiskey glass,
19:29barehanded. Blood was dripping down his fingers, mixing with the liquor. I grabbed his hand.
19:34Grayson! I grabbed a clean napkin and frantically started wrapping Grayson's bleeding hand. Seth
19:39looked genuinely hurt. Seth, don't flatter yourself. Stop trying to sabotage my marriage. I think I've
19:44been way too nice to you. I only love Grayson. He took a step closer. I honestly couldn't believe what
19:50I was
19:50hearing. His shamelessness really blew my mind. Vanessa, I know you're bitter, but Chloe and I are
19:54already divorced now. Her kid is ready to call you mom. You only married this guy to make me mad,
19:58right? It's fine. I don't mind. Divorce him. Let's get married. Whatever Grayson can give you,
20:03I can work hard and give you too. Just come back and be my son's his nanny. If you don't
20:06like Chloe,
20:07I'll make her leave. Grayson's blood was smearing onto my clothes, but as I urgently pressed the napkin
20:11to his palm, he suddenly started laughing. A low, genuinely happy laugh. I glared at him, furious.
20:17Why are you laughing? Grayson reached over with his clean, uninjured hand and gently patted my head.
20:22Vanessa, you just said I'm the one you love the most. Our son literally rolled his eyes. His
20:27ruthless, terrifying dad was currently acting like a lovesick teenager just because I defended him.
20:33The entire ballroom was dead silent. Half the guests were in absolute shock. The other half were
20:38dying of envy. I could hear the frantic whispers spreading through the crowd. Seth stood there,
20:43his fists completely clenched in humiliation, but my son wasn't done with him. Leo looked him up and
20:47down with absolute disgust. A nanny? My mommy is the princess of our house. Think you deserve her?
20:53Mommy is only having two kids, me and my little sister. You really think your shady, illegitimate
20:58kid gets to call her mom? I know all about you. You're the trash who broke my mom's heart. You're
21:04not as handsome as my dad. You're not as tall as my dad. You're not as fit as my dad.
21:10Leo pinched his
21:11little nose. And you smell cheap. It's making my eyes water. Does your kid grow up to be a leech
21:16who lives off women just like you? The elite guests around us erupted into laughter. Seth bit his lips
21:21so hard it bled. His chest heaved with shame. Everyone in that room knew the truth. He only got
21:26his executive title by leeching off Chloe's family money. Hearing all this, Chloe completely snapped.
21:31Seth had literally just asked me to replace her. To be his son's real mother. Pure, psychotic jealousy
21:37took over. Chloe grabbed a silver steak fork off the nearest table. She lunged straight at Leo.
21:43You little bastard! I'll kill you! I didn't even think. I let go of Grayson's hand and threw my body
21:50entirely over my son. A blinding, agonizing pain ripped through my back. The color completely drained
21:57from my face. I didn't even get to finish the sentence. Everything went black. I collapsed to the
22:03floor. The last thing I saw was my son's terrified face. I woke up to the sharp smell of hospital
22:08bleach. I glanced down at my hospital gown and felt a little dazed. My best friend Maya threw her arms
22:12around me. Vanessa! Maya threw her finally awake! If you stayed out any longer, your husband and your
22:16son were gonna turn this city upside down. I panicked and instantly touched my pregnant belly. Maya knew
22:20exactly what I was thinking. You're fine. The baby is perfectly fine. The doctor said you fainted from
22:24the shock and the pain. That psycho bitch actually tried to stab a toddler. I started coughing violently,
22:28my throat completely dry. Maya grabbed a cup of water and rubbed my back. Slow down, drink. Honestly,
22:33Vanessa, you were way too impulsive. Grayson had 10 bodyguards in that room. They would have stopped
22:37her. Leo didn't need you to take a fork for him. He's a fierce little guy. I finally caught my
22:42breath.
22:42He's my baby. Of course I protected him. I looked around the empty hospital room. Where are they?
22:46Maya's eyes lit up. Getting revenge, obviously. I wanted to go watch, but your husband and your kid are
22:52literally terrifying, so I stayed here. I raised an eyebrow. Is staying with me a chore? Maya rolled her eyes.
22:58You don't even know. When I got to the gala, you were already unconscious. Your sweet, soft little
23:04boy, he grabbed a fork and stabbed it right into Chloe's hand. I didn't even know a toddler could
23:09have that much strength. And Grayson, he looked like the devil incarnate. Maya leaned in, her voice
23:13dropping to a whisper. Grayson found out what happened at the airport. He found out Seth slapped
23:17him and broke his bracelet. He had his bodyguards pinned Seth to the floor. No, please. I'm sorry.
23:25Leo just stood there and watched. Didn't even blink. He's a terrifying little demon. Then
23:31they beat Seth's face into an unrecognizable puff. But that wasn't even the worst part.
23:38Grayson found out Chloe wanted your diamonds, so he had his men bring out a massive bucket
23:41of raw, uncut diamonds. He looked at her and said, you love taking things that don't belong
23:45to you. I'll give you exactly what you want. The diamonds and my wife's leftovers. No, please
23:51don't. I beg you, please. Chloe refused to eat them, so Grayson had her kid dragged into
23:56the room. She was so terrified, she started swallowing the diamonds. She was half dead by
24:00the time she finished. Then Grayson had her face slashed to pieces. Right in front of her,
24:05he had her son's tendons in his hands cut, and he had her dumped into the open sea.
24:08I stared at Maya, completely stunned. I asked, what about the executives? Oh, Grayson handled
24:13them, too. Every single person who stood there and watched you get bullied, Grayson had their
24:17wrists sliced open, just enough to leave a permanent ugly scar to punish them for just
24:21standing by. She fake wiped a tear, trying to make me laugh.
24:26If I wasn't your best friend, I probably would have gotten sliced, too.
24:29I just rolled my eyes at her. The media was there, but no one dared to report the blood.
24:34The news just said Seth's company went bankrupt overnight. Any executive who didn't help you,
24:38their overseas markets are being actively dismantled by Vance Corp. Right now, Grayson and Leo
24:43are hunting Seth down. He was supposed to be thrown with Chloe, but apparently, they made
24:47some sick deal. Chloe threw herself at the bodyguards to buy him time, and Seth ran.
24:51Maya and I both knew how Seth escaped. It was obvious. He used Chloe's kid as leverage.
24:56Chloe had swallowed a stomach full of raw diamonds. She was half dead. Her only remaining tie to the
25:00world was her son, so she threw herself at the bodyguards to let Seth run. Before Maya could say
25:05anything else, the hospital room door slammed open. Grayson and Leo rushed in. Leo practically
25:09shoved his godmother out of the way. Mommy, you're awake! Grayson's eyes were completely
25:16bloodshot. He looked like he hadn't slept in a decade. I'm okay, Grayson. Don't worry.
25:21Leo, did Daddy yell at you while I was asleep? Leo froze. He pouted, and tears fell down his cheeks.
25:27No, Daddy didn't yell at me. He was lying. I hated when he lied, but he was just trying to
25:32protect his
25:33dad. I knew exactly how Grayson handled stress. He had definitely scolded him. I wrapped my arms around
25:38my son and shot Grayson in a dark glare. The ruthless billionaire immediately looked guilty.
25:43He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. Mommy, I'll never let anyone hurt you again.
25:48It was all my fault. I'm sorry. My heart completely melted. Protecting you is Mommy's job. I don't
25:55blame you at all. Maya eventually took Leo down to the cafeteria, leaving just me and Grayson in the
26:00room. He stubbornly insisted on undoing my hospital gown to check my back. Grayson,
26:05the doctor already taped it up. There's nothing to see. But he gently traced the edge of the gauze
26:09and softly blew on the wound. Vanessa, I promise you there will never be a next time. I smiled and
26:16reached up to touch his face. Believe you, you're the man I love the most. I treasure my life because
26:21I plan to spend the rest of life with you. Hearing that, a gentle, relieved smile spread across his face.
26:26He made me stay in the hospital for three extra days, running every single test imaginable.
26:31On the day of my discharge, Grayson and Leo went down to pull the car around. I was zipping up
26:36my
26:36overnight bag. Leo, grab Mommy's hairbrush off the counter. I called out. I froze. Standing in the
26:41doorway was Seth. His face was an unrecognizable, swollen mess of purple bruises. His arm was heavily
26:46bandaged where Grayson had severed his hand. He had somehow sneaked past. Don't be scared. I'm not
26:50going to hurt you. I just what? I still love you, Vanessa. I can't stand the thought of you married
26:54to
26:54another man. I know you still have feelings for me. We can start over. I looked at him closely. He
26:59was
26:59covered in injuries, but she'd clearly fixed himself up a little. He was wearing a cheap navy suit.
27:04The exact suit I had bought for him in college. The one he used to complain was too poor for
27:08his
27:09tastes. Start over? You threw me out of the clerk's office. You made me a laughingstock. And now you
27:14have the nerve to say you love me? You make me sick. Chloe was pregnant. I had to take responsibility.
27:19I didn't want a kid to grow up without a father, right? You are so unbelievably shameless. Did that kid
27:24just pop up out of nowhere? If you had kept it in your pants, you wouldn't have had a random
27:28pregnancy to deal with. You're still making excuses for cheating on me. You're rotting trash.
27:32Why would I ever look back? Before Seth could open his mouth to argue, two massive men in black suits
27:37slammed into him from behind. They drove him face first into the hospital floor. Grayson stepped
27:43into the room. His face darkened completely. Seth, you really can't wait to die, can you? He looked
27:48me over, making sure I wasn't hurt. Drag him out? Grayson, do you really think she loves you? I was
27:53with
27:53her for seven years. You're just my replacement. You're just a rebound. Grayson stepped out into
27:59the hall and kicked Seth squarely in the jaw, knocking him out cold. Even after three years
28:05of marriage, Grayson was deeply insecure. He always secretly believed I didn't love him as much as he
28:11loved me. Watching my husband's rigid back, my heart ached. As for Seth, I hoped Grayson dumped him
28:16in the sea. That night, we finally went home. Grayson was putting Leo to sleep. I stood in the hallway
28:21looking up at our massive framed wedding photo. In the picture, Grayson looked at me with absolute
28:27consuming devotion. But I was looking at the camera, indifferent. It had been an arranged marriage,
28:32and I did act on impulse back then. But over the years, this man had completely stolen my heart.
28:37I reached up to take the heavy frame down to dust it. As I pulled it off the wall,
28:42dozens of loose photographs rained down onto the hardwood floor. I dropped to my knees,
28:46completely shocked. They were photos of me. Me in college, handing out flyers. Me in the campus
28:52library. Me at my high school graduation. He had been watching me for years, long before the
28:58arranged marriage. Long before I even knew his name. I heard footsteps. Grayson walked into the
29:03hallway. He saw me sitting on the floor, surrounded by his secret stash. He looked like a criminal caught
29:08red-handed. Vanessa, how did you- I looked up at him, and a teasing smile spread across my face.
29:14I didn't churse in Grayson of Van Eschen. I would my Grayson more of Zelda prog here. You liked me
29:18this much back then. You made me waste seven years with that cheating loser. I picked up a photo of
29:23myself eating a campus hot dog. The lighting in this one is actually really good. I love it.
29:28Grayson froze. He looked at me in pure disbelief. Vanessa, don't blame me. Blame you for what?
29:33For being a creep, for stalking you. Shut up. You're not a creep. Looking at these,
29:37all I feel is how much you loved me. To my absolute shock, the ruthless, terrifying Grayson
29:43Vance actually started to cry. Tears spilled over his lashes. He dropped to his knees in front
29:49of me. Vanessa, I never dared to ask for your love. I just wanted to be allowed to stay by
29:54your side.
29:56I wrapped my arms around his neck. Stop saying stupid things. I love you the most.
30:01My heart is completely yours. I finally understood why he was so insecure. I secretly hired a private
30:08investigator to look into his past. Grayson had been abandoned by his birth parents,
30:13raised by a cold, distant adoptive father who never showed him affection. He was a total loner
30:19in high school. People avoided him because he never spoke. Then a memory suddenly clicked.
30:27My senior year of high school, I saw a quiet boy sitting alone on the bleachers, eating plain bread for
30:33lunch. I thought he was starving. I had marched up to him, unzipped his backpack, and shoved a
30:39wad of cash inside. I had told him, listen up. You're with Vanessa now. Consider this your lunch
30:44allowance. I just felt pity for him. I didn't even know his name. But I never realized that lonely boy
30:51eating plain bread was Grayson. Because of his past, he always felt unworthy. He always felt a wall
30:57between us. Even though we already had two chilleds, I made a silent promise. I was going to spend the
31:03rest of my life showing this insecure, sensitive man exactly how much I loved him.
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