- 3 hours ago
eight years frozen late regret englishsub Drama DramaFlixHub
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00After I started high school, my mom gave me $5,000 a month as pocket money.
00:03My bestie got so jealous that she tricked me into swapping souls with her.
00:07She ran excitedly toward that black escalade like,
00:09Oh my God, the rich mom is going to be mine from now on!
00:12I quietly picked up her old canvas backpack and climbed into her mom's used Honda Accord,
00:16secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
00:19God, finally, I got away from my mom.
00:21Just before school let out, Jessica handed me a Starbucks and said,
00:24This is the first time I'm treating you.
00:26I saved up my allowance all week to get you the biggest size.
00:28Hope you don't mind.
00:28I hesitated for a sec, then politely took it and had a couple of tiny sips just to be nice.
00:32Thanks, it's really good.
00:34Right after I said that, a white light flashed in front of my eyes.
00:37When I opened them again, I freaked out.
00:40I had swapped souls with Jessica.
00:42Jessica, what the...
00:44Shh.
00:45From now on, you're Jessica and I'm Sophia.
00:48The rich mom is all mine now.
00:50The rich mom is all mine now?
00:52Looking at the excited Jessica, it suddenly dawned on me.
00:55Not long ago, she'd borrowed two bucks from me for lunch
00:57and accidentally saw my six-figure bank balance.
00:59She was so shocked, she counted the digits over and over.
01:02Sophia, how the hell do you have so much money?
01:03My mom gives me five grand a month.
01:05It just piled up.
01:05Your mom is loaded.
01:07What does she do?
01:07She runs a few companies.
01:09Wow, that's insane.
01:10You're so lucky.
01:12Jessica sipped her Coke and grumbled.
01:13My mom's a stay-at-home mom and super stingy.
01:15She only gives me five bucks a day for lunch.
01:17That's the only reason I had to borrow money from you.
01:19I stayed quiet, staring at the cola in Jessica's hand
01:21and swallowing hard, because ever since I was 10,
01:24I've never drunk any beverages again,
01:25nor have I ever tasted the flavor of happiness.
01:30After that day, Jessica kept telling me she was so done
01:33with her mom and wanted to be my mom's daughter.
01:34I thought she was just saying stuff,
01:36but I never expected she'd literally swap souls with me
01:38just to steal my mom.
01:40Sophia, just accept it.
01:41You and I are never swapping back in this life.
01:44While I was still spacing out,
01:45Jessica had already chugged the rest of that spike drink
01:47and sprinted toward the black Escalade
01:49that picked me up from school every day.
01:50Watching her bouncing silhouette,
01:52I slowly shouldered her old canvas bag,
01:54spotted her mom's gray Honda in the crowd,
01:55and secretly let out that sigh of relief inside.
01:58God, I finally escaped my mom.
02:01Jess, something good happened today?
02:02Jessica's mom opened the car door for me.
02:04She had no makeup on,
02:06wore a pair of worn-out sneakers and a black hoodie.
02:08She looked kind of thin and pale,
02:09but the way she looked at me was crazy gentle.
02:11Yeah, I just suddenly figured out this problem
02:12I couldn't solve before.
02:13I answered while sliding into the back seat
02:15and accidentally caught my backpack strap on the door handle.
02:17Jessica's mom saw it,
02:18stopped the car right away,
02:19and helped me untangle the strap.
02:20She didn't scold me at all.
02:22Instead, she pinched my nose playfully and said,
02:23You're such a little kid.
02:25Now sit tight.
02:26I sat up straight like she said.
02:27The tip of my nose where she'd touched felt a sudden sting.
02:29Since I was 10, I've been living on my own.
02:31My mom's super busy, flying all over the world.
02:33She never picked me up from school
02:34or let me waste her time acting cute.
02:35We haven't touched each other in forever.
02:37Our conversations were like CEO to intern.
02:39She gave orders, I executed.
02:40If I did well, she'd wire money.
02:42If I messed up, there'd be punishment.
02:43Thinking about all the punishments I'd been through,
02:45I shivered.
02:46That bone-deep fear instantly spread through my whole body.
02:48I quickly calmed myself down inside.
02:49Don't be scared.
02:50You're Jessica now, not Sophia.
02:51You won't have to go through that anymore.
02:53Back at Jessica's place,
02:54it was even smaller than I'd imagined.
02:56The living room was kind of messy,
02:57with kids' picture books and Lego pieces all over the couch.
03:00Oh, right.
03:00Jessica told me she has a little sister
03:02who's not even three yet.
03:04Jess, you still mad at mom?
03:06Jessica's mom took out a shoe box
03:07and put it on the coffee table.
03:08Those shoes you wanted,
03:09I saved up and got them for you.
03:11Check and see if these are the ones.
03:13I opened the box.
03:14Inside was a knock-off pair of Golden Goose sneakers.
03:16I knew for sure it was fake,
03:17because just last week,
03:19my mom bought me the real ones
03:20and ordered me to wear them to school
03:22on the 15th of every month.
03:23Even though I hated those shoes,
03:24I numbly followed her orders
03:25and wore the Golden Geese on the 15th.
03:27Back then, Jessica noticed my new shoes,
03:28looked up the price online,
03:29and sulked the whole day.
03:30Jess, did mom get the wrong ones?
03:32I looked at her hopeful eyes
03:33and felt a warmth rising in my chest.
03:35No, it's just one of my classmates
03:37has the same pair.
03:39Could I pick out something else instead?
03:40Of course.
03:42Here's my phone.
03:43Add whatever you pick to the shopping chart.
03:44I gotta run to the neighbors
03:45to pick up your little sister first.
03:47She handed me her phone and headed out,
03:48so she had to leave her younger daughter
03:49with the neighbors every day
03:50just to have time to pick up her older one.
03:52But a 17 or 18-year-old girl
03:53can totally take the bus to and from herself.
03:55She didn't really need to drive me every day.
03:56Was it to save a little on gas?
03:58I stared at her phone.
03:59It was an old iPhone from three years ago,
04:01with two cracks on the screen.
04:02The lock screen and wallpaper
04:03were both photos of Jess and her little sister.
04:04You could tell she was crazy frugal
04:06and loved her two kids to pieces.
04:08This is so nice.
04:09A mom this great is gonna be mine from now on.
04:11Because I picked out cheap shoes
04:12and patiently read picture books with little sis,
04:14Jessica's mom made a huge plate of spaghetti
04:16and meatballs to reward me.
04:18That night, for the first time ever,
04:20I ate dinner however I wanted.
04:21I grabbed whatever I liked,
04:23ate as much as I wanted,
04:24instead of sticking to those scheduled
04:25portion-controlled meals my mom forced on me.
04:27All those nutritious diet meals
04:28that ran through my whole teenage years,
04:30they were perfect, but ice cold.
04:31Organic ingredients delivered from Whole Foods
04:33had zero motherly warmth.
04:34They couldn't even compare to this plate
04:35of homemade meatball pasta,
04:36cooked with so much love.
04:37Jess, what's wrong?
04:38You feeling okay?
04:39No, it's just...
04:40Mom, your meatball pasta is so freaking good,
04:42I almost can't bring myself to eat it.
04:44Silly girl.
04:45Have more if you like it.
04:46I'll make it again tomorrow.
04:50My eyes started stinging.
04:52Something broken inside me for a long, long time
04:54slowly began to heal.
04:55So this is what it feels like to be loved by a mom.
04:58Like a spring breeze in California,
05:00like the California sun in winter.
05:02But just when I thought I could slowly pull myself
05:04out of hell in this cozy home,
05:06Jessica's mom got into a huge fight with her husband
05:08because of me.
05:11Two in the morning,
05:12the sound of the front door lock turning
05:13came from the living room.
05:15Jessica's mom quietly slipped out of bed.
05:18A girl, five bucks isn't enough for lunch?
05:20Jess loves meat.
05:21A single meat dish in the school cafeteria
05:23is three or four bucks now.
05:24Sometimes she needs stationery too,
05:26it's really not enough.
05:27A girl, five bucks isn't enough for lunch?
05:28Why the hell does she need more food money?
05:30Jess loves meat.
05:31A single meat dish in the school cafeteria
05:32is three or four bucks now.
05:33Sometimes she needs stationery too,
05:35it's really not enough.
05:36I work hard all day, you know?
05:37I'm not made of money.
05:38That's not the point, Mike.
05:39She's a growing girl.
05:40If she's so damn good at spending money,
05:41forget school and go work as a cashier at Walmart.
05:44It went quiet outside.
05:45My heart was pounding like crazy.
05:47I couldn't believe a father could say something so vicious.
05:50Mike, three years ago,
05:51you made me quit my job to have a second kid
05:52promising me three grand a month for house expenses.
05:54Two years ago, you said money was tight
05:56and cut it to 2,000.
05:56This year, you only give me 12,000.
05:58So please make up the 2,000
05:59and I'll add more for our daughter's lunch money.
06:01You three, nothing but a bunch of money grovers.
06:02You can't even give me a son.
06:03Why should I spend 1,200 bucks keeping you?
06:05I can keep a dog outside for 1,200
06:06and at least it would wag its tail at me.
06:08Another stretch of suffocating silence.
06:09I thought after being humiliated like that,
06:11she'd definitely ask for a divorce,
06:13but she didn't say a word.
06:14She just walked back into the room,
06:15completely crushed.
06:17I squeezed my eyes shut immediately.
06:18She didn't notice I was pretending to be asleep.
06:20She tucked the blanket around me,
06:21sat down beside me,
06:22and silently started crying.
06:23In that moment,
06:24I suddenly understood why Jessica wanted a rich mom so badly.
06:27The next morning, Jessica's mom apologized and told me
06:30the neighbor had something come up
06:31and couldn't watch Little Sis,
06:31so I'd have to take the bus to school yourself.
06:33Mom, transfer 10 bucks to your Apple Pay.
06:35$2.50 for the bus, the rest is for lunch.
06:37Wait, not $5?
06:38Last night, Jessica's dad had clearly refused
06:41to increase her lunch money.
06:42You're still growing.
06:43I can't skimp on your food.
06:44It's only an extra $2.50 a day,
06:45like 60 or 70 bucks more a month.
06:47I'll cover it.
06:48Jess, don't hold back at school.
06:50Buy whatever you feel like eating.
06:51The rough callus on her fingertips gently froshed with Keef.
06:54A little itchy,
06:55little pain.
06:55I couldn't help it and hugged her.
06:56Thanks, Mom.
06:57She froze for a second,
06:58then patted my back and mumbled,
07:00You silly kid.
07:01You're acting like a completely different person.
07:02I snapped back to reality instantly.
07:04I couldn't believe she'd noticed so fast.
07:06I practically fled the house and pulled out my phone,
07:08which I hadn't taken out all day yesterday.
07:11Unlocking it with Face ID,
07:13Jessica's messages started popping up one after another.
07:15My etiquette teacher just praised me,
07:16said I've improved a ton.
07:17I got three A's in French oral class.
07:19If it were you,
07:20you probably wouldn't get a single one, right?
07:22The shrink is so cute, lol.
07:23She actually seriously told me to get more sun.
07:25My life is so happy.
07:26Even if it rained every day,
07:27it wouldn't touch me.
07:28Hey, hey, you know what?
07:29The butler just reported to my mom
07:30that I aced all my Tuesday targets.
07:32Mom was super satisfied
07:33and randomly ordered me a Chanel haute couture set.
07:35Chanel haute couture?
07:36What's so great about that?
07:38There are over a dozen haute couture pieces
07:39hanging in the walk-in closet.
07:40Those expensive, fancy clothes
07:41are less comfortable to me than a school uniform.
07:43Because the second I put on those couture pieces,
07:45my whole name just becomes
07:46Mrs. Walker's daughter.
07:47At those suffocating social events,
07:49I couldn't even own my own feelings
07:51or facial expressions.
07:52Jess, your mom couldn't drive you again today?
07:55Olivia from the next class called out to me.
07:56Her sympathetic voice
07:57pulled me out of those bad memories.
07:59I froze for a second,
08:00gave her a smile, and said,
08:01yeah, my mom has to look after my little sister.
08:04How come you're not mad today?
08:05I thought you hated your little sister.
08:08Sister, read it.
08:09Hate my little sister?
08:10Jessica's little sister
08:11is like a squishy plush doll.
08:13When she blinked those big eyes
08:14and called me big sound her baby voice,
08:15my heart just melted.
08:17Why would Jessica hate her?
08:19Was it because of money again?
08:21On the bus,
08:21I kept reading G the messages from Jessica.
08:23Mom's coming back from Europe next week.
08:25When she does,
08:25I'll tell her I want to transfer back to private school,
08:27then go study in Switzerland.
08:29We've been besties for three years,
08:30so I guess we've got some kind of fate.
08:32As long as you keep everything
08:33about my high school year as a secret,
08:34I can give you a chunk of hush money before I leave.
08:37Late at night,
08:37she sent a photo of the sparkling city view
08:39from her bedroom's floor-to-ceiling window.
08:41Jealous?
08:41This is the penthouse top floor
08:42you'll never, ever reach, Jessica.
08:44A life you'll never, ever have.
08:46The last two messages came five minutes ago.
08:49Princess has transferred $20 to you.
08:51Jessica, just saw you waiting for the bus.
08:52Your mom ditched you for your little sister again, right?
08:54So pathetic.
08:55Hurry up and Uber to school.
08:56I'll wait for you in the classroom.
08:58I hit receive and turned off the screen.
08:59It looked like Jessica had adapted
09:01to the Sophia identity perfectly.
09:02She could accept those tasteless custom health meals,
09:04those intense suffocating three-on-one tutoring sessions,
09:07and that empty, lifeless home with no family or warmth at all.
09:10She was basically the perfect daughter Taylor made for my mom.
09:13My mom always wanted a daughter
09:14who obeyed her orders with AI-liked precision.
09:17After seeing Jessica's performance yesterday,
09:19she's finally satisfied, I guess.
09:22Wait.
09:23Something suddenly hit me.
09:24I gripped my phone,
09:25cold sweat still seeping from my palms out of pure fear.
09:27Jessica made re-three fatal mistakes.
09:30I made it to school just in time,
09:31dropped my canvas bag, panting.
09:33Jessica, who was scrolling through TikTok,
09:35glanced up at me.
09:35You took the money. Why didn't you take an Uber?
09:37I frowned, snatched her phone,
09:38and nervously closed the short video app.
09:40Stop scrolling.
09:41Something bad's gonna happen.
09:42What could possibly happen from scrolling TikTok?
09:44Jessica glared at me, annoyed.
09:46Give me back my phone.
09:47All your social accounts are monitored in real time.
09:49There are cameras all over the house.
09:50She knows every single thing you do.
09:52I took a deep breath, trying my best to sound calm.
09:54You know what? You made three fatal mistakes.
09:55Knowing her personality, we're both screwed.
09:57You're just a little girl to her.
09:58She can get rid of you anytime.
09:59Stakes?
10:00My performance last night was absolutely perfect.
10:01Even the butler didn't notice anything off.
10:03Who are you trying to scare?
10:03I'm not trying to scare you.
10:05I don't want to hear it, Jessica.
10:06Give me my phone back right now,
10:07or I'll make you buy me a new one.
10:10I was speechless.
10:11Suddenly, a guy's arm reached out.
10:12Ryan, the football captain Jessica had been crushing her forever,
10:14snatched the phone from my hand and smoothly hand it to her.
10:16Sophia, got your phone back for you.
10:19Oh.
10:19Jessica took the phone lukewarmly and placed it on the table.
10:22Ryan had no intention of leaving, though.
10:24Blushing, he asked quietly,
10:25Sophia, I heard you're really good at chess.
10:27Want to play a game after lunch?
10:29Nope, I'm busy.
10:31Jessica flat out rejected Ryan's invite.
10:33After putting her phone away,
10:34she flipped open her AP English textbook
10:35without even glancing up at her former crush.
10:37I didn't get Jessica's reaction either.
10:39Just the day before yesterday,
10:40she was deliberately creating coincidental meetings
10:42and hoping to be in the same group as Ryan in gym class.
10:44How could she change so fast?
10:46Why is she being like this?
10:47She was all over him yesterday,
10:49and now she's acting like he doesn't even exist.
10:51I'm going to take over Walker Group someday.
10:53Ryan's nowhere near good enough for me.
10:54Noticing me staring,
10:55Jessica smugly lifted her chin.
10:57In my eyes right now,
10:58he's just like you.
10:59Nothing but an insignificant grain of sand,
11:01not leaving a single trace of my life.
11:03I realized Jessica had completely bought into being Sophia,
11:06and right now,
11:07she was totally enjoying everything I used to hate.
11:09This was exactly what I'd hoped for.
11:10As long as she could keep fooling my mom,
11:13we could both live the lives we wanted.
11:15That day,
11:16I warned her over and over
11:17that Catherine was nothing like the model mother
11:18described in Forbes magazine,
11:20but a cold-blooded, ruthless monster.
11:22But Jessica kept thinking
11:23I was just trying to drive a wedge between them
11:24because she'd stolen my mom.
11:28In the end,
11:28I had to give up.
11:29I spent the whole afternoon
11:30writing down all 121 house rules in a notebook
11:33and gave it to her.
11:34But before she even looked closely,
11:36she tore those pages to shreds.
11:37I'm not falling for this.
11:38This is just your way of trying to steal your life back.
11:40Even if it is true,
11:40I don't need your reminders.
11:42I'm confident I can make mom accept me.
11:43Maybe mom will notice I'm a little different from before,
11:45but that's just me changing
11:46after realizing my past mistakes.
11:47From now on,
11:47be a well-behaved, sensible daughter.
11:49I've read your text history,
11:50and I seriously don't get it.
11:51How could you want a mom
11:52who's just there by your side?
11:53I'd only feel grateful and heartbroken
11:54for my mom working her ass off out there every day.
11:56If my mom gave herself up to housework
11:58and kids like some stay-at-home housewives,
11:59I'd just be living like a homeless person,
12:00not even having bus feed.
12:01Jessica wasn't lying.
12:03Once during a downpour,
12:04her mom forgot to send her bus feed,
12:05and she had to borrow two bucks from me.
12:07Right then,
12:08a message popped up on my phone.
12:09Honey,
12:09mom's helping the neighbor with some cleaning.
12:11Can you take the bus home by yourself?
12:12I made your favorite Italian dumplings today.
12:13If you're hungry when you get home,
12:14boil some first.
12:15Even though she'd forgotten the bus fare again,
12:17I held my phone,
12:18and I don't know why,
12:19but just thinking about how she'd wrapped dumplings
12:20especially for me made me feel all warm inside.
12:23After school,
12:24Jessica noticed I was about to take the bus.
12:26She stopped me,
12:26all high and mighty.
12:27Your mom ditched you for your sister again?
12:29So pathetic.
12:30This young lady will transfer you another 20 bucks.
12:32Take an Uber home.
12:32Without waiting for my reply,
12:33she'd bossily sent over 20 bucks,
12:35then ran off to that black Escalade
12:37without looking back.
12:38I took the money,
12:38but had zero plans to take an Uber.
12:40Jessica's family isn't well of.
12:42Her mom even cleans for neighbors
12:43to earn extra cash.
12:44I wanted to save the money and give it to her.
12:47It was peak rush hour after school and work.
12:50The bus was totally packed.
12:51A bunch of students got on and off,
12:52but it stayed crazy crowded,
12:54so much that I didn't notice
12:55some guy in a baseball cap
12:56had been standing next to me for several stops.
13:01Hey, it's you.
13:02Sorry, lost my balance.
13:04He acted like he knew Jessica,
13:06greeting me all casual.
13:07I pressed my lips together,
13:08said nothing,
13:09and turned my back to him.
13:11I thought that'd keep me safe,
13:12but his hand crawled onto my waist like an ant.
13:14Little girl,
13:15let your uncle just hold on, okay?
13:17Every hair on my body stood up.
13:18Instinctively,
13:18I grabbed that hand and held it tight.
13:20The Brazilian jiu-jitsu I trained since I was killed
13:21finally came in handy today.
13:23I finally got why Jessica
13:24never wanted me to take the bus.
13:25She'd definitely been harassed too,
13:26which was why she made her mom drive her every day.
13:28But the second her mom couldn't pick her up
13:29because of some small thing,
13:30she was back in danger.
13:31But why didn't she ever call the cops
13:32or tell her family about this?
13:34What's going on?
13:35Three hours later,
13:36I got my answer.
13:37Jess, go home and take a shower first.
13:38Mom's got to pick up
13:39your little sister.
13:40It was already 9 p.m.
13:41when Jessica's mom brought me home
13:42from the police station.
13:43Looking at her puffy, red eyes,
13:44I felt so guilty.
13:46Truth was,
13:46I didn't get the short end of the stick at all.
13:48I actually kicked out
13:49two of that guy's front teeth,
13:50but she kept blaming herself
13:51the whole time
13:52for not picking me up.
13:55I need to report a case of harassment.
13:57My daughter was followed home from school today.
13:58Honestly, she did amazing.
13:59She rushed to the station right away
14:00in a dirty apron,
14:01trying her best to keep it together
14:02and handle it rationally.
14:03This is already the third time, isn't it?
14:05No one can do anything to me anyway.
14:07She lunged at him,
14:07trying to hit him,
14:08but two cops immediately held her back.
14:09Struggling, she screamed,
14:10I looked at this tiny woman
14:12and I saw something
14:13I'd never seen before.
14:13During all this,
14:14she called Mike.
14:15The response she got was,
14:16you're an embarrassment.
14:17Get your ass back home now.
14:18Honestly,
14:19I wasn't surprised
14:19by her husband's insane reaction anymore.
14:21What I didn't expect was,
14:22the second I opened the front door,
14:23he flew into a rage,
14:24rushed over,
14:25and slapped me across the face.
14:26You stupid brat out there seducing men all day.
14:28I told you to go back to Texas
14:29and marry my friend's son.
14:30His family promised to buy me a pickup truck
14:31and now it's all ruined
14:32and you knocked out two of his teeth.
14:34I'm not paying a four to go say go set for you.
14:35If you can't afford to go sell yourself,
14:37I'm so damn unlucky,
14:38stuck with you three dicks.
14:38He didn't give a damn
14:39about what his daughter had been through.
14:40He actually thought her being harassed
14:42was just an embarrassment for him.
14:42Mike, have you lost your mind?
14:44This isn't her fault at all.
14:45It's that pervert who hurt our daughter.
14:46You said,
14:47Leia, son,
14:47it's all your fault for insisting
14:48she go to high school.
14:49What's the point of girls studying?
14:49It's being treated like...
14:52Mike, that's enough.
14:53What, Emily, you want a divorce?
14:55You can't bear to leave these two little Brits?
14:57Don't forget you've got zero income right now.
14:59How the hell are you going to survive with two kids?
15:00That half-hearted resistance
15:01just brought an even more vicious beating from Mike.
15:04I'll teach you to fucking talk back to me!
15:09Jess, murder is against the law.
15:11Kate, please stop fighting.
15:13Big sis hug.
15:15Don't be afraid, Mom's here.
15:16The room fell silent.
15:18Mom sued Little Sist
15:18and went to check on Mike.
15:19Frustrated, I grabbed her.
15:20Mom, can you just divorce him?
15:21Jess, just focus on your studies.
15:23Kids shouldn't meddle in grown-up stuff.
15:24In that moment, I felt so disappointed.
15:26But soon, I figured out what was holding her back.
15:28I took out my phone and texted Jessica.
15:29Lend me 500 bucks.
15:31Dad's violent.
15:31We have nowhere to go.
15:32Wednesday night at 9.30,
15:33she should have just finished her business management class.
15:35Knowing her,
15:36she'd start scrolling her phone the second class ended.
15:37Sure enough, within a minute, she replied.
15:42I snapped a photo of Mike lying unconscious and sent it.
15:49It's okay, Emma.
15:53I calmly locked the screen.
15:54Years of harsh training had taught me to quickly steady my emotions in most situations.
15:57But this time, I was scared.
15:59Mom, if I stay here any longer, I'm scared I won't be able to stop myself from killing Dad.
16:01Dad, can you come with me and stay somewhere else just for one night?
16:06Let's go.
16:07We're leaving right now.
16:13We spent the night at a Hampton Inn near school.
16:15The next day, I got to school even earlier than Jessica.
16:18You're not hurt?
16:19No.
16:19I suddenly remembered all the bruises that randomly showed up on Jessica over the past past three years.
16:24I lowered my gaze a little.
16:25What?
16:26Can't believe parents like that exist?
16:28Then let me tell you,
16:29your hard days are just beginning.
16:30And don't you dare dream of saving your mom.
16:32She's long used to this life,
16:33and she's convinced she's staying for the kid's sake.
16:35Mom agreed to a divorce.
16:36Impossible.
16:37She doesn't have the guts to divorce.
16:38If you don't get a divorce, I will stop going to school.
16:40A daughter is Emily's weakness, but she can also be her armor.
16:43Emily really does love Jessica.
16:45If you want your daughter to go to the magnet school, fine.
16:47Resign and have a second child, and I'll sign the papers.
16:49I only found out when I threatened to drop out to pressure her into a divorce.
16:52Three years ago, she'd agreed to quit her job and have a second child
16:55just so her husband would let Jessica go to this highly ranked magnet school.
16:57Jess, you can't bring out.
16:59Getting into college is your...
16:59She was afraid of losing custody,
17:01but she was even more afraid of her daughter marrying young like she did
17:04and going through the same painful life.
17:05I bet right.
17:06Even though she wasn't ready at all, she still promised me
17:08as long as I kept studying, she'd get divorced.
17:11Loving your kids more than yourself,
17:12maybe that's a trait of most stay-at-home moms,
17:14unlike Catherine, who only cares about herself.
17:16I gripped my pen, wanting to write something to calm down.
17:18Jessica, you must really want to swap back.
17:20That's why you're telling me all this?
17:21Don't waste your energy.
17:22My mom comes back in four days,
17:24and then I'm off to an elite private school.
17:25Congrats to you then.
17:27I didn't tell her what was waiting for her in four days.
17:29On the very first day of the swap, Jessica made three fatal mistakes.
17:32First, she got three A's in French oral class.
17:34The reason I never got A's in my other courses was that the second I did,
17:37Catherine would raise the bar, except for oral class.
17:39Even if I wanted an A, I couldn't get one.
17:41Because I'm not good at expressing myself.
17:43Most of the time, I just quietly listened to the teacher
17:45and avoided talking as much as possible.
17:47Second, she opened the curtains.
17:49After mom and dad divorced, she made an enemy out of the Morgan family.
17:53All these years, the Morgans have been spying on us.
17:55So my curtains have never been opened, and they're not allowed to be opened.
17:58That night, when Catherine saw in the surveillance footage
18:00that Jessica had opened the curtains and was standing by the window taking photos,
18:03she definitely got suspicious.
18:05Third, she took out her phone at home.
18:06Every corner of that house has cameras, including the bedroom.
18:10So I never take my phone out after I get home,
18:12because the punishment for wasting time is beyond terrifying.
18:14I never want to go through that again.
18:16And Jessica sent me all those messages that night.
18:18She's about to face my mom's harshest punishment.
18:20That's Catherine's style.
18:21Cold with clear rewards and punishments.
18:23You can eat.
18:24She allows you to mess up, and she won't correct you right away.
18:27But she'll use other methods to make you remember that mistake forever,
18:30making you submit to her completely in despair.
18:32I told you, junk food is forbidden.
18:33Since you ate it, swim for two hours and burn that junk off.
18:37Half an hour later, I collapsed from exhaustion and nearly drowned.
18:40If the doctor and assistant hadn't been watching, I'd probably be dead.
18:44This went on from age 10 all the way to senior year.
18:46Eight whole years.
18:47I'd reached my breaking point long ago.
18:48I never imagined I'd accidentally swap souls with Jessica.
18:51Since she likes Catherine so much, let Catherine be her mom forever.
18:54The next day, halfway through class, I spotted Laura, the assistant, outside the classroom.
18:58Sophia, your mom called in a leave for you.
19:00Like the fading at the school gate, you can head out first.
19:02Jessica was too excited to notice.
19:04She thought her rich mom was taking her to a private school.
19:06She looked and got me smugly.
19:07We won't be seeing each other again.
19:08I didn't respond.
19:09Every muscle in my body tensed up,
19:11my mind replaying over and over whether I'd done anything wrong.
19:15Even though I was Jessica now, my fear of Catherine was like a nightmare I just couldn't shake.
19:19The second I hear her name, I get physically sick.
19:21The moment I see her, I'm like a drowning fish, gasping for air.
19:24I can only breathe again once she's gone.
19:27Same this time.
19:28It wasn't until I watched Jessica get into Catherine's Maybach and saw that car drive away
19:32that my tense nerves finally started to relax.
19:35But deep down, I silently prayed,
19:36I hope Jessica really can do what she said,
19:38get Catherine's approval,
19:39and those two can be locked together forever as mother and daughter.
19:42The next day, Jessica didn't show up for class.
19:45The day after that, she still didn't come.
19:49I tentatively asked the counselor if Sophia had transferred schools.
19:52No, Sophia's mom said she's sick and needs to rest up at home for a few days.
19:54But the counselor said,
19:56sick?
19:56Rest up for a few days?
19:57When I ran away from home in eighth grade and got caught,
20:00Catherine used the exact same excuse with my counselor.
20:01Then I got thrown into the reflection room.
20:03The reflection room was a converted first floor guest bedroom.
20:06No windows, just a chair, a desk, and a bedpan.
20:08Once locked in, I had to write self-criticism letters every day,
20:11exactly as Catherine demanded.
20:13And I wouldn't be let out until she was satisfied.
20:15There's a huge chance Jessica's been locked in that reflection room right now.
20:18I hope she just repents like a good girl.
20:20If she stubbornly refuses to admit fault,
20:22the butler and other staff will all be sent in turns into the reflection room to persuade her,
20:26eating, drinking, and doing their business right there with her.
20:28It's as terrifying as it gets.
20:29But the butler and staff all volunteer for it.
20:32They get a $500 bonus for each day they spend in there.
20:34Only I got breakdowns and despair out of it.
20:36The more I thought about it, the more freaked out I got.
20:39The second school let out, I bolted back to the rental.
20:41Jess, your dad and I went to the courthouse to file for divorce today,
20:43and Walker Group sent me a job interview invitation.
20:46I really didn't expect them to give me a shot at 37.
20:49Mom, 37 is nothing.
20:50Walker's a woman-friendly company.
20:52A lot of employees are women over 40,
20:53including plenty of stay-at-home moms returning to work.
20:55You'll see when you get there.
20:56I haven't worked in three years.
20:57I don't know if I can do it.
20:59Mom, relax 100%.
21:00Walker has onboarding training.
21:02HR will decide based on that whether you start work or keep training.
21:05If you really can't handle the current position,
21:07they'll reassign you based on your here strengths.
21:09Really?
21:10Jess, with all the school stress you're under,
21:12you still specially help mom look into work stuff.
21:14Mom really feels so bad for you.
21:16Mom, you were always too scared to divorce before,
21:18but now that you've actually done it,
21:19don't you see divorcing's not that scary,
21:20and going back to work's not that scary either?
21:22Once you take that first step, the way ahead clears up.
21:23You're right.
21:24If I really want what's best for you and Emma,
21:25I need to set a good example for you both.
21:27A bad marriage isn't worth hanging on to or missing.
21:28Even if I'm almost 40,
21:29I still have a chance to fix my mistakes.
21:31For my daughters, there's nothing I'm not willing to risk.
21:34Just for her daughters?
21:35I actually wanted to tell her
21:35she could make these changes for herself, too.
21:37But in that moment, I thought of Catherine again.
21:39I can understand the perseverance and pressure of a working mom,
21:42and I can understand the hard work and sacrifice of a stay-at-home mom.
21:45But I'll never, ever understand Catherine.
21:47She wouldn't spend time with me,
21:48yet controlled me every second.
21:49She was like a truly pathological extreme.
21:53After dinner, I pulled out my phone and casually opened Instagram.
21:56Right then, I scrolled onto a live stream
21:58of the Walker Group's Lakeside Charity Auction,
21:59and I was shocked speechless.
22:01Not because this event, usually fixed in winter,
22:03had suddenly been moved up by over half a year,
22:05but because Catherine had not only brought Jessica to the event,
22:08but also allowed her to answer reporters' questions freely.
22:10Jessica was wearing that new Chanel haute couture
22:12Catherine brought back from Paris,
22:14looking like a proud white swan.
22:15It seemed like she and Catherine were getting along pretty well.
22:18This can't be, just as I thought.
22:19Jessica, who'd been elegantly answering questions,
22:21suddenly snatched the microphone from the host.
22:23Catherine Walker, you're a goddamn through-and-through psycho!
22:26Sophia, why are you calling Mrs. Walker a psycho?
22:28She's your mother!
22:28She's not my mom!
22:29She's insane!
22:30Look at this, and you'll see just how crazy she is!
22:32Even blood sugar has to be monitored in real time.
22:34No wonder it's pushed her to this state.
22:37For three days straight,
22:38Catherine locked me in a windowless reflection room
22:39and played videos of my life after age 10 from morning to night.
22:42I wasn't allowed to eat or sleep until I finished them,
22:43but those videos add up to over 3,000 hours.
22:45How could I possibly finish that?
22:46She wants to drive me insane.
22:48She just wants to push me to death.
22:49Mrs. Walker, is what Sophia said true?
22:51Our group always claims to be a woman-friendly company.
22:53Doesn't this behavior smack of abusing a minor?
22:57First, my daughter was born on January 31, 2007,
22:59so she's already an adult.
23:00Second, teen girls can be a bit rebellious,
23:02and my daughter is no exception.
23:04Catherine, this isn't rebellion.
23:06In just three days, I'm already on the verge of a breakdown.
23:08What normal mother installs this many cameras at home
23:09to spy on her daughter?
23:10What normal mother enforces 121 house rules on her daughter?
23:13What mother uses a lie detector on her daughter,
23:15forces her to undergo hypnosis?
23:16And what normal mother edits together
23:17a combination of her daughter's failures,
23:18mistakes, moments of fear and tears,
23:20and plays it over and over to torture her
23:21whenever she misbehaves?
23:22Catherine, you're not normal.
23:23You're a monster.
23:24You need to see a psychiatrist.
23:26Sophia, the one who needs to seriously see a shank is you.
23:29Dr. Nelson's psychological evaluation report
23:31shows you're currently severely suicidal.
23:38Truth is, I'd done this before, too.
23:40Exposed Catherine as a control freak in public.
23:42It was totally useless.
23:43My mom's an expert at mental torture.
23:45I had no physical evidence to accuse her of abuse.
23:47And most people didn't buy it, either,
23:48that Catherine, who championed women supporting women,
23:50could treat her own daughter in such a sick way.
Comments