- 6 hours ago
Breaking the Hockey Star
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00I bought a boyfriend in college. It was on the ice at the University of Michigan.
00:05I watched Julian Wine, the broke kid in secondhand pads and borrowed skates, and made him an offer.
00:11Stay with me, and I'll pay your grandfather's medical bills.
00:15For three years, I mistook staying for love.
00:19He swallowed his pride, and I was naive enough to believe he loved me.
00:25Until I got pregnant. Until my family went bankrupt.
00:30Until the FBI seized everything we owned.
00:33He had just won the American College Hockey Championship, taking the MVP.
00:38I knew I couldn't jeopardize his future.
00:40I deleted his number, erased every trace, and disappeared with the baby growing inside me.
00:47I gave birth alone, to Julian's daughter and mine.
00:51He never knew we had a daughter.
00:53Six years later, to pay off my debts and raise her,
00:56I'm dancing at the Velvet Strip Lub in Detroit, to pay off my family's debts.
01:02He's the NHL's hottest new defenseman, a superstar with a $10 million contract, and an actress on his arm.
01:10I never expected to see Julian again, let alone here.
01:14Luna, Champagne Service, VIP Room 1, do not screw this up.
01:20Tonight's uniform, black lace bodysuit, six-inch stilettos, and a mask.
01:25I push past the heavy velvet curtains.
01:28Three men in expensive suits, two Instagram models, and...
01:32Julian.
01:33My knees go weak.
01:35The silver tray in my hands trembles.
01:38I lock my eyes on the ice bucket, terrified to look up.
01:41Julian, remember college?
01:43Didn't you date someone back at Michigan?
01:46I remember people saying she came from money.
01:48Yeah, I had one.
01:50Julian's voice hasn't changed.
01:52It's still that same low, chest-vibrating rumble.
01:55Whatever happened to her?
01:57Silence stretches out like a blade.
02:00She left.
02:02That's all I know.
02:05So cold.
02:07Learn from the best.
02:09My face burns.
02:10I set down the bottle, mumble something about checking on their next round, and turn for the door.
02:14Wait!
02:16My heart lurches to a stop.
02:18I freeze.
02:19Turn around.
02:21I froze.
02:22My back to the only man I'd ever loved.
02:24The father of my child.
02:27Is there a problem, sir?
02:29I forced my voice flat.
02:31Professional.
02:32Take off the mask.
02:33I can't.
02:34It's against club policy.
02:36I'll buy it.
02:40Take it off.
02:41My fingers found the silk ties at the back of my head.
02:45My body reacted before my mind could catch up.
02:49It remembered him.
02:52I heard the hitch in his breath.
02:55Eve.
02:57His voice broke on my name.
02:59Slowly, I turned.
03:01Up close, the boy I knew was gone.
03:04In his place stood someone harder, stronger, built from years of discipline and damage.
03:09But his eyes were the same.
03:11Still hungry.
03:13Still wounded.
03:14You have got to be kidding me.
03:18Mr. Wayne?
03:19Mr. Wayne?
03:20A sharp, broken laugh.
03:23Six years, Eve!
03:25Six years you vanished, delete your number, drop off the face of the earth, and now I'm Mr. Wynn?
03:29Maya was staring.
03:31The suits were staring.
03:33I didn't care.
03:35My only concern was the door.
03:37Twenty feet away, and the little girl waiting for her mom in the back.
03:41I have to go.
03:44He closed his hand around my wrist.
03:46Not hard, but enough to anchor me.
03:49We're talking.
03:50Let go of me!
03:53Not until you tell me why!
03:56You're making a scene!
03:58Someone's filming!
03:59He didn't let go.
04:01Why?
04:02His voice to something raw and quiet.
04:06Why did you just disappear?
04:08The real answer was burning a hole through my chest, because my family was destroyed.
04:13You had just been drafted, and I would not be the anchor that dragged you under.
04:17Because I got bored.
04:19It was just a college fling, Julian.
04:21It ran its course.
04:23His jaw locked.
04:24Something shattered behind his eyes.
04:26Fine.
04:29You want to do this the hard way?
04:31Fine.
04:32He pulled out his wallet.
04:35Five hundred dollars.
04:37Strip.
04:40Now.
04:41Now it was just me and Julian.
04:44He sat in the center of the velvet sofa.
04:46Knees spread.
04:48Elbows on his thighs.
04:50Watching me like I was a puzzle he'd lost the final piece to.
04:55Strip.
04:56What?
04:58You heard me.
05:00I paid.
05:02My hands were shaking.
05:04I bawled them into fists at my sides.
05:06That's not...
05:07I don't do that!
05:08I just serve drinks, Julian.
05:09I'm not a...
05:11Not a stripper?
05:14Who are you trying to fool, princess?
05:17Dressed like that, in a place like this?
05:20Serving champagne to men who are undressing you with their eyes?
05:24He glanced around the room.
05:26At the mirrors.
05:28The pole.
05:29The bed in the corner I always pretended wasn't there.
05:32What'd your father say?
05:35Oh, wait.
05:37He's in federal prison, isn't he?
05:39The blow landed exactly where he'd aimed it.
05:42I felt the blood drain from my face.
05:46You've been looking me up?
05:48Looking you up?
05:53I've been looking for you.
05:56Six years, Eve.
05:58Private investigators.
06:00Dark web searches.
06:01I even hired a hacker!
06:06You just vanished.
06:08Like you never existed.
06:11And this is where I find you?
06:13Hiding behind a cheap mask like you're ashamed?
06:18I am ashamed.
06:20Julian went still.
06:22The anger in his face fractured.
06:24Why?
06:25Why this?
06:26You could have gone anywhere, done anything.
06:29You were top of your class in computer science at Michigan.
06:32You could be writing code for a living.
06:34Why?
06:35Why do you look like you haven't slept in years?
06:41I don't owe you an explanation.
06:43You want a show?
06:44Fine.
06:45You want to humiliate me?
06:47Fine.
06:48But don't you dare pretend you care, Julian.
06:51You made it pretty clear a minute ago that you don't.
06:57I care enough to hate you.
07:01That should tell you something.
07:03He reached for me and I flinched.
07:06Not because I thought he'd hurt me.
07:08Julian had never once hurt me.
07:11But because his touch could still undo me.
07:13Because I still remembered those hands sliding under my sweater.
07:25Don't.
07:29Don't.
07:30Don't.
07:31Don't what?
07:33Don't.
07:34Don't remember what you taste like.
07:36Don't remember that morning you left.
07:39How you kissed me.
07:41told me you'd see me at graduation how you
07:46how you lied i didn't lie you said you love i stared at him at the pain he kept so
07:54carefully
07:54buried at the boy i had walked away from because i loved him too much to let him burn his
07:59future
07:59down for mine i did i thought dropping my gaze i still do daddy the door crashed open a tiny
08:07blur
08:07shot into the room and slammed straight into julian's legs lily my frantic eyes flew to julian
08:15are you my daddy why are you making my mommy cry
08:23she's she's just confused eve who is this
08:30my mouth opened then snapped shut lily ducked under my arm and planted herself between me
08:37and the tall dangerous stranger you're very tall are you a giant julian stared down at her
08:45at the mess of dark curls just like his at the exact same shade of ice blue eyes at the
08:52stubborn
08:52set of her jaw that was all me no i'm not a giant i play hockey what's hockey it's a
09:02sport
09:02on ice like in frozen yeah something like that well you made my mommy cry you should say you're sorry
09:17i i'm sorry his bewildered gaze found mine over her head eve how old is she four
09:27she's four the lie sat between us like a stone four not five one year's difference enough room for doubt
09:36enough to make her anyone's my lily my sweet fearless lily reached out and took julia's hand
09:44your hands are cold mommies get cold too she says it's because we're part polar bear
09:49she tugged on his fingers are you julian crouched down to her level what's your name
10:06the hockey player mommy has a picture of you it's all old and wrinkly and she looks at it when
10:15she
10:15thinks i'm asleep she says you're risen okay mommy put me down his hands are cold like ours
10:25he could be a polar bear too i want to be his friend eve
10:33i didn't turn around is she mine i clutched lily tighter her small heart beating against mine
10:43no i lied she's not yours
10:48later that night with lily sprawled across my chest in a tangle of limbs i watched the gentle rise and
10:54fall of her sleep her eyelashes were two perfect dark fans against her cheek his eyelashes my mind
11:01the traitor it always was dragged me back it was the fall of my freshman year on the ice at
11:06the
11:07university of michigan julian when stood out for all the wrong reasons he was the kid in second
11:12hand pads held together with hockey tape skating on borrowed blades his jersey had been washed so
11:17many times the number was barely legible but he carried himself like none of it touched him
11:22all sharp angles and coiled tension like something waiting to strike i loved the cold focus in his eyes
11:30the hard line of his jaw that refused to yield to anyone he was also drowning his grandfather's medical
11:38bills were burying him alive and the hockey scholarship he should have had was handed to a
11:43legacy kid who's famed the right coach speed dial feemly had the right consenscrobity i wanted to help him
11:50so one afternoon i stopped him on the quad and took his calloused hand in mine
11:54julian before i could lose my nerve i really like you and i have money enough to help with your
12:00grandfather's medical bills let me help you please he looked at me like i just insulted everything he'd
12:07ever worked for the wounded wolf all teeth and fury and throw up over live drangles of venfried at
12:14admorine a feeling but i'd never lost at anything the more he refused the harder i pushed until the
12:23night his grandfather collapsed from a heart attack the icu bill was twenty dollars a day
12:30i paid it before he could argue and julian finally let me in in my foolish naive heart i thought
12:40i'd saved
12:41him it took me years to understand i'd just broken him differently he never stopped working side jobs
12:50never stopped waking at four in the morning for extra ice time he barely touched my money but the
12:56damage was done whispers followed him through the locker room teammates looked through him or hit him
13:02a little too hard in practice and i still floating in my comfortable bubble would just squeeze his hand
13:08and tell him they were jealous they were thinned i never once saw the war he was fighting on his
13:14own
13:14then came senior year my family collapsed my father was indicted for fraud and the government froze every asset we
13:24had
13:27i couldn't cover my own tuition i went from heiress to broke overnight and i didn't tell julia
13:34because i had just found out i was pregnant and he had just gotten his draft offer from the nhl
13:41his entire future was finally in reach so when the plus sign appeared on that stick i made a choice
13:48i called him to meet me outside in the snow
13:54i can't do this anymore we're done why i kept my face flat you were fun for a while
14:03for a while julian but i'm moving on
14:09fine
14:10i told myself he was relieved that he was finally free of me the girl whose money had made him
14:15a target
14:15whose help had cost him more than it gave that night i snapped my sim card in half deleted every
14:20account i had and caught a bus to chicago pregnant and alone disappearing into the dark
14:26i ran from the debt collectors from the city from him detroit to chicago to milwaukee city to city
14:35until i came back here three months ago i never thought i'd see him this soon
14:42julian was more than fine he was everything everyone knew he'd be a defensive powerhouse in
14:46the nhl the face of espn his name on a contract with more zeros than i could count and maya
14:52hart the
14:52actress who'd ruled our college theater department and now had a netflix series to her name was
14:56apparently the woman on his arm good for him i pressed my hand flat against my chest trying to
15:02hold the ache in my phone buzzed on the nightstand at five in the morning pulling me out of the
15:10wreckage unknown number we need to talk don't make me come back to that club to find you
15:21i stared at the message until the screen burned my retinas then deleted it and blocked the number
15:33the next night marco pulled me aside before my shift vip room he asked for you by name i can't
15:40eve marco lowered his voice still not meeting my eyes he bought a twenty thousand dollar bottle
15:46he's not going anywhere just go julian was in the same booth alone in a leather jacket that cost
15:54more than my month's rent he was turning an empty glass slowly between his fingers i have other tables
16:01i started sit down eve i'm not leaving until we talk something in his voice made me sit on the
16:09very edge
16:10of the cushion ready to run why did you leave he asked his voice stripped raw were you really just
16:16done with me he leaned forward and there it was that same predatory stillness he'd always had on the
16:23ice six years hadn't thawed the michigan winter in his eyes your number was disconnected every account
16:29gone i even called the university's alumni officer you really didn't want to be found i lifted my chin and
16:38made myself hold his gaze no i wanted to scream i was pregnant i wasn't going to let you throw
16:46away
16:46the nhl for me but i didn't you always knew what i was like i said forcing a brittle smile
16:53i got bored
16:54i moved on that's who i am a raw red fury flared in his eyes i don't believe you suit
17:04yourself
17:06is lily my daughter like a blindside check and i felt it in my teeth
17:13no don't lie to me eve not about this she's not yours then whose is she someone steady you found
17:22after everything fell apart your fiance ivan is that his name his voice cracked before he caught it i spent
17:29six years looking for you six years asking myself what i did wrong why you left whether you were even
17:36still alive and now i find out you have a daughter i kept my voice level you're in the nhl
17:44julian you
17:46live in arenas and hotel rooms half the year with sports media tracking your every move
17:51i just i didn't expect a real future with you never expected a future he repeated it slowly
17:57like he was tasting something rotten i wanted everything with you eve marriage kids a real life
18:08you were the one who walked out because i didn't have a choice the words came out before i could
18:13stop
18:13them i pressed my lips together steadied myself then looked up you already know what happened
18:19my family collapsed my father's in federal prison the debts are still not settled i had nothing left
18:25i would have faced all of that with you that's easy to say now i'm saying it because it's true
18:31do you know why i signed with detroit 12 teams made offers i had better money on the table from
18:36four
18:36of them better cities better odds why do you think i came back here why i shook my head
18:43you mentioned it once he said and a broken little laugh escaped him we were fighting about where to
18:49live after graduation you said you loved the snow that you wanted to see the great lakes in winter
18:55i thought if i stayed you'd find your way back you did come back eve i came yesed you got
19:02a job
19:02three miles from my apartment and you still wouldn't even look at me my mouth opened nothing came out
19:09is that it something hardened in his face is your pride really worth all of this the great heartley
19:19enris too ashamed to be seen working for tips no oh my god eve is that actually you maya hart
19:28came
19:28clicking toward our table on needle thin stilettos trailing byrid perfume and six years of perfectly
19:34colded social media success she was glossier than i remembered the kind of polish that took real money
19:39to maintain where have you been everyone's been asking about you for years down south for a while
19:44i managed of course her eyes did a slow deliberate sweep of me and they stopped on my jacket is
19:51that
19:51the same levi's jacket from junior year eve has holes in it i used to buy new clothes every season
19:57and
19:57never wore the same thing twice she knew exactly what she was doing i just didn't have enough left
20:03in me to care it's vintage now i said sustainable fashion maya gave me the smile of someone who
20:09understood perfectly she opened her chanel bag produced a black ms and held it out lit listen if
20:15you're going through something don't be stubborn about it take this you don't even have to pay me back
20:19thanks i didn't reach for it i'm good my gaze moved from her pitying face to julian stone still one
20:28i pulled up a smile
20:31i'm getting married actually you'll probably hear about it the words hit him like a body check into
20:37the boards and his composure didn't crack so much as collapse i wondered if he'd believe the lie
20:48what his name is ivan you'd know him from college he was the one who couldn't take a hint around
20:55me
20:57the trust fund kid yes he paid off my family's debts
21:04i'm marrying him
21:08the color left julian's face all at once
21:16do you love him
21:21he's good to me that's not what i asked eve
21:26i didn't answer i couldn't it's time for you to go i stood whatever we had is over it's been
21:35over for
21:36a long time he just sat there frozen like a statue carved from ice
21:44the apartment was quiet when i got home lily was still up
21:50five years old hair and two little pity tails and every time i looked at her i saw him same
21:57dark
21:57hair same deep set blue eyes same crooked smile the moment she spotted me
22:03mommy mommy she launched herself into my arms you're home early missed you too much
22:14i held her tight and breathed in the strawberry to her shampoo
22:18bella appeared in the doorway smiling she drew a picture today said it was for her dad
22:27something tightened in my chest her dad
22:32lily was already scrambling down running to her room coming back with a crayon drawing
22:39three figures a bearded man a woman with long hair a small girl holding both their hands
22:47this is daddy this is mommy this is me
22:54baby your dad isn't here right now
23:00but all the other kids dads are her face crumpled isn't that hockey player my dad where did he go
23:15i knelt down until i was level with her eyes
23:22daddy had to go somewhere far away
23:26but he loves you so much when is he coming back
23:36soon i whispered and kissed her forehead
23:42later after she was asleep
23:45i sat on the fire escape with a cigarette burnout between my fingers
23:54my phone lit up on the still julian what's your daughter's name
24:04i left it it buzzed again i need to see you i shut the phone off
24:17but i knew it was useless there was nowhere left to run the next morning was saturday park day lily
24:25was digging happily in the sandbox while i scrolled through my phone my phone buzzed julian i let it
24:32go to voicemail it buzzed again and again on the third ring i finally picked up
24:40what are you talking about i'm at the park behind you 50 yards under the big oak tree
24:47i turned he was there hoodie jeans baseball cap pulled low
24:53how did you find me i had your car tracked
24:57you followed me i was worried eve we need to talk
25:01no not here my daughter i know i just want to see her
25:11he was already at the edge of the sandbox lily looked up squinting against the sun at the tall
25:16man standing over her her head tilted something moved across her face pure unaguarded recognition
25:23then she beamed daddy you came back the denial tore out of me lily lily lily no he's not your
25:34daddy but she pointed a soddy finger straight at julian's face he looks just like the daddy in my
25:40picture julian knelt down and lily threw her small arms around his neck my mind just stopped he looked up
25:48at me his eyes were red he said barely a sound at all lily how old is she four
26:01you're lying you never took it off you never forgot me julian is she mine daddy please don't go again
26:09okay something cracked across his face i turned away knowing that was it julian pulled lily into his
26:16arms she locked her hands behind his neck and held on the way kids do when they're afraid to let
26:21go
26:21of something they almost lost you smell good daddy do i so do you i stood there with my hands
26:28at my
26:28sides not sure what to do with them after a few minutes lily's grip slowly loosened her body going
26:33heavy against his chest with a wide sleepy yawn she needs her nap i said julian looked at me i'm
26:39taking
26:39you home you don't have to eve she was out before we reached the car he carried her across the
26:45parking lot with both arms under her slow arms steady under her her slow and deliberate like he
26:53was afraid to jolt her awake the drive was quiet he kept his eyes on the road i watched the
27:01city slide
27:02past the passenger window lily breathed softly in her car seat behind us what does she like to eat he
27:08asked
27:12pasta strawberries chicken nuggets allergies no she in school preschool a beat of silence you raised her
27:22alone five years yes when's her birthday february 17th his grip tightened on the wheel we broke up on june
27:3310th when you left you were already pregnant julian and you didn't tell me
27:45eve why wouldn't you tell me because you were going to the nhl you finally had your shot
27:51after everything and and i wasn't going to be the reason you walked away from it
27:57eve that was my child he turned to face me jaw tight eyes raw you were out there alone pregnant
28:05hiding it
28:05while i was on the ice giving interviews about how damn much i missed you i pressed my hand flat
28:12against my sternum it didn't help i'm sorry i said i thought i was doing the right thing you didn't
28:18know
28:19i said holding his gaze you didn't know about the pregnancy so tell me if i had told you what
28:25would you have done i would have i know exactly what you would have done you would have stayed given
28:30up the nhl married me there's not the end you're it's my with your life and i done i need
28:36you swafting
28:37all by far and spent the rest of your life resenting me for it i wouldn't have yes you would
28:42have
28:43my voice stayed even i needed it too you would have felt trapped same as you did back in college
28:50he went white you think i hated you didn't you i let out a short broken laugh and the tears
28:58came
28:58before i could stop them you were never really mine i kept you with money for three years we both
29:12knew
29:12that if it hadn't been for your grandfather's hospital bills you never would have stayed with
29:18me you we're here i nodded toward the window let me out he didn't move julian let me out slowly
29:31his
29:32hands came off the steering wheel eve there's something i never told you what i liked you before
29:44you ever paid for anything i couldn't speak first day of college he said his voice low you were walking
29:53down the hall in this white dress i remember thinking i'm never gonna forget that girl
30:01then why did you he shut his eyes for a second because of the money
30:08you paid my grandfather's medical bills after that everything got twisted
30:13i couldn't tell if i wanted you or what you could do for me
30:19i hated that i couldn't separate the two the tears came harder so when you said yes
30:27when you actually stayed was it only willy because because even if it started that way i still wanted to
30:35stay he looked at me then even if you thought i was just someone you paid for
30:47i broke completely
30:57in the back seat lily stirred and mumbled something small and sleepy daddy
31:07let me see her he said
31:13let me be her dad you already are my voice cracked
31:21she knew who you were the second she saw you
31:26but i'm not ready to let you back in julian didn't leave that night
31:31he stayed in my tiny apartment daddy you build this part you got it princess are you coming back
31:39tomorrow i am every day every single day for one moment something settled in my chest this felt right
31:48a text from ivan meeting with the loan officer tomorrow to sign papers for your family's debt
31:53wear something nice you still owe me 10 grand my fingers went numb after my father went bankrupt
32:00ivan had offered to clear our debts on one condition that i marry him
32:07last month i'd borrowed 10 000 from him it was the opening he'd been waiting for
32:14who was that no one was it even how do you know that i looked for you after you disappeared
32:22i never
32:22stopped i wrote a facial recognition program fed it every photo i had of you it finally got a hit
32:29in
32:29detroit eve the only reason i chose this team was you so you came here you actually
32:37mommy mommy i'm hungry almost ready sweetie what are these white roses your favorite
32:45tears prepped my eyes as i stared at them
32:50you never took off the bracelet you never really let me go daddy loves mommy i buried my face in
32:59her
32:59hair julian couldn't see what was happening to me let me take care of you
33:07for real this time we both want it i didn't answer all i could think about was ivan ten thousand
33:14dollars
33:15what julian would do the second he found out he would pay it no hesitation and we'd be right back
33:22where
33:22we started him the man i'd bought i couldn't do that to him again i stepped out of his arms
33:33i have to tell you something what is it
33:39i'm getting married i turned julian down i told him we needed time to learn how to be us again
33:46his eyes dimmed but he didn't push it when i woke up the next morning julian was already in the
33:53kitchen
33:54he was wearing an apron frying eggs making toast and slicing strawberries every piece was cut
34:03perfectly even just the way i liked it you used to slice them like that he glanced back at me
34:09his
34:09eyes soft because you like it lily ran in like a little cannonball mommy daddy made breakfast julian
34:18set a plate of sliced strawberries in front of her her eyes lit up so sweet slow down he smiled
34:28and
34:28patted her head in that moment it felt like we were a real family if i hadn't left six years
34:35ago maybe we
34:37would have had this all along buzz buzz my phone vibrated
34:45eve maya i hear you and julian are back together it was maya how did you know news travels fast
34:52in
34:53our world i just wanted to remind you that julian is a public figure if the press finds out you
34:59work
34:59at a strip club are you threatening me i'm helping you julian and i have an arrangement
35:06as far as the world knows i'm his girlfriend don't mess this up i gripped my phone until my
35:14cuckles turned white julian walked over what's wrong
35:21it was maya his expression hardened what did she say she said as far as the public is concerned you're
35:29with
35:29her that's a lie she helped me out of a few pr messes but we were never real but she
35:36said she's
35:37your girlfriend i need your ruster eve who are you gonna believe her or me lily called out from the
35:44table daddy i want more strawberries julian gave me one last look then turned back to slice the
35:51strawberries i stood in the doorway my mind a complete mess his smile frozen on his face what
35:58what i'm getting married i repeated to ivan mommy's getting married to who lily looked up at me
36:08i want daddy with daddy julian picked her up and coaxed her softly don't cry daddy's here he looked
36:21at me his eyes turning cold are you serious i am do you love him that's not the point i
36:31asked if you
36:32love him julian that doesn't matter it matters he set lily down and walked over eve look me in the
36:44eye
36:44and tell me you love him i looked up into his eyes those same eyes had looked at me in
36:50the snow six
36:50years ago saying fine let's break up six years later in front of our daughter those eyes were red
37:00i mommy doesn't like uncle even mommy never smiles when she sees uncle even lily yelled from
37:08the side i panicked she's telling the truth eve you're a terrible liar the doorbell rang i opened
37:17the door ivan stood in the doorway he wore a suit his hair slicked back with gel holding a bottle
37:23of
37:23red wine eve i'm here to pick you up for dinner who is ivan this is my i'm lily's father
37:28julian walked
37:29over and stood in front of me julian wine the nhl guy yeah oh didn't eve dump you the room
37:41went dead
37:41silent ivan you should go go i brought wine to celebrate to celebrate you finally agreeing to marry
37:51me i didn't agree you did he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket this is the paperwork sign
38:01it
38:02and i'll pay off the remaining 20 grand otherwise the bank will take this apartment you owe the bank
38:09money my dad's debt the apartment is in my mom's name but it's mortgaged how much none of your business
38:18eve lily got scared and started crying you're scaring her i'm sorry lily daddy didn't mean it
38:28how much does she owe she owes me 10 grand on top of that there's 20 grand to the bank
38:35all told you're looking at 35 once the interest kicks in i'll give you 50. her debt is paid
38:41julian pulled out his phone 60. ivan's face changed what's your account number 70. last chance
38:55otherwise i'm calling my lawyers ivan took the money and left i leaned against the wall holding lily
39:05julian you didn't have to do that it was worth it he walked over and took lily from my arms
39:15go pack your things what you're moving into my place tonight he looked at me
39:26could i trust him that night i worked my shift at the club julian showed up again
39:35he sat at the bar with a club soda like my own silent bodyguard i'm taking you home you don't
39:42have to come here every day i want to aren't you worried about the paparazzi let them take photos
39:48i've got nothing to hide is lily asleep bella said she's asleep eve we're doing a dna test tomorrow
39:58what a paternity test i need legal proof that lily is my daughter she already is then take the test
40:06after that i'm filing for joint custody you're fighting me for custody i'm not fighting you
40:14eve i can't let my daughter grow up in a situation where she could be taken away at any second
40:19i need legal security i won't let anyone take her what about you you work nights at a strip club
40:25lily
40:26is five she's gonna find out eventually i do it to pay her tuition i know so let me take
40:30care of you
40:31i don't want your money then whose do you want ivan's you'd rather marry him than take anything from me
40:40because i don't want to owe you anymore you never owed me a damn thing six years eve six years
40:48you
40:49raised lily all by yourself do you have any idea what i went through i looked for you every single
40:54day i even built a tracking program to find you so you found me now what now i'm going to
41:02marry you
41:03what let's get married not to settle some debt because i've loved you since i was 19 and that
41:09has never changed i hesitated i couldn't let lily get caught in the crossfire of our mess
41:15not right now when you're ready but promise me one thing eve do not marry even okay
41:24i've made up my mind i can get back into coding i was a top cs major at michigan i
41:30can start over
41:33you're already an amazing mother eve and you're brilliant the next afternoon someone knocked on my
41:41door that afternoon someone knocked on my door this time it was a process server a guy in a wrinkled
41:50buttoned up holding a maryland envelope miss hartley yes you've been served inside were court documents
41:57julian was filing for custody sole custody he cited my unstable job history my past deceptions and the
42:05cps investigation as proof the papers claimed i was an unfit mother i read the pages three times
42:11trying to make the words make sense he wanted to take her away
42:20he was actually trying to steal my daughter i looked over at lily she was sitting at the kitchen table
42:26coloring she looked up with a huge smile look mommy i drew you a rainbow my hands shook as i
42:34gently took
42:34the drawing it's beautiful baby are you sad no sweetie mommy's just a little tired she crawled
42:42into my lap and wrapped her tiny arms around my neck i hugged her tight making a silent vow i
42:49will
42:49never let him take you i grabbed julian's business card and dialed his number
42:58he picked up on the second ring eve we need to talk right now he gave me an address it
43:06was his penthouse
43:06downtown overlooking the detroit river the elevator opened directly into his place it was massive floor
43:14to ceiling windows designer furniture and a kitchen straight out of a magazine but right there sitting
43:20on the fireplace mantle was a framed photo a picture of us from college i stared at it completely
43:28stunned it was from one of his hockey games my head rested on his shoulder both of us grinning like
43:33idiots i remembered that night it was his first college victory i remembered how he picked me up on
43:39the ice and spun me around i kept all of it everything every photo even those silly little notes you
43:46used to
43:46slip into my locker i spun around to face him he was in sweatpants a light sheen of sweat on
43:54his
43:54forehead he had clearly just gotten back from a workout i reached into my bag pulled out the
44:00custody papers and slammed them on the counter you liar i screamed you swore you wouldn't fight me for
44:07custody julian's brow darkened he snatched the papers quickly scranning them his face went dangerously
44:14hard i didn't send these what yes i hired a lawyer to establish paternity and set up visitation but i
44:24would
44:24never try to take lily away from you he flipped to the second page sole custody supervised visitation i never
44:32asked for any of this i never authorized this then who maya she's my agent's daughter she's been
44:38overstepping lately maya filed for custody in your name behind my back without my permission julian
44:43slammed the papers back on the counter his face dark she's been trying to force her way into my personal
44:47life i thought she was just being what i don't know overly professional i trusted her because of her
44:53dad she wants you this isn't about lily she just wants me out of the picture julian didn't deny it
44:59i never let her on i never gave her any ideas you don't have to do anything you're successful he
45:04looked at me a sudden vulnerability in his eyes you're gorgeous and you're single i'm not single
45:11eve i haven't been single since i was 19 my heart skipped a beat don't don't say that why not
45:18it's the
45:19truth because it doesn't change anything i'm still a jobless ex-stripper with a felon for a father
45:26and you're still a superstar hockey player with an actress on standby we don't even live in the same
45:32world anymore we never did he fired back that was the whole point we made it work anyway right up
45:42until
45:42you decided we couldn't i was trying to protect you i didn't need your protection his voice echoed
45:51off the high ceilings i needed you i needed to know that when things got hard we'd fight together
45:58not watch you pack up and disappear the second life got messy my dad was going to federal prison
46:03and my grandfather was dying we both had our messes eve but we didn't have to face them alone we
46:10were
46:10both panting standing inches gun apart six years of unspoken words hung heavy in the air between us i was
46:17scared i was so scared julian terrified of losing everything terrified of dragging you down terrified
46:24you'd end up resent me i could never hate you his voice finally softened god knows i tried but i
46:30never
46:31stopped loving you the words hung between us i couldn't breathe stop i pleaded my voice barely a
46:36whisper why because it complicates things because it makes it harder to pretend we feel nothing for each
46:42other he stepped into my space close enough that i could feel the heat radiating off his chest you
46:47mean everything to me eve you always have and now we have lily that has to mean something
46:55what are you saying i'm saying we try again for lily a part of me wanted to believe him i
47:03wanted to
47:04believe that six years apart hadn't completely ruined us that we weren't beyond repair but when
47:08you're used to the world pulling the rug out from under you hoping just feels dangerous i need to
47:12think about this i need time you have time until tomorrow that's not nearly enough maya is hosting
47:19a charity gala tomorrow night my entire team will be there if you want to prove to the world and
47:23the
47:23courts that we're co-parenting amitably this is your perfect chance he handed me an invitation thick
47:29card steak with gold embossing it radiated pure elegance i pulled a garment bag from the very back of my
47:34closet inside was a dress i hadn't seen in six years it was the only piece of my past i
47:38couldn't
47:39bear to sell i held the fabric remembering the girl i used to be the fearless invincible eve hartley
47:44the gala was held at the detroit institute of arts crystal chandeliers illuminated the marble floors
47:48reflecting off a sea of custom tailored gowns and tuxedos these people were old money and pure influence
47:53i was just a single mom with a gid whose only real achievement was a little girl who thought i
47:57was a
47:58superhero eve julian appeared at the top of the staircase he looked absolutely devastating in a crisp
48:04tuxedo he descended the steps his gaze sweeping over me with absolute awe and adoration you look
48:12beautiful thank you shall we we walked into the ballroom together and i felt the shift in the air
48:18immediately is that eve hartley the one who just vanished i heard she's been dancing at some strip club
48:22i lifted my chin and tightened my grip on julian's arm i wasn't going to break not here maya found
48:27us
48:27near the bar she was stunning in a vibrant red dress her blonde hair swept into an elegant updo
48:33julian darling there you are i've been looking everywhere for you maya you remember eve
48:42of course the ghost from your past how interesting she is lily's mother show some respect
48:55lily my daughter she's five beautiful brilliant and looks exactly like me eve and i are working out our
49:04custody arrangement completely imomicably but the papers you mean the papers you filed behind my back
49:11we'll discuss that later with my lawyer's present i was trying to help you she hid your child from you
49:20she's clearly unstable maya stared at him then glared at me her face a twisted mask of rage and humiliation
49:28you're going to regret this before turning on her heel and storming off julian turned to face me
49:34the hard edge in his expression instantly melted away i'm sorry i didn't mean to make you uncomfortable
49:41you said you loved me in front of everyone i meant it
49:46but maya he took both of my hands in his i don't even see anyone else out there eve
49:53i haven't not once over six years i looked up into his eyes for the first time in six years
50:03years i let myself feel a flicker of hope maybe we really could start over
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