- 4 hours ago
Ten Stolen Years: Escaping My Toxic Family
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Short filmTranscript
00:00At 3 a.m., I checked my wife's phone and found a text.
00:04If I put your husband's staltector veil behind bars, do I get to be the one who marries you?
00:10I shoved the screen right in her face.
00:14Celestine Voss barely looked at it.
00:16He's my late mentor's son. It was just a stupid joke.
00:23From that night on, I started keeping an eye on her.
00:27On her and Lucian Thorne.
00:30And then the bridge I designed collapsed.
00:33A lot of people died.
00:37My parents called me a murderer and cut me off on the spot.
00:42An angry mob of the victim's families nearly beat me to death outside the courthouse.
00:51I lost 10 years behind bars for a crime I didn't commit.
01:00When I finally got out, the man I used to be was dead.
01:05I buried my past, took a fake name, and disappeared into a new town.
01:11I got a job in a coffee shop and kept my head down.
01:15For a while, it almost felt peaceful.
01:18Then my ex-wife found me.
01:20And the second she stepped into my cafe, every reporter in the city shoved a microphone in my face.
01:26Mr. Vail, is it true Miss Voss has postponed her wedding for 10 years because she's still waiting for you?
01:31Ten years ago, she let Lucian into my team.
01:35He approved substandard materials for a kickback.
01:38After the bridge collapsed, she protected him and let me take the blame for all those deaths.
01:44Celestine stood in the middle of it, flawless as ever.
01:47My boss lost his mind.
01:49Hey, Aiden, get over here.
01:50Take a picture with Mrs. Voss.
01:52She's one of the top CEOs in the country.
01:55If we post this, this place is going to go viral.
01:57I'll even give you a raise.
02:01My hand froze around the cup I was washing.
02:05The reporters noticed anyway.
02:08So this is where you've been hiding, Mr. Vail.
02:11You used to be one of the biggest names in architecture.
02:13Now you're washing dishes in a cafe.
02:15How does that feel?
02:16We've heard your ex-wife has waited for you all these years and keeps postponing her wedding to her fiancé,
02:22Stedingle Tamp.
02:23Any comment?
02:24I knew what Celestine was capable of.
02:28I'd seen it with my own eyes.
02:30If she was here, she wanted something.
02:33This is between me and my former husband.
02:36No interviews.
02:38Leave.
02:38Now.
02:43She looked at me.
02:45Adrian Vail.
02:46She paused.
02:47Quietly, she added.
02:49Don't be like that.
02:50Hearing her say my real name after ten years hit harder than I expected.
02:56My fingers twitched.
02:57A cup slipped.
02:59Still so careless?
03:02Marco, I'm sorry.
03:04I'll clean it up.
03:05Just take it out of my pay.
03:09And before anyone else could say a word.
03:12Celestine.
03:13You left without saying a word.
03:15My parents and I were worried sick.
03:18Lucian Thorne walked in.
03:20He put an arm around Celestine's waist and kissed her temple.
03:25Ten years ago, he was the reason that bridge came down.
03:30Now he was her fiancé.
03:32And behind him came my parents.
03:34Oh, right.
03:35Your parents took me in like family.
03:38So I guess that makes me your brother now.
03:40I looked past him at my mother and father.
03:43They had aged a decade in all the worst ways.
03:48And somehow, that hurt more than the insults ever did.
03:53We only have one son.
03:54And it's Lucian.
03:56A man who traded human lives for money makes me sick.
04:01Celestine, why would you even come looking for someone like him?
04:04He should have been left to die wherever he crawled off to.
04:09Every customer stared at me.
04:12Even Marco.
04:15Don't blame them.
04:16What happened back then destroyed them too.
04:23I owe you more than I can ever repay.
04:26If you ever need anything, call me.
04:28I stared at the card in her hand.
04:30Because women like Celestine Voss never showed up out of guilt.
04:34They showed up when something worse was coming.
04:37I didn't refuse Celestine's card.
04:40Or more accurately, I took it the exact same way I would take any customer's card.
04:45I set it aside.
04:47I didn't care how she found me.
04:49And I had zero intention of ever seeing her again.
04:53Until three days later when Marco called me.
05:05Adrian, I'm really sorry.
05:07I had no idea who you used to be.
05:10A guy like you working in my shop.
05:12It doesn't make sense.
05:16Look, I'm paying you for the rest of the month.
05:19But starting tomorrow, don't come back.
05:22Before I could say a word, he hung up.
05:30I immediately tried to call him back.
05:32Blocked.
05:33A second later, a payment notification hit my phone.
05:37$4,500.
05:40Marco had sent me an extra thousand.
05:42There was a note attached.
05:44The extra thousand is an apology.
05:46My place is small.
05:48I can't afford this kind of trouble.
05:50Please, don't come back.
05:52I already knew who was behind this.
05:54And right on cue, Celestine called.
06:00Adrian, there's no way for me to clear your name about what happened ten years ago.
06:05I need you to understand that.
06:07But I'll make it up to you in every other way.
06:11Pouring coffee is beneath you.
06:17So I took care of it.
06:19I also bought you a house in Bayhaven.
06:21You can move in immediately.
06:24Lucien is still young.
06:26There are a lot of complex projects he can't handle the way you do.
06:32Help him out.
06:39I'll pay you $200,000 a month.
06:41My fists clenched until they literally started to ache.
06:45Why?
06:45Why did she get to throw me into hell?
06:47Strip me of everything.
06:49And then waltz back into my life acting like my savior.
06:52What gave her the right to dictate my future?
06:55Help Lucien.
06:56What she really meant was simple.
06:58She wanted me to be his ghost architect.
07:01After Marco fired me, I spent the whole day looking for work.
07:04I tried every cafti, every restaurant, every small business with a help wanted sign in the window.
07:10But it didn't matter where I went.
07:11It didn't matter how badly they needed staff.
07:14The second I walked in, their attitude changed.
07:17Every single one of them was polite.
07:19Almost too polite.
07:20They treated me like I was someone important.
07:22And then every single one of them refused to hire me.
07:25By the time the sun went down, I had no choice but to head back to the tiny place I
07:28was renting.
07:29But when I got there, my landlady was already waiting outside.
07:32Mrs. Eleanor Hayes.
07:34She was a sweet older woman.
07:35When I first moved into town, I was completely broke.
07:38She gave me my first month rent-free, just so I could get back on my feet.
07:43And whenever she cooked something good, she always brought me a plate.
07:47But that night, her eyes were red from crying.
07:50She rushed over and grabbed my hand.
07:53Adrian, thank God you're back.
07:55I'm so sorry.
07:56I can't rent this place to you anymore.
08:00Please don't blame me.
08:02I don't have a choice.
08:05Someone very powerful.
08:06They made it very clear.
08:08If I let you stay here, my son would lose his job.
08:15She couldn't finish the sentence.
08:17She just broke down crying.
08:19I didn't want to make things harder for her.
08:22So that same night, I packed everything I owned and moved out.
08:26That was Celestine's version of compensation.
08:28Destroy the life I had left.
08:30Then offer me a golden cage.
08:32It would have been funny if it wasn't so cruel.
08:35Thanks for the offer, Mrs. Voss.
08:37But I have my own life now.
08:39So please, stop interfering with it.
08:42Adrian Vail, don't be stubborn.
08:45A man like you was born to build.
08:47You were only ever happy when you were designing.
08:50I'm giving you a chance.
08:52What exactly are you complaining about?
08:54There was a heavy silence on the other end when Celestine finally spoke.
08:58Fine.
08:59I have other ways of making this happen.
09:05A cold knot formed in my stomach.
09:07By that afternoon, I found out exactly what she meant.
09:11The day I was forced out of my rental,
09:15Celestine showed up in my town.
09:21She looked worse than she had a few days ago.
09:25Dark circles under her eyes.
09:27But that didn't stop her.
09:30She brought a moving crew with her.
09:34Standing there calmly.
09:37Directing them to pack up my things.
09:43By the time we got to the house she had bought for me,
09:46everything was already set up.
09:48She poured a glass of neat scotch and set it in front of me.
09:52You always used to run hot.
09:54This takes the edge off.
09:57I took the glass from her quietly.
10:00Then I took a small sip.
10:02It burned going down.
10:04It made my whole body tense up.
10:07Just like her so-called compensation.
10:11I set the glass down and looked at her.
10:14Mrs. Vosk, what happened in the past is over.
10:17If you really want to make it up to me,
10:19you should have stayed out of my life.
10:22Celestine froze for half a second.
10:24But I still caught it.
10:26That tiny flicker of disappointment in her eyes.
10:29Adrian.
10:30Don't do this.
10:32I know you're bitter.
10:35I know you still can't accept what happened.
10:39But this is only the first step.
10:40I'll find a fall guy for the bridge collapse.
10:43Once that's done, I'll rebuild your reputation.
10:45Piece by piece.
10:46I know you don't like Lucien.
10:48I'll make sure he stays out of your way.
10:49For now, just rest.
10:52She wasn't asking.
10:53She wanted control.
10:55She wanted me where she could watch me.
10:57Cage me.
10:58And call it protection.
10:59But Lucien was never going to stay away.
11:01The very same day I moved in,
11:04Celestine had barely been there an hour before he showed up.
11:07With a pack of reporters trailing right behind him.
11:10Celestine!
11:11I heard Adrian was here!
11:13Why didn't you call me?
11:14Then he turned straight toward the flashing cameras.
11:17What happened ten years ago was a tragedy.
11:20Mr. Vail made mistakes.
11:21And innocent people paid the ultimate price.
11:24But everyone deserves a chance to survive.
11:27I just hope he's learned from it.
11:29And that from now on,
11:30he'll try to be a better man.
11:36This is just a small gesture.
11:37You used to be a legend in this industry,
11:39and you're my fiancé's ex-husband.
11:42Please, don't refuse.
11:43If you're struggling to survive, just say the word.
11:48He played his part perfectly.
11:50By that afternoon, the headlines were everywhere.
11:53Disgraced Architect returns.
11:55Billionaire ex-wife offers a second chance.
11:58The killer gets a free ride.
12:00Can the victim's families ever rest?
12:03Just like that,
12:04Celestine became the devoted, forgiving business queen.
12:08Lucien became the reasonable, big-hearted fiancé.
12:12And I,
12:12I got dragged right back into the fire.
12:15Again.
12:17Then,
12:18somehow,
12:19my new address got leaked.
12:21From that day on,
12:22victim's families and angry strangers
12:24started protesting outside the house
12:27every single day.
12:28And three days later,
12:30my parents came too.
12:31It was the first time in ten years
12:33that they had come to see me on their own.
12:36The moment I saw them standing on the porch,
12:38something in my chest still lit up.
12:41Mom.
12:41Dad.
12:42You came.
12:44Come inside.
12:46But my father didn't move.
12:47He just glared at me
12:49and let out a sharp snort of disgust.
12:51We're not here to visit.
12:53My mother held onto the porch railing,
12:56her face pale and tired.
12:58Adrian,
12:59what you did back,
13:00we still can't forgive you.
13:02But you can't keep making mistake after mistake.
13:05Your father and I are begging you.
13:08Lucien truly loves Celestine.
13:12You're divorced.
13:14Stop clinging to her.
13:16I stared at her in dead silence.
13:19Lucien is a good man.
13:21He's too decent to say this himself,
13:23so we're saying it for him.
13:25Then her voice hardened,
13:26just enough for me to hear the threat underneath it.
13:29You need to leave Bayhaven.
13:31Immediately.
13:33And if you refuse...
13:36She paused.
13:37My father stepped forward.
13:39His eyes were pure ice.
13:41Then your mother and I will find a way
13:43to make you leave.
13:44Ten years ago,
13:45I lost my name.
13:46Now I was about to lose
13:48the last thing I had left in the world.
13:50And this time,
13:51my own parents were the ones holding the knife.
13:54I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
13:56Dad.
13:57Mom.
13:58Did you really never believe me?
14:00What if I told you Lucien framed me?
14:02My father stepped forward
14:04and punched me hard in the jaw.
14:06You ungrateful son of a bitch!
14:09Even now,
14:10you still try to blame Lucien?
14:13You stick!
14:15Blade him to the eye!
14:16At that exact moment,
14:18Celestine was walking up
14:19with a few shopping bags.
14:21She saw what happened and rushed over,
14:23looking like she was about to intervene.
14:25Mrs. Voss,
14:25it's an emergency.
14:27Mr. Thorne crashed his car.
14:28He's at the ER right now.
14:29The second they heard Lucien's name,
14:31everything changed.
14:33Celestine froze.
14:34My parents panicked.
14:36And just like that,
14:37they forgot I was even standing there.
14:39The three of them turned,
14:40got into Celestine's car,
14:42and sped off.
14:43I stood there watching them leave.
14:45I laughed so hard,
14:46my eyes filled with tears.
14:48The last ten years
14:49had already taught me one thing,
14:51never expect anything.
14:53But I was still wrong
14:54about how far they would go.
14:56My parents' solution came fast.
14:59One evening,
14:59I was out picking up groceries
15:01when a group of the victim's relatives
15:03cornered me in an alley.
15:04I didn't even have time to react.
15:06Something hit me in the back of the head
15:08with a tire iron.
15:09Everything went black.
15:10When I woke up,
15:11my hands were zip-tied behind my back.
15:14I had a rough canvas hood
15:15pulled over my head.
15:17My mouth was duct-taped shut.
15:18I could hear the water moving nearby.
15:20A river.
15:21Someone kicked me hard in the ribs.
15:23Piece of shit.
15:24We left you alone,
15:26and you still had the nerve
15:27to show your face again?
15:29Give me back my son!
15:31He was 19!
15:32He just started college,
15:34you animal!
15:35It was you!
15:36You cut corners,
15:37and my mother died!
15:37You should pay with your life!
15:40I tried to speak.
15:41Tried to tell them the truth.
15:43But with the tape over my mouth,
15:44all I could make were muffled sounds.
15:47No one listened.
15:47They beat me until they got tired.
15:49Then the man in front crouched beside me.
15:52You killed our families.
15:54Ten years in prison wasn't enough.
15:57Today,
15:58you don't get to walk away.
16:01They kept going.
16:02I could feel my ribs cracking.
16:04By the end,
16:05I could barely tell if I was breathing.
16:07My consciousness faded beneath the hood.
16:09My body didn't even feel like mine anymore.
16:13Half conscious,
16:14I felt them tie a heavy cinder block to my legs
16:17and shove me into the river.
16:19The water was freezing.
16:21I couldn't breathe.
16:23My lungs felt ready to burst.
16:25Maybe this was better.
16:26I was so damn tired of hurting.
16:28If this was the end,
16:30let it end.
16:31But just before I blacked out,
16:33a pair of strong hands grabbed my collar.
16:35A second later,
16:37I broke the surface
16:38and air rushed back into my lungs.
16:40When Lucien told my parents
16:42that a few victims' relatives
16:44just wanted to
16:45talk to me,
16:46they were uneasy.
16:47No matter how angry they were,
16:49I was still their son.
16:51I knew they hated
16:52what they believed I had done,
16:54hated the shame
16:55it brought to the family.
16:57But underneath all of that,
16:59they still cared about me.
17:01That was part of why
17:02they came to see me
17:03in the first place.
17:05They wanted me out of
17:06Lucien and Celestine's lives
17:08and out of the way
17:09of their wedding.
17:11But they were also afraid
17:12I was being too visible.
17:14Afraid the victims' families
17:16might actually hurt me.
17:18Lucien saw exactly
17:19what they were feeling,
17:20so he put on that calm,
17:22reassuring face of his.
17:24Mom, Dad,
17:26don't worry.
17:27I looked into these people.
17:29They're decent,
17:30ordinary people.
17:32They won't do anything
17:33serious to Adrian.
17:36If anything,
17:37this little scare
17:38might finally teach him
17:39to lie low
17:40and protect himself.
17:41My parents believed him.
17:44They gave up
17:45my daily schedule.
17:46But after they did,
17:48the unease
17:49didn't go away.
17:50It got worse.
17:53After days of dead silence,
17:55my mother finally spoke.
17:58My stomach has been
17:59in knots for days.
18:01We haven't heard
18:02anything from Adrian.
18:04Do you think
18:05we should look for him?
18:06Maybe even call the police?
18:07My father was worried, too.
18:09He just couldn't admit it.
18:12Look for him.
18:13Why?
18:14And call the cops
18:15to protect a killer.
18:16Let him deal
18:17with the consequences.
18:18He looked away
18:19when he said it.
18:21If he's gone quite good,
18:23a man like him disappearing
18:24might be the best thing
18:25for everyone.
18:26My mother bit her lip
18:28but said nothing.
18:30Celestine felt it, too.
18:32For three straight days,
18:34every time she tried
18:35to come see me,
18:36Lucien found a way
18:37to stop her.
18:38If she pushed it,
18:39he would play the victim,
18:41letting out a wounded sigh.
18:44I knew it.
18:46You still care
18:47about your ex-husband.
18:49If that's how you feel,
18:51why are you even with me?
18:53Celestine always ended up
18:54calming him down,
18:55always choosing
18:56to keep the peace.
18:57But the dread
18:58in her chest
18:59kept growing
19:00until finally,
19:01while Lucien was away,
19:02she got in her car
19:04and drove straight
19:05to my house.
19:05She came for one reason,
19:07to make sure
19:08I was still alive.
19:09But when she arrived,
19:11the house
19:12was completely empty.
19:13And standing inside,
19:14with the exact same fear
19:16on their faces,
19:17were my parents.
19:19The three of them
19:20looked at each other.
19:21No one said
19:21what they were really thinking.
19:23After a stiff greeting,
19:24they spread out
19:25and started searching
19:26the house.
19:29It has to be Adrian!
19:32My mother heard it first.
19:34She rushed to the front door
19:36and pulled it open.
19:37But the people
19:39standing outside
19:39weren't me.
19:40They were two
19:41uniformed police officers.
19:43My mother froze.
19:46Who are you looking for?
19:48My father and Celestine
19:49came over
19:50the second they heard the door.
19:51The moment they saw
19:52the police,
19:53they both froze.
19:54My father was the first
19:55to speak.
19:56Officer,
19:57is this about Adrian?
19:59Did he get himself
20:00into trouble again?
20:01If he broke the law,
20:03take him away.
20:03We have nothing to do with him.
20:05The officer looked at him,
20:06his face completely grim.
20:07Sir, please.
20:09Are you Adrian Vale's parents
20:11and his ex-wife?
20:12He took a slow breath.
20:15I need you to sit down.
20:16There is strong evidence
20:18to believe Mr. Vale
20:19is deceased.
20:20We have several suspects
20:21in custody.
20:25Search and recovery teams
20:26are currently dragging
20:27the river for his body.
20:28He paused.
20:29I'm deeply sorry
20:30for your loss.
20:31The words hit
20:32all three of them at once.
20:33My mother's knees buckled
20:35and she almost went down.
20:37My father caught her
20:38at the last second,
20:39his face turning
20:40the color of ash.
20:42Adrian.
20:43Celestine stared
20:44at the officer.
20:45Tears started falling
20:46before she even realized it.
20:48She tried to step forward
20:49to deny it,
20:50but her legs gave out.
20:51She made it one step
20:52before collapsing.
20:54In the end,
20:55two officers had to help her up
20:56and escort her,
20:57along with my parents,
20:59down to the precinct.
21:00At the police station,
21:01they were walking down
21:03the hallway
21:03when officers escorted
21:04a group of handcuffed suspects
21:06out of an interrogation room.
21:08It was the victim's relatives.
21:10The moment they saw my parents,
21:11one of the suspects
21:13lunged forward.
21:14Your son destroyed
21:15our families!
21:18You gave us
21:19his routine yourselves!
21:21What the hell,
21:23you hell,
21:23did you think
21:24was gonna happen?
21:25His own parents
21:26handed him over!
21:28Now you're putting
21:28this all on us?
21:32Now are you God!
21:34Now what he wants!
21:35After that,
21:36my parents and Celestine
21:37barely heard anything else.
21:39Celestine turned
21:39to my parents,
21:40her entire body
21:41shaking with anger.
21:43Adrian is your son.
21:44How could you
21:45hand him over
21:46to strangers?
21:48How could you
21:48be this stupid?
21:51We didn't know!
21:52We really didn't know!
21:54Lucian told us
21:55they only wanted
21:56to confront him.
21:58He said they just
21:58wanted to scare him.
22:00So he'd leave town
22:02and lay low for a while.
22:03The second she said
22:04Lucian's name,
22:05everything locked
22:06into place for Celestine.
22:08Lucian.
22:08Again.
22:09He had orchestrated
22:10the whole thing.
22:12Celestine's face
22:12turned ice cold.
22:14The blood drained
22:15from my parents' faces.
22:16Now they were replaying
22:18everything in their heads.
22:19Everything about
22:20Lucian's kindness
22:21suddenly made
22:22terrifying sense.
22:24And while they were
22:24still trying to process
22:26the horror of it,
22:27Lucian walked
22:28through the precinct doors.
22:29When he saw
22:30the sheer devastation
22:31on my parents' faces
22:32and the look
22:33in Celestine's eyes,
22:34something ugly
22:35finally slipped out
22:36into the open.
22:37You're all this upset
22:38over him?
22:39The man you all
22:40claim to hate?
22:41He looked at my parents,
22:42his voice dripping
22:43with venom.
22:44You said I was
22:45the only son
22:46that mattered now.
22:47Then he looked
22:47at Celestine.
22:50And I'm the one
22:51you're supposed to be
22:52building a future with.
22:57He got people killed
22:58ten years ago.
23:00If someone finally
23:01came after him,
23:02why the hell
23:02are you acting surprised?
23:04Celestine shouted.
23:05How could you do this?
23:07Lucian still glared
23:08back at her,
23:08his eyes bloodshot.
23:10I'm not wrong.
23:12A man like him
23:13ruined people's lives.
23:15Ten years later,
23:17he was still a stain
23:18on everyone around him.
23:20He stopped.
23:21His face changed.
23:22Celestine let out
23:23a single bitter laugh.
23:25I live with that nightmare
23:27every single day.
23:28I protected you
23:29and it destroyed
23:30the only man
23:31I ever loved.
23:34Even the officers
23:35escorting the
23:36handcuffed suspects
23:37had stopped
23:38in their tracks.
23:39The hallway
23:39went dead still.
23:41You know exactly
23:41what happened
23:42ten years ago.
23:43You were my mentor's son.
23:46He built my career.
23:48So I paid him back
23:49by protecting you.
23:50I let my own husband
23:52take the fall
23:53for your corruption.
23:54That landed like a bomb.
23:56No one moved.
23:57No one spoke.
23:58The rest of the world
23:59didn't know the truth.
24:01Celestine cried.
24:02But you did.
24:04You were the one
24:05who cut those corners.
24:07You brought that bridge down.
24:09My father finally
24:10found his voice.
24:11Celestine,
24:12what did you just say?
24:14You mean Adrian
24:15wasn't the one responsible?
24:17We blamed our own son
24:19and took in the man who...
24:21Celestine didn't deny it.
24:23My mother rushed at Celestine
24:25and slapped her
24:26across the face.
24:27Celestine just stood there
24:29and took it.
24:30Mr. and Mrs. Vale,
24:32I'm sorry.
24:33My mother didn't answer.
24:35My son!
24:37My son!
24:38The handcuffed suspects
24:40went pale,
24:41visibly shaken.
24:42One of them stared at Lucien
24:44and whispered,
24:45We went after the wrong man?
24:46No one answered.
24:48There was only my parents' grief.
24:49When I opened my eyes,
24:51I was lying in a soft bed.
24:53I tried to sit up,
24:54but the pain hit so fast
24:56it sent a cold sweat
24:57down my back.
24:58Don't move.
24:59Lie back down.
25:00A woman's voice came from the doorway.
25:02A woman in a soft sweater walked in,
25:04holding a steaming bowl of soup.
25:06When she saw I was awake,
25:08her face lit up.
25:09Thank God.
25:10The doctor said you'd probably wake up soon,
25:12so I've been keeping this warm and waiting.
25:15You can't eat anything heavy yet.
25:17When you're better,
25:18I'll take you out for real food.
25:20She adjusted the pillows for me
25:21until I was sitting up
25:23without hurting as much.
25:24Only then did she lift the spoon
25:26and bring the soup to my mouth.
25:28That was when I finally saw her clearly.
25:31There was something incredibly familiar about her.
25:34Familiar enough
25:35that my usual defenses just melted away.
25:38When the spoon reached my lips,
25:39I took a small sip.
25:41The second it touched my tongue,
25:42I froze.
25:43I knew that taste.
25:45It was exactly the way
25:46my grandmother used to make it.
25:48I stared at her.
25:49For a long moment,
25:50I couldn't say anything.
25:51Then I finally asked,
25:52Who are you?
25:53Something dimmed in her eyes.
25:55Then she offered a soft smile and said,
25:57Grandma's chicken soup
25:58had a very specific recipe.
26:01Other than her,
26:03only one person knew how to make it.
26:06Don't tell me you really forgot.
26:08And just like that,
26:10the memory came back.
26:11When I was a kid,
26:12there was an older girl
26:13who lived next door
26:15and used to look after me.
26:16I had a sensitive stomach back then,
26:18so I practically lived on clear broth.
26:21So she learned how to make
26:22my favorite kind from my grandmother.
26:24Yvonne?
26:25She beamed.
26:27You finally remembered?
26:28That was when Yvonne told me everything.
26:31After my family moved away,
26:33her biological parents
26:34finally tracked her down.
26:35She was the long-lost daughter
26:37of the Hart family,
26:38one of the wealthiest families in Northgate.
26:41But through all of it,
26:42she never forgot me.
26:43She had been looking for me the whole time.
26:45When she saw me become a well-known architect,
26:47she was happy for me.
26:49But by then,
26:50I was already married to Celestine.
26:52She didn't want to intrude on my life.
26:54When the scandal exploded 10 years ago,
26:57she said she never believed I was guilty.
26:59She had been investigating in private ever since,
27:02collecting proof.
27:03But even by the time I got out,
27:05she still hadn't found enough.
27:07At the end,
27:08she looked at me with real caution.
27:10I only found out what that mob was planning.
27:14Because I had people keeping an eye on you.
27:16I know I crossed a line.
27:18I know it was an invasion of your privacy.
27:22So, are you mad at me?
27:24I laughed.
27:25Not because it was funny.
27:27Because after everything that had happened,
27:29this was the first real kindness I had been shown.
27:32Thank you, Yvonne.
27:35When I saw Lucien being led away in handcuffs on the news,
27:38I honestly couldn't believe it.
27:41Yvonne and I looked at each other.
27:43Yvonne had spent 10 years clawing after the truth for me.
27:47And somehow,
27:49the truth we bled for
27:50had come out in public almost all at once.
27:54On the screen,
27:56Celestine looked like a ghost.
27:58My parents looked completely shattered.
28:01Watching from the bed,
28:03I felt no satisfaction at all.
28:05Just emptiness.
28:07And a deep, heavy exhaustion.
28:10My name had been cleared.
28:12Everyone who had ever hurt me
28:14started offering apologies
28:15to the version of me they believed was dead.
28:19When Yvonne saw all of that,
28:21she looked over at me and asked,
28:23What are you going to do?
28:26Are you going to tell them you're alive?
28:28The moment she said it,
28:30I saw their faces in my head.
28:32My parents.
28:33Celestine.
28:34I already knew what would come next.
28:36Their version of love
28:37had already ruined my life once,
28:39so I shook my head
28:41and smiled at Yvonne.
28:43Let this be my second life.
28:44If the world believes Adrian Valls is dead,
28:48maybe that version of me really is.
28:51Six months later,
28:52I was fully healed.
28:53The next spring,
28:54the trees outside my window
28:56came into bloom.
28:57I stared at the falling petals
28:59for a long time.
29:04Yvonne, let's go somewhere.
29:06So we left the city.
29:09She set her company to run remotely,
29:11cleared her schedule,
29:12and came with me.
29:14Just like that,
29:15we started traveling.
29:16We saw the world together,
29:18and somewhere along the way,
29:20I realized Yvonne had become home to me.
29:25In the end,
29:26standing by the Thames,
29:28I looked at her and said,
29:31Yvonne,
29:32I think I'm in love with you.
29:35A soft, beautiful smile
29:37broke across her face,
29:38and a second later,
29:42she kissed me.
29:44Yvonne and I opened a small,
29:46independent bookstore in England.
29:48Life became quiet.
29:50Now and then,
29:52news from back home
29:53still found its way to me.
29:55After my death,
29:56Celestine changed.
29:58She took control of her company
30:00with ruthless precision
30:01and removed everyone
30:02connected to Lucien.
30:04She also never stopped
30:06looking for me.
30:08She convinced herself
30:10I had to be alive somewhere.
30:12One Christmas Eve,
30:13London was buried in snow.
30:15I closed the shop early,
30:17ready to head home
30:18and make Christmas dinner
30:20with Yvonne.
30:20But when I reached our building,
30:23I saw a familiar figure
30:25standing downstairs.
30:27Celestine.
30:28When she saw me,
30:30her hollow eyes
30:31suddenly lit up.
30:32Adrian!
30:33She ran toward me
30:35and grabbed my hand.
30:36Yvonne and I opened
30:37a small,
30:38independent bookstore
30:39in England.
30:40Life became quiet.
30:42Now and then,
30:44news from back home
30:45still found its way to me.
30:47After my death,
30:49Celestine changed.
30:50She took control
30:51of her company
30:52with ruthless precision
30:53and removed everyone
30:54connected to Lucien.
30:56She also never stopped
30:58looking for me.
31:00She convinced herself
31:02I had to be alive somewhere.
31:04One Christmas Eve,
31:05London was buried in snow.
31:07I closed the shop early,
31:09ready to head home
31:11and make Christmas dinner
31:12with Yvonne.
31:13But when I reached our building,
31:15I saw a familiar figure
31:17standing downstairs.
31:19Celestine.
31:20When she saw me,
31:22her hollow eyes
31:23suddenly lit up.
31:24Adrian!
31:26She ran toward me
31:27and grabbed my hand.
31:28A week later,
31:30my parents showed up too.
31:31They looked so much older.
31:33My mother was carrying
31:34a tin of the pastries
31:36she used to bake
31:36when I was a kid.
31:38The moment she saw me,
31:40her lips parted.
31:41But the tears came first.
31:44I looked at them
31:45and felt that old ache
31:47rise in my chest.
31:50Come upstairs.
31:52I turned and led the way.
31:54My father spoke first.
31:56Adrian,
31:57we were wrong.
31:59Come home with us.
32:01I took a deep breath
32:02and said,
32:03Mom,
32:04Dad,
32:06just accept that I'm gone.
32:09This is my home now.
32:11I'm not going back.
32:14I don't hate you anymore.
32:17But I can't go back
32:18to what we were.
32:20Between us,
32:21there are ten stolen years
32:23and a death
32:24that was almost real.
32:25The best ending we can have
32:27is to just let each other go.
32:30I didn't take
32:31the tin of pastries.
32:33They cried for a long time.
32:36But in the end,
32:37they finally left.
32:39And after they were gone,
32:41I cried too.
32:43Celestine and my parents
32:45never came back after that.
32:47Sometimes,
32:47funds would be wired
32:48into my account.
32:50I never touched the money.
32:51Now and then,
32:52postcards with no return address
32:54arrived from back home.
32:56I knew they were from Celestine.
32:58I never answered them.
32:59I didn't even read them.
33:01Life moves forward.
33:05Yvonne asked softly,
33:09Do you regret it?
33:10I shook my head.
33:12Never.
33:13This quiet little bookstore
33:15and Yvonne,
33:17this is my life now.
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