- 20 hours ago
The Son I Raised Was Never Mine HD SM
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Frank, my trophy husband of 10 years, would never know that I had already decided to transfer 15% of
00:05Haze Group shares to him.
00:07Until the day of the physical exam, I discovered that the son born to my husband and me both with
00:11type O blood, actually had type A blood.
00:14Looking at the son who was a miniature version of my husband, I said nothing, and calmly did only two
00:20things.
00:21First, I secretly plucked a strand of my son's hair.
00:25Mom? Just tucking your hair, keep playing.
00:30Second, I tore up the share transfer agreement I had prepared.
00:33Watching Ethan walk into school, I turned and went to the DNA testing center.
00:38I spied it. What's the soonest I can get the results?
00:41Standard is five business days. Expedited would be before 4 p.m. today at three times the cost.
00:45I spied it.
00:47When I handed over the sample, my hand trembled a little.
00:50After swabbing my own cheek cells, I sat in the waiting area, staring at the clock on the wall as
00:56the minutes and seconds ticked by.
00:57During that time, I contacted a private investigator.
01:02I want you to look into my husband, Frank, especially his whereabouts over the past few months.
01:07At 3.40 p.m., my phone rang.
01:10The results were in.
01:11I opened the electronic report and scrolled straight to the end.
01:14DNA analysis indicates that the probability of a parent-child relationship between Vivian Hayes and Ethan Miller is 0.0001%.
01:23Based on genetic marker analysis, Vivian Hayes is not supported as the biological mother of Ethan Miller.
01:29Even though I had been prepared, the moment I saw those words, I still panicked for an instant, then leaned
01:35against the wall and sat down.
01:37Not my child.
01:38I had raised a child who was not my biological child for nine years.
01:42Then where was my child?
01:48I immediately went to Methodist Hospital, where I had given birth nine years ago, and met with the obstetrician from
01:54back then, who was now the department head.
01:56I got straight to the point and asked,
01:58Dr. Thompson, I'd like to pull my delivery records and InShent files from that year.
02:03It's been so long, the records may have already been archived.
02:05I need to see them.
02:07Now.
02:07After some effort, someone from the records room finally brought out a folder.
02:12I opened it and found that the records were extremely sparse.
02:15Only the admission and discharge times, the method of delivery, and the newborn's wait.
02:20There was no detailed labor and delivery process.
02:23No nursing handoff notes.
02:24No pediatrician examination report.
02:27Is this all?
02:28This is all that's in the system.
02:30Paper records for standard optotactic cases are kept for 10 years, and yours is about to reach the end of
02:35that period.
02:35What about the newborn's footprints?
02:37The blood test records?
02:38Those should be in the newborn records, but we couldn't find them.
02:41It couldn't be more obvious.
02:43Something was wrong here.
02:44An overly brief medical record.
02:46A missing newborn file.
02:48And a son who was not my biological child, but looked just like my husband.
02:51My phone rang.
02:52It was Frank.
02:56Where did you go?
02:57I picked up Ethan.
02:59I'm out taking care of something.
03:00I'll be right back.
03:01I only then remembered that school had already let out, but fortunately I had informed the teacher earlier.
03:06I said this and hung up the phone.
03:08After dinner, I excused myself with a headache and went back to my room early.
03:12I have a headache.
03:13I'm going to bed early.
03:15Frank stayed in the living room helping Ethan with his homework, and the sound of their conversation drifted over faintly.
03:21Dad, is mom upset?
03:24Mom is just tired.
03:26Finish your homework and go to bed early.
03:28Once they were both asleep, I began quietly searching the entire house.
03:32The master bedroom, the living room, Ethan's room.
03:35I searched everywhere and found nothing.
03:38Finally, I looked at the computer in the study, thinking the truth had to be in there.
03:43Footsteps sounded outside the door.
03:45I exited the document.
03:53When Frank pushed the door open and came in, I was tidying up the desk.
03:57He glanced at the computer screen, which had already returned to the desktop.
04:01A photo of the two of us taken three years ago at Santa Monica Beach.
04:04Not asleep yet?
04:05Organizing some old documents?
04:07I answered while casually turning off the monitor.
04:10He stood there for a moment, as if he wanted to say something.
04:13But in the end, he just nodded.
04:15Get some rest soon.
04:16I sat in the darkness, listening to the sound of his footsteps gradually fading away.
04:21That night, I didn't open the computer again and lay in bed with my thoughts in chaos.
04:26The next morning, I still let Frank take Ethan to school.
04:30He looked at me, picked up the car keys.
04:32Alright.
04:33Once they were out the door, I immediately went to the study.
04:37I turned on the computer and entered the password.
04:40Our wedding anniversary.
04:41Wrong.
04:42I tried his birthday.
04:43Wrong.
04:44Our son's birthday.
04:46Still wrong.
04:46I tried the date of our first date, his mother's birthday, the day the company was founded.
04:51All wrong.
04:52The system prompted me to try again in 15 minutes.
04:56I sat in the chair, staring at the login screen.
04:59This computer we had bought together was now locked to me.
05:06That evening, Frank came home from work and said while taking off his jacket.
05:10I have a business trip to Chicago tomorrow.
05:12Not sure how long it'll be yet.
05:14I came out of the kitchen carrying a dish.
05:16So sudden.
05:17Who are you going with?
05:18It was arranged last minute.
05:20Vivian, can you not be like this?
05:21I watched him in silence, not understanding why such a casual question from me would provoke such a big reaction.
05:27You question everything?
05:29You suspect everyone?
05:32I'm just going for work.
05:33I turned away to serve the rice, my hand trembling a little.
05:37It was just a casual question.
05:39He said nothing more and went straight into the bedroom.
05:41Dinner was eaten in silence.
05:43Ethan seemed to sense something and, surprisingly, didn't pick at his food.
05:47After his shower, Frank came out and picked up his coat from the sofa to hang it in the closet.
05:52A small receipt fell out of the pocket and landed at my feet.
05:58After he left, I picked it up and took a look.
06:01It was a perfume receipt, quite expensive, purchased yesterday afternoon.
06:05I had never heard of the perfume's name, but I knew it wasn't for me.
06:09In 10 years of marriage, Frank had never given me a gift again.
06:14Sorry, crazy day at the office.
06:16I used to explain it away for him.
06:18He wasn't romantic, he was busy with work, and was a practical man.
06:22Which one do you like?
06:25Buy whatever you want.
06:26I don't have time to shop.
06:27Now, it seemed that it wasn't that he wasn't capable of romance.
06:30It was just that his romance wasn't directed at me.
06:33I noted down the information on the receipt.
06:36Early the next morning, after Frank left for the airport, I called the Nordstrom counter.
06:41I'd like to look up this receipt.
06:42Yes, from yesterday afternoon.
06:44One moment.
06:45I found it.
06:46Purchaser was a Ms. Wendy Davis.
06:49Wendy Davis.
06:50That name rang a bell.
06:52Frank's secretary.
06:53Hard half a year ago.
06:54A divorced woman in her 30s.
06:56Driving to the airport, I didn't know what I wanted to confirm.
06:59Maybe the perfume was for a client.
07:01Maybe I was overthinking.
07:03I waited outside the International Departures Hall for half an hour before I saw Frank and her.
07:11Wendy was wearing a Burberry trench coat, pulling a small suitcase, walking over together with Frank.
07:17Frank's face wore a relaxed smile I hadn't seen in a long time.
07:21Then, in front of the security checkpoint, Wendy stopped and very naturally reached out to straighten Frank's collar.
07:27Frank didn't dodge.
07:27He lowered his head and said something in her ear.
07:30Wendy laughed, then stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips.
07:33Frank's hand rested on her waist.
07:35Staying there for a short moment before they parted, as if it had long been a habit.
07:39The last bit of self-deception I had been clinging to vanished completely.
07:42So, all those late nights working overtime, all those impatient looks directed at me, now I knew the reason for
07:49them.
07:50Watching their intimate figures, a suspicion gradually surfaced in my mind.
07:55Could the child who was not my biological child have something to do with this woman in front of me?
08:00On the drive back, I called the private investigator I had hired days ago.
08:04Look into one more person for me.
08:07Wendy Davis.
08:08I want to know everything about her, especially whether she has any children.
08:11The investigator worked quickly.
08:13By the next afternoon, I had received the investigation report.
08:16Wendy Davis, 32 years old, divorced 5 years ago, had a 10-year-old son named Leo Davis, attending a
08:23charter school on the west side of town.
08:25That date suddenly leapt out at me.
08:27Wendy's son was only one week younger than Ethan.
08:30For the first time in 10 years, I felt my blood surge upward.
08:37I sat on the sofa, holding the report the investigator had sent.
08:41Then a thought struck me, and I ran into the study.
08:47My fingers hovered over the keyboard, then slowly typed in Wendy's birthday.
08:52The desktop opened.
08:55There was only one folder named Work Backup.
08:58I clicked into it.
09:00It was full of subfolders, organized by year, starting from 11 years ago.
09:05The earliest folder contained scanned old photos.
09:07Frank and Wendy were wearing high school uniforms, standing under an oak tree.
09:1219-year-old Frank was smiling, his hand resting on Wendy's shoulder.
09:16Wendy had her hair in a ponytail and was looking up at him.
09:19The next photo was from college.
09:21They were in the library.
09:22The next was a graduation photo.
09:24The two of them in caps and gowns, holding hands.
09:27We have to cancel Napa.
09:29The company's in a rough patch.
09:30That year, Frank told me the company was having difficulties, and we canceled our wedding
09:35anniversary trip to Napa Valley.
09:37I closed the folder, a churning discomfort rising in my stomach.
09:41A decade of deception.
09:42I looked at the wallpaper on the screen, our wedding photo, and felt a wave of nausea.
09:52At 3 in the afternoon, I drove to the west side of town.
09:55That charter school was even more run down than the investigator had described.
09:59The dismissal bell rang, and children poured out of the school gate.
10:03I sat in the car, my hands gripping the steering wheel.
10:06He walked out alone.
10:07No one was there to pick him up.
10:08He looked left and right, then slowly walked forward along the sidewalk.
10:12I held my breath.
10:14That child, Leo.
10:15No, that was my child.
10:17The way he walked slightly resembled me, with a mild inward turn of his feet.
10:21When he raised his hand to fix his hair, I saw a birthmark on his wrist, in the same
10:25spot as mine.
10:26I saw that there was dust on his eyelashes.
10:29His lips were a bit dry, and the edges of his sneakers had already started peeling.
10:33His eyes were empty, not like those of a 10-year-old child.
10:37I covered my mouth to keep myself from making a sound.
10:40He walked further away, and disappeared around the corner.
10:43I collapsed onto the steering wheel, and broke down sobbing.
10:47For that child walking home alone, for these 10 years of misplaced lives, and for myself,
10:53living like a fool in a play arranged by others.
10:55Then I wiped away my tears, and started the car.
11:11At the law firm, I placed the USB drive in front of attorney David Lee.
11:15In it were backups of all the photos, along with the DNA test report, scanned hospital
11:21records, the perfume receipt, and information on Wendy Chen and Leo.
11:25I want a divorce.
11:26I want him to leave with nothing.
11:28I want custody of the child.
11:30I want him to pay the price he deserves to pay.
11:34Walking out of the law firm, I remembered what Frank had said 10 years ago when he proposed
11:39in Central Park.
11:40Vivian, I'll give you a lifetime of stability.
11:44So his lifetime was only 10 years.
11:46No, maybe not even 10 years.
11:48I took out my phone and called the company's second largest shareholder, also an old friend
11:53of my father's.
11:54Uncle Robert, regarding next week's board meeting, there are some things I'd like to
11:57discuss with you first.
11:58Frank had probably forgotten this company's name is Lynn.
12:01He was able to become CEO because I had persuaded my father to give him a chance back then.
12:06I could lift him up, and I could also make his fall very, very ugly.
12:15Two weeks after Frank left, I liquidated everything under my name that could be converted to cash.
12:21These days, every afternoon I went to the area near that charter school on the west side.
12:26Once when it rained, he didn't have an umbrella.
12:29He waited for half an hour under the awning of the convenience store by the school gate,
12:33and in the end ran home in the rain.
12:37I sat in the car, the rain blurring the car window.
12:41On Friday afternoon, I arrived near the school early.
12:44When I saw Leo come out, I got out of the car and pretended to be a passerby walking past.
12:51The folder in my hand fell in front of him.
12:53He paused for a moment, then bent down and picked it up for me.
13:02Thank you, kiddo.
13:04Has your mom not arrived yet?
13:06He shook his head.
13:07Mom is working overtime today.
13:10Then how are you getting home?
13:12I took an unopened bottle of water from my bag and handed it to him.
13:16By bus.
13:16Have some water.
13:17He hesitated for a moment.
13:19Then took it and said thank you quietly.
13:21I noticed that when he spoke, he habitually pressed his lips together slightly, just like me.
13:26The shape of his eyes was also similar.
13:28Hooded lids, the outer corners slightly downturned.
13:31Does your mom often work overtime?
13:33He nodded, then shook his head.
13:36Sometimes.
13:38What about your dad?
13:39He didn't speak and looked down at his shoes.
13:41Those sneakers had already started peeling at the edges.
13:44And the left shoelace was broken.
13:45I didn't ask anymore.
13:47Go buy yourself a new pair of shoes.
13:49I took $40 from my wallet and pressed it into his hand.
13:53He stepped back.
13:54No, I can't take this.
13:56Just take it as thanks for helping me pick up the folder.
13:59I put the money into the side pocket of his backpack and turned to leave.
14:05I glanced back.
14:07There was a somewhat lost look in his eyes.
14:12That night, I stood at the doorway of Ethan's room.
14:16He was playing with the Lego set Frank had just bought him.
14:19A limited edition spaceship.
14:21Quite expensive.
14:22I walked in and ruffled his hair.
14:24Mom?
14:25What's wrong?
14:27Is your homework done?
14:28Finished it a long time ago.
14:30Dad said, if I make the top ten in the midterms, he'll take me to Disney World.
14:34I smiled.
14:35That's great.
14:36The moment I turned around, my smile vanished.
14:41Frank's completely different treatment of the two children was like a thorn lodged in my heart.
14:47My biological son was wearing peeling shoes and riding the bus alone, while this child was enjoying everything.
14:55Frank, who had been away on business for two weeks, finally came home.
14:59He sat down his suitcase, and his first words were,
15:02Where's Ethan?
15:03Where's Ethan?
15:04Why is it so quiet?
15:05I signed him up for an after-school program, two hours in the evening.
15:09Why sign him up all of a sudden? He's only in fourth grade.
15:12I didn't answer.
15:13I smelled that perfume scent on him.
15:15He walked over to hug me.
15:17I turned aside to avoid him.
15:19Why do you smell like perfume?
15:21Who did you go to dinner with this time?
15:24Vivian, you're getting paranoid again.
15:26It rubbed off from dinner with a client.
15:27Can you stop being like this?
15:29I suddenly found it laughable.
15:31Only now could I see how bad his acting was.
15:34I took an envelope from the coffee table drawer and slowly pulled out the photos,
15:39laying them out on the table.
15:49Frank's face turned ugly.
15:50He picked up one of the photos and threw it back onto the table.
15:54You followed me?
15:57I smiled.
16:00Does it matter?
16:01What matters is,
16:02what would happen if these photos showed up at a board meeting or were sent to your clients?
16:07He collapsed onto the sofa across from me,
16:10his hands covering his face.
16:12What do you want?
16:13I stared at him, my voice somewhat cool.
16:15First, fire Wendy and guarantee you won't see her again.
16:17Second, tell me what happened at the hospital 10 years ago.
16:20You're insane just based on a few photos.
16:22Frank, don't forget the company is named Hayes.
16:24My voice was icy.
16:25You are where you are today because of me.
16:26I can give and I can take away.
16:28I almost softened,
16:30but I remembered Leo's peeling shoes,
16:32remembered how he looked waiting alone for the rain to stop.
16:35For the sake of our 10 years of marriage and our child,
16:38as long as you do what I say,
16:39we can keep going.
16:41After all, we still have Ethan.
16:45I turned and went to the bedroom,
16:47brought out a document,
16:48and handed it over.
16:50It was a pregnancy test report showing I was five weeks pregnant.
16:54Frank looked at the pregnancy test report,
16:56paused for a second,
16:57then looked up and stared at me.
17:00You're pregnant?
17:01Five weeks.
17:02The doctor said this time it's very stable.
17:04His expression shifted again and again.
17:06So as long as you cut ties with Wendy completely,
17:09make her leave the company and our lives,
17:11I can let the past go.
17:12I continued.
17:14We still have Ethan.
17:15And now there's this child too.
17:17Frank's gaze fell on my belly.
17:18There was an obvious struggle in his eyes.
17:21I need to think.
17:22That night,
17:22the light in his room was turned off very late.
17:28The next morning,
17:29as I was drinking coffee,
17:30I watched Frank walk out with dark circles under his eyes.
17:34I pushed a glass of water toward him.
17:36He silently took it,
17:38but didn't look at me.
17:39I've thought it over,
17:40Vivian.
17:42We...
17:43No need to say it.
17:44I cut him off and pulled the divorce agreement out of the folder,
17:47placing it on the table.
17:49His expression turned furious.
17:51What do you mean?
17:53Don't we have another child on the way?
17:55I said coldly,
17:56I told you I was pregnant,
17:57and you needed an entire night to consider whether to break up with her?
18:01We have a child on the way!
18:03Can't you think about the child,
18:04and about Ethan too?
18:05Child?
18:06I suddenly laughed.
18:07Are you talking about the child I raised for 10 years?
18:10Who turned out to be yours and Wendy's?
18:14Frank's face instantly went pale.
18:16He stumbled backward into the table.
18:18How do you know?
18:20When did you find out?
18:22I held my phone up in front of him,
18:24the screen showing a photo of the DNA test report.
18:28The password was Wendy's birthday.
18:30You've been using it for 10 years, right?
18:36His breathing quickened,
18:38tinged with panic.
18:40Let me explain.
18:42My voice was very calm,
18:44tinged with mockery.
18:46Explain how you switched the babies when I was giving birth.
18:50Explain how you got Wendy into the company.
18:52Or explain how the two of you have been laughing behind my back for 10 years
18:56at how stupid I was.
18:58I took a step closer.
19:00The most ridiculous thing is that occasional guilt you showed when looking at that child.
19:04Was it guilt for deceiving me,
19:06or guilt for not treating your own son better?
19:08Leo.
19:09Frank suddenly seemed to remember something.
19:11Where is Leo?
19:12I want to see him!
19:13Too late.
19:14I turned and pulled open the door.
19:17Your son?
19:18No, our son is now somewhere you can't find him.
19:21Your and Wendy's son is still upstairs sleeping,
19:23unaware of what choice his biological father is now facing.
19:26Frank rushed over and grabbed my arm, furious.
19:29Vivian, you can't do this!
19:31That's my child!
19:32I shook him off.
19:34From the day you switched the babies,
19:36you were no longer fit to be a father.
19:38Now please leave my home!
19:42After I closed the door,
19:44I heard the sound of him pounding on it.
19:49Then came the sound of a car driving away.
19:51I knew where he was going,
19:53to find Wendy,
19:54and also to find the biological son he had lost for 10 years.
19:58But he wouldn't be able to find Leo.
20:06Three days earlier,
20:08when the private investigator had given me the information on Wendy,
20:11I had already gone to see the child again.
20:13I told him the truth.
20:15He was unusually calm.
20:17In those eyes that resembled mine was a maturity beyond his years.
20:20I always felt like I wasn't my mom's child.
20:23Otherwise,
20:24why would she be willing to leave me here to fend for myself?
20:26I held his hand and said I would take him away,
20:29to start over.
20:30He was silent for a long time,
20:33then gently nodded.
20:34Yesterday afternoon's flight,
20:36my personal assistant accompanied him abroad.
20:39Over there was a good school,
20:40a house,
20:41new friends.
20:42Once I finished handling things on this end,
20:44I could go reunite with my son.
20:46The divorce agreement had been sitting on the table for three days.
20:51Frank finally came.
20:53He stood outside the door,
20:54dark circles under his eyes and unshaven.
20:57I hadn't seen him like this in a long time.
21:01Vivian, let's talk.
21:05I leaned against the doorframe in my loungewear,
21:08not letting him in.
21:09The agreement is written very clearly.
21:11There's nothing to discuss.
21:12I can't divorce you.
21:13For the sake of our ten years as husband and wife,
21:15and our child.
21:16Which child?
21:17The one in the videos,
21:18or the one upstairs?
21:19Frank's face instantly went pale.
21:21A week earlier,
21:23Wendy had sent over a pile of files.
21:25When I opened them,
21:26they were videos,
21:27one after another.
21:28In the videos,
21:29Leah was crying,
21:30being beaten,
21:31locked in a dark room.
21:32There was another clip where the child was only five or six,
21:35and was whipped on the back with a clothes hanger for spilling milk.
21:38The email had only one line.
21:39Thank you for raising my son for all these years for me.
21:42I watched them all night,
21:44and by dawn I had thrown up three times.
21:46He seemed to want to explain.
21:47Those videos,
21:48Wendy,
21:48she sometimes couldn't control herself.
21:50That's your son.
21:50You went to see her every week,
21:52and all you noticed was that she changed your perfume and got new nails?
21:54You never saw the wounds on your son's body?
21:56He couldn't say a word.
21:57I've already hired a lawyer.
21:58If you don't want to sign,
21:59we'll go to court.
22:00The evidence of switching babies,
22:01the photos of your affair,
22:02and those videos,
22:02they will all become evidence.
22:04Are you crazy?
22:05He said in a low voice.
22:06The company is about to go public,
22:07and at a time like this...
22:09Before I closed the door,
22:10I said one last thing.
22:11So sign it,
22:12while I'm still leaving you some room.
22:17The door closed.
22:18He stood outside for a long time before leaving.
22:21Three days later,
22:22Frank signed.
22:23Four days after the divorce,
22:25Frank and Wendy's wedding photos appeared on Instagram.
22:28Wendy was wearing a white wedding dress.
22:30Frank had his arm around her,
22:32but his expression was a bit stiff.
22:33The caption read,
22:3510 years of waiting.
22:36Finally together.
22:37I took a screenshot,
22:39then turned off my phone.
22:40In the afternoon,
22:41attorney David Lee called.
22:42Ms. Hayes?
22:43All the materials are complete.
22:44The transfer records from the baby switch back then,
22:47his and Wendy's communication logs,
22:48plus the abuse videos and medical records,
22:50it's enough to file a case.
22:51Thank you for your hard work.
22:52Understood.
22:53He paused for a moment.
22:54But are you really not going to see him one last time?
22:56He came to the office yesterday,
22:58and wanted me to pass on a message.
22:59He said he knows he was wrong.
23:00Too late.
23:02Early the next morning,
23:03the plane took off.
23:04My personal assistant came to pick me up at the airport.
23:07She said to me,
23:09Leo has been doing a bit better this week.
23:11He's starting to be willing to talk.
23:13Yesterday,
23:14he even asked when you would arrive.
23:16My heart beat faster for a few moments.
23:19The car stopped in front of a white house.
23:22In the garden,
23:23a thin little child was crouching on the ground watching ants.
23:30I walked over and crouched down in front of him.
23:33I'm your mom.
23:34He looked at me for a long time,
23:36then gave a small nod.
23:37I carefully embraced him.
23:39He didn't pull away.
23:41I'm sorry.
23:42Mommy came too late.
23:43He trembled a little in my arms.
23:45For the next two weeks,
23:46I didn't work and focused entirely on being with him.
23:49I took him to the park.
23:50The first time he rode the carousel,
23:53he gripped the railing tightly.
23:54I took him to the library
23:56and discovered he liked books about stars.
23:59At night,
24:00only after he had fallen asleep,
24:02would I dare to gently stroke his hair.
24:05He still didn't talk much,
24:07but occasionally he would smile at me.
24:10At three in the morning,
24:11the bedroom door was gently blown open a crack by the wind,
24:14and faint sobbing sounds pierced my ears like needles.
24:17I jolted awake and almost immediately guessed it was Leo.
24:20Pushing open his door,
24:22moonlight filtered through the sheer curtains,
24:24casting mottled shadows on the floor
24:26and illuminating his small figure curled up on the bed.
24:28His hands were tightly clutching the blanket,
24:31knuckles white.
24:31His forehead was covered in cold sweat.
24:34His brows were furrowed into a deep frown.
24:36I walked over quickly,
24:38carefully sat on the edge of the bed,
24:39and gently wrapped my arms around his cold shoulders.
24:41His body stiffened for an instant,
24:43then he threw himself into my arms like a startled fawn,
24:46his crying suppressed and desperate,
24:48his tears instantly soaking my pajamas.
24:50That storage room was so dark,
24:51I called out for so long and no one answered.
24:53Rats crawled onto my feet.
24:55My heart felt like it was being repeatedly cut by a dull knife,
24:57a dense and relentless pain.
24:59Tears fell silently onto his hair.
25:01I thought of the videos Wendy had sent,
25:03of that child locked in the dark, shivering.
25:05I thought of the old and new scars crisscrossing his body.
25:07I wished I could tear apart everyone who had heard him.
25:13When he had cried himself tired
25:15and his breathing had gradually steadied,
25:17I picked up the small lamp by the bedside
25:20and gently lifted his sleeve.
25:21On his arm,
25:23light brown scars crawled like ugly centipedes,
25:26marks from being whipped with a clothes hanger.
25:28On his back,
25:30there was still a faint bruise,
25:32left from when he had bumped into the corner
25:34of the storage room wall as a child.
25:36I gently traced those scars with the pads of my fingers,
25:39with a touch as light as if I were afraid
25:41of shattering a treasure.
25:43Does it hurt?
25:44He shook his head,
25:45tears still clinging to his lashes.
25:47Biting his lip,
25:48he said quietly,
25:49It doesn't hurt now,
25:49it's just that sometimes I dream about it,
25:51dream that I'm locked inside again,
25:53calling for mom,
25:53but mom's not there.
25:54I'm sorry,
25:55mommy came too late.
25:56From now on,
25:57mommy will never let you suffer again.
25:59That night,
25:59I held him on the sofa
26:00and sat there until dawn.
26:01I told him about how,
26:02when I was little and afraid of thunder,
26:04my dad would hold me in his arms,
26:05counting stars and singing nursery rhymes.
26:07I told him about how,
26:08when I first took over the company,
26:09I was bullied by senior employees
26:10and hid in the stairwell to cry,
26:12then wiped my tears
26:13and went back to negotiate.
26:14I told him about the mischievous interns at the company,
26:16who spilled coffee on important contracts,
26:17and turned pale with fright.
26:19He listened very quietly,
26:20occasionally looking up at me with those eyes
26:22that looked so much like mine,
26:23and asking,
26:23Weren't you scared then, mom?
26:25I was scared,
26:26but I knew that as long as I gripped my teeth
26:28and pushed through,
26:29things would get better.
26:30And now,
26:31I have Leo,
26:32so I can't afford to be scared even more.
26:34He nodded,
26:35half understanding,
26:36and his little hand quietly gripped my finger.
26:38A few days later,
26:40I made a point of taking Leo
26:41to the Griffith Observatory
26:42on the outskirts of the city.
26:44We took a bus through stretches of wheat fields,
26:47the wind carrying the scent of grain.
26:49Leo leaned against the window,
26:51his eyes full of wonder.
26:52When night fell,
26:54the observatory dome slowly opened,
26:55and the sky full of countless stars
26:57spread across the deep blue canopy
26:58like crushed diamonds,
26:59so dazzling one couldn't look away.
27:01The guide pointed at the constellation Orion,
27:03and told the legend of the hunter Orion.
27:05Leo's eyes shone like stars,
27:06and the corner of his mouth
27:08slowly curved into a faint smile.
27:09On the way home,
27:10the bus swayed gently.
27:12He leaned against my shoulder
27:13and said quietly,
27:14Mom,
27:14the stars so far away,
27:16but just being able to see them
27:17makes me feel at ease.
27:19I held his hand tightly,
27:21feeling the warmth of his palm.
27:22My heart filled with tenderness.
27:24I knew that the wounds buried deep in his heart
27:26wouldn't disappear completely
27:27because of one trip to the observatory,
27:29just like those old scars.
27:30No matter how much care you give them,
27:32they still leave faint marks.
27:34But as long as I stayed by his side,
27:36warming him bit by bit with love and patience,
27:38the starlight would eventually pierce
27:40through the darkness
27:40and illuminate the road ahead of him.
27:45That afternoon,
27:46we were making cookies in the kitchen
27:48when the doorbell rang.
27:49Claire went to answer the door.
27:51I heard her say,
27:52Mr. Miller?
27:53The flower sifter in my hand
27:55dropped onto the counter.
27:56He was dragging an old suitcase in his hand.
27:58Vivian,
27:59I've been searching for half a month.
28:01I wiped my hands,
28:02walked out of the kitchen,
28:03and pulled the door shut.
28:05Now you know.
28:06You can leave.
28:07He looked toward the thin little figure
28:09in the kitchen and said,
28:10I want to see the child.
28:12Our child.
28:14These days I keep dreaming.
28:16Dreaming of him when he was little.
28:17Dreaming of Wendy hitting him.
28:19I never knew.
28:20You should have known.
28:21You just chose not to.
28:23He looked at my belly and asked,
28:24Is the child still there?
28:25Of course the child is still there.
28:27The doctor says everything is fine
28:29and the baby will be born next spring.
28:30His face darkened
28:31and his emotions suddenly became very agitated.
28:34He charged toward me.
28:35I sidestepped to dodge.
28:36He stumbled and crashed into the entryway cabinet.
28:39Vivian,
28:39I want to see my son.
28:40You can't do this.
28:42Frank,
28:42what you should be worried about right now
28:44isn't where my son is,
28:46but whether your son can be born safely.
28:49If you want your son to be born safely,
28:51deal with Wendy first.
28:53Settle the messy accounts between yourselves.
28:55After saying this,
28:56I threw him out.
28:57Now even looking at him disgusted me deeply.
28:59As I closed the door,
29:00I saw Frank collapse onto the ground,
29:02running his hands through his hair.
29:04He looked utterly pathetic.
29:06Fine.
29:06Let them put on their own dog eat dog show.
29:12Not long after,
29:13attorney David Lee called.
29:15Miss Lin,
29:15it got very ugly,
29:16but the situation isn't as favorable as we'd hoped.
29:18It turned out that Frank and Wendy had already divorced
29:20and were now battling in court against each other.
29:23Wendy was shouting herself horse in court,
29:24exposing how Frank had used his position
29:26to transfer money to her over the years,
29:28how he had promised to divorce and marry her,
29:30and how his attitude had abruptly changed
29:32after learning I was pregnant.
29:33I gripped my phone tightly,
29:35listening to the words on the other end,
29:37but my expression remained very calm.
29:39However,
29:39Frank shifted all the blame onto Wendy,
29:41saying she coerced him into switching the babies.
29:44The trial lasted a full two days.
29:46In the end,
29:47Wendy was sentenced to three years on multiple charges,
29:49including child abduction,
29:51document forgery,
29:51and commercial fraud.
29:52Frank,
29:53on the other hand,
29:54got himself off completely clean.
29:55He wept in court,
29:57saying he was also a victim,
29:58manipulated by Wendy for 10 years.
30:00That excuse sounded utterly absurd,
30:02but the jury bought it,
30:03or rather,
30:04the lawyer Frank hired was truly formidable.
30:06Before hanging up,
30:07attorney David Lee said quietly,
30:09Miss Hayes,
30:09I'm sorry,
30:10this result is far from ideal.
30:12If you're willing,
30:13we can plan the next step.
30:13It's enough.
30:14I cut him off.
30:16At least my child is back.
30:18Leo was doing his homework.
30:20I walked over and asked him,
30:22Liko,
30:23mommy made sure the bad people were punished,
30:25but maybe not heavily enough.
30:27Do you blame me?
30:28He looked up.
30:28Mom,
30:29I know very well who has been good to me and who hasn't.
30:32I covered my mouth,
30:33unable to hold back tears.
30:35He lowered his head and continued writing,
30:37adding quietly,
30:38You look really ugly when you cry.
30:40I laughed out loud,
30:42crying and laughing at the same time.
30:47These days,
30:48I had been desperately trying to make up for 10 years of lost maternal love.
30:52I transferred my company shares into his name.
30:55Though he was still young,
30:56I knew what the security meant.
30:58The school I found was the best private international program in the area.
31:02The principal looked at his previous transcripts and frowned deeply.
31:06For the past 10 years,
31:08Wendy had barely paid any attention to his studies,
31:11essentially leaving him to sink or swim on his own.
31:13His schoolwork lagged far behind that of children his age.
31:17I hired three private tutors,
31:19rotating through English,
31:20math and science.
31:22Leo worked very hard,
31:24studying late into the night every day.
31:26One morning before dawn,
31:27I brought him milk and saw him slumped over his desk asleep,
31:31still clutching a pen in his hand.
31:33I didn't wake him.
31:35I just gently draped a blanket over him.
31:38On Friday afternoon,
31:39I want to pick up Leo from school.
31:40The school gate was crowded with parents.
31:43Leo ran out carrying his new backpack,
31:45his face flushed from exercise.
31:47Mom!
31:48I passed my math quiz today!
31:50Just as I was about to take the test paper,
31:52out of the corner of my eye,
31:54I caught a figure behind the glass window of the Starbucks across the street.
31:58Frank,
31:59sitting in the corner,
32:00with dark stubble on his chin,
32:02looking very haggard,
32:03not a trace left of the confident,
32:06commanding presence he'd once had as the company's CEO.
32:08Leo followed my gaze.
32:11I took his hand and said,
32:12Come on, let's go home.
32:16Just as I turned around,
32:18hurried footsteps sounded from behind.
32:21Frank had already crossed the street and was blocking our way.
32:24Vivian, can we talk?
32:30I motioned for Leo to get in the car first,
32:32then looked at the man before me and said,
32:34There's nothing left to talk about between us.
32:36Wendy is already in prison.
32:37I've taken care of everything.
32:38I've cut ties with her completely.
32:39Frank,
32:40Wendy was sent to prison by the lawyer I hired.
32:42Does that have to do with you?
32:44Weren't you the pathetical victim crying the hardest in court?
32:46I know I was wrong, Vivian.
32:48For the sake of the child,
32:50please forgive me this once.
32:51His gaze fell on my belly.
32:53Child.
32:53Child. Yes, our child.
32:55I slowly smoothed the wrinkles from my jacket.
32:57Oh, that.
32:57It was fake.
32:59Frank froze.
33:00His eyes widened enormously.
33:02I took a step forward so he could see my flat stomach more clearly.
33:06It's been months.
33:07If I were really pregnant,
33:09I should be showing by now, shouldn't I?
33:14His gaze lingered on my belly for a very long time.
33:17It doesn't matter.
33:18It doesn't matter even without this child.
33:21We still have Leo.
33:22We still have 10 years of feelings.
33:24Frank, stop dreaming.
33:25Wake up.
33:25He acted as if he hadn't heard me and suddenly seemed to remember something.
33:29He pulled a Tiffany blue velvet box from the briefcase he was carrying.
33:32Then came the second.
33:34The third.
33:35He placed all the boxes on the ground.
33:37The small velvet boxes lined up on the ground in a row.
33:40It was somewhat laughable.
33:42I bought one every year.
33:43I just never gave them to you.
33:44Now I'm giving them all to you, okay?
33:45Please just give me one more chance.
33:46I crouched down and opened the nearest box.
33:48Inside was a diamond necklace.
33:50The pendant in the shape of an iris.
33:51My favorite flower.
33:52Once upon a time, I would have been ecstatic over such a gift.
33:55Now, all I felt was disgust.
33:57A nauseating sensation.
33:58I stood up, put the necklace back in the box, and said,
34:01Frank, the time when I loved you most was when I would be so worried I couldn't sleep
34:04if you didn't reply to my messages.
34:06When I would make soup and bring it to the office when you worked late.
34:08When everything felt worth it the moment you said you've worked hard, honey.
34:11That time when I loved you most is long gone.
34:14To me now, these are no different than trash.
34:16He seemed to want to say something.
34:17But nothing came out.
34:19Quickly, his shoulders slumped.
34:21His whole body looked as if his spine had suddenly been ripped out.
34:24I didn't look at him again.
34:25I turned and walked toward the car.
34:27To me, none of it mattered anymore.
34:32Three years later, late autumn, Leo had grown much taller, his height reaching my shoulder.
34:38Mom, can you come to the parent-teacher conference next week?
34:40Of course.
34:41For my son's parent-teacher conference, I'd go even if the sky were falling.
34:45In these three years, Leo had become so mature and considerate it broke my heart.
34:50He would make his own pasta when I worked late, and he remembered to bring two umbrellas on rainy days.
34:55His grades had climbed from the bottom to the middle of the class,
34:58and he spoke English better than some local kids.
35:00Teachers said he had resilience.
35:03Neighbors praised him for being well-behaved.
35:05So polite.
35:06Thank you, he really is.
35:07Only I knew what lay behind this maturity.
35:10On weekend evenings, we made dumplings together.
35:13The dumplings Leo made were always excessively neat, every fold identical.
35:17Leo, in front of Mom, you don't have to be this obedient.
35:20The hand he was using to pinch the dumplings paused for a moment.
35:22I crouched down and looked into his eyes.
35:24You can throw tantrums.
35:26Be difficult.
35:27Say no like other children do.
35:28Mommy doesn't love you because you're well-behavedly.
35:30I love you simply because you're you.
35:32But if I do something wrong, will you not want me anymore?
35:35I pulled him into my arms.
35:37Never.
35:37The most right thing I've ever done in my life was finding me.
35:40He didn't speak for a long time.
35:42Finally, he nodded gently.
35:46Leo's elementary school was holding an open house.
35:48I deliberately ended my company meeting early and drove to the school.
35:52The autumn sunshine was just right, filtering through the gaps in the leaves and spilling
35:56onto the playground.
35:57Warm and pleasant.
35:58Leo was participating in a relay race, running the last leg.
36:02His small figure was like a gust of wind, charging toward the finish line with everything
36:06he had.
36:07The moment he crossed the finish line, I couldn't help but stand up and applaud and cheer.
36:11He happened to look back right then and when he saw me, a radiant smile spread across his
36:16face.
36:16A smile so pure and bright that it made me feel all the sacrifices had been worth it.
36:21As the event was winding down and parents were leaving in twos and threes, I was holding
36:24Leo's hand, about to head to a nearby ice cream shop to make good on the promise of finish
36:28the race and you get a sundae.
36:30When a woman in a faded, cheap trench coat suddenly rushed over and blocked our path.
36:34It was Wendy.
36:35She was out of prison.
36:36Her hair was dry and brittle, hastily tied at the back of her head.
36:39Her face was sallow from prolonged malnutrition.
36:42Only her eyes, shot through with red veins and gleaming with venomous resentment, stared
36:47fixedly at me.
36:48Vivian, what gives you the right to take my son away?
36:51Her voice was shrill and grating, like fingernails scraping across glass, instantly drawing sidelong
36:58glances from many nearby parents.
37:00Some stopped in their tracks and eyed us curiously.
37:08I instinctively pulled Leo behind me, shielding him completely, and looked coldly at Wendy.
37:12Leo was never your son.
37:14You gave him nothing but abuse and neglect, not a shred of maternal love.
37:17You are not fit to be his mother.
37:18I carried him for nine months and gave birth to him!
37:20My blood runs through his veins!
37:21Wendy was so agitated she tried to lunge at me, but fortunately the school security guards
37:25arrived just in time and stomped her.
37:26She struggled, her hair coming loose, looking somewhat deranged.
37:29The company is gone, and now I'm not even allowed to see my own son!
37:33Leo peeked out from behind me.
37:35There wasn't a trace of fear on his small face.
37:38He looked at Wendy with eyes that were calm beyond his years.
37:41I don't have a mother like you.
37:42You hit me, locked me in a dark room, never once cooked me a meal, and never once came
37:47to pick me up from school.
37:48Mom Vivian is my real mom.
37:50She does homework with me, takes me to the park, and makes me good food.
37:54Wendy froze, as if she had never imagined that the child she had carried for nine months
37:58and given birth to would say such words to her.
38:00She stared blankly at Leo.
38:01A few seconds later, she suddenly broke down into a bitter, piercing wail.
38:04I was forced back then!
38:06Frank only cared about your money!
38:08Do you know how much pressure I was under?
38:10I had no choice but to hit him!
38:11Pressure is not an excuse for abusing a child.
38:13I took out my phone and opened a pre-safe folder.
38:15Inside were Leo's medical records from that time, photos of the scars on his body, and
38:19backup copies of the videos of Wendy abusing him.
38:21These are all evidence.
38:22If you keep immediately have my lawyer file a motion and apply for a restraining order permitting
38:26you from coming within 10 meters of Leo, just then, a familiar figure came running over
38:30in a hurry.
38:30It was Frank.
38:31He looked even more haggard than three years ago.
38:33More than half of his hair had turned gray.
38:35The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were deep enough to trap dust.
38:38He was wearing an ill-fitting jacket and looked utterly disheveled.
38:45When he saw Wendy, his brow immediately furrowed, and his tone was full of impatience.
38:50What are you doing here?
38:52Didn't I tell you to stay away from them?
38:54Frank's gaze fell on Leo, his eyes incredibly complicated.
38:58Guilt, reluctance to let go, and a hint of helplessness.
39:01Vivian, I'm sorry.
39:02He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end only turned to me and said quietly,
39:06I didn't speak.
39:08I just watched him coldly.
39:09This man, who back then, for personal gain and selfish desires, switched his own biological
39:14son.
39:15Leaving Leo to suffer for 10 years, and then after the truth came out, shifted all the
39:19blame onto Wendy and got himself off scot-free.
39:21Now his repentance and apology were worth absolutely nothing in my eyes.
39:25Mom, let's go.
39:26I don't want to see them.
39:27I crouched down and smoothed his windmessed hair from his forehead, my voice gentle.
39:31All right.
39:32Let's go have that sundae.
39:34I took Leo's hand and turned to leave, not sparing a single glance back at Wendy and
39:39Frank behind us.
39:40From behind us came the sound of Wendy's wailing and Frank's attempts to calm her, along with
39:45the murmuring of the surrounding parents.
39:47But all of that no longer had anything to do with us.
39:50Leo held my hand tightly, his step steady, not looking back.
39:55That afternoon, I took Leo to eat his favorite chocolate sundae.
39:58He got it all over his face, like a little kitten.
40:00I took out a tissue and gently wiped the ice cream from the corners of his mouth.
40:03Mom, the sundae is really sweet.
40:06Every day from now on can be this sweet.
40:09I looked into his bright eyes, my heart completely clear and at peace.
40:12The dust of the past might occasionally be stirred up by the wind, but as long as Leo
40:16and I were together, walking forward side by side, we would surely move toward a brighter,
40:21warmer future.
40:22Those who had hurt us would ultimately be left behind in the dust, never able to affect our
40:26lives again.
40:29The late autumn rain came without warning.
40:31At dismissal time, heavy raindrops pelted noisily against the ground, and the school gate
40:35was crowded with parents picking up their children.
40:37Holding an umbrella, I stood under the old oak tree we had agreed on, and saw from a distance
40:42Leo walking out with his backpack, side by side with a classmate.
40:45A faint smile on his small face.
40:46This was the first time he had voluntarily walked out of school with a classmate.
40:50Just then, a woman in a red raincoat suddenly rushed over, grabbed Leo's arm, and said in
40:54a sharp voice.
40:55Leo, come with me.
40:56Your mother is suffering in there.
40:57How can you be here living the good life?
40:59Who are you?
40:59I don't know you.
41:00I'm your aunt.
41:01That woman, Vivian, is a liar.
41:03She snatched you away from your real mother.
41:04You got me dumb on bun.
41:05With me, I'll take you to see your mom.
41:06The surrounding parents turned to look.
41:08A few kind-hearted people wanted to step forward and ask what was going on, but were forced
41:14back by Kelly's fierce glare.
41:16Leo's classmate was so frightened he stood rooted to the spot, not knowing what to do.
41:24My heart clenched.
41:25I rushed over quickly, pried Kelly's hand off with one motion, and shielded Leo behind
41:30me, my voice cold as ice.
41:32Let go of him!
41:33You have no right to touch my child!
41:36Kelly stumbled a step.
41:38After studying herself, she looked me up and down, her eyes full of jealousy and venom.
41:43Thief!
41:43You stole my sister's man, stole her money, and now you've stolen her child!
41:47How can you live with yourself?
41:49Conscience?
41:50I gave a cold laugh.
41:51The videos of your sister abusing Leo back then, the transfer records her and Frank conspying
41:55to switch the babies, and the proof that you, who as in the know, accepted benefits
41:58from Frank, I have all of it right here.
41:59Tell me, if this really went to the police station, whose conscience would be the one that
42:03come and hold up?
42:04The murmuring around us grew louder and louder.
42:06Some parents took out their phones and started recording video, and someone had already quietly
42:11contacted the school security guards.
42:13Kelly's face flushed red and then turned pale.
42:15Looking at the crowd that had gathered, a hint of panic crept into her eyes.
42:22She was still putting up a brave front, but had unconsciously taken a step back.
42:27I just want the child to know his real family.
42:30Leo suddenly stepped out from behind me, his small body standing very straight, his eyes
42:33steady as he looked at Kelly.
42:34Know his real family?
42:35I don't have an aunt like you, and I don't have a mother like that.
42:38Mom, Vivian's my real mom.
42:39She doesn't hit me, doesn't lock me up, cheats with meals, take me to school and protects
42:42me.
42:42Go away!
42:43I don't want to see you ever again.
42:44Kelly stood stunned.
42:45Looking at the clear yet distant expression in Leo's eyes, she opened her mouth but couldn't
42:49say a single word.
42:50At that moment, the school security guards and the homeroom teacher hurried over.
42:53Seeing the scene, the homeroom teacher immediately stepped in front of us.
42:56I must ask you to leave the school entrant immediately or we will call the police.
43:00Kelly saw more and more people gathering around and knew that continuing to make a scene wouldn't
43:03end well for her.
43:04She shot me a vicious glare, muttered, just you wait.
43:07Turned and rushed into the rain, quickly disappearing around the street corner.
43:10The rain was still falling.
43:11A few strands of Leo's hair were damp from the splashing rainwater, plastered against
43:15his forehead.
43:16Did that scare you?
43:17Mom, I'm not scared because I knew you would come to save me.
43:20Silly child.
43:21Mommy will always be by your side.
43:23No matter what happens, I won't let anyone hurt you.
43:25Mrs. Hayes, I really didn't expect something like this to happen.
43:29Leo has had quite a fright today.
43:31Would you like to take him to the office first for some hot cocoa?
43:33Thank you, Mrs. Wong.
43:34I nodded and, holding Leo's hand, walked into the school building.
43:39In the office, the warmth of the hot cocoa traveled through the cup to his palms.
43:44Leo held the cup and said quietly,
43:46Mom, was what that aunt said true?
43:49Was I really born from Wendy?
43:51I crouched down, looked into his eyes, and said seriously.
43:54Leo, you are mom's biological son.
43:56As for who gave birth to you, that's not what's important.
43:59What's important is who raised you with love, who is willing to go to any lengths to protect
44:02you.
44:03In mom's heart, you are my treasure, the person I most want to protect in this lifetime.
44:07He blinked, his eyes reddening a little, but he nodded firmly.
44:10I understand, mom.
44:12I only recognize you as my mom.
44:14That night, for the first time, Leo voluntarily told me about how Wendy would occasionally bring
44:18Kelly to the house.
44:19Aunt Kelly always cursed at me for being stupid, said I wasn't as well behaved as Ethan,
44:23and would secretly take my things.
44:25Back then I used to thought, if only I had a mom who truly loved me.
44:28I pulled him into my arms and gently patted his back.
44:31That will never happen again.
44:33Mommy will give you all her love and make sure you're happy every single day.
44:36The rain outside the window gradually stopped, and moonlight filtered through the clouds, illuminating
44:41a corner of the room.
44:43I met Daniel at a community book club.
44:46I had accompanied Leo to borrow books, and was drawn in by a sharing session on women's
44:50autobiographies.
44:51Daniel was the host, in his early 40s, and spoke with a gentle yet compelling voice.
44:56After the session ended, he stopped me at the door and said,
44:59Your perspective just now was very unique.
45:01Could I get to know you?
45:02That was how our conversation began.
45:05Daniel was a locally born Chinese American, his family originally from San Francisco.
45:10Divorced for five years, his daughter lived with her mother.
45:14He was a middle school history teacher, and volunteered at the community center in his spare time.
45:19For our first official date, we went to the California Science Center, and of course Leo came along too.
45:26Daniel didn't try too hard to win the child over.
45:29In the space exhibition area, he naturally started talking about the Apollo program.
45:34Do you know why astronauts bring a knife to space?
45:36Leo shook his head.
45:37To fix equipment.
45:39The most dangerous thing in space is a loose screw.
45:41Leo's laugh was very relaxed.
45:50Another spring had passed when Daniel came over for dinner at our home.
45:54After the meal, Leo did his homework, and Daniel and I had tea on the patio.
45:58The night was cool.
46:00He draped his jacket over my shoulders.
46:03Leo has made some new friends recently.
46:05I saw him playing basketball with classmates.
46:08I was a bit surprised.
46:09The child had always been alone before.
46:11Children need time.
46:13And so do you.
46:14He paused for a moment.
46:16That night, I told him about what happened ten years ago.
46:19Daniel listened quietly.
46:21Only after I had finished did he gently take my hand.
46:24Walking through all of that alone, it must have been so hard.
46:27Those words made my eyes redden.
46:29So what I had needed was someone to see the weight behind the strength.
46:33Mom, if you like Uncle Daniel, you can be with him.
46:35When he said this, Leo was assembling a model airplane.
46:39Why are you suddenly saying this?
46:40I stared at him stunned.
46:41Because when you look at him, you smile.
46:43A real smile.
46:44Not the fake kind.
46:45I sat down beside him.
46:47And what do you think about it?
46:48I hope someone loves you the way you love me.
46:51You deserve that.
46:52I hugged him.
46:53He had grown up without my noticing.
46:56Falling in love with Daniel was different from how it was when I was 20.
46:59No wild passion.
47:00No anxiety.
47:01It was a steady kind of intimacy.
47:02After dinner, we would take walks together.
47:04Listening to me talk about the trivial things at work and things about Leo's school.
47:08Even the sale items at Whole Foods.
47:09Leo gradually accepted this rhythm.
47:12One day when I came home from working late, I saw them playing chess in the living room,
47:15and soup was simmering in the kitchen.
47:17The aroma filling the house.
47:18In that moment, I realized that the happiness I'd thought was out of reach had long since
47:22landed gently in the palm of my hand.
47:24And I wasn't in that moment.
47:25I guess when I was 30 minutes of the mortal keeping a nice cot there, I gave into my heart
47:27Let's do just a few seconds.
47:28Let's go.
Comments