- 9 hours ago
Daddy, You Don't Matter Anymore EP Mother-Daughter Revenge, Family Secrets ASM
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:16hello hi mr. Robert he's tied up right now this is his daughter area who's calling this is the
00:23Beverly Hills Hotel we're just calling to check if your brother Leo had any allergic reactions
00:28to the gluten-free treats in the suite brother I don't have a brother my dad is 53 my mom
00:34is 51
00:35I'm an only child just last weekend he told us face to face I'm heading to SF for a real
00:42estate
00:42deal Aria are you still there he's fine thanks right then my dad walked in from the pool who's
00:51that nobody wrong number where's your mom Gilson's getting steaks she wanted to cook you a nice dinner
00:57since you've been working so hard she always spoils me four days of back-to-back meetings
01:01during this trip I'm wiped out the lie just came out automatically but the penthouse at
01:06the Beverly Hills Hotel isn't in San Francisco it's right on Sunset Boulevard less than two
01:11miles from our house dad what's up sweetie where did you stay anyway some friends and
01:18I are hitting SF next month looking for recommendations just some cheap motel they
01:25booked nothing fancy if you want to go dad'll get you a way better place he was lying through
01:30his teeth I didn't press him I just turned around headed upstairs and checked his credit
01:34card bills on my laptop I major in finance so a lot of the family bills go straight to my
01:39email
01:40last weekend eight thousand five hundred dollars spent on food at the Beverly Hills Hotel Valentine's
01:45Day twenty three thousand dollars at Tiffany & Co and my mom she just got a hundred and twenty dollar
01:51bouquet of white tulip I sank into my chair my head spinning Robert Aria can I get some help down
01:58here
01:58I took a deep breath and opened the door my dad had already grabbed the grocery bags from her
02:03you bought so much stuff you should have waited for me I'm coming with you next time but you just
02:08got
02:08back from that crazy trip besides Aria loves your steaks standing at the top of the stairs my stomach
02:14burned like acid during dinner my dad kept pouring wine for my mom oh by the way Elena I picked
02:20up some
02:20skincare stuff for you Aria can show you how to use it tomorrow you're wasting money again after dinner
02:25my dad went to his office to work I brought a plate of fruit inside hey dad I saw this
02:31crazy story online
02:32today this guy hit a mistress and a secret kid from his wife and ended up losing everything
02:37Aria what exactly are you trying to say what's done in the dark always comes to light right dad
02:48the internet is full of that clickbait trash look you just graduated stop reading that garbage and focus
02:55on finding a job but no buts mind your own business and stay out of grown-up affairs
03:02got it got it there wasn't a drop of warmth left in his eyes the next day was Saturday and
03:09my dad said
03:10he had to go to the office for some paperwork the second he left I jumped in my car and
03:14drove straight
03:15to the Beverly Hills Hotel the receptionist was a Latina girl with flawless makeup hi I need to check the
03:21records for mr. Robert from last week I'm his daughter he left something here sorry but that's
03:26against our privacy policy can you at least tell me what the woman with him looked like she was pretty
03:32young under 30 long brown hair dressed super classy like she was into art or design I walked out and
03:39looked up the Tiffany store in Beverly Hills right away 20 minutes later I found a nice black sales
03:44associate hi I'm trying to check a purchase made by mr. Robert on Valentine's Day I'm his daughter
03:49just trying to double check the style he bought oh yes mr. Robert is our VIP here he came in
03:54that
03:55day with a gorgeous lady bought our seasonal diamond necklace for 23,000 do you know her name I think
04:01it
04:01was Scarlett yeah Scarlett they seemed so in love she said it was too pricely but mr. Robert insisted
04:12when I got home my mom was in the front yard trimming her roses hey Aria you're back what do
04:18you want for
04:18dinner looking at those blooming roses my heart sank I couldn't just tell her my mom has high blood
04:23pressure she can't take this kind of shock I had to find solid proof first that night I sat in
04:28front
04:28of my computer scrolling through endless social media accounts finally I found an Instagram account
04:34called Scarlett Art I clicked on her profile art shows high tea designer bags and a photo of a little
04:40boy from behind everything matched up perfectly with what I knew about Scarlett most of her posts were
04:45tagged in Crystal Cove a gated community in Newport Beach the next day I skipped work and staked out the
04:51coffee shop right outside Crystal Cove at 2 a white Porsche Cayenne pulled out and parked in front of a
04:57flower shop a woman in a long linen dress got out it was Scarlett she bought some white roses and
05:02walked
05:03into the private preschool next door 10 minutes later she walked out holding a three-year old boy's hand
05:09mommy is daddy coming to see me today daddy super firstly he's safe in this daddy's super busy with work
05:18he's making money to buy building blocks can I help you Scarlett right I'm Robert's daughter Aria
05:32she avoided my eyes pulling her kid away I don't know any Robert I blocked her again where the d
05:40don't know him how about I post your Beverly Hills hotel bills and that Tiffany necklace seat all over
05:46Instagram what the hell do you want let's talk Scarlett hesitated told the nanny to take the kid to
05:53the car and sat down since you found me I won't even hide it your dad and I we're in
05:59love in love
06:01spending my family's money and living in a mansion is that your true love disgusting why do you think
06:10I got all this I give him what your mom never could passion adoration and a whole new world
06:19that mansion Robert bought it paid in full under my name oh by the way your dad said once he
06:27wraps
06:27things up at home he's filing for divorce he said your mom does nothing but blow his cash but you
06:32seem
06:32pretty smart tell your mom to get a lawyer ASAP maybe she can still get a piece of the pie
06:41that night Robert came home right on time Elena go upstairs I need to talk to Ari alone
06:47what's going on just go upstairs she shot me a worried look then turned around and headed up it
06:54was just the two of us left in the living room you went to see Scarlett today didn't you yes
06:58I did
07:00Ari I always thought you were a smart girl but what you did today
07:07I'm deeply disappointed in you when you logged into my Amex account I got a notification from the system
07:13I didn't stop you because I wanted to see if you knew when to stop
07:17honestly you're no different from Scarlett both of you are living off of me I paid for your tuition
07:23I bought your car and every single piece of clothing on your back was charged to my card
07:27what makes you think you have any right to question my choices dad I just wanted to protect this family
07:33this family doesn't need your protection this family needs you to shut your mouth
07:38I was gonna wait another two weeks but now I see there's no point
07:41I picked it up it was an amendment to the family trust he had completely removed my name from the
07:46beneficiaries and changed everything to Leo's name instead weren't you the one who always wanted to
07:51make it on your own congrats now you got your wish
07:59I'm staying at Newport Beach tonight Leo's preschool has a family day tomorrow and Scarlett
08:03wants me there so Aria you better stay away from Scarlett and Leo or else that smile was worse than
08:10any threat the door shut I am sitting on the living room sofa clutching the trust paper shaking all over
08:16suddenly the couch sank next to me silly girl why are you crying sorry mom I thought I was protecting
08:23this family but I ended up blowing it all instead I lost your only safety net
08:27you really think you got that follow-up call by accident
08:31your father must have forgotten what I used to do 30 years ago
08:36this ends now
08:44my mom plugged the flash drive into the computer and typed in a password a hidden folder popped open
08:49packed with spreadsheets and scanned files mom what is all this
08:52the complete trail of your dad hiding of assets for the past three years
08:56every wire transfer every bill and every offshore account when did you find out a year and a half
09:01before you did I knew the second he used Scarlett's art gallery to run fake invoices then why didn't you
09:06say
09:06anything because I didn't have enough proof yet plus I know Robert if I called him out back then
09:12he would have destroyed the evidence move the cash and left us with nothing looking at the endless rows of
09:17numbers on the screen my head started spinning so this whole year you were just taking it I wasn't
09:22taking it I was waiting waiting for what waiting for him to slip up last month he wired 800,000
09:29straight from the company account to Scarlett's gallery he used to hide it through multiple
09:32accounts but this time he got sloppy he was in too much of a rush to pay off her mortgage
09:35she turned
09:36around to look at me from that second he wasn't just a cheating husband anymore he became a criminal
09:40stealing company funds I was completely speechless mom for over a year you've just been acting every
09:49single day you think I'm just acting Aria I've been married to Robert for 30 years for the first 25
09:55I thought I was happy for the last five I knew he didn't love me anymore but I told myself
09:59it was
09:59fine at least he still respected this family until I found out about Scarlett that's when he stopped
10:05caring about giving us any respect at all then why didn't you just get a divorce because divorce
10:10is way too easy on him plus I needed time to get ready and I needed you to see him
10:14for who he
10:15really is suddenly everything made sense that call from the hotel was that just a fluke my mom didn't
10:21say a word she just smirked that look was all the answer I needed mom did you set that up
10:25I didn't have
10:27to set anything up I just made sure you answered when his phone rang you knew he was at the
10:33hotel that
10:33day last month when he said he was heading to San Francisco I was actually in the hotel parking lot
10:39I watched him carry that little boy straight into the lobby then why didn't you walk in catching
10:44him would only mess with him for a minute the next day he just put on his suit go to
10:48work and keep
10:48playing mr. Robert and everyone would just say oh well guys will be guys but stealing company money
10:54is a different story and money laundering that changes everything
11:01looking at her I suddenly felt like this woman was a stranger not scary just powerful so this whole
11:07year you've been collecting evidence not just collecting evidence I was waiting for him to dig
11:11his own grave every extra dollar he wires makes his crime worse every fake invoice adds another year
11:16to his prison time so what am I supposed to do now she looked at me and there was something
11:21in her
11:21eyes I had never seen before not pity not comfort just a stone cold brutal reality check stand up
11:27wipe your tears and go to bed starting tomorrow you do exactly what I say at three in the morning
11:33I heard a faint noise upstairs my mom wasn't asleep either I crept upstairs to her bedroom door the door
11:38was cracked open I could see her sitting on the edge of the bed holding a picture frame it was
11:42her
11:42and my dad's wedding photo 30 years ago two young people stood outside city hall smiling like they
11:48owned the world she stared at it for so long I thought she was gonna cry but she didn't she
11:53just
11:53flipped the frame face down opened her nightstand drawer and tossed it inside in the dark I heard
11:58her let out a long slow breath like she had finally let go of a heavy weight I went back
12:03to my room lay
12:04down and stared at the ceiling by the time the sun came up I finally drifted off
12:11my dad didn't come home for three days straight he just texted my mom saying he was slammed at work
12:16on the
12:17afternoon of the fourth day my mom called Aria get to Hoag Hospital right now Hoag Hospital is in
12:22Newport Beach it's the best private hospital around I jumped in my car and sped over in the ER hallway
12:27my mom stood there staring stone-faced at the desk I looked over my dad was at the front desk
12:32looking
12:33totally panic-headed Scarlett was on a bench nearby clutching her stomach and looking pale while Leo was
12:38throwing a tantrum what happened Scarlett has pregnancy complications Robert walked out of a
12:44meeting to rush her to the ER she's pregnant again yep guess what Robert needs most right now she pulled
12:51a paper from her bag and handed it to me I took it it was an internal financial report he's
12:55broke
12:55he dumped every cent into that mansion in Scarlett's gallery the company's cash flow is dried up he can't
13:01even pay for next month's projects so what's he gonna do he wants to mortgage our house yesterday his
13:07lawyer called me to sign the papers he claimed he needed help with the cash flow you didn't sign it
13:13did you of course not not only that I'm about to give him a huge surprise my mom pulled out
13:23her phone
13:23and made a call hey Richard it's Elena is Robert at the office on the other end was Richard his
13:28partner
13:28no Elena Robert said he was meeting a big client left for the day a client but I just saw
13:33him at
13:33Hogue Hospital's OBGYN he was with some young girl I thought she was an employee's family or something
13:37the line went dead silent Richard's voice dropped Elena you sure he's at the OBGYN yeah I even snapped
13:43a picture oh well maybe I'm seeing things don't mention it to him Richard I don't want him thinking
13:48I'm paranoid my mom hung up and smirked I looked at her totally lost mom why would Richard side with
13:54you because Richard's been tracking every dime Robert stole he's a partner when the company loses money
13:59he loses money he's been waiting for a shot like this so he's been backing you up not backing me
14:05saving himself my proof plus his books more than enough to destroy Robert across the hall my dad
14:11finished checking in and helped Scarlett toward the rooms Scarlett leaned into him crying Robert is the
14:16baby gonna be okay don't worry the doctor said it's nothing major just get some rest the whole scene
14:21made me want to puke let's go the real show hasn't even started yet the next few days the house
14:30was
14:30dead silent Robert called every day nagging my mom to get the papers ready she always had an excuse a
14:36dentist today a friend tomorrow a migraine the day after by Friday night he finally snapped he stormed
14:42into the house completely losing it Elena what the hell is taking so long the company is going under
14:48and you can't even sign a paper my mom didn't even look up she just kept watching her gardening
14:54class on her iPad what's the rush the house is under both our names I have to sign in person
14:59I have a
15:00migraine I can't go my dad pointed at her too pissed to speak listening from my room my heart raced
15:06he took
15:06a few deep breaths trying to keep his temper in check Elena if the company goes under this whole family
15:12is
15:12ruined my mom set her iPad down and wiped her hands Robert doesn't the company have 1.2 million in
15:18cash
15:18how can you not even cover next month's bills his face dropped instantly who told you that that
15:24money is tied up in a new project I can't touch it oh really and here I thought you used
15:28it to buy
15:28a mansion in Newport Beach my dad froze his eyes widening what what did you just say
15:37Crystal Cove Newport Beach the mansion you bought for Scarlet do I need to give you the address
15:41my dad stared at her you spied on me did you really think you could keep everyone in the dark
15:46secrets always come out his face twitched his years of acting like a perfect dad were blown to
15:53pieces Elena don't push your luck my mom didn't move or say a word her calm just drove him insane
16:00you're not signing fine if the company goes down we all go down together
16:06I couldn't take it anymore I ran out and blocked my mom don't you dare those corporate debts are under
16:12your name they have nothing to do with my mom nothing to do with her go ask a lawyer what
16:18community debt means California is a community property state Aria you think you're smart you and
16:26your mom aren't even in my league my mom didn't even flinch she gently pushed me aside and stood her
16:31ground Robert are you sure you want to go there the smirk froze on his face damn right I am
16:39he growled
16:39trying to fake his last bit of power fine then we have nothing left to talk about she turned and
16:45walked straight toward the office over the weekend my mom took me to crystal bay in newport beach
16:53instead of entering we stopped in front of a high-end private club at the entrance of the
16:57residential complex mom what are we doing here meeting someone a few minutes later a black mercedes
17:03s-class pulled up the window rolled down showing richard's dark face richard is his partner and the
17:08second largest shareholder he built the business with my dad for 15 years handling construction
17:13while keeping his hands off the book but lately the numbers weren't adding up and he was already
17:17suspicious elena get in let's talk richard's opening the door my mom and i hopped into the back
17:22everything is in here all the bank records of Robert using scallery to make fake incises and
17:28sclim company money for the past three years 2.3 million in total richard scrolled through a few files
17:34his face getting uglier by the second son of a bitch i treated him like a brother and he treated
17:39me like an atm no wonder he said we were broke when vendors were calling last month the bastard
17:44stole it all richard now he wants to mortgage our house to cover his tracks if he gets that loan
17:49he
17:49wipes the slate clean and you'll never catch him not on my watch elena what's the play i want him
17:56kicked out with nothing every cent he stole he spits it back out richard stayed quiet for a few
18:05seconds and nodded i have his records for the last two years too i was gonna wait but now i
18:10don't have
18:10to he shot a look at my mom elena you're ruthless my mom didn't say a word she just smirked
18:15but i
18:16can't pull this off alone looking at richard i need you in richard let out a cold laugh don't worry
18:21elena i hate scum ads who steal company cash for a miss just tell me what you need my mom
18:25pulled
18:25another paper out of her bag this is a list of the sketchy deals i flagged take this to legal
18:29and
18:30the audit team tell them you're starting a full forensic audit of the last three years richard took
18:34the paper and flipped through it his face tightening elena how did you get these numbers
18:39my mom glanced at him her voice calm like she was talking about a stranger i've been a housewife
18:44for 30 years but before that i got my mba from wharton worked as a quant at goldman and was
18:49a manager
18:49at black rock the car went dead silent the look in richard's eyes completely changed wharton
18:56goldman black roke yep so i know where the money goes and i know how to drag it back richard
19:00packed
19:01the files into his briefcase elena have you been faking it all these years not faking it was a choice
19:08i chose to be a wife and a mother but now i'm done richard looked at her and nodded he
19:13started the
19:13engine and the black mercedes slowly rolled away
19:19richard moved way faster than i expected at nine on monday morning right after my dad left
19:24two court cars pulled up are you elena we're from the court this is an asset freezing order for you
19:30to sign my mom took the papers scanned them and signed ma'am we need the deed to this house
19:36please
19:36cooperate my mom nodded and turned to get the papers from the office i stood in the living room
19:41my mind spinning as the bailiffs took photos and slapped seals on the door mom i thought you said
19:48we were waiting why so fast if we wait this house is going to be gone to bail him out
19:52i filed for a
19:53pre-law suit asset freeze everything under his name including that newport beach mansion is locked down
19:59right then my dad's call came through i picked up but before i could say a word he was screaming
20:03aria is your mom out of her mind she just froze my company accounts where is she put her on
20:08my mom
20:09took the phone and hit speaker elena what the hell are you doing the accounts are frozen all projects
20:14are dead if clients sue i am ruined good robert i'm suing you for cheating hiding assets and stealing
20:19company money the court already took the case
20:24the line went dead silent what did you just say my dad's voice cracked i said i'm divorcing you
20:30and this isn't some clean break i'm taking every cent you're crazy on what ground on the grounds of
20:35the 2.3 million you hid and the 2.3 million you stole my mom said her voice ice hold
20:40on the grounds
20:41of every receipt i kept on you something smashed on the other end elena you think you can win this
20:46let me tell you my mom hung up on him aria from this second on don't believe a word out
20:50of his mouth
20:51the day after the freeze scarlet showed up she stood downstairs pale wearing a wrinkled white dress
20:56the second she saw me she rushed me aria tell your mom to drop the lawsuit i leaned against the
21:01door
21:02crossing my arms and why would she if your dad goes to prison what do you and your mom get
21:06out
21:06of it he's your dad you're just gonna watch him rot my dad the guy who screwed over his wife
21:12and
21:12kicked his own daughter out of the trust that's not my dad scarlet bit her lip tears streaming down her
21:18face this baby needs a father please just tell your mom to drop the charges i stared at her feeling
21:25nothing scarlet let me ask you a question she looked up through her tears is leo actually my dad's
21:33son scarlet stopped crying on a dime a flash of panic in her eyes of course he is what the
21:38hell
21:38are you talking about oh really then let's wait for the court did nna test everything will be crystal
21:44clear scarlet turned white she turned around and bolted that night my mom came back from the lawyer
21:49with a smile richard called the cops the da just opened a case for embezzlement your dad could be in
21:55cuffs tomorrow i stared at her mom how many more secrets are you hiding she sat down and poured a
22:02cup of coffee area the biggest mistake of my life was giving up my career for this family she took
22:10a
22:10sip staring off into space when i got my wharton mba i was a quant at goldman i was an
22:15avp by 27 your
22:17dad was just starting out a manager at some tiny real estate firm he didn't even have a desk then
22:23i got
22:23pregnant your dad told me you're working too hard you need a break i'll take care of you and i
22:28bought
22:28it she set her mug down and looked at her hands for 30 years i buried my cfa at the
22:33bottom of a
22:33drawer i swapped my bloomberg terminal for shopping sites and my risk models for household budgets
22:38i thought that was happiness i don't regret marrying your father i just regret letting myself
22:43become a nobody who did nothing but cook clean i squeezed her hand mom you're the most badass woman
22:47i've ever met she smiled her eyes welling up silly girl i'm not badass i just didn't want
22:52you to think that when a woman gets screwed over she just has to take it
22:58next day the cops marched my dad out of his office in cups richard called my mom the second it
23:03happened
23:04elena they got robert the guy broke and spilled everything he kept begging richard save me like
23:09seriously too late for that my mom just gave a call that mansion is under scarlett's name but the
23:14down payment and mortgages came out of the company account richard i already sorted out the proof don't
23:19worry elena she's not getting away we're talking money laundering and conspiracy my mom hung up and
23:25let out a long breath let's go come with me to the jail the jail to see dad no she
23:30grabbed her purse
23:31i'm serving him divorce papers face to face in the visitor room my dad sat in an orange jumpsuit
23:36his hair a mess his face covered in stubble the second he saw my mom his eyes welled up elena
23:41i messed
23:41up please drop the charges okay i can't do prison my mom sat on the other side of the glass
23:47her back
23:47perfectly straight i have the divorce papers here sign them and you give up everything the house
23:51the cash the cars the shares all mine or don't sign but with 2.3 million stolen california law will
23:56give
23:56you at least 10 years you'll be in a cell and i'll get the divorce anyway tears stream down my
24:00dad's
24:00face elena we've been married for 30 years area is my daughter ruthless when you were with another
24:10woman at the hotel and buying her necklaces did you think about our 30 years my dad opened his mouth
24:16but nothing came out when you cut area's name off the trust and handed everything to that other
24:20kid did you care that she was your daughter my dad dropped his head his shoulders shaking just sign it
24:26my mom slid the papers against the glass you have zero leverage here
24:33my dad signed the papers i stared at the sobbing man across the glass feeling zero pity
24:39after signing my dad looked up elena leo can you at least let me see leo he's my son robert
24:47there's one more thing you should know my dad froze the cops have scarlet in custody they found
24:53every text and transfer on her phone but there were some other chats you didn't know about my dad's
24:58eyes popped out what chats while scarlet was with you she was sleeping with three other guys
25:08what the hell did you just say leo's dna results came back yesterday he is not your son
25:14his father is scarlet's ex in new york no no way you're lying my mom scoffed
25:30my mom scoffed my hand and walked out of the room without looking at me
25:35my mom stood tall think about that in your cell robert after 30 years this is the last thing i'll
25:40ever do for you she grabbed my hand and walked out of the room without looking at me
25:49three months later the court handed down the verdict that morning a huge crowd gathered outside
25:55the court we pushed through the crowd walked into the courtroom and sat in the front row
26:01the judge opened the file and began reading the sentence my dad sat with his hands clasped so tight
26:06his knuckles turned white keeping his head down in the end for embezzlement and money laundering
26:11he got 15 years and was ordered to pay back every cent carrying 15 years i didn't get the rush
26:17of
26:17satisfaction i thought i would the man who used to rush me to the er he bragged to my teacher
26:21saying
26:22my daughter is the smartest who smiled and told me his princess deserved the universe
26:27that man died the day the truth came out the guy standing there was just a stranger my dad looked
26:33up
26:33scanning the crowd in a panic before finally locking onto my mom and me his lips trembled like he wanted
26:38to say something my mom just stared back completely calm no hatred no pity i know i was wrong just
26:45forgive me this once as the bailiffs led him away he suddenly wrenched forward and screamed at us people
26:50in the gallery shook their heads and some looked away my mom slowly stood up placing her hand on my
26:55shoulder with a gentle squeeze then she spoke word for word you don't regret what you did you just hate
27:00that you lost with that she took my hand and walked out without looking back the hallway was long
27:06sunlight pouring through the glass doors at the end casting her shadow behind her in that moment
27:12for the first time my mom looked larger than life
27:18as we walked out of the court it looked like it was about to bore we barely made it out
27:22before my
27:22aunt rushed us a few relatives trailing behind she grabbed my mom's arm elena did you really have
27:28to be this ruthless he's family you put robert away for 15 years how are we supposed to show our
27:33faces
27:33a few bystanders stopped turning to watch the drama i shook with rage but just as i was about to
27:38speak
27:38my mom gently pressed my hand she slowly pulled her arm back without even blinking i didn't put him in
27:44there his own actions did you how can you be so heartless was my brother not good to you you
27:48lived in
27:49a mansion drove a nice car spent his cash and now you just flip on him all those years he
27:53was keeping a
27:54mistress blowing cash and hiding assets you guys were happy taking his gifts and money not one of
27:58you ever tried to stop him and now you talk to me about family the faces of the other relatives
28:03dropped instantly my aunt opened her mouth but nothing came out my mom clicked her keys and headed
28:08toward the parking lot i stole a glance at her and i noticed her hands were shaking slightly on the
28:12wheel that was the moment i realized she wasn't born bulletproof no matter the pain she just refused
28:18to back down ever again the car pulled out of the lot and merged into traffic in the rearview mirror
28:22my aunt and those relatives grew smaller and smaller we both stared out at the palm trees
28:27flying past neither of us saying a word but i knew we were both thinking the same thing from today
28:32on
28:32everything was different the next day the family group chat exploded some bashed my dad saying he
28:39got what he deserved while others said my mom was heartless i was getting heated and was about to
28:44text back but my mom took my phone and left the group explaining yourself to people who don't get
28:50it is a waste of time she locked the phone and went back to watering the plants i stood there
28:54dazed
28:55and it hit me true strength isn't about winning every argument it's knowing who isn't even worth a
28:59reply scarlett's verdict came down two weeks later for money laundering hiding assets and conspiracy
29:05she got a four-year suspended sentence five years of probation and a 750 000 fine the second the news
29:12broke
29:12all those art scene friends vanished her mansion was seized her assets were frozen and she wiped her
29:18instagram clean i went with my mom on the day they came to seize the property inside the once
29:23luxurious living room the crystal chandelier was still on but the carpet was rolled up officials
29:27were logging items slapping seals on everything the designer bags jewelry and plates she used to
29:33flex so hard were dumped on the table scarlett stood by the stairs looking pale watching the movers
29:39wheel out her steinway piano she finally broke down crying be careful with that it's expensive
29:44nobody gave a damn i found the whole thing hilarious she thought all this crap meant she'd
29:50won but the things that actually matter you can't buy them with stolen cash word is she ended up in
29:55a
29:55tiny rental in skid row she used to love flexing her tea diamond rings and designer bags on instagram
30:02now she has to pinch pennies just for rent one day i was at the bank and saw her from
30:07a distance
30:07she saw me too for a second she straightened her back trying to hold on to her last bit of
30:13dignity
30:13but just as fast the light in her eyes died she walked up to me aria can you please put
30:19in a good
30:20word for me with your mom say what tell her to stop i already have nothing left i just looked
30:27at
30:27her scarlet did you ever think about today when you were doing all that she bit her lip her eyes
30:33welling
30:33up i know i messed up but i have nothing now the house is gone the money is gone even
30:39the baby
30:40scarlet you're not left with nothing you're left with your choices i walked past her and didn't look
30:45back later i heard she moved away she tried sales and live streaming but she couldn't hold down a job
30:50the thing she lost was never just the money it was everything she thought she could rely on a man
30:55to give
30:56her in the end scarlet's mom took leo in that kid had nothing to do with this i ran into
31:06him at a mall
31:06once he wore a t-shirt that was way too big standing by a toy stored inside the window a
31:11toy train went
31:12around the tracks his eyes followed it without blinking like he was frozen the old woman looked down
31:17do you like it he nodded want grandma to get it for you he thought about it then shook his
31:23head
31:24it's too expensive did you check the price yeah it's 89 dollars
31:33that really isn't cheap grandma how much money do you make a month she froze then just patted his head
31:41let's go grandma will make you dinner okay he said turning around after a few steps he stole
31:47one last look at the train but he didn't say a word right then a sharp pang of sadness hit
31:52me
31:52people used to use him as a chip to demand houses money and status and when that failed they just
31:57dumped him like a load from start to finish nobody ever asked what he wanted i watched for a bit
32:03from
32:03a distance but i didn't go over kids shouldn't have to pay for these after the verdict my mother put
32:08all
32:09the old photos in the house into a box wedding photos family portraits travel photos letters my father
32:15wrote to her when he was young each one was carefully sorted sealed and moved to the innermost part of
32:21the storage room can you bear it it's not about being reluctant it's just that there's no need to
32:29take it out every day to remind myself that afternoon she drove to the home store when i got
32:35home the trunk was full of stuff my dad's favorite dark colored sofa was replaced and a light gray fabric
32:40sofa was moved into the living room the balcony has also changed filled with gardenia jasmine mint and
32:47rosemary the whole house suddenly lit up like a window that hasn't been opened for years finally
32:53letting in the wind she also tore off the old menu that had been used in the kitchen for more
32:57than a
32:57decade and then put up a new sticky note i leaned over to look writing this what else i'm already
33:06in my
33:0650s do i still need someone else to tell me what to eat at dinner she made pan fried salmon
33:11with roasted
33:12asparagus sprinkled with black pepper and lemon juice and also opened a bottle of white wine is it
33:18delicious delicious that's good she raised her glass and clinked it against mine at that moment i suddenly
33:26realized that some forms of freedom are not earth shattering departures is finally being able to live
33:32according to one's own taste my mother resumed work in the second month after the verdict she took
33:39out the already yellowed cfa certificate carefully wiped it and put it into the document bag that day
33:45she wore a crisply ironed white shirt and applied a light makeup in front of the mirror i stood at
33:50the
33:50door watching her suddenly feeling a bit of a lump in my throat over the years i've almost forgotten that
33:56she used to have such a charge p incapable side she sensed my gaze and looked back to laugh at
34:00me
34:00what haven't you ever seen your mom at work he shook my head with a smile yes i've seen you
34:05but you look especially good today she gave me a sidelong glance but the corners of her mouth
34:10couldn't hold back a smile initially she only served as a consultant at a small hedge fund introduced
34:16by a friend later the number of customers grew steadily half a year later she rented a small office
34:22and hung up a sign ching hei capital partners the name was given by her she said that one should
34:27be
34:27clean in character and down to ertles in making money on the opening day there was no balloon arch
34:32nor a lively raboon cutting ceremony only a bunch of sunflowers i bought is placed at the front desk
34:37she stood in front of the glass door looking at her name her eyes slightly reddening i thought i'd
34:42never use these skills again in my life i hugged her it is never too late to start now she
34:48gently patted
34:49my back it is never too late for a woman to start as for me i signed up for the
34:54cfa exam during the
34:56day i help out at the hedge fund and at night i go home to study when i was most
35:01exhausted i would fall
35:03asleep lying on the table and when i woke up there would always be a blanket covering me there will
35:08be
35:08warm milk heated by my mother in the kitchen she never rushes me only saying one thing calmly if you're
35:14sleepy go to sleep and continue tomorrow that year i felt like i had returned to my senior year of
35:20high school during the first exam i was so nervous that my palms were sweating when i walked out of
35:25the
35:25exam hall i felt i had messed up the exam and sat by the roadside for a long time my
35:31mom came to pick me
35:32up and handed me an ice cream why are you crying if you didn't pass just try a next year
35:38life doesn't
35:40give you only one chance on the day the results came out i passed level i was screaming in the
35:45living room with my computer in my arms my mom complained about the noise but secretly turned
35:52around to wipe the corners of her eyes the following year i passed level a two in the third year
35:58i passed
35:58level a three and obtained the cfa certificate in the third year i passed level a three and obtained
36:04the cfa certificate congratulations aria cfa congratulations to you too elena cio
36:13now i go to work with my mom every day she is the chief investment officer and i am an
36:19investment
36:19analyst occasionally when we disagree we would argue heatedly in the office until we turn red in the face
36:25the next second she told me to go downstairs and buy coffee employees often secretly laugh and say that
36:32we don't look like mother and daughter but like partners i like this saying very much we are no
36:38longer anyone's appendage not someone's wife not someone's daughter we are first and foremost ourselves
36:45as for my dad every now and then some relative will mention his health is failing his hair is white
36:51and he has become quiet some people even try to lecture me he's still your dad you should go visit
36:56him i just smile it is not that i hate him there is just nothing left to see he spent
37:01half a lifetime
37:02teaching me never to tie my worth to a man and he used his own ending to show me that
37:07betrayal
37:07always comes with a price i don't thank him but i accept the lesson one summer evening my mom and
37:12i
37:12sat on the balcony the wind blew past with a faint scent of gardenias down below people walked their dogs
37:18and kids laughed in the distance the sunset painted the skyline orange before fading into the dark
37:24out of nowhere i asked her mom are you happy now i am happy why because every single day now
37:34is a
37:34choice i make for myself i froze it took me a long time to understand the weight behind those words
37:40the rarest thing for a woman isn't who she marries who loves her or how much cash she has it's
37:45having
37:46the power to change your life no matter what hell you've been through my mom did it and i will
37:50too we
37:51didn't beat anyone we just finally won back ourselves
Comments