- 6 hours ago
After 50 Broken Weddings, I Built My Empire 20 Eps SD Drama
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00I was the heiress from the Upper East Side. He thought I was just some small-town girl from
00:04Texas. Five years at Harvard Law. We were in love. Then, he, the law school star, canceled our
00:09engagement 50 times. 50 times. All for the same woman. This time, the 50th broken promise. On
00:15graduation day, I finally gave up. I decided to leave. The second I walked away, he lost it.
00:21Started looking for me everywhere. In front of the vanity mirror, I put on that wedding dress
00:25for the 50th time. Though I was 104 degrees in fever, Dominic walked into the PhD common
00:29room. Vivian twisted her ankle. I need to take her to the health center. The engagement at
00:34graduation, we'll reschedule. I promise. 50th time. It's fine. Her ankle can't wait. Go.
00:46You're being so understanding. I'll bring you your favorite junior's cheesecake tonight.
00:50Okay. He turned and left. I watched him carry Vivian out. Vivian looked back and smiled in
00:57my direction. He forgot. I hate cheesecake. He used to keep a note of everything I loved
01:02in his phone. Said he'd never forget. One year later, never was over. I picked up scissors
01:07and slashed through the skirt of that dress. The one I'd worn 50 times. I pulled out my phone
01:13and video called my parents. Dad. Mom. Come get me. You're finally ready to come home.
01:22I looked up at my parents on the video call. They'd given me the life of an Upper East Side
01:26heiress. But I pretended to be ordinary. All for Dominic. He came from nothing. Hated when
01:31anyone brought up background. So for 5 years, I never told him who I really was. In those
01:365 years, I grew from a regular student into a well-known Harvard Law PhD student. We too
01:41won the highest JD scholarship every year. Schoolmates called us the power couple of
01:45Harvard Law. Looking back now, pathetic and ridiculous. Okay. I'll come home. Good girl.
01:53The family private jet will come get you at your schedule. The next day, I placed my withdrawal
01:58form on Professor Harrison's desk. Dominic walked in with his thesis. He saw the form and frowned.
02:04You're not staying? Still mad? I didn't say anything. Just stared at the hickey on his neck.
02:09He noticed and covered it instinctively. It's just a mosquito bite. Don't overthink it.
02:15If you want a vacation, just request time off. Suddenly leaving like this, people will think
02:19you have a problem with Viviana. I've used up all my leave. On every single engagement you cancelled.
02:29Forget it. Don't say things you don't mean.
02:32I'll take you to the River Cafe tonight. Make it up to you.
02:36Okay. I know.
02:42Dominic, sorry to interrupt your date, but I really need help. I don't get some footnotes in Chapter 3.
02:48Professor Harrison told me to look it up myself, but I've been there for so long.
02:52I walked out of the office and closed the door behind me. My bracelet slipped off my wrist and
02:56hit the marble floor in the hallway. It shattered. Pieces scattered to Tiffany's feet.
03:02Broke? Don't worry. It's not expensive. Cheap stuff.
03:05Our one-year anniversary gift. From Dominic.
03:08Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean. You're right. Really cheap.
03:14I bent down, picked up the pieces, and dropped them in the trash can at the end of the hallway.
03:20Serena!
03:21I followed Tiffany's gaze and looked back through that big glass window. Dominic opened a red box
03:25and put a bracelet on Vivian's wrist. Cartier. I knew that one. $10,000.
03:30Eyes met through the glass. Serena, there's nothing going on between Dominic and me.
03:35This is just a regular bracelet.
03:38You're right. Very regular.
03:41Back in my Upper East Side home, bracelets like that were regular. He just never knew.
03:46Dominic walked out, frowning. Serena, don't be ridiculous.
03:49Don't worry. I'm just a little disgusted.
03:53Hours later, my phone rang. Dominic. He sounded drunk.
03:57Vivian has a stomach ache. I'm not coming home tonight. I'll plan the post-graduation dinner.
04:01This engagement will be perfect. I promise.
04:03No one will bother us this time.
04:06Dominic.
04:08No, there won't be a next time.
04:1237 missed calls. All from Dominic. I typed. Sent. Dominic, I've left Harvard. We're done.
04:21Don't contact me again.
04:253 days later. I finally turned my old phone back on. Tiffany's call came in right away. She told me
04:31Dominic had been looking for me everywhere after I left.
04:34He went through the trash outside the ADM office. Found the pieces of your bracelet.
04:38Squatted there, picking them up one by one. He still thought you were some small town girl. Said he was
04:43going to your hometown to find you. I told him you're an Upper East Side Harris. That you hid it
04:48all to protect his pride.
04:49Guess what? His face went white. Like someone punched him. Now all Dominic does is try to find you. And
04:57that shameless Vivian, she finally shut up.
04:59No matter how much Dominic begged, Tiffany never gave him my address. She even slapped him once, right in front
05:05of Harvard Law's landmark building. He just held his face, head down, mumbling.
05:11Tiffany. Yeah? Thank you for that slap.
05:17Congratulations to our little princess. Three months and you're already a senior researcher. Go wash your hands. Dinner is almost
05:24ready.
05:25The doorbell rang. I opened the door. A man stood outside. I froze. It was Dominic. But he looked different.
05:35He wore a wrinkled shirt and held something in his hand.
05:38Serena. Serena. How did you find me? I looked for three months and I... He pulled out the thing in
05:45his hand. It was the bracelet. Carefully repaired with glue.
05:48Our anniversary gift. The one you broke. I got it from the trash. Fixed it. Don't bother. Why don't you
05:56give it to Vivian instead? Then again, you've given her so many designer things, she probably wouldn't want this cheap
06:02thing anyway.
06:02I was wrong. Just give me one chance, okay? No. I will never ever make a fool of myself for
06:11that relationship again.
06:13Dominic stubbornly pushed the bracelet into my hand. Take it. This was your favorite bracelet. No strings attached. I just
06:23want you to be happy.
06:28I don't want this stupid thing anymore.
06:38I cherished it back then because I loved you. Anything you gave me, I treasured. But now, I hate you.
06:46Everything that reminds me of you, I don't want to see it.
06:49The door closed in his face. Who was that? Through the window, I saw Dominic bend down and search through
06:56the trash for the pieces.
06:57Just a salesman. The next morning, I left for work. Dominic was leaning against the wall, holding the bracelet pieces.
07:04Like he hadn't slept all night.
07:06Serena. I didn't look back. Got in the car and drove away. He ran after the car.
07:11I know you're still mad. I can't wait. Wait if you want. I'm already driving toward a new life.
07:17Upon arrival, the receptionist at the research institute stopped me.
07:20Serena, flowers for you. Have a good day.
07:22Oh, really?
07:23I smiled and checked the card. Serena, hope you have a good day.
07:27Dominic. My smile faded. I looked outside.
07:31Not a good day.
07:34I threw the flowers in the trash.
07:36Next time he sends anything, throw it out for me. Thanks.
07:39The next day.
07:40Trash it.
07:43Day 3. Day 4. Day 5.
07:45Finally, one day, the receptionist told me the cleaning staff was overwhelmed.
07:50They formally protested.
07:51The next day, I woke up extra early.
07:54Dominic.
07:54He whipped around.
07:55When he saw me, his eyes lit up.
07:59Serena, you're up early?
08:02I walked over, picked up the bouquet, and smashed it in his face.
08:06Petals scattered everywhere.
08:10I was just trying to-
08:11Trying to what?
08:12Make me feel touched?
08:13Make me think you're so devoted?
08:15Dominic, you're not sorry.
08:17You're just bitter.
08:18You're bitter that I walked away.
08:20Bitter that you lost someone who treated you like gold.
08:22But let me tell you something.
08:24I'm not that person anymore.
08:25I know I don't deserve your forgiveness.
08:27I just-
08:29Just want you to be happy.
08:31You want to know the one thing you could do to make me happy?
08:34After making me the punchline 50 times?
08:38Get the hell out of my life.
08:41I thought he'd leave New York after that.
08:43I didn't know he tricked colleagues I was friendly with into helping him ambush me.
08:47When I got to the Institute's lawn, I couldn't believe my eyes.
08:50Dominic.
08:50He'd recreated the exact proposal scene from Harvard's lawn.
08:54Standing at the end of a path covered in rose petals.
08:57Serena?
08:58Will you marry me?
08:59Around us, co-workers started cheering.
09:02Say yes!
09:03Say yes!
09:04My heels sank into the rose petals as I walked toward him, one step at a time.
09:08His eyes were bright.
09:10Certain.
09:11Serena, I know I messed up.
09:12These past three months, I've thought about nothing but-
09:19It echoed across the entire lawn.
09:21Everyone went quiet.
09:23He said he's your boyfriend?
09:25And that you two just-
09:28He said that so you believed him?
09:30Aren't you all legal researchers?
09:32Where's your evidence?
09:33Dominic probably thought if you put together a big enough scene, I'd be moved.
09:37Then forgive him.
09:39You thought if the setting was romantic enough, if you had enough audience around, I'd cave?
09:43You forgot something.
09:45I'm a legal scholar.
09:46The one thing that doesn't work on me is emotional manipulation.
09:49I drove away.
09:51In the rearview mirror, Dominic ran after the car.
09:56Let's welcome our new colleague, Tiffany, again.
09:59Any other business before we adjourn?
10:01The man on the lawn last Saturday was my ex-boyfriend.
10:04We're done.
10:05From today on, I'm not dating anyone.
10:07And I'm not accepting advances from any man.
10:09Someone gasped.
10:10True.
10:11I can vouch for her.
10:14After the meeting, Tiffany caught up with me.
10:16You're really not going to date ever again?
10:18Nope.
10:20What if someone better comes along?
10:22Then he can go find someone better else.
10:24Dominic is still downstairs.
10:27He can stay there.
10:28Sir, you can't stand here all day.
10:30I'm waiting for her.
10:32Dark fell.
10:32He didn't leave.
10:33I looked down from my office window.
10:35He stood under a street lamp, clutching that repaired bracelet in his hand.
10:39I didn't go downstairs.
10:40I waited for him 50 times at our engagements.
10:43No show.
10:44This time, he could wait a lifetime.
10:46I wasn't coming.
10:49Three months.
10:5112-hour work days.
10:52Every day.
10:53Tiffany told me to rest.
10:56I wasted five years on a man.
10:58Now I'm making those five years back.
11:00Academic conference.
11:01A hundred senior researchers in the audience.
11:04I opened my data appendix.
11:06Page by page.
11:07Historical data.
11:08Theoretical models.
11:09Documentary evidence chain.
11:11Project of the year.
11:13Unanimous vote.
11:14I walked out of the lecture hall.
11:17Sunlight hit my face.
11:18My phone rang.
11:20Unknown number.
11:22Serena.
11:22I saw you in an academic journal.
11:25That project, you did amazing.
11:28Yeah.
11:28Are you doing okay?
11:30I looked out the window.
11:31Great.
11:32Better than you.
11:34Hung up.
11:35Blocked.
11:36Deleted.
11:38I started going to court.
11:40Five years.
11:41Case after case.
11:4230 million.
11:4450 million.
11:45100 million.
11:47Lawyer of the year.
11:48Serena Wintock.
11:49Award stage.
11:51Spotlights.
11:51My name engraved on the trophy.
11:54My parents sat in the front row.
11:56Mom wiped away tears.
11:57Applause filled the room.
11:59Tiffany clinked her champagne against mine.
12:01Serena is unstoppable.
12:03I heard her family are investors.
12:05So what?
12:06She's got real talent.
12:08Listening to everyone's praise.
12:10I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
12:12I really had made it.
12:13After the reception, I went back to my office.
12:16There was a letter on my desk.
12:18No name.
12:19I opened it.
12:21Inside was a newspaper clipping of my winning verdict.
12:24Handwritten next to it, congratulations.
12:26D.
12:27I fed the clipping into the shredder.
12:31After the celebration, my firm forced the overworked me to take time off.
12:35I used the vacation to go everywhere.
12:37Beaches in Hawaii.
12:39California coast.
12:40Kayaking on the Mississippi.
12:42Last stop, I met up with Tiffany.
12:44She asked me to revisit an old place.
12:46Finally got you out here.
12:48Do you still remember this place?
12:49Harvard campus.
12:51Where I used to study.
12:52On the law school honor wall.
12:53My photo as a distinguished alumnus.
12:56After visiting Professor Harrison, we left.
12:58Walking down the hallway.
13:00Past an office.
13:01The nameplate on the door said Dominic Black.
13:04Crossed out.
13:04Tiffany glanced at me.
13:06I didn't stop.
13:07Kept walking.
13:08Tiffany grabbed my arm.
13:09A lot happened after you left.
13:11I looked at her.
13:12Go ahead.
13:15Law school coffee shop.
13:17Tiffany poured me a coffee.
13:18Do you know Dominic and Vivian haven't worked here for a long time?
13:21Oh?
13:23He fell apart after you left.
13:25Failed one academic project after another?
13:27Vivian lied and said she was pregnant with his kid.
13:30Sat at home spending his money every day.
13:32Dominic tried to break up with her.
13:33Vivian brought her family to the law school and made a scene.
13:36They forced him to marry her.
13:37He got pushed out of the program.
13:39Sold the house.
13:40Moved back to some small town with Viviana.
13:42Tiffany pulled out her phone.
13:43Showed me a page.
13:45Dominic Black.
13:45A small law firm in some town.
13:47No.
13:47A tiny consulting office.
13:53Is that right?
13:54That's all you have to say?
13:57What else?
13:59Throw a party?
14:01You're right.
14:03Assholes deserve to end up worse and worse.
14:07Tiffany kept telling me the after story of Dominic and Vivian.
14:10They were famous around town.
14:12The miserable couple.
14:13They fought constantly.
14:15It hurt Dominic's work.
14:16After his career collapsed.
14:18He drank every day.
14:19Once.
14:20Dominic got blackout drunk and knelt all night outside my old dorm at Harvard.
14:24Vivian couldn't drag him away.
14:26She just had to let him make a fool of himself.
14:28I lost the only person who ever truly loved me.
14:31What do you think?
14:34Because he never treasured what was with him.
14:39He didn't love me.
14:41He loved the person who loved him.
14:42That person was gone.
14:43So he felt empty.
14:45That's not love.
14:47That's dependency.
14:49You really have changed.
14:51Yeah.
14:52For the better.
14:55A current Harvard student walked into the coffee shop.
14:58What are you guys talking about?
15:00This is your friend.
15:01She's gorgeous.
15:03Yeah.
15:04This is Sophie.
15:06Want to get to know each other?
15:07Come hang out together.
15:09Sure.
15:10Okay.
15:11Tiffany and Sophie walked ahead, chatting.
15:14I followed behind.
15:17Serena, come on.
15:19Have you been to this place before?
15:22Yeah.
15:23He used to bring me here a lot.
15:25You're still talking about H.E.?
15:27What's wrong with mentioning him?
15:29It's not like it's forbidden.
15:32What's past is past.
15:33The things you can say out loud, those are the things you've really let go of.
15:38Okay.
15:39Then today we're walking all over this place, stomping every bad memory into the ground.
15:43With them, I realized I hadn't thought about him in a long time.
15:46Not because I was trying to forget.
15:48Because there were too many good things in my life.
15:51Those 50 rejections?
15:53I'd left them behind.
15:56The three of us walked down the old street.
15:58Passing a small grocery store, Tiffany's face changed.
16:02What are you doing here?
16:03A man stood at the entrance.
16:05It was Dominic.
16:06He saw me too.
16:08The bag dropped.
16:09Serena?
16:10Long time no see.
16:14What are you doing here?
16:16Just passing through.
16:17Can I talk to you for a minute?
16:19Just a minute.
16:21She's gone.
16:23Left last year.
16:24Took the kid.
16:25My mom is sick.
16:26Debts piling up.
16:27The consulting firm isn't bringing in much.
16:30I have nothing now.
16:32What do you want me to say?
16:35I don't know.
16:36Do you still hate me?
16:39Dominic, I don't hate you.
16:40And I don't love you anymore.
16:42How you're doing, it's nothing to do with me.
16:45Those five years, do you regret?
16:47No.
16:48Because those five years made me who I am today.
16:51But Dominic, I'm not going back.
16:57He had the nerve to come find you.
16:59That was...
17:00That him?
17:01That jerk?
17:02The one who canceled 50 times?
17:03Now that his life is garbage, he comes crying to you?
17:05Who does he think he is?
17:07He didn't say much.
17:09Just said he's not doing well.
17:10Then why did you even talk to him?
17:13I talked to him.
17:14Then I left.
17:17Have you really let him go?
17:21In the beginning, when I thought about him, it hurt.
17:25Later, when I thought about him, I felt angry.
17:30Now when I think about him, it's like thinking about an acquaintance I haven't seen in a long time.
17:34No pain, no anger, no hope, no regret.
17:37Just nothing to do with me.
17:40Tiffany was quiet for a moment, then raised her glass.
17:46To nothing to do with me.
17:54We were heading on a train trip.
17:57Serena.
17:58I turned around.
18:00Dominic stood a short distance away.
18:02Out of breath.
18:05I fixed it again.
18:07I know you don't want it.
18:09But I still wanted to give it to you.
18:11For a long time.
18:14I won't break it this time.
18:16His tears fell.
18:17Not because I still love you.
18:20Because this bracelet is proof that I loved.
18:25I'll keep it.
18:26To remind myself how bravely I loved someone once.
18:31And to remind myself that the cracked can never go back.
18:35Goodbye, Dominic.
18:37I turned.
18:38Didn't look back.
18:40The train pulled out of the station.
18:42I sat by the window and took the scarred bracelet out of my pocket.
18:46Held it up to the light.
18:48Sunlight filtered through the cracks, scattering tiny rainbows.
18:53You're really keeping it?
18:54It broke twice.
18:55Got fixed twice.
18:56Not new anymore.
18:57But it carries experience.
18:58And lessons.
18:59People are like that too.
19:02Since when did you get so wise?
19:04Five years with a jerk.
19:05I had to learn something, right?
19:07We both laughed.
19:08The train ride ended.
19:10Before getting off, I took the bracelet out of my pocket.
19:13Took one last look.
19:14Then, I left it by the window.
19:16Turned and walked away.
19:18The bracelet stayed there in the sunset.
19:20Bathed in golden light.
19:21I didn't look back.
19:24After the train, I went back to my Upper East Side mansion.
19:27I walked barefoot on the estate's lawn.
19:30I had dinner with my parents.
19:32Laughed like I meant it.
19:33I clinked glasses with Tiffany at the bar.
19:36Once.
19:37I spent five years loving someone fiercely, 50 times over.
19:4050 times of waiting for a promise that never came.
19:43That woke me up.
19:44Then I learned to love myself.
19:46In the next five years, I focused on my career.
19:49Now I am the rising star of the legal world.
19:52Harvard Law Distinguished Alumni.
19:54I crush it in the courtroom.
19:56Sunset.
19:57Manhattan lights begin to glow.
19:59I walk out of the courthouse.
20:01A limited edition bracelet shines on my wrist.
20:03Catching the city lights.
20:05My phone rings.
20:06Mom, another win today.
20:08I'll be home for dinner soon.
20:10Oh, and the bracelet you gave me today?
20:12It's beautiful.
Comments