- 5 hours ago
The Sister Who Planned His Proposal. Completed English dubbed
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Serena Cole warmed Victor Ashford's bed, carried his child in secret, and watched him publicly
00:05propose to her own sister on live television. The diamond ring satisfies Harper's 80-carat demand.
00:11The venue is the rooftop garden Serena designed for their anniversary. The champagne? The same
00:16vintage she'd saved for the day she planned to tell him about the baby. Harper is the only woman
00:22I've ever truly loved. Victor declared to 40 million viewers, pulling Serena's sister into
00:27a passionate kiss. Serena's hand moved instinctively to her still-flat stomach, where their eight-week
00:33secret grew. The remote control slipped from her trembling fingers, clattering against the marble
00:38floor of the penthouse she'd called home for three years. His penthouse? Never hers. She'd been so
00:44careful, so patient. Victor said he wasn't ready for commitment, so she waited. He said marriage was
00:50just a piece of paper, so she agreed. He said keeping their relationship private protected them both,
00:55so she stayed hidden. The invisible girlfriend, the convenient lover, the fool. Now she understood
01:00she wasn't being protected. She was being contained. Her phone buzzed. A message from Harper.
01:05Did you see? Aren't you happy for me, sis? Victor says you can keep working as his assistant.
01:10He knows how much you need the job. Assistant. That's what everyone thought she was. Victor's
01:15efficient, forgettable personal assistant. Harper had no idea Serena had been sharing Victor's bed,
01:20his secrets, his promises of someday. Another buzz, this time from Victor.
01:25Work trip extended back in two weeks. Don't wait up.
01:28The same lie he'd told her three days ago when he'd kissed her goodbye and said he had a business
01:33emergency in Singapore. He was 30 floors below her right now, on his knees before her sister.
01:38Serena walked to the bedroom, their bedroom, and pulled out the pregnancy test she'd hidden in her
01:44jewelry box. Two pink lines. Undeniable proof of three years of lies. She had two choices. Beg for
01:50scraps of a man who'd never been hers, or burn it all down. The penthouse door clicked open behind her.
01:56Serena.
01:57A deep, unfamiliar voice.
01:59I believe we need to talk about your exit strategy.
02:02She spun around. A man stood in the doorway, tall, dark-haired, with eyes like frozen steel.
02:08He wore a black suit that cost more than her annual salary, and he looked at her like he could
02:12see
02:12straight through to her bones. Who the hell are you?
02:16Dominic Ashford.
02:17His lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile.
02:21Victor's older brother, and I have a proposal that will make him regret every second he wasted on your sister.
02:32Serena's mind raced. Victor had a brother? In three years, he'd never mentioned family.
02:37She'd assumed he was alone in the world. A self-made billionaire with no attachments.
02:42Another lie to add to the pile.
02:44How did you get in here?
02:45She demanded.
02:46Acutely aware that she was alone with a stranger in Victor's penthouse,
02:50wearing nothing but a silk robe, Dominic's gaze swept over her briefly clinical assessing
02:55before returning to her face.
02:57I own this building. I own most of Victor's buildings.
03:00Though he prefers the world not know that.
03:02You're lying.
03:03I don't lie.
03:05He stepped closer, and Serena fought the urge to retreat.
03:08Victor does. Constantly. To investors. To women. To himself.
03:14But never to me. Because he knows better.
03:18He pulled out his phone and showed her a photograph.
03:20It was Victor at maybe 19 or 20, standing beside a younger Dominic with matching dark hair and sharp jawlines.
03:27But where Victor's expression was eager, almost desperate, Dominic's was cold, controlled.
03:31He's my half-brother.
03:33Dominic explained.
03:33Same father, different mothers. When our father died, I inherited the Ashford Empire.
03:38Victor got an allowance and a bruised ego. Everything he's built since then, funded by me, supervised by me, owned
03:43by me.
03:44Serena's legs felt weak.
03:46Why are you telling me this?
03:47Because in approximately three hours, Victor will return to this penthouse,
03:51expecting to find his obedient little assistant waiting for him.
03:55Instead, he'll find an empty closet and a letter of resignation.
03:59And why would I do that?
04:01Dominic's eyes dropped to her hand, the one still unconsciously pressed against her stomach.
04:05Because you're pregnant with his child, and you just discovered he's engaged to your sister.
04:11Am I wrong?
04:12The blood drained from her face.
04:14How?
04:14I have security footage of you buying that test.
04:17I have medical records from your doctor's appointment last week.
04:21And I have three years of surveillance showing exactly how Victor has treated you.
04:25You've been watching me?
04:27I've been watching him. You were simply in the frame.
04:30He tilted his head slightly.
04:32But now you have my full attention, Serena, and I'd like to offer you a deal.
04:36Her heart hammered against her ribs.
04:38What kind of deal?
04:39Marry me.
04:40The words hung in the air between them, impossible and absurd.
04:43You're insane.
04:44I'm practical.
04:46He corrected.
04:47Victor has spent five years trying to prove he doesn't need me.
04:49Disengagement to your sister is his latest attempt.
04:52Her family has connections he wants.
04:54Influence I've denied him.
04:55If I marry you first, his fianchi's own sister, I don't just embarrass him.
04:58I destroy him.
05:00Serena shook her head, backing away until her shoulders hit the window.
05:04I'm not a weapon for your family's feud.
05:07No.
05:07Dominic agreed, moving closer still.
05:09Woman who's been betrayed, humiliated, and abandoned while carrying the child.
05:14I'm offering you revenge, resources, and protection.
05:17All I ask in return is 12 months as my wife.
05:22And the baby?
05:23Something flickered in his cold eyes too fast to read.
05:27The baby will want for nothing.
05:29I'll establish a trust fund before the ink dries on our marriage certificate.
05:32When our contract ends, you'll walk away with $50 million in full custody.
05:36$50 million, enough to disappear.
05:39Enough to give her child everything Victor would have denied them.
05:43Why?
05:43She whispered.
05:44Why do you hate him so much?
05:46Dominic's jaw tightened.
05:47Because 15 years ago, he stood by while our father destroyed someone I loved.
05:52He siloed.
05:54And he's been laughing ever since, convinced I've forgotten.
05:58His hand reached out, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze.
06:02I haven't forgotten, Serena.
06:04And after tomorrow night, neither will he.
06:06What happens tomorrow night?
06:08The Ashford Foundation Gala.
06:10Every major investor, every society columnist, every person who matters will be there to celebrate Victor's engagement.
06:16Dominic's smile was razor sharp.
06:18Imagine their faces when I walk in with his pregnant mistress on my arm as my wife.
06:29Wedding happened at midnight in a private judge's chambers, witnessed only by Dominic's lawyer and a woman Serena didn't recognize.
06:36She signed her name with shaking hands, wearing a white Valentino gown that had materialized in her hotel room two
06:42hours earlier.
06:42Dominic had thought of everything.
06:44A new phone, a new credit card, a suite at the Ritz-Carlton, far from Victor's penthouse and Harper's prying
06:50eyes.
06:51You look terrified.
06:52Dominic observed as they left the courthouse, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back.
06:57I just married a stranger to destroy my ex-boyfriend.
07:00Terror seems appropriate.
07:01I'm not a stranger.
07:03I'm your husband.
07:04He opened the car door for her, his expression unreadable.
07:08You should start practicing that word.
07:10You'll be saying it often tomorrow.
07:12The drive back to the hotel was silent.
07:14Serena stared out the window at the glittering Manhattan skyline, wondering if she'd just made the worst mistake of her
07:20life or the best.
07:22When they reached her suite, Dominic walked her to the door but didn't follow her inside.
07:26Get some sleep.
07:27He said.
07:29Tomorrow will be...
07:31Eventful.
07:33Aren't you?
07:34She stopped, flushing.
07:35I mean, don't you want to...
07:37His eyebrows rose slightly.
07:39Consumate our arrangement?
07:40The word dripped with irony.
07:42No.
07:43Our contract is business, Serena.
07:45I have no interest in forcing intimacy where none exists.
07:48She should have felt relieved.
07:50Instead, something that felt absurdly like disappointment flickered through her.
07:54Then why did you insist on marriage?
07:56A fake engagement would have been enough to embarrass Victor?
08:00Dominic leaned against the doorframe, studying her with those unsettling eyes.
08:04Because engagements can be broken, marriages require divorce.
08:08By the time Victor recovers from tomorrow's humiliation, you'll be legally protected as an Ashford.
08:13Your child will be my legal heir.
08:15Even if he tries to claim paternity, I'll have established months of documented marriage first.
08:20You've really thought this through.
08:23I've had 15 years to plan.
08:25He straightened, adjusting his cufflinks.
08:27One more thing.
08:28Tomorrow night, when you see Victor, and you will see him, I need you to do something for me.
08:34What?
08:35Smile.
08:36He turned and walked away before she could respond.
08:39Serena barely slept.
08:40When morning came, a team of stylists invaded her suite.
08:44Hair, makeup, nails.
08:46A final fitting for the crimson gown Dominic had selected for the gala.
08:50Mr. Ashford said to tell you this color will photograph beautifully.
08:54One stylist mentioned,
08:55And that your sister will be wearing white.
08:57Of course, Harper would wear white.
08:59The blushing bride-to-be, pure and innocent.
09:02Basking in Victor's adoration.
09:03Meanwhile, Serena would walk in wearing the color of blood.
09:07Of fire.
09:07Of war.
09:08Good, she thought savagely.
09:10Let them see me coming.
09:12At 7 o'clock, Dominic arrived at her door.
09:14He wore a black tuxedo that made him look like something carved from shadow and ice.
09:19His eyes swept over her slowly.
09:21Her carefully styled hair.
09:22Her dramatic makeup.
09:23The way the red silk clung to curves she usually hid.
09:26You look.
09:27He paused.
09:28And for one breathless moment.
09:30Acceptable.
09:30His controlled expression cracked.
09:32Acceptable?
09:33She almost laughed.
09:34I spent six hours with the glam squad for Psy Acceptable.
09:38Would you prefer, I tell you, that every man in that ballroom will want you tonight?
09:43His voice dropped lower.
09:44That my brother will realize exactly what he threw away.
09:47Her breath caught.
09:48Dominic extended his arm.
09:50Come, Mrs. Ashford.
09:52Let's go break some hearts.
09:57The Ashford Foundation Gala was held in the grand ballroom of the Sinclair Hotel, a venue Serena had booked herself
10:0418 months ago for the company's annual charity event.
10:07She knew every corner, every entrance, every emergency exit.
10:11She'd never expected to walk through the main doors as a guest.
10:14Cameras flashed the moment they stepped inside.
10:16Dominic's arm tightened around her waist, pulling her closer as reporters shouted questions.
10:21Mr. Ashford, who is your companion?
10:24Is it true you've been estranged from your brother?
10:27Sir, can you confirm?
10:29Dominic ignored them all, guiding Serena through the crowd with the ease of a man who'd spent his life being
10:35watched.
10:35His hand never left her body, her waist, her back, her hip, claiming her with every touch.
10:41This is a performance, she reminded herself.
10:44He's marking his territory.
10:45But when his thumb brushed against the bare skin above her gown's low back, she shivered in a way that
10:50had nothing to do with strategy.
10:52They were halfway across the ballroom when she saw them.
10:55Victor stood near the champagne fountain, devastatingly handsome in his white dinner jacket, his arm wrapped around Harper's slender waist.
11:03Her sister wore a princess-cut white gown dripping with crystals.
11:06Her blonde hair swept into an elegant updo.
11:09She looked like a bride already radiant, triumphant, glowing with the certainty that she'd won.
11:14And then Harper looked up, their eyes met across the crowded room.
11:17Serena watched her sister's expression shift from confusion to recognition to pure, undiluted shock.
11:23Serena!
11:24Harper's voice cut through the ambient noise.
11:28What are you?
11:30Why are you here?
11:31Victor turned.
11:33For one satisfying moment, his composure shattered completely.
11:37His face went pale, then red, then pale again as his gaze moved from Serena to Dominic, to their intertwined
11:44hands.
11:45Brother.
11:46Dominic's greeting was ice-wrapped in silk.
11:48Congratulations on your engagement.
11:50I don't believe you've met my wife.
11:52The word landed like a bomb.
11:54You're what?
11:55Victor's voice cracked.
11:56Dominic raised Serena's left hand, displaying the obscenely large diamond that had appeared on her finger that morning.
12:02We were married last night.
12:04I would have invited you, but it was rather spontaneous.
12:07Harper grabbed Serena's arm, her perfectly manicured nails digging in.
12:11This is insane!
12:13You can't be married to him!
12:15You're Victor's assistant!
12:17Was.
12:18Serena corrected, her voice steadier than she felt.
12:21I resigned yesterday.
12:23You!
12:23Harper's eyes darted between them, calculations visible behind her pageant queen smile.
12:28This doesn't make sense.
12:30You don't even know Dominic.
12:31I know him well enough.
12:33Serena leaned into Dominic's side, and his arm curved around her shoulders, protective and possessive.
12:39He's been very attentive.
12:42Victor stepped forward, his charm finally kicking back in.
12:45Serena, can we talk privately?
12:49There's clearly been some misunderstanding!
12:51There's no misunderstanding.
12:53Dominic's voice hardened, his casual demeanor evaporating.
12:56My wife has nothing to say to you.
12:59And if you touch her, I'll have security remove you from your own party.
13:06Your wife?
13:07Victor laughed, but it sounded brittle.
13:10You don't even like women, Dominic.
13:12Everyone knows you're...
13:13Careful.
13:14The single word silenced the entire group.
13:17You're about to say something you'll regret in front of approximately 200 witnesses and a dozen journalists.
13:24The tension stretched tight enough to snap.
13:26Serena could feel the attention of the entire ballroom pressing against them, hundreds of eyes hungry for scandal.
13:32Then Dominic smiled.
13:34Cold, triumphant, terrible.
13:36By the way, Victor, when you're planning your wedding, you might want to choose a different venue.
13:41The Sinclair is booked for the foreseeable future.
13:44He paused, letting the implications sink in.
13:47I bought it this morning.
13:52He guided Serena away before Victor could respond, leaving her ex-boyfriend and sister standing frozen amid the whispers.
13:59That was...
14:00Serena's voice shook.
14:01Just the beginning.
14:02Dominic pulled her onto the dance floor as the orchestra started a waltz.
14:06His hand settled on her waist, drawing her close.
14:09Now smile, Mrs. Ashford.
14:11The photographers are watching.
14:13She looked up at him, this stranger who was now her husband, this man who'd just declared war on his
14:19own brother for reasons she still didn't fully understand.
14:22Why do I feel like I'm a pawn in a much bigger game?
14:25His grip tightened almost imperceptibly.
14:27Because you're smart.
14:28He spun her gracefully, and when they came back together, his lips brushed her ear.
14:32But you're not a pawn, Serena.
14:34You're the queen, and queens don't get sacrificed.
14:37Before she could respond, a familiar voice cut through the music.
14:40Serena!
14:41Oh my god, Serena!
14:44She turned to find her mother pushing through the crowd, face flushed with champagne and fury and Harper right behind
14:50her, tears streaming down her cheeks.
14:53How could you do this to your sister?
14:55Her mother demanded, grabbing her arm.
14:57On the night of her engagement, have you no shame?
15:02Serena opened her mouth to respond, but Dominic stepped smoothly between them, his body blocking her mother's reach.
15:09Mrs. Cole.
15:10His voice was polite but frigid.
15:12I don't believe we've been introduced.
15:14I'm Dominic Ashford, your daughter's husband.
15:17He smiled, all teeth.
15:19And I should warn you, if you touch my wife again, you'll find yourself removed from the guest list of
15:24every event in this city, permanently.
15:26Her mother's face went purple with rage.
15:28Dominic continued, turning back to Serena.
15:31Now, I believe you were about to tell your family our happy news.
15:35Unless you'd prefer I do the honors?
15:37Happy news.
15:38The baby.
15:39He wanted her to announce the pregnancy here, now, in front of everyone.
15:43Serena looked at Harper's tear-streaked face, at Victor's barely concealed panic, at her mother's outraged horror.
15:49And she smiled.
15:51Actually, she said, loud enough for the nearby guests to hear.
15:55I was saving this for later.
15:57But since we're all together, she placed her hand on her stomach.
16:00Watching Victor's face drain of color.
16:02Dominic and I are expecting.
16:04The ballroom erupted.
16:08The aftermath was chaos.
16:10Reporters swarmed.
16:11Cameras flashed.
16:13Harper collapsed into Victor's arms with theatrical sobs, while their mother screamed accusations that security quickly muffled.
16:20Through it all, Dominic kept Serena close, shielding her from the worst of the frenzy with his body and his
16:25influence.
16:26Within an hour, they were in his car, speeding away from the Sinclair.
16:30That was a disaster.
16:32Serena breathed, her hands still shaking.
16:35That was a masterpiece.
16:36Dominic loosened his bow tie, looking more relaxed than she'd ever seen him.
16:40By morning, every gossip site in the country will be running the story.
16:44Victor's engagement is ruined.
16:46His reputation is in tatters.
16:48And you.
16:49He glanced at her sideways.
16:51You're the mysterious beauty who stole the Ashford heir's heart.
16:54I'm also the woman who just told the world she's pregnant.
16:59Reality crashed over her like ice water.
17:01What happens when they do the math?
17:03When they realize the timeline doesn't work?
17:06It works perfectly.
17:07Dominic's voice was calm.
17:09We were married yesterday.
17:11You're newly pregnant too early to show.
17:14It's too early to confirm paternity definitively.
17:18By the time any tests could prove otherwise,
17:21I'll have established such a thorough paper trail of our secret relationship
17:25that no one will question it.
17:27You planned this.
17:28I told you.
17:30Fifteen years.
17:32Serena stared at him, really seeing him for the first time.
17:35The sharp lines of his profile.
17:37The tension in his jaw.
17:39The way his hands gripped the armrest just slightly too tight.
17:42What did Victor do to you?
17:43She asked quietly.
17:45The person you loved.
17:47Dominic was silent for a long moment.
17:49The city lights flickered across his face as they drove,
17:52casting shadows that made him look almost vulnerable.
17:55Her name was Elena.
17:56He finally said.
17:59She was a maid in our father's house.
18:01I was 22.
18:03Stupid.
18:05In love.
18:06His voice hardened.
18:08Our father found out.
18:11He had her deported.
18:13Blacklisted from every employment agency in the country.
18:16When I tried to find her,
18:18he threatened to cut me off entirely.
18:20Not from money, but from the company.
18:23From the legacy I'd raised to inherit.
18:26And Victor?
18:27Victor was 17.
18:29He could have helped me.
18:31Could have spoken up.
18:33Told our father the truth.
18:34About what kind of man he was.
18:37Instead, he laughed.
18:39Called Elena a gold digger.
18:41Said I deserve to learn my lesson about...
18:45The help.
18:46Serena's stomach turned.
18:47That's monstrous.
18:49That's Victor.
18:50Dominic turned to face her fully,
18:52his eyes burning with cold fire.
18:54He spent his entire adult life
18:57pretending to be someone he's not.
18:59Charming, generous, romantic.
19:02But under Nathith?
19:03He's our father's son.
19:06Cruel.
19:07Entitled.
19:08In cable of seeing anyone else is fully human.
19:11I know.
19:12The words came out raw.
19:14I spent three years making excuses for him.
19:17Believing his promises.
19:19Thinking if I was just patient enough,
19:21good enough,
19:22invisible enough,
19:23he'd finally see me.
19:25And now?
19:27Now I want him to burn.
19:29Dominic's lips curved into something almost like approval.
19:32Good.
19:33Because tomorrow morning, we start phase two.
19:36The penthouse Dominic brought her to was nothing like Victor's sleek, modern apartment.
19:42It was warm,
19:58It was warm, rich wood, soft lighting, books everywhere.
20:12I don't know what I want.
20:14I don't know what I want.
20:15Serena admitted.
20:1724 hours ago, I was planning my future with your brother.
20:20Now I'm married to you.
20:22Pregnant with his baby.
20:23And apparently at war with my entire family.
20:27Dominic crossed to her slowly,
20:30stopping close enough that she could smell his cologne sandalwood and something darker,
20:34more dangerous.
20:35Then let me make it simple.
20:38His hand came up to cup her face,
20:40tilting it toward the light.
20:42For the next 12 months,
20:44you belong to me.
20:45Not because I own you,
20:48but because I chose you.
20:50Because when I saw you standing in that penthouse with your heart breaking,
20:54I recognized something.
20:56What?
20:56Someone who's been underestimated their entire life.
20:59His thumb traced her cheekbone.
21:01Someone who's been waiting for permission to be powerful.
21:05Serena's breath caught.
21:07And you're giving me permission?
21:08I'm giving you resources.
21:10His voice dropped lower.
21:11The permission was always yours to take.
21:14For a long moment, neither of them moved.
21:16The air between them crackled with tension,
21:19attraction, danger,
21:20the promise of something neither had planned for.
21:22Then Dominic stepped back,
21:24his expression smoothing into careful neutrality.
21:27Get some rest, Serena.
21:29Tomorrow we have a war to win.
21:31He walked away,
21:33leaving her standing alone in the warmth of his living room,
21:36heart pounding,
21:38wondering when exactly revenge had started to feel like something else entirely.
21:48Serena woke to sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows
21:51and the smell of fresh coffee.
21:53For one disoriented moment,
21:55she forgot where she was,
21:57forgot the gala,
21:58the announcement,
21:59the bomb she'd detonated on her old life.
22:01Then she saw the massive diamond on her finger,
22:04and everything came rushing back.
22:06She found Dominic in the kitchen,
22:08already dressed in a charcoal suit,
22:10scrolling through his tablet while a chef prepared breakfast.
22:13He looked up when she entered,
22:14his gaze traveling over her sleep-rumpled appearance
22:17with an expression she couldn't read.
22:19You made the front page.
22:20He turned the tablet toward her.
22:22Several of them, actually.
22:24The headline screamed,
22:26Ashford family scandal,
22:28secret wedding,
22:29surprise pregnancy,
22:30and a brother betrayed.
22:31Below it was a photo from the gala,
22:33Serena in her red gown,
22:35pressed against Dominic's side,
22:36her hand on her stomach.
22:38She looked fierce,
22:39beautiful,
22:40nothing like the invisible woman she'd been for three years.
22:43They're calling it the social event of the decade.
22:45Dominic continued.
22:47Victor's engagement has been postponed indefinitely.
22:51Your sister released a statement calling you mentally unstable.
22:55Of course she did.
22:56Serena sank into a chair,
22:57accepting the coffee the chef offered.
22:59Harper's always been good at playing the victim.
23:02So were you, once.
23:04Dominic's voice was matter of fact.
23:06The difference is,
23:08she chose it.
23:09You were forced into it.
23:11Before Serena could respond,
23:13her phone, the new one Dominic,
23:15had given her buzzed with a notification.
23:17Then another.
23:18Then a flood.
23:18Your old number's been leaked.
23:20Dominic observed.
23:21I'd recommend not reading the messages.
23:24Too late.
23:25Serena had already opened the first one.
23:27Victor, we need to talk.
23:29Please, this isn't what you think.
23:31Victor, Dominic is using you.
23:33He's been planning something like this for years.
23:35You're just a pawn.
23:37Victor, I love you.
23:38I've always loved you.
23:40Harper meant nothing.
23:40Harper, you vindictive bitch.
23:43I hope you're happy destroying our family.
23:45Mom, your father had a heart episode last night.
23:48I hope you can live with yourself.
23:50Serena's hands trembled.
23:52My father...
23:53Is fine.
23:54Dominic took the phone from her gently.
23:56I had my people check.
23:57It was indigestion.
23:59Not a heart attack.
24:01Your mother is weaponizing his health to manipulate you.
24:04You had people check?
24:05I have people everywhere.
24:06He set the phone aside, out of her reach.
24:08Serena, listen to me.
24:10Your family has spent your entire life making you feel responsible for their emotions.
24:14That's not love.
24:15That's control.
24:17I know that.
24:18Logically, I know that.
24:20She pressed her palms against her eyes.
24:22But knowing it and feeling it are different things.
24:24Dominic was quiet for a moment.
24:26Then he did something unexpected.
24:28He pulled a chair close to hers and sat down, their knees almost touching.
24:32When I left Elena...
24:33He said quietly...
24:35I told myself I was being practical.
24:37That my inheritance mattered more than one woman.
24:40That I could find her later.
24:42Make it right.
24:43His jaw tightened.
24:44By the time I had the power to search for her...
24:47She'd married someone else.
24:49Had children.
24:50Built a life without me.
24:52I'm sorry.
24:53Don't be.
24:54I made my choice.
24:56I've lived with it.
24:58His eyes met hers, intense and unguarded.
25:01My point is...
25:03The people who claim to love us often cause the most damage.
25:07And sometimes the kindest thing we can do...
25:09For them and for ourselves...
25:12Is walk away.
25:14Serena absorbed his words, feeling something shift inside her.
25:19Is that what you did?
25:20Walked away from your father?
25:22I buried him.
25:23Dominic's smile was cold.
25:25After I took everything he built...
25:28And made it better.
25:29Proved I didn't need his approval to succeed.
25:32He leaned back slightly.
25:34Now I'm going to do the same thing to Victor.
25:36The question is...
25:38Are you still with me?
25:39She thought about the messages on her phone.
25:42The lies Victor had told.
25:44The way Harper had smiled while stealing her life.
25:47I'm with you.
25:48Good.
25:49Dominic stood, extending his hand.
25:51Then get dressed.
25:52We have a board meeting in two hours.
25:55And I want to introduce my wife to the shareholders.
26:00The Ashford Corporation headquarters occupied 40 floors of a Manhattan skyscraper, all glass
26:06and steel and intimidating luxury.
26:08Serena had been here before as Victor's invisible assistant, carrying his coffee, taking his
26:13notes, fading into the background.
26:15Today, she walked through the lobby on Dominic's arm, wearing a cream-colored Chanel suit that
26:21probably cost more than her old apartment's rent.
26:23Every head turned.
26:24Every whisper followed.
26:26Every whisper followed.
26:27They're staring.
26:27She murmured.
26:28Let them.
26:29Dominic's hand pressed against her lower back.
26:32You're in Ashford now.
26:33They should stare.
26:34The board meeting was held in a glass-walled conference room on the 38th floor.
26:38Twelve executives sat around a polished table, their expressions ranging from curious to hostile.
26:43Victor was notably absent.
26:45Ladies and gentlemen.
26:47Dominic began, taking his seat at the head of the table.
26:50I believe you've all seen the news.
26:53Allow me to officially introduce my wife, Serena Ashford.
26:56She nodded gracefully, channeling every etiquette lesson her mother had forced on her as a
27:01child.
27:02Thank you for the welcome.
27:03This is Ashford.
27:05An older man, Gerald, the CFO, leaned forward.
27:08Forgive my bluntness, but this marriage is rather sudden.
27:13Some of us have concerns about its impact on the company's stability.
27:17Your concerns are noted.
27:18Dominic's voice was silk over steel.
27:21And irrelevant.
27:22My personal life is not subject to board approval.
27:26But Victor's position might be.
27:28Another executive interjected.
27:30Given the circumstances.
27:31Some shareholders are questioning whether the CO role should remain in family hands.
27:36Serena watched Dominic's expression carefully.
27:39This was it.
27:40The real reason for the board meeting.
27:42Not to introduce her, but to strike while Victor was weakened.
27:45Victor's position will be reviewed.
27:47Dominic agreed smoothly.
27:49Along with several of his recent decisions.
27:51I've discovered some irregularities in his division's accounting.
27:56The room went very still.
27:58What kind of irregularities?
28:00Gerald asked.
28:01Dominic slid a folder across the table.
28:03The kind that warrant a full audit.
28:05Effective immediately.
28:06As the executives passed the folder around.
28:09Their expressions shifting from confusion to alarm.
28:12Serena finally understood the scope of Dominic's plan.
28:15He wasn't just humiliating Victor socially.
28:17He was dismantling him professionally.
28:19Systematically.
28:20Leaving no avenue of escape.
28:22It was ruthless.
28:23Calculated.
28:24Devastating.
28:25And she found it incredibly attractive.
28:27After the meeting.
28:28Dominic led her to his private office.
28:30A corner suite with views of the entire city.
28:33He poured two glasses of whiskey.
28:35And handed her one.
28:37You did well in there.
28:38He said.
28:39Better than expected.
28:40I learned from watching Victor for three years.
28:42She took a sip.
28:43Letting the burns settle her nerves.
28:45He always said the key to boardroom politics.
28:48Was looking confident even when you're terrified.
28:50He's not entirely wrong.
28:52Dominic settled into the chair beside her.
28:54Close enough that their shoulders almost touched.
28:56Though I prefer actually.
28:58Being confident.
28:59It's more efficient.
29:00Serena laughed.
29:01A real laugh.
29:03Surprising them both.
29:04Is that what you are?
29:05Efficient?
29:06Brutally.
29:07His eyes softened slightly.
29:08Though I'm discovering that some things are worth being.
29:11Enfyan about.
29:13The air between them shifted.
29:14Serena became acutely aware of his proximity.
29:17The warmth of his body.
29:19The way his gaze dropped briefly to her lips.
29:22Dominic.
29:22His phone buzzed.
29:24Shattering the moment.
29:25He glanced at the screen.
29:26And his expression hardened instantly.
29:28We need to leave.
29:30Now.
29:31What's wrong?
29:32Victor's at the penthouse.
29:33His voice was tight with controlled anger.
29:35He's demanding to see you.
29:39They arrived to find Victor pacing the lobby like a caged animal.
29:43Two security guards watching him warily.
29:45The moment he saw Serena.
29:47His face crumpled into something that almost looked like genuine anguish.
29:51Serena, thank god.
29:53He moved toward her.
29:54But Dominic stepped between them.
29:56A wall of cold fury.
29:57You weren't invited.
29:58I need to talk to my...
30:02Victor stopped.
30:03Recalculating.
30:05To Serena.
30:06Alone.
30:08No.
30:09Dominic, please.
30:11Victor's voice cracked.
30:12Five minutes.
30:14That's all I'm asking.
30:16Serena studied the man she'd loved for three years.
30:19His perfect hair now disheveled.
30:21His designer suit wrinkled.
30:23His eyes red-rimmed and desperate.
30:26He looked broken.
30:28A month ago that would have destroyed her.
30:31Now, she felt only a cold satisfaction.
30:35Five minutes.
30:37She said quietly.
30:38Dominic turned sharply.
30:40Serena.
30:41I can handle him.
30:43She met his gaze steadily.
30:45Trust me.
30:46Something passed between them.
30:49A silent communication.
30:51A test of the partnership they were building.
30:53Finally, Dominic stepped aside.
30:55I'll be right outside.
30:56Victor practically dragged her into a nearby sitting room, closing the door behind them.
31:01The moment they were alone, he grabbed her hands.
31:04This is insane, Serena.
31:07You have to know that.
31:08Dominic doesn't care about you.
31:10He's using you to get to me.
31:12Everything he's doing is revenge for something that happened fifteen years ago.
31:17I know.
31:18He blinked.
31:19You know?
31:20He told me.
31:21About Elena.
31:23About what you did.
31:25Victor's grip tightened.
31:27I was seventeen.
31:29A stupid kid trying to please my father.
31:31I've regretted it every day since...
31:35Have you?
31:36Serena pulled her hands free.
31:38Because from where I stood, you seemed pretty comfortable being cruel.
31:43To Elena.
31:44To me.
31:45To every woman who made the mistake of trusting you.
31:49That's not fair.
31:51I loved you.
31:53You hid me.
31:54Her voice rose.
31:56For three years, Victor.
31:58Three years of being your dirty secret.
32:01While you smiled for cameras and dated actresses and let the world think you were single.
32:06You proposed to my size sister.
32:08While I was carrying your child.
32:10I didn't know about the baby.
32:13Would it have mattered?
32:14The question hung between them, sharp as a blade.
32:17Victor opened his mouth.
32:18Closed it.
32:19Tried again.
32:21I would've...
32:23I could've...
32:24You would've asked me to get rid of it.
32:26Serena's voice was flat.
32:28Or paid me to disappear.
32:29Or convinced me it was for the best that nobody ever knew.
32:32Because that's who you are, Victor.
32:34Someone who takes and takes and never considers the cost.
32:37His face twisted.
32:39And Dominic's different.
32:40He's a monster Serena.
32:43Cold-blooded.
32:44Calculationating.
32:45He's never loved anyone in his life!
32:47Maybe not.
32:50But he's never lied to me either.
32:52She turned toward the door.
32:54But Victor caught her arm.
32:57The baby.
32:58His voice dropped to a whisper.
33:00Is it really mine?
33:02Serena looked at him.
33:04Really looked.
33:05Memorizing every detail of his face.
33:08The face she'd once loved.
33:10The face she'd dreamed of seeing every morning for the rest of her life.
33:13It doesn't matter.
33:15She said finally.
33:17Because according to every legal document.
33:19Every public record.
33:21And every person who matters.
33:23This baby is an Ashford.
33:26Dominic's Ashford.
33:27She pulled her arm free and walked out.
33:30Leaving Victor standing alone in the ruins of everything he'd thought he controlled.
33:40That night, Serena couldn't sleep.
33:43She wandered into the penthouse's living room.
33:46Wearing one of the silk robes Dominic had provided.
33:49And found him already there, sitting in the dark.
33:52A glass of whiskey in his hand.
33:54Staring out at the city lights.
33:56Couldn't sleep either?
33:57She asked quietly.
33:59I rarely do.
34:00He didn't turn around.
34:02It's when the mind is quietest that the memories are loudest.
34:05She settled onto the couch beside him.
34:07Close enough to feel his warmth but not quite touching.
34:11What do you think about?
34:13When you can't sleep?
34:15Elena sometimes.
34:16My father.
34:18The choices I made.
34:20He finally looked at her.
34:22And in the dim light, his eyes seemed less cold, more human.
34:26Tonight, I'm thinking about you.
34:29Me?
34:31What Victor said.
34:33That I'm using you.
34:34He set down his glass, turning to face her fully.
34:38He's not entirely wrong.
34:40I know.
34:42Does that bother you?
34:44Serena considered the question carefully.
34:47It bothered me at first.
34:50Being a pawn in someone else's game.
34:52She pulled her knees up to her chest.
34:54But then I realized I was already a pawn in Victor's game.
34:58At least with you.
34:59I know the rules.
35:01And if the rules change?
35:03Then we renegotiate.
35:05She met his gaze steadily.
35:07That's what partners do.
35:09Something shifted in his expression.
35:11Surprise, maybe, or admiration.
35:13Partners.
35:15Isn't that what we are?
35:16He was silent for a long moment.
35:18Then he reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with unexpected gentleness.
35:24I've never had a partner before.
35:27Not really.
35:29His voice was rough.
35:31I'm not sure I know how.
35:33Neither do I.
35:34She leaned slightly into his touch.
35:36But I'm willing to learn if you are.
35:38The air between them crackled with tension.
35:41Serena could feel her heart pounding.
35:43Could see the conflict in Dominic's eyes.
35:46Desire warring with caution.
35:49Want battling control.
35:50Serena.
35:51His voice was strained.
35:53If we start this, I won't be able to stop.
35:56Who asked you to stop?
35:58She closed the distance between them.
36:00Pressing her lips to his.
36:02For one breathless moment.
36:04He was perfectly still.
36:06Then his control shattered.
36:08His hands tangled in her hair as he deepened the kiss.
36:11Pulling her onto his lap with a growl of pure want.
36:14She gasped against his mouth.
36:17Overwhelmed by the intensity so different from Victor's practiced charm.
36:21Raw and desperate and real.
36:23Tell me to stop.
36:24He groaned against her throat.
36:26Maybe this is a mistake.
36:28No.
36:30She grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her.
36:33No more hiding.
36:35No more pretending.
36:37I want this.
36:39I want you.
36:41His eyes blazed.
36:42You don't know what you're asking for.
36:46No, she won't.
36:47He lifted her like she weighed nothing, carrying her toward his bedroom with determined strides.
36:53The door slammed behind them, and Serena finally understood what it meant to be truly wanted.
36:59No more hiding.
37:00No more hiding.
37:06No more hiding.
37:07No more hiding.
37:08No more hiding.
37:08No more hiding.
37:09No more hiding.
37:10Morning light found them tangled together in Dominic's massive bed.
37:13Her head on his chest.
37:15His arm wrapped possessively around her waist.
37:17Serena traced lazy patterns on his skin, marveling at how different everything felt.
37:24Regrets?
37:24He asked, his voice rough with sleep.
37:27None.
37:28She propped herself up to look at him.
37:30You?
37:31His answer was to pull her down for a long, thorough kiss.
37:35I've wanted to do that since the moment I saw you.
37:37He admitted when they finally broke apart.
37:40Standing in Victor's penthouse with your heart breaking.
37:43You looked so fierce, so determined not to let him see you cry.
37:47You were watching, even then?
37:50I told you.
37:51I've been watching for a long time.
37:53His hand curved around her jaw.
37:55At first it was just surveillance, keeping track of Victor's vulnerabilities.
38:00But somewhere along the way, it became something else.
38:04Something else?
38:05Obsession.
38:06His eyes were intense.
38:08You fascinated me, Serena.
38:10The way you survived him.
38:12The way you kept your dignity even when he gave you nothing.
38:15I found myself wondering what you'd be like if someone actually appreciated you.
38:19And now you know?
38:21Now I know.
38:23He kissed her forehead.
38:25And I have no intention of letting you go.
38:28The next few weeks passed in a blur of strategy and seduction.
38:32Dominic's audit of Victor's division uncovered a pattern of embezzlement and fraud.
38:36Enough to justify his removal as COO, though not quite enough for criminal charges.
38:42Victor fought back viciously, planting stories in the press, trying to turn shareholders against Dominic, even hiring a private investigator
38:50to dig up dirt on Serena.
38:51But Dominic was always three steps ahead.
38:54Every attack was countered.
38:56Every scheme unraveled.
38:58Every ally Victor thought he had quietly turned.
39:01He's losing.
39:02Serena observed one evening, reading through the latest financial reports.
39:07His share price is dropping.
39:08His investors are abandoning him.
39:11Not fast enough.
39:13Dominic's jaw was tight.
39:14He's still on the board.
39:16Still has influence.
39:17Still dangerous.
39:19What more do you want?
39:20Everything.
39:21His eyes glittered.
39:22I want him to have nothing left.
39:25No money, no power, no pride.
39:28I want him to feel exactly what Elena felt when he laughed at her pain.
39:32The intensity of his hatred should have scared her.
39:35Instead, Serena found herself understanding it, feeling it echo in her own heart.
39:40Then let's take everything.
39:42She said quietly.
39:43Dominic looked at her, really looked, seeing beyond the surface to the steel beneath.
39:47I think I'm falling in love with you.
39:49He said.
39:50The words hit her like a thunderbolt.
39:53You don't have to say it back.
39:55He pulled her close.
39:57I just needed you to know.
40:00This stopped being business a long time ago.
40:02She buried her face in his chest.
40:05Overwhelmed by the enormity of her feelings.
40:07It stopped being business for me, too.
40:11Three months into their marriage, Serena's pregnancy began to show.
40:15The press went wild.
40:16Every appearance.
40:17Every photo.
40:18Every hint of her growing belly became front page news.
40:21Ashford baby bump.
40:23The next heir to the emperor.
40:24The headlines screamed and social media buzzed with speculation.
40:27Through it all, Dominic was relentlessly attentive, attending every doctor's appointment, researching the best prenatal care, transforming one of the
40:35penthouse bedrooms into a nursery that would make royalty jealous.
40:39You don't have to do all this.
40:41Serena told him one evening, watching him assemble a crib with surprising competence.
40:45The contract said you'd establish a trust fund and provide resources.
40:50It didn't say anything about this.
40:53The contract is irrelevant.
40:55He tightened a bolt with more force than necessary.
40:58I told you.
41:00This stopped being about the contract months ago.
41:03But the baby isn't yours.
41:05Not biologically.
41:07Dominic set down his tools and crossed to her, taking her hands in his.
41:13Serena, listen to me carefully.
41:17I don't care whose DNA this child carries.
41:20I care that you're carrying them.
41:22I care that they'll grow up in this home with parents who actually want them.
41:27I care that they'll never feel invisible or unwanted.
41:31Or like they have to earn love.
41:32Tears pricked her eyes.
41:36Dominic.
41:37This baby is mine because I choose them to be.
41:40Just like I chose you.
41:42He pressed his forehead against hers.
41:45Unless you don't want that.
41:47Unless you'd rather raise them alone.
41:50No.
41:51She grabbed his face, pulling him into a fierce kiss.
41:54No, I want this.
41:56I want you.
41:57I want us to be a family.
41:59His smile, rare and genuine, lit up his entire face.
42:03Then that's what we'll be.
42:05The peace lasted until the following week.
42:08Serena was at a charity luncheon, her first solo public appearance as Mrs. Ashford, when Harper appeared at her table,
42:15wearing a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
42:17Harper's voice dripped with false sweetness.
42:19Sister?
42:20You look...
42:22Healthy.
42:23Harper.
42:24Serena kept her expression neutral.
42:26I didn't realize you were on the guest list.
42:29I wasn't.
42:30Harper sat down uninvited, her eyes glittering with malice.
42:34But I have news I thought you'd want to hear in person.
42:38Victor's been doing some research about your precious husband.
42:44Serena's stomach tightened.
42:46Whatever...
42:47Victor thinks he's found...
42:49Elena isn't dead.
42:51Harper's smile widened.
42:53She's alive and well in Portugal.
42:55And apparently, Dominic's been sending her money for years.
43:00Millions of dollars.
43:02Did he tell you about that?
43:04The world seemed to tilt.
43:06You're lying.
43:09Am I?
43:09Harper slid a folder across the table.
43:12Bank records.
43:15Travel logs.
43:17Even some lovely photographs of Dominic visiting her villa last year.
43:22Your husband's been keeping secrets, Serena.
43:24Big ones.
43:25She stood, smoothing her designer dress.
43:29I thought you should know what kind of man you married.
43:32But then again, you always did have terrible taste.
43:35Harper walked away, leaving Serena frozen in her chair.
43:38The folder burning in her hands.
43:46Serena didn't open the folder until she was home.
43:49She sat in Dominic's study, her hands trembling as she spread the contents across his desk.
43:53Bank transfers regular payments to an account in Portugal, stretching back over a decade.
43:57Flight records showing trips to Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, and photographs.
44:02Dominic standing outside a whitewashed villa.
44:04Dominic at a cafe, talking to a dark-haired woman with kind eyes.
44:08Dominic playing with two children, a boy and a girl.
44:11Maybe eight and ten years old.
44:12The door opened behind her.
44:14I see Harper delivered her message.
44:16Dominic's voice was carefully controlled.
44:18I was hoping to tell you myself.
44:20Serena didn't turn around.
44:22Is this real?
44:25Elena?
44:26She's alive?
44:27Yes.
44:28And the money?
44:30The visits?
44:31All real.
44:32He moved closer, stopping just behind her chair.
44:36Let me explain.
44:37She finally turned.
44:38Explain.
44:39And the tears she'd been holding back spilled over.
44:41You told me she married someone else.
44:45Built a life without you.
44:49You made me feel sorry for you.
44:51Everything I told you was true.
44:52His voice cracked.
44:53She did marry someone else.
44:56A good man who treated her well.
44:58But when her husband died five years ago, she reached out to me.
45:02Not for romance.
45:04For help.
45:05For her children.
45:06Her children.
45:07They're not mine.
45:10If that's what you're wondering.
45:12His eyes were anguished.
45:13They're her late husband's.
45:15But after he died, she had nothing.
45:17No family.
45:18No resources.
45:19No way to support them.
45:20So I...
45:22helped.
45:22You helped?
45:23Serena shook her head.
45:26Millions of dollars over a decade isn't helping.
45:29It's obsession.
45:31It's guilt.
45:32The word came out wrong.
45:33I destroyed her life, Serena.
45:36I chose my inheritance over her.
45:38And she spent years suffering because of it.
45:41The money.
45:42The visits.
45:43They're not about love.
45:45They're about trying to make amends for something that can never be fixed.
45:50She stared at him, searching his face for deception and finding only pain.
45:56Why didn't you tell me?
45:58He sank into the chair across from her.
46:00Because I was ashamed.
46:01Looking more vulnerable than she'd ever seen him.
46:03And because I was afraid you'd think exactly what Harper wanted you to think.
46:09That I'm still in love with her.
46:11That our marriage means nothing.
46:13Does it mean something?
46:15His voice broke.
46:16Everything.
46:17You mean everything to me, Serena.
46:19Elena is my past, my guilt, my regret.
46:22But you're my future.
46:23You and this baby.
46:26And the life we're building together.
46:28The folder sat between them.
46:30Evidence of secrets and pain and complicated history.
46:34Serena looked at it.
46:36Then at Dominic.
46:36Then back at the photographs of a woman who had once been loved by the man she now loved.
46:42I need time.
46:43She said finally.
46:44To process this.
46:47To figure out how I feel.
46:50Take all the time you need.
46:55He stood, his posture rigid with the effort of not reaching for her.
47:00I'll be here when you're ready.
47:01He walked out, leaving her alone with the wreckage of everything she thought she knew.
47:10Three days passed in painful silence.
47:13Serena moved to the guest room, needing space to think.
47:16Dominic gave it to her.
47:18No pressure.
47:19No pleading.
47:19Just quiet acceptance of whatever she decided.
47:22He still showed up for her doctor's appointments.
47:24Still made sure she had everything she needed.
47:27Still looked at her with eyes full of love and fear.
47:29On the fourth day, she finally called Elena.
47:32The number was in the folder.
47:33Scribbled on a receipt from a Portuguese cafe.
47:36It rang three times before a warm, accented voice answered.
47:40Hello?
47:42Elena.
47:44My name is Serena Ashford.
47:46I'm Dominic's wife.
47:48A sharp intake of breath.
47:50Ah.
47:51He mentioned you might call.
47:54He did?
47:55He called me the day after Harper visited you.
47:58He was...
48:00Distressed.
48:01Said he'd made terrible mistakes and...
48:03Might lose the one person who actually mattered.
48:06Elena's voice softened.
48:08He asked me to tell you the truth.
48:10If you wanted to hear it.
48:12Serena gripped the phone tighter.
48:14I wanna hear it.
48:15What followed was an hour-long conversation that changed everything.
48:18Elena spoke of the past.
48:20Her love affair with young Dominic.
48:21His father's cruelty.
48:23Victor's betrayal.
48:24She spoke of the years after.
48:25The struggle.
48:26The eventual happiness she'd found with her husband.
48:28And she spoke of Dominic.
48:30He has never forgiven himself for leaving me.
48:32Elena said.
48:33Not for a single day.
48:35The money.
48:36The help.
48:38It's not because he loves me.
48:42It's because he hates who he was.
48:45Who he let his father turn him into.
48:48Do you hate him?
48:50I did once.
48:52For a long time.
48:54A pause.
48:54But hate takes energy.
48:56I no longer have.
48:57Now I see him clearly.
48:59A man who made terrible choices as a boy.
49:02And has spent his entire adult life.
49:05Trying to atone.
49:07Do you think he can change?
49:09Truly change?
49:10I think he already has.
49:12Elena's voice was gentle.
49:14The man who married you.
49:16Is not the boy who abandoned me.
49:18And from what he tells me.
49:20You're the reason.
49:21That night.
49:22Serena went to Dominic's study.
49:24He was sitting in the dark again.
49:26Whiskey untouched.
49:28Staring at nothing.
49:29When she turned on the light.
49:30He looked up with eyes that expected rejection.
49:34She said.
49:35I talked to Elena.
49:37He flinched.
49:38And?
49:39And I understand now.
49:41Not completely.
49:44Maybe not ever but enough.
49:46She crossed to him.
49:48Taking his face in her hands.
49:50You should have told me Dominic.
49:53From the beginning.
49:55You should have trusted me with the truth.
49:57I know.
49:58His voice was hoarse.
50:01I was a coward.
50:03You were human.
50:04She pressed her forehead against his.
50:06But no more secrets.
50:08Ever.
50:10If this marriage is going to work.
50:13Really work.
50:14I need to know that you trust me with everything.
50:19The good and the bad and the ugly.
50:22I do trust you.
50:24His hands came up to cover hers.
50:26More than I've ever trusted anyone.
50:29Then prove it.
50:31Tell me something you've never told anyone else.
50:33He was quiet for a long moment.
50:36Then, so softly she almost didn't hear.
50:40I'm terrified of being a father.
50:42Serena pulled back slightly.
50:46What?
50:47My father was a monster.
50:51Victor's just like him.
50:52His eyes were raw with fear.
50:55What if I am too?
50:56What if I hurt this child the way he hurt us?
51:00You won't.
51:02How can you be sure?
51:04She kissed him gently.
51:05Because you're asking the question.
51:07Bad fathers don't worry about being bad fathers.
51:11They just...
51:12are.
51:15The fact that you're scared means you care.
51:18It means you'll try.
51:20What if trying isn't enough?
51:22Then we try harder.
51:24Together.
51:25Together.
51:25She smiled through her tears.
51:27That's what partners do.
51:29He pulled her into his arms,
51:30holding her like she was the only thing keeping him anchored to the earth.
51:34I love you.
51:35He whispered.
51:36God help me.
51:38I love you so much.
51:40I love you too.
51:41She buried her face in his neck.
51:44Now take me to bed and show me.
51:50The baby came three weeks early.
51:52Serena was at a board meeting.
51:54Her first as an official member.
51:56A seat Dominic had insisted she take when her water broke.
51:59Chaos ensued.
52:00Dominic swept her into his arms and carried her to the car,
52:03breaking every speed limit in Manhattan to reach the hospital.
52:06Twelve hours of labor later, their daughter was born.
52:09She had Serena's dark hair and Dominic's sharp features.
52:13Or maybe Victor's, but nobody mentioned that.
52:15Dominic held her like she was made of glass,
52:17tears streaming down his face as he counted her tiny fingers and toes.
52:22She's perfect.
52:23He breathed.
52:24Absolutely perfect.
52:26She needs a name.
52:28Serena said, exhausted but radiant.
52:31Elena.
52:32The word came out before he could stop it.
52:35At Serena's look, he flushed.
52:37Not because...
52:40I mean, I just thought...
52:44Elena Ashford...
52:45Serena tested it on her tongue.
52:47It's beautiful.
52:50And...
52:50appropriate.
52:52A reminder of where we came from and how far we've come.
52:55Are you sure?
52:57I'm sure.
52:58She reached for his hand.
53:01Our daughter deserves a name with meaning.
53:04With history.
53:06This is ours.
53:08The announcement went out that evening.
53:10Ashford Hyrus born.
53:12Dominic and Serena welcomed baby Elena.
53:14The press went predictably insane.
53:16Victor released a bitter statement implying the child might be his.
53:20But DNA tests, which Dominic insisted on making public,
53:23proved definitively that little Elena was biologically Victor's daughter.
53:26It didn't matter.
53:27Not legally.
53:28Not emotionally.
53:29Not in any way that counted.
53:31She's mine.
53:32Dominic told the press.
53:34His arm around Serena, their daughter cradled between them.
53:38In every way that matters.
53:40She's mine.
53:42Victor tried one last desperate move.
53:44A lawsuit claiming paternity rights.
53:46It was thrown out within weeks.
53:48The judge citing Dominic's established legal paternity
53:51and Victor's history of abandonment.
53:53By the time Elena was three months old, Victor had lost everything.
53:57His position at Ashford Corporation.
53:59His social standing.
54:00His wealth, depleted by legal fees and failed investments.
54:04The last anyone heard, he'd moved to some small town overseas,
54:08trying to rebuild from nothing.
54:09Harper followed shortly after.
54:11Her engagement prospects ruined by association with the scandal.
54:15She sent Serena one final message.
54:17I hope you're happy.
54:18You destroyed our family.
54:20Serena didn't respond.
54:21One year later, on the anniversary of their courthouse wedding,
54:24Dominic surprised Serena with a real ceremony.
54:27Small, intimate, held in the garden of the penthouse,
54:30with only their closest friends in attendance.
54:33I wanted to do this, right?
54:35He explained, slipping a new ring onto her finger.
54:38A band of diamonds that matched the one he'd given her that first frantic night.
54:43The first time was strategy.
54:45This time is love.
54:47Serena looked at the man who had started as her co-conspirator
54:50and become her everything.
54:52At their daughter, babbling happily in her godmother's arms.
54:55At the life they'd built together from the ashes of betrayal and pain.
54:59I never thought I'd have this.
55:01A family.
55:02A home.
55:04Someone who sees me, really sees me,
55:08and chooses me anyway.
55:10I'll always choose you.
55:12He pulled her close, his lips brushing her ear.
55:15Every day for the rest of our lives.
55:18You're not my second choice, Serena.
55:21You're not my revenge or my strategy,
55:24or my consolation prize.
55:26You're my first choice.
55:29My only choice.
55:30She kissed him then, long and deep,
55:32not caring about their audience or propriety or anything
55:35except the man in her arms
55:37and the life stretching out before them.
55:40So...
55:40Dominic murmured when they finally broke apart.
55:43Any regrets, Mrs. Ashford?
55:45Serena smiled, thinking of everything they'd survived,
55:48everything they'd built,
55:49everything that still lay ahead.
55:51Not a single one.
Comments
1