- 6 hours ago
The Wedding That Will Never Be
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Dante DeRussi is the heir to the most powerful mafia family in Manhori, and for the past five
00:05years, he has loved me like I was the only woman in his world. Yet, one month before our wedding,
00:11he dropped a bomb on me. Dante, you can't be serious. Nina, it's not what you think.
00:17The family needs an heir with pure DeRosa and DeLuca blood. It's just one child. After that,
00:23everything will go back to normal. Despite my refusal to agree to it, he brings it up daily
00:28and tries to push me into it. Half a month before the wedding, I received a medical report
00:33delivered anonymously to my door. Isabel DeLuca was already over a month pregnant. My hands shook as
00:40I read the results. That night, when Dante came home, I was waiting for him in the living room,
00:45the report lying on the coffee table. You got her pregnant already? My voice was ice cold. Dante
00:52froze. For the first time, guilt flashed across his face. Nina, I was going to tell you. It happened
00:59once. Just once. The family insisted... Get out! I screamed, tears finally falling. I cancel the wedding
01:10and destroy everything he has ever given me. On the day of the wedding, I set off for Etoria to
01:17further
01:17my medical career. I accept a role with an international medical organization, severing all
01:22ties with the mafia. From that moment onward, he and I no longer have anything to do with each other.
01:32I've explained this to you countless times. Isabel can't hold out much longer. Her myeloma is now in
01:37the terminal stage. The doctor says she only has a year at most. Dante tugged at his tie, pulling it
01:42loose from his collar impatiently. Her last wish is to bear a child who can carry on her family name.
01:48I owe her my life. In any case, this isn't just about me wanting to repay that debt. This will
01:55also ensure the alliance between both our mafia families. As usual, Dante was standing before me
02:01and justifying himself with that calm voice of his. But every word he said felt like a stab in the
02:06heart.
02:08Five years ago, on the streets of Chago, a gunfight broke out between the de Rossis and the drug lords
02:13of Portfield. Dante claimed that Isabel de Lucla had shielded him from a fatal shock, and from then on,
02:20she became his savior.
02:25Still, I didn't get it. How was it love if I had to be sacrificed in the process of him
02:30or him
02:30repaying his debt of attitude? It's just artificial inserination. Nothing will ever happen between her
02:37and me. It's only so that she can have a baby. You love me, don't you? If you love me,
02:42you should be
02:42able to understand my position and give me your blessing. I shot to my feet. We're getting married
02:47next month, Dante, but you got a woman pregnant behind my back? What does that make me? Dante remained
02:53silent. As he lowered his gaze, I saw a flicker of hesitancy in his eyes. Perhaps it was a sign
03:00of
03:00guilt, or maybe it was just part of his usual manipulative schemes. The very next second, he
03:05regained his composure and said in a low but resolute voice,
03:08Nina, this doesn't just involve Isabel and me. This arrangement involves both our families.
03:14After much negotiation, the De Rossis and the De Lucas have come to an agreement.
03:19As long as Isabel and I have a baby, it'll put an end to the feud between our families that
03:24has
03:24gone on for the past decade. I can't overturn a decision made by the entire family.
03:29I stared him, abruptly feeling as though he were a complete stranger to me.
03:34Dante and I had grown up together. I was the one who'd been by his side from the impoverished
03:41streets of Brunville to Manhori School of Medicine. I thought our love was pure and untainted by other
03:48worldly things, and that we belonged to each other. But in reality, he had never truly stood beside me.
03:55He merely considered me a suitable fiancé. I was well-mannered, thoughtful, intelligent enough,
04:01and never caused trouble for him. I was fit to be the wife of the heir of the De Rossi
04:05family.
04:06But the real girl from his childhood wasn't me. It was her. The one who used to sneak around playing
04:12water guns with him when they were five. The daughter of his family's greatest enemy. The
04:17girl from a rival mafia clan. The one he kept hidden deep in his heart, even when their families were
04:22at
04:22war. Did he love me? Maybe. But when confronted with family, power, loyalty, or Isabel, I would always be
04:29the first to be sacrificed. How could you do this to me? Dante had more to say, but a call
04:35interrupted
04:36our conversation. Isabel? He began heading for the balcony as he answered the call, his voice softening
04:42and becoming dulliant. I couldn't hear what the caller said, but I could see the gentle smile on
04:48his face. It had been ages since I last saw him smiling at me like that. Turning back, I looked
04:55at the
04:55pregnancy report on the table. According to the information, Isabel got pregnant a little over
05:01five weeks ago, on the day of conception. Dante had been gone the entire night. He told me that
05:08he went to Castleston to deal with an issue with a smuggled shipment at the port. Thinking about it
05:14now, I realized that he'd been with her. Completing the surgery that was supposedly nothing more than
05:21helping her pass down her family bloodline. This proved that my permission had been considered
05:28an unessential part of the plan from the start. They merely waited to inform me. They never truly
05:34sought my agreement. All along, I'd been waiting in anticipation for my wedding day. I was eager to
05:42take Dante's hand and stand at the altar together. But now, all of my thrill and excitement had
05:48vanished into thin air. Not a trace was left behind. Just then, the buzzing from my phone pulled me out
05:55of my thoughts. The voice that rang out through the speaker belonged to Julia Carter, a college senior
06:01of mine. Nina, I know you're about to get married, but I still wanted to ask you one more time.
06:06Are you sure you don't want to consider joining us at the hospital?
06:10You're the most talented student Professor Moore has ever taught. He continues to hope that you
06:16can join our medical team. I looked down at the wedding ringing on my finger and twisted it slowly,
06:22a sorrowful look in my eyes. Since you're getting married, he has even agreed to let you have a two
06:29-week
06:29break every two months. That way, you can still spend time with your husband. William Moore,
06:34my former professor, had established a research project at Lahren Hospital in Aetolia.
06:41Six months ago, he called me and invited me to join his medical research team.
06:47However, if I did that, I would have to be cut off from the outside world for extended periods.
06:53Such periods of isolation could last anywhere from a month to a year or more.
06:59At the time, I couldn't bear to be apart from Dante for so long, so I rejected Professor Moore's
07:05invitation. But now, Dante was already the father to someone else's baby. Since he never once gave
07:12any consideration to our relationship or our prospective marriage before he made his decision,
07:17I saw no reason to proceed with the wedding. I've decided, Julia. I'm willing to join the hospital,
07:23and I won't need the break. I'm fine with sticking to the project timeline.
07:29That's great news. Professor Moore will be thrilled. When do you plan on coming over?
07:35Why not join us a week after the wedding? That way, you can still go on your honeymoon.
07:40That won't be necessary. I'll fly over on my wedding day. My eyes fell on the calendar on the table.
07:45I had circled the 10th of next month with a red marker. Initially, it was just a reminder for myself,
07:52a countdown to my wedding date. It made things easier for me when I had to make all the arrangements.
07:58Now, it was a countdown to when I would leave Dante. In 15 days, Dante and I would no longer
08:03have any
08:04ties with one another. It would be over between us for good. Dante didn't come home that night,
08:13and I didn't call him to ask where he was either. I'd already seen Isabel's social media updates.
08:19After leaving the hospital that afternoon, Dante and Isabel returned to Isabel's home to inform
08:25her family about her pregnancy. I saw a picture of Isabel's grandmother affectionately holding
08:31Dante's hand while saying something to him. He had an unusually tender smile on his face
08:37as he straped Isabel's abdomen with his other hand.
08:41In the five years we'd been dating, Dante only agreed to visit my family with me once,
08:47after we'd decided to get married. Even though it was less than a half-hour drive between our houses,
08:53he had never taken the initiative to visit my family before that, not even once.
08:58He said he didn't like spending time with older people. It made him feel uncomfortable.
09:04During that visit, he merely treated my family politely, unlike the warmth he showed Isabel's
09:10family, which I saw through the pictures. I closed my eyes. Doing my best to quash the bitterness I
09:16felt, I turned off my phone. The next day, I reached out to a few friends and told them.
09:21The wedding had been called off. Dante once said that he didn't like wedding ceremonies.
09:26He thought they were a meaningless formality. At my insistence, he reluctantly agreed to have a
09:32small wedding ceremony with only our closest family and friends invited. Everyone around me
09:37knew how much I loved Dante. Haven't you been in love with Dante for ages? Why have you suddenly
09:43decided to break it off with him? An indescribable sense of heartache washed over me. It wasn't easy
09:49to abruptly terminate a bond that had lasted for two decades. However, as it turned out, our relationship
09:55didn't start on an equal footing. All along, I was the one who did my best to keep up with
10:00him.
10:00He had never paused for me. At first, I didn't care about that. I told myself that if I could
10:06wait until he agreed to marry me, then after we were married, I could keep waiting until he truly
10:11loved me. I was willing to wait until he opened up his heart to me. Alas, it all changed six
10:16months
10:16ago when Isabel, his so-called savior, showed up. At last, I realized that Dante wasn't cold and
10:22indifferent to everyone. In front of Isabel, he was always gentle and generous with his smile.
10:27As for me, I was never anything more than a side character in his life. Still, the hardest
10:33thing for me to bear was his deceit. While he pretended to seek my approval, he had secretly
10:38made Isabel pregnant through artificial incernation. It was from that moment on that it finally hit me.
10:45There was never going to be a future with Dante and me.
10:50I didn't tell my friends the truth. I simply said that I was leaving for work at a different
10:56hospital and would get in touch with them sometime later. Feeling apologetic about the suddenness,
11:01I hung out with them until late at night before heading home. When I got back, Dante had only just
11:07arrived as well. Smelling the stench of alcohol on me, he frowned and backed away.
11:13Stay away from me. Don't get any of that alcohol odor on me. I let out a self-devicating laugh.
11:18He was
11:19probably just worried that the alcohol might end up affecting Isabel. After all, she was a pregnant
11:24woman. Without saying anything, I went to the bathroom and took a shower. When I came back out,
11:32Dante was tapping away on his phone with a smile on face. I spared him a glance before deciding to
11:37head to the bedroom to sleep. But he stopped me. I need to discuss something with you.
11:43He had said the same thing two weeks ago, when he first told me he wanted to have a baby
11:48with Isabel.
11:49We'd been arguing ever since then. Isabel was already pregnant, so what else did he have to discuss with
11:55me? Let's not go for our wedding photo shoot tomorrow. I checked the calendar on the table.
12:02The words Wedding Pope Shoot were clearly written in the box for the next day.
12:08I wasn't sure why Dante was suddenly asking to camp the photo shoot. Nevertheless, I didn't intend it
12:13on going through with the wedding anyway. Since he was bringing it up himself, it not only saved me the
12:18trouble, but also made me feel relieved. Fine. I'll call the photographer to cancel the photo shoot.
12:24He hadn't expected me to agree to it so readily. Then, doing his best to hide his uneasiness,
12:31he continued. You don't need to cancel it. I was stunned. He avoided my scace, his eyes darting away.
12:38Isabel says she might never have a chance to get married, so she wants to do a wedding photo shoot
12:44with me. That way, she can pretend like she got married as well and won't have any regrets.
12:55His tone was calm and non-cadent, as if he was merely describing what he'd like to have for lunch
13:01tomorrow. He made it sound like his request was a perfectly ordinary one. He'd done the same thing
13:07two weeks ago when he told me he wanted to have a baby with Isabel. Although he phrased it like
13:12a
13:12discussion, his tone made it clear that he had already made up his mind. He was merely informing me
13:18about it. Dante didn't know there wasn't going to be a future with us still together.
13:23Fine. I replied coolly before heading to bed.
13:31Since the wedding wasn't happening, it didn't matter to me who Dante took wedding photos with.
13:36As he watched me leave, Dante felt a strange, uneasy feeling he couldn't explain. I was too calm. I
13:42didn't even question him. All of the arguments and reasons he prepared went unused. He expected me to
13:48get emotional and demand to know why he made such a decision, but I showed no reaction at all.
13:54The next morning, I woke up just in time to see Dante get ready to leave.
13:59After the wedding photoshoot, I plan on taking a trip with Isabel. She's been longing to go on holiday to
14:05North Shore Island, so I'll go with her. Keep the wedding simple. I won't be able to attend the rehearsal.
14:11So you'll have to make all the decisions. You don't need to ask for my opinion.
14:19Got it. He wanted me to keep things simple, huh? Well, the wedding wasn't going to have any photos,
14:25guests, or an officiator. It wasn't even going to have a bride.
14:33Dante looked at me as I calmly ate my breakfast. After giving it some thought, he added,
14:39After the wedding, let's go to Arana for our honeymoon. I know you've always wanted to go.
14:44In the past, if I'd heard Dante voluntarily suggesting a honeymoon, I would have happily
14:49began planning for it. After all, I'd asked him countless times to go on holiday with me,
14:55but he'd always rejected me. He kept saying that he hated traveling and thought it was too exhausting.
15:02But now, I merely focused on my food without giving him a response.
15:08Dante wanted to continue speaking, but when he saw the clock on the wall,
15:12he rushed out the door after saying,
15:15We'll talk more when I get back.
15:20I picked up the calendar and crossed out the words wedding proshoot with a marker.
15:25There were 12 more days left.
15:29After breakfast, I began tidying up the house, clearing it of unwanted items,
15:35such as the photo album with fewer than five photos inside,
15:39the dust-covered project in the corner,
15:42and the couple-themed pajamas that had never been worn.
15:46We'd been together for five years.
15:48I had carefully selected every single item in this place,
15:51slowly turning the empty house into a cozy home.
15:54If I'd paid closer attention, I would have noticed that Dante had never touched most of these things.
15:59He said that even though he was dating me, he was still his own person.
16:03He didn't like using couple-themed items.
16:06They made him feel like he was being controlled by another.
16:09Since that was the case, it was better to get rid of everything and let these memories disappear as well.
16:16Dante didn't come back for a whole week,
16:18but I was aware of his whereabouts at all times.
16:20After all, considering how much Isabel loved posting social media updates,
16:25it was impossible for me not to.
16:27I saw photos of them soaking in the hot springs,
16:30strolling by the beach, and watching the sunrise together.
16:33Through social media, I was constantly berarded with sides of Dante I had never seen before.
16:38It turned out that he could indeed do all the things other men did when they were dating someone.
16:44I didn't idle my days away either.
16:46The house was filled with too many things.
16:49It took me several days to clear everything out.
16:52I also took the time to visit my parents and inform them of my decision to do medical research in
16:58La Ran.
16:59I wouldn't be able to stay in touch with them for a while.
17:03Aren't you and Dante getting married soon?
17:06Wouldn't this mean you two will have to live separately?
17:09Concerned, Mom took my hand and advised me.
17:13You need to give this some more thought, Nina.
17:18It wasn't easy for you and Dante to come this far.
17:21I'm worried that he won't agree to let you leave to conduct your medical research work.
17:26He might just choose to call off the wedding and break up with you.
17:30I understood my parents' concern.
17:33They had seen how adamant I've been about being with Dante all these years,
17:37and they'd long since sensed his attitude towards me.
17:40In the past, they'd subtly tried to warn me.
17:44They didn't think I was of much importance to him,
17:46so they wanted me to give the relationship some careful consideration.
17:50But at the time, I was fully confident and firmly believed that I could change him,
17:55that I could get him to accept me completely.
17:59Thus, they decided not to convince me otherwise.
18:03Yet, I was now the one choosing not to have the wedding.
18:07After informing my parents of this decision, they remained silent for some time.
18:11I didn't tell them that Dante had gotten Isabel pregnant.
18:14I was worried that they wouldn't be able to take the blow.
18:17Instead, I told them I wanted to continue pursuing my work in medicine
18:21and make a contribution to the industry.
18:25In the end, Dad simply sighed and patted my shoulder, saying,
18:32As long as you don't regret this.
18:34When I got back to the house, I invited my friend Linda Gardner
18:38over to help me get rid of the items I'd packed.
18:42The boxes took up a lot of space in the living room.
18:47We had to make several trips to get everything out.
18:52Once we tossed all of the boxes into the trash,
18:55the house immediately looked rather empty.
19:00Linda took it all in with mixed feelings.
19:03She still remembered how excited I'd been when Dante said yes
19:06after I proposed to him two months ago.
19:09In my exhilaration, I made her spend an entire night drinking with me.
19:12I kept going on and on about how my dreams were finally coming true.
19:17Who would have thought that just two months later,
19:19I'd decide to call off the wedding?
19:21I can't believe you're serious about it.
19:23I thought you were joking when you mentioned it the other day.
19:26Linda said with a look of disbelief,
19:29I saw the way you spent all these years going after Dante.
19:32What on earth happened?
19:33Why have you suddenly decided to let him go?
19:35Perhaps the fact that I was leaving in a few days
19:38stirred up my urge to confide in someone.
19:40I told Linda about everything that happened recently,
19:44including Dante's relationship with Isabelle,
19:46as well as the baby.
19:48Once she heard the whole story,
19:50she let out a bunch of expiratives, snarling.
19:53What the hell is he thinking?
19:54I lowered my head and quieted the surge of sorrow I felt.
19:59Who knows?
20:00He said that Isabelle saved his life,
20:02so he wanted to fulfill her wish.
20:04Linda looked positively outraged.
20:06You saved his life too.
20:07How dare he treat you like that?
20:09I said nothing in response.
20:13When I got back to the house,
20:14soon as I opened the door,
20:16I saw Dante and Isabelle sitting on the couch.
20:19Dante, whom I hadn't seen in a week,
20:21was busy in conversation with her.
20:23When he saw the document holder I was holding,
20:26What's that?
20:28Just some unnecessary documents.
20:30I brought them back to get rid of them.
20:32Nodding, Dante looked around the house before remarking,
20:35his expression puzzled.
20:36I was only gone for a week.
20:37Why do I feel like a lot of things in the house have gone missing?
20:40After storing the document folder securely in the bedroom,
20:43I calmly replied.
20:44I got rid of some unnecessary things lying around.
20:46It looked like Dante had more to say,
20:48but Isabelle spoke up.
20:55Nina, Dante really put a lot of effort into accompanying me on his trip.
20:59I'm also really thankful you agreed to let him do the wedding photo shoot with me
21:04and fulfill a dream of mine.
21:07I detected a hint of smugness in her voice.
21:10How's this?
21:11Why don't I treat you two to a meal as my way of thanking you for everything you've done for
21:15me?
21:16She placed a hand on her belly.
21:19I'm afraid I'm going to have to take up more of your time for a while.
21:22I just hope you won't hate me for it, Nina.
21:25I wasn't keen on engaging in any of these meaningless fights with Isabelle.
21:29In five days, I would be leaving Dante for good.
21:32All I wanted to do now was sort everything up properly and leave as soon as possible.
21:39However, at my prolonged silence, Isabelle's eyes reddened with tears.
21:44Dante, is Nina upset?
21:47After all, you two are about to get married, but...
21:49Upon hearing Isabelle's words, Dante frowned and rebuked me in displeasure.
21:54What's with that attitude of yours?
21:57Isabelle is sincerely trying to thank us.
22:00Would it kill you to have a meal with her?
22:03It's not like anyone's going to poison the food.
22:05I hadn't even spoken.
22:08But Dante had already determined that I was guilty of being unhappy and causing a scene.
22:13I was ultimately dragged to the restaurant by Dante.
22:16When the server came to take our order, I started flipping through the menu.
22:19However, Dante immediately said,
22:21Avoid all heavily seasoned and raw or undercooked food,
22:23and make sure none of the food is cooked with garlic.
22:25Once the food arrived, Dante thirdly served Isabelle some food before shoving a platter of prawns toward me.
22:31Isabelle can't have any seafood right now.
22:33I ordered this for you.
22:35As I stared at the prawns, I lost all my appetite.
22:38I set my cutleries down and said,
22:40I'm allergic to seafood.
22:42Dante didn't even remember my seafood allergy.
22:47But he knew Isabelle's dietary restrictions by heart.
22:51He could even recumber specific details,
22:53such as the fact that Isabelle didn't like garlic.
22:56Stiffening, Dante looked at me with a flicker of guilt before ordering a few more dishes at the table.
23:01Even so, I didn't pick up my cutlery again.
23:04I simply sipped my water in total silence.
23:08After the meal, we were about to leave when I got a call from Julia.
23:16Nina, Professor Moore wants me to confirm Klum with you
23:19whether you're sure you want to fully comply with the project's proposed schedule.
23:22My eyes landed on Dante and Isabelle, who were ahead of me.
23:26He even carefully placed his arm around her waist to support her.
23:30This research is part of a classified project,
23:32so you might have to spend a year or two cut off from the outside world.
23:36I'm sure.
23:37Okay, good.
23:39Professor Moore was worried you wouldn't be able to stand being away from your husband.
23:45Withdrawing my gaze, I turned and headed down the other side.
23:49My wedding has been called off.
23:51I've already completed all the arrangements to leave.
23:54As soon as I finished speaking, I heard a puzzled voice behind me asking,
24:02Who's leaving?
24:04Dante had just escorted Isabel to the car when he heard the last few words I said.
24:10Sensing that he hadn't heard the first half of my sentence,
24:13I brushed him off by saying,
24:14My friend is leaving soon.
24:16Dante nodded without asking any further.
24:18Two days before it was time for me to leave,
24:21I went to the hospital to get some medical supplies, just in case.
24:25Unexpectedly, I ran into Dante and Isabelle,
24:27who had just completed a prenail examinant.
24:30Dante's eyes flashed in panic,
24:32but just as he was about to speak,
24:34Isabel beat him to it.
24:37She came up to me, grabbed my hand, and choked out,
24:40Nina, once the baby is born, I'll leave Dante right away.
24:43Don't blame Dante.
24:45I hadn't even said anything when Dante held Isabel affectionately and said,
24:49Don't be like this.
24:50You're in frail health.
24:51Don't worry.
24:52This won't affect our wedding.
24:54Got it.
24:54Once I finished speaking, I walked off.
24:56It was almost time for me to leave,
24:58and I still needed to pack some things.
24:59The two of them didn't expect me to remain that calm.
25:02Dante was specially taken a sound by it.
25:04He had a look of mixed emotions as he watched me leave.
25:07I'd recently spent weeks arguing with him over the issue of his wanting to have a child with Isabel.
25:13Yet, after finding out that Isabel was pregnant, I showed no reaction at all.
25:17For some reason, Dante felt a sense of apprehension.
25:20It was as if something had changed right under his nose without him noticing.
25:23I'd just reached the top of the stairs when Isabel suddenly caught up to me and yanked hard on my
25:27sleeve.
25:28Dante was still some distance away, so Isabel finally revealed her true colors to me.
25:32Nina, how does it feel to watch while your fiancé has a baby with another woman?
25:36Not wanting to argue with her, I shook her off so that I could leave.
25:39However, as soon as I tried to do that, she lost her balance and started leaning backward.
25:43Out of sheer instinct, I grabbed her hand and stopped her from falling.
25:46Before I could let go, I heard Dante's infuriate roar coming from behind me.
25:52What are you doing?
25:54Dante, I just wanted to thank Nina for being so accepting.
25:58I didn't expect her to...
26:00Nina, I never thought you'd do such a thing.
26:03Apologize to Isabel at once.
26:06Dante confronted me without even getting the facts straight first, but I simply snorted in response.
26:11You want me to apologize?
26:13You should check the security footage and see for yourself who's lying.
26:17However, he continued to frown in disbelief.
26:20Isabel is ill and pregnant too.
26:22Why would she purposely allow herself to fall down the stairs?
26:25Panic flashing in her eyes, Isabel haste to gently say,
26:28Let's just forget about it, Dante.
26:30It's perfectly understandable for Nina to be upset.
26:33Let's go.
26:34I could tell she was worried that Dante would actually check the security footage,
26:38so she quickly pretended to clutch her abdomen weakly.
26:42Unsurprisingly, Dante's expression instantly changed.
26:45He quickly scooped her up in his arms and rushed off with her.
26:48He didn't come home that night.
26:50I figured he was busy tending to Isabel with the unstable pregnancy.
26:55The next day, I had most of my luggage shipped to the dorm I'd be staying at in Leron.
26:59All that was left was a carry-on suitcase I'd be taking with me.
27:06At night, Dante returned, still looking rather angered.
27:10Isabel is still in the hospital right now.
27:13Even if you didn't do it on purpose, can't you be a little more gracious?
27:17Must you insist on picking on her?
27:21Wasn't I being more gracious enough?
27:23I'd generously given her my fiancé and allowed her to put on the wedding gown I got for myself
27:27to have a wedding photo shoot with him.
27:34Have you made the arrangements for our honeymoon?
27:37If he'd bothered to pay even the slightest bit of attention,
27:40he would have noticed how bare the house looked.
27:42It didn't look like the house of a couple who were about to get married.
27:49Let's...
27:57Wait for me.
27:58I'll be right there.
28:03Isabel's feeling unwell.
28:04I'll check on her at the hospital.
28:05Don't be late tomorrow.
28:06Make sure you show up at the hotel on time.
28:12I'll be right back.
28:17Let's break up, Dante.
28:19I've called off the wedding.
28:20But no one heard me.
28:22All I got in response was the ticking of the old clock hanging on the wall.
28:34At last, I got a notification on my phone,
28:37reminding me that it was two hours until my flight's boarding time.
28:48Let's break up, Dante.
28:56I left the calendar in the most prominent spot in the living room.
29:00Then, without a shred of hesitation,
29:02I left the apartment that had accompanied me for many years.
29:10Meanwhile, Dante stayed at the hospital until Isabel's condition stabilized before he finally left.
29:17Along the way, he messaged me.
29:22Have you gotten everything ready for the wedding ceremony?
29:25I'll be right there.
29:27His message went unanswered for ages,
29:29and he began reviewing the messages we had exchanged over the past few months.
29:33At that moment, he realized that I was the one who kept messaging him.
29:38When are you come home tomorrow?
29:39I'll wait and have dinner with you.
29:41Are you free to check on our wedding reception?
29:44I chose red roses for our wedding hall decor.
29:46Is that okay with you?
29:48Sure.
29:50You decide.
29:51Whatever's fine with me.
29:53The last time he brought up their artificial insemination,
29:56he had noticed the look of despair and stillness in my eyes.
29:59A look he had never seen before.
30:01Ever since then, I stopped initiating conversations with him
30:04and no longer waited for him to get home.
30:06Hurry up.
30:11Why haven't you changed into your suit yet?
30:13And isn't Nina with you?
30:15She should be at the wedding venue already.
30:17He didn't know which ballroom our wedding ceremony was supposed to be held in.
30:21Which ballroom did Nina Ford book?
30:23It was ballroom three,
30:24but Mrs. Ford called up two weeks ago to cancel the booking.
30:27She said the wedding ceremony had been canceled.
30:30At that moment, he felt as though his world had come crashing down.
30:35Dante stumbled backward,
30:37his gaze hollow as he stared at the hotel entrance in utter disbelief.
30:41The wedding had been canceled.
30:44Miss Ford canceled the wedding herself.
30:47What's going on?
30:48Today's the wedding, Nate, but where is she?
30:50Didn't you say that everything had already been arranged?
30:56I don't know.
30:57His hand trembled around his phone as he called me,
30:59only to receive a robotic message saying that the number he dialed was unavailable.
31:04I turned off my phone.
31:07With a sinking feeling in his heart,
31:09he rushed to the apartment like a madman.
31:15But he found the place empty.
31:18The couch was smooth and tidy,
31:21as if no one had sat on it recently.
31:24My things were gone from the bathroom,
31:26and the closet was half empty as well.
31:28Even the picture of the two of us that was usually on the dining table was gone.
31:33Dante was duplicased.
31:34I'd done such a thorough job of leaving that it felt as though I'd completely vanished from this house and
31:39his life.
31:40He spotted the calendar and saw the message written on it.
31:42Let's break up, Dante.
31:47He felt as if something had exploded in his head.
31:52I wanted to break up with him, but why?
31:54We were supposed to get married that day.
31:56Wasn't that day the day I'd been looking forward to the Mosna?
31:59He'd only realized what was renewed all along,
32:02and I'd zoltined at he decided to leave him.
32:05Dante tried to call me again,
32:07and this time, I took the call.
32:08What the hell is the meaning of this?
32:11Are you dumping me just like that?
32:13It's over between us, Dante.
32:15Did you even bother asking me when you decided to give her a baby
32:19as a way to repay her for saving your life?
32:22You never truly intended to get my permission.
32:25You decided it for yourself.
32:28You're a doctor.
32:30You know she doesn't have long to live.
32:33That's right.
32:35I'm a doctor,
32:36so I know even better than anyone
32:38that getting someone pregnant
32:39isn't the right way to make it up to someone.
32:41It's also not a reasonable excuse
32:43for sacrificing your fiancé.
32:45It finally dawned on him
32:46that the woman he had known for over 20 years
32:48was truly gone.
32:53A few hours later,
32:54my flight landed in Laren.
32:57Before getting off the plane,
32:58I received a message from Julia.
33:00She said she'd arranged for someone
33:02to pick me up at the airport
33:03since she was afraid I'd be lost
33:05in a strange new city.
33:06When I exited the terminal,
33:08I looked around
33:08but couldn't find anyone
33:10holding up a sign with my name on it.
33:12I was just about to call Julia
33:13when I heard someone behind me called out.
33:15Nina!
33:16Excuse me, but who are you?
33:18It's only been five years
33:19since we last met, Nina.
33:21Have you already forgotten me,
33:22your old college junior?
33:23A memory from five years ago
33:25slowly resurfaced.
33:27My mind pieced together a face,
33:29Tim Hall's.
33:30His eyes were bloodshot,
33:31the result of him pulling
33:32an all-nighter analyzing data.
33:35Tim?
33:37Let's go.
33:38Professor Moore is waiting for you
33:40at the hospital.
33:41He's been eagerly anticipating
33:42your arrival this whole time.
33:45Five years ago,
33:47I rejected Professor Moore's attempts
33:48to convince me to join him.
33:50Now, five years later,
33:52I was returning
33:53because of a call I received,
33:55not from Professor Moore,
33:56but from Isabel.
33:58It was Isabel who told me herself
34:00that she was pregnant
34:01with Dante's child.
34:02As we stood outside
34:03Professor Moore's office
34:04at the hospital,
34:05Tim seemed to have sensed
34:07my hesitation.
34:09Nina's back, Professor Moore?
34:11Instinctively,
34:11I cupped his mouth
34:12to stop him.
34:13The warm sensation
34:15as I pressed my palm
34:16against his lips
34:17made us both stiffen.
34:23Why aren't you coming in yet?
34:29Now that you're back,
34:30don't leave again.
34:34After heading to my dorm,
34:35I fell asleep
34:36as soon as my head
34:37hit the pillow.
34:38Head still foggy,
34:39I answered the call,
34:40and at the very next second,
34:41I heard a furious voice
34:42squealing at me.
34:43Where are you, Nina?
34:46It was Dante.
34:47My mind cleared at once.
34:49After checking the time,
34:51I realized that I'd only slept
34:52for less than an hour.
34:54The message I left
34:55on the calendar
34:56was very clear.
34:57Our relationship is over.
34:58It's over, huh?
34:59Well, I didn't agree to it.
35:01His voice was laced
35:02with hurt and indignation,
35:04as if he had finally returned
35:05to his senses
35:06after getting slapped
35:07in the face.
35:08But all I wanted
35:09was some peace and quiet
35:11so I could get my rest.
35:12Isabelle is pregnant
35:13with your baby.
35:14I won't marry the father
35:16of someone else's child.
35:19And more importantly,
35:20it finally dawned on me
35:22that you've never loved me.
35:23Dante was silent
35:25for so long
35:26I nearly drifted off.
35:29So you left me
35:30because of the baby?
35:31I didn't reply.
35:33Tell me where you are.
35:35I want to see you.
35:38I ended the call
35:39with aiding for his response
35:40and blocked his number.
35:43After that,
35:43I found he'd sent me
35:44several dozen messages.
35:46All in all,
35:47he sent me more messages
35:48from this morning till now
35:49than he did
35:50in the last 30 days.
35:51I couldn't be bothered
35:53to read his messages.
35:54After blocking him
35:55on every platform,
35:56I returned to bed.
35:57This time,
35:58no one could disturb me anymore.
36:01The moment the call
36:02disconnected,
36:03Dante froze.
36:05I had never ended
36:06the call on him before.
36:07He quickly tried
36:08to call me back,
36:09but he heard
36:10the robotic message
36:11saying that my number
36:12was unavailable.
36:13He tried to message me.
36:14I'd blocked him.
36:15He immediately thought
36:16of Linda,
36:17my closest friend.
36:21After opening the door,
36:23Linda sneered at him,
36:25saying,
36:25Oh my!
36:27If it isn't
36:28the almighty boss
36:28who loves donating
36:29his sperm
36:30as a token of gratitude,
36:31why did you come
36:32looking for me?
36:33Are you hoping
36:34to find someone else
36:35to take your sperm to?
36:37Where's Nina?
36:39How should I know?
36:44Tell me where she went.
36:47You got another woman pregnant,
36:48but now it finally occurred
36:49to you to look for Nina?
36:50Don't be so shameless, Dante.
36:52Isabel has my loma.
36:53She saved my life.
36:54I'm just trying to help her
36:55fulfill her wish
36:56to have a baby before she dies.
36:57There's nothing more to it.
36:59She saved your life?
37:02Get your facts straight!
37:04Nina's the one
37:05who saved your life!
37:06Dante was dumbstuck.
37:10What did you say?
37:13It showed me being wheeled
37:14into an operating room.
37:15My face was ghostly pale
37:17and my abdomen
37:17was covered in blood.
37:18Five years ago
37:19on the streets of Chargo,
37:20it was her
37:21who truly saved you.
37:22She took a bullet that night,
37:23barely made it out alive.
37:25Dante stared at the photo,
37:27his hands trembling.
37:28And yet,
37:28you assumed Isabel
37:29saved your life
37:30just because you saw her first
37:31when you woke up?
37:33Huh!
37:33This revelation
37:34completely shattered Dante.
37:37He clearly rekeveled
37:38he'd been attacked back then.
37:40The last thing he remembered
37:41was seeing a silhouette
37:42lunge forward to save him.
37:46When he woke up,
37:47he saw Isabel
37:48sitting beside his bed.
37:52Nina never brought it up
37:53because she didn't want you
37:54to feel like you owed her.
37:55She certainly didn't want
37:56to use this incident
37:56to bind you to her.
37:57But what did you do?
37:59You credited someone else
38:00for saving you
38:00and you even used your semen
38:02to thank her!
38:03How disgusting!
38:04As if he had been struck
38:05by lightning,
38:06Dante stumbled off.
38:08Dante?
38:10What's going on with you?
38:11Save it.
38:12I just have one question
38:14for you.
38:15Are you really the one
38:16who saved my life
38:17back then?
38:20It was me, of course.
38:21I was the first one
38:23you saw when you woke up,
38:24wasn't I?
38:24Dante continued
38:25to stare at Isabel,
38:26but his gaze
38:27slowly turned cold.
38:29He wasn't going
38:30to believe her anymore.
38:32Isabel,
38:33you're not the one
38:34who saved me
38:34five years ago.
38:37Why are you saying
38:38this all of a sudden,
38:39Dante?
38:39Drop the act!
38:41I reviewed the surveillance
38:42footage from the alley
38:43at the time.
38:44It was Nina
38:44who saved me.
38:45She was the one
38:46who stayed with me
38:46when I was on
38:47the verge of death.
38:48At the time,
38:49she'd come across Dante
38:50at the hospital
38:51by sheer coincidence.
38:52He'd just woken up
38:54and immediately assumed
38:55she saved him.
38:56She should have
38:57clarified things
38:57right away.
38:58However,
38:59in a moment of weakness,
39:00she gave in
39:01to her selfish desires
39:02and played along
39:03with his assumptions.
39:04Later,
39:05her family sent her abroad,
39:06which resulted
39:07in them losing touch.
39:09When she returned,
39:10she was already
39:10suffering from myeloma,
39:12so she decided
39:12to approach Dante
39:13in the hopes
39:14of leaving something
39:15behind that she
39:15could be remembered by.
39:16I only lied
39:17in a moment of impulse
39:18because I wanted
39:20to get closer to you.
39:21Abort the baby.
39:23Immediately.
39:24No!
39:25This baby is
39:26my entire life right now.
39:27It's the only thing
39:28I can leave behind
39:29for my family
39:29to remember me by.
39:30How can you bear
39:31to ask me to do that?
39:32Don't even think
39:33about using the baby
39:34to get to me,
39:35Isabel.
39:35On that day itself,
39:36he personally arranged
39:37for the surgery
39:38and had the hospital
39:39abort the baby.
39:39It was done under
39:40the excuse of Isabel
39:41being in too poor health
39:42to carry a baby.
39:43Isabel wailed her heart out,
39:45but Dante was determined.
39:46I didn't leave anything
39:47behind before I left.
39:49He camped out
39:50at her place
39:50for three days.
39:55She left to continue
39:56her medical research work,
39:58but don't ask me where.
39:59I don't know either.
40:03Dante swiftly made
40:04full use of his connections,
40:05and through an old
40:06college friend,
40:07he managed he immediately
40:08got on a plane to Laron.
40:10At last,
40:11he'd found me.
40:12I was still in my lab coat
40:13when I stepped out
40:14of the building
40:14and saw Dante
40:15standing at the entrance.
40:19Why did you leave?
40:20Why didn't you say
40:21a single word?
40:22Do you know I nearly
40:23went mad trying to find you?
40:26Why did you come here?
40:28I came to apologize,
40:30Nina.
40:30I don't want to hear it.
40:31All I want to do right now
40:33is focus on my research.
40:34Don't bother me.
40:36Isabel is still waiting
40:37for you, isn't she?
40:38Nothing is going on
40:39between Isabel and me.
40:40You're the one I truly love.
40:42You actually said that word?
40:44Doesn't it sound like
40:45a joke to you?
40:47I retorted before heading
40:48right back into the research lab.
40:50He didn't leave.
40:52Instead, he stayed at the inn
40:53outside the research building
40:54and waited day after day,
40:56hoping to see me.
40:58Where is that researcher,
40:59Nina Ford?
41:00Is she still inside?
41:02The research project
41:03is now under lockdown.
41:04Its completion date
41:05is about a year and a half
41:06from now.
41:07That night,
41:09after returning to Manhory,
41:10he lay in an empty house
41:12and dreamed about us.
41:16He dreamed that our wedding ceremony
41:18had gone off without a hitch,
41:20that we've gone on honeymoon
41:21to Arana
41:22and took photos
41:23at all the most renowned
41:24tourist destinations.
41:27Two years later,
41:29as I stepped out of Manhorm Airport
41:30with my suitcase in tow,
41:32I was met with a sense
41:33of familiarity in the air.
41:35The research project
41:36had been completed
41:37and the hospital gave me
41:38two months off,
41:39so I decided to return to Manhorm.
41:40There was something I needed
41:42to finish off here.
41:43A proper farewell.
41:46We're going to be late
41:47if we don't hurry.
41:48Linda said that she wanted
41:49to throw me a welcome back party.
41:51As it had been two years
41:53since I last saw my friends,
41:54I agreed.
41:55As we hurried up the building
41:57where the restaurant was,
41:58I thought I spotted
41:59a familiar syllabette,
42:01but I didn't give it much thought.
42:05I didn't hear a single word
42:06from you for two whole years.
42:07I was on the verge
42:08of calling the police.
42:09You're late to your own party.
42:11You're going to have to drink
42:11three glasses of wine
42:12to make up for that.
42:14Allow me to make
42:14the introductions.
42:16This is Tim,
42:17an old college junior,
42:19and also my fiancé.
42:20Your fiancé?
42:22You spent the last two years
42:23busy with your research
42:24and with your new man?
42:25When are you getting married?
42:26I want to be your bridesmaid.
42:29If he's your fiancé,
42:30what about me?
42:31Being the only heir,
42:33he was now in charge
42:34of the largest mafia family
42:36in Manhory.
42:36We had broken up
42:37two years ago
42:38after Isabelle
42:39got pregnant with his baby.
42:41He said he owed her
42:42because he thought
42:43she'd saved his life,
42:44but I didn't believe
42:45in such methods
42:46of repaying a debt
42:47of gratitude.
42:48Later on,
42:49I left
42:49and removed
42:50every trace of him
42:51from my life.
42:52He never thought
42:53I'd really leave him
42:54and fall in love
42:55with someone else.
42:57But now,
42:58he was witnessing it
42:59with his own eyes.
43:00Tim put his arm
43:01around my waist
43:02possessively,
43:03and I didn't stop him.
43:04Dante fixed
43:05his piercing stare on me.
43:06This is all a lie,
43:08isn't it, Nina?
43:09You hired someone
43:10just to piss me off,
43:11right?
43:12Brows firming slightly,
43:13I coolly replied,
43:15We broke up
43:16two years ago.
43:17Linda couldn't take it
43:18anymore either,
43:19she courtly said.
43:21You're the one
43:21who let go of Nina,
43:22Dante.
43:23Why are you still
43:24pestering her now?
43:25However,
43:25as if he hadn't heard
43:26a single word,
43:28Dante approached me.
43:29I've cut off
43:30all ties with Isabelle.
43:31The baby's gone too.
43:32As long as you're still here,
43:33I can save our relationship.
43:34I looked at Dante.
43:35The face that once
43:36stirred my heart
43:37now inspired nothing
43:38more than exhaustion
43:39and a sense of unfamiliarity.
43:40But I don't love you anymore.
43:42I spent all those years
43:44trying to win Dante over,
43:45but he remained as unmoved
43:46as a block of ice.
43:47His heart was as cold
43:49as a rock.
43:49However,
43:50when Isabelle showed up,
43:51I realized that he wasn't
43:52truly an emotionless person.
43:54He simply didn't love me.
43:55Two years ago,
43:56I canceled our wedding
43:58and removed myself
43:59from the equation
43:59so that Dante and Isabelle
44:01could be together.
44:02Yet,
44:03he had broken things off
44:04with Isabelle,
44:04and was now behaving
44:05as though he was still
44:06deeply in love with me.
44:08Excuse me,
44:09but Tim is my fiancé.
44:11We're getting married
44:12on the 18th,
44:13which is in 10 days.
44:14Dante's face turned ashen.
44:16His eyes reddened with tears.
44:18It was as if he couldn't accept
44:19that I was actually
44:20going to marry someone else.
44:21I was in no mood
44:22to get entangled with him.
44:24Thus,
44:24I decided to leave
44:25with everyone
44:26and have the party elsewhere.
44:28As I walked past him,
44:29he grabbed me.
44:32But I yanked my hand away
44:34without hesitation.
44:35Taking Tim's hand,
44:37I left the restaurant
44:38while Dante
44:39rimmed rooted to the spot.
44:40Once we got into the car,
44:42Tim abruptly released
44:43my hand and huffed.
44:44He crossed his arms
44:45and stared out the window.
44:47That made me laugh.
44:48It turned out that
44:49Tim was feeling jealous.
44:50Dante had never felt jealous before.
44:53Even when I had
44:53intentionally hung out
44:54with other guys
44:55and spent a lot of time
44:56at their place,
44:57he would simply say,
44:58I don't care.
44:59But now,
45:00just Dante's presence alone
45:01was enough to make
45:02Tim hot with jealousy.
45:03That was probably
45:04the difference
45:05between a man who loved you
45:06and a man who didn't.
45:07Hugging Tim,
45:08I said to him gently,
45:09Don't be mad.
45:10You're about to get married.
45:12People who get angry a lot
45:13end up looking rather ugly.
45:15Are you calling me ugly?
45:16Tim shot back
45:17in feigned displeasure.
45:18I immediately conceded,
45:20Certainly not.
45:21You're the most handsome man
45:22in the world.
45:23I should have recorded that.
45:25The clip might have
45:26even gone viral online.
45:28Everyone had a blast
45:29that evening.
45:30Once the party ended,
45:32Tim escorted me
45:33to my parents' home
45:34and bade me a reluctant
45:35goodbye outside
45:35before leaving.
45:36Alas,
45:37when I opened the door,
45:38I saw Dante sitting
45:39on the living room couch.
45:41Mom and Dad
45:41were sitting on the other side,
45:43their expressions
45:44conveying a mix of emotions.
45:46Two years ago,
45:47I told them that I was leaving
45:48to do my research work.
45:50They didn't know
45:51the real reason
45:52why Dante and I broke up.
45:53Meanwhile,
45:54he continued to show up
45:55during this time.
45:56In fact,
45:56throughout the last six months,
45:58he would appear
45:58in their vicinity
45:59every few days.
46:00He never disturbed them.
46:01He simply waited in silence.
46:03Mom and Dad
46:04tried to convince him
46:04to give up as well,
46:05but they saw how obstinate
46:07he was and felt
46:08a little sorry for him.
46:09Thus,
46:09when he came to the house
46:10that day,
46:11they decided to let us
46:12have a proper talk.
46:13Once Dante spotted me,
46:15he shot to his feet.
46:19Nina.
46:22What are you doing here?
46:34Dante's eyes flashed with hurt
46:36as he asked,
46:37Must you act as though
46:38we're strangers?
46:39Before I had a chance
46:40to even say anything,
46:41Dante's emotions
46:42got the better of him.
46:43I can explain everything!
46:45He choked out
46:46as his eyes reddened.
46:50It was only after
46:51you had left
46:52that I found out
46:52it was you
46:53who saved me
46:53that night
46:54five years ago.
46:55I've been mistaken
46:56all along, Nina.
46:58Dante's eyes
46:59were filled with regret,
47:00but they also held
47:01a flicker of hope.
47:03He assumed
47:03that by revealing
47:04the truth,
47:05I would be able
47:06to forgive him,
47:07but he was wrong.
47:08I'd saved him that night.
47:09I was the one
47:10who tended to his injuries
47:11and stopped his bleeding,
47:12but I never brought it up.
47:13It was an incident
47:15from the past
47:15that we both chose
47:16not to dwell on.
47:17However,
47:18Dante assumed
47:19that someone else
47:20had saved him,
47:20and that mistake
47:21cost him
47:22our entire relationship.
47:24I didn't let Isabelin
47:25give birth to that baby.
47:26I know the truth now, Nina.
47:28So can we go back
47:29to the way things
47:30were between us?
47:31Immediately,
47:31I shook my head.
47:32That's impossible.
47:34Dante froze
47:35as his face
47:35lost all color.
47:37He had waited
47:37two years for me,
47:39but he didn't get
47:39the outcome
47:40he had expected.
47:42Why not?
47:44I love you.
47:46Staring at him,
47:47I questioned coldly,
47:50Are you sure
47:51that's love?
47:52If you love me,
47:53why didn't I receive
47:54a single gift from you
47:55throughout our
47:56five-year relationship?
47:57Why did you never agree
47:59to go on vacation with me
48:00even though I brought it up
48:01countless times?
48:02If you love me,
48:04why did you get
48:05another woman pregnant
48:06while I was busy
48:07planning our wedding?
48:08I kept pushing him,
48:09watching as his expression
48:10turned to one of defeat.
48:13My heart
48:13isn't made of stone.
48:15It's made of flesh
48:16and blood.
48:17It bleeds
48:18and hurts, too.
48:20If this is what
48:21you call love,
48:22then I'm sorry.
48:23It's not the kind
48:24of love I want.
48:26Dante couldn't
48:26defend himself.
48:27All he could do
48:28was cling to the
48:29flimsily bit of
48:30excuse he had.
48:31I just mistook
48:32someone else for you.
48:34If I'd known
48:34you were the one
48:35who saved me...
48:36That's enough!
48:37I cut him off sharply.
48:39Stop bothering me.
48:41Let's end things
48:42amibely.
48:43With that,
48:44I ushered Dante
48:45out of the house.
48:47The next morning,
48:48I rushed off
48:49to pick up
48:49the wedding rings.
48:50Tim and I were
48:51about to get married
48:52soon.
48:52Once the ceremony
48:53was over,
48:54we planned to go
48:54on a trip around
48:55the world.
48:56It was a wonderful
48:56way to mark this
48:57pivotal moment
48:58in our lives.
48:59After leaving
48:59the jewelry boutique,
49:00I walked along
49:01the street to marvel
49:02at my custom-made
49:03diamond ring
49:04sparkling in the
49:04sunlight.
49:06Engrossed in my
49:06thoughts about how
49:07pretty it would
49:08look on my finger,
49:08I didn't notice
49:09two strangers
49:10slowly creeping up
49:11behind me.
49:11Once I turned
49:12the corner,
49:13a shadowy figure
49:13burst forward
49:14and snatched the
49:15bag out of my
49:15hands.
49:16As I instinctively
49:17tried to go after
49:18him,
49:18I saw a glint
49:19from the corner
49:20of my eye
49:20and heard the
49:21rustling in the air.
49:22Boss said that
49:23you're getting in
49:24the way.
49:24I thought I was
49:25going to get
49:26stabbed,
49:26but the pain
49:27I'd expected
49:27never came.
49:28I whipped my
49:29head up and
49:29realized that Dante
49:30had shielded me
49:31from the attack.
49:33He was clutching
49:34his abdomen
49:34with one hand,
49:35but it was bleeding
49:36profusely anyway.
49:43Swaying,
49:44he ended up
49:44crashing on top
49:45of me.
49:48Dante!
49:53I quickly
49:54tried to keep
49:54him steady
49:55as I called
49:55for an ambulance.
49:59The only thing
50:00I could think of
50:01was to stop
50:02his bleeding
50:02at once.
50:04Have you
50:05lost your mind?
50:06My fingers
50:07were covered
50:07in his blood.
50:08Dante was
50:09already losing
50:09consciousness.
50:10His face
50:11was colorless,
50:12but he struggled
50:13keep his eyes
50:13open and look
50:14at me.
50:15With a faint
50:15smile on his
50:16face,
50:16he said,
50:17Now I know
50:18how much it
50:19hurts.
50:20Was this the
50:21pain you felt
50:22back then?
50:23My heart
50:24clenched,
50:25and my nose
50:25prickled.
50:26Dante only faint
50:27when he heard
50:28the siren of
50:29the ambulance
50:29just moments
50:30before it
50:30pulled up
50:31beside us.
50:35The surgery
50:36lasted three
50:37hours.
50:38The doctor
50:39said that
50:39none of his
50:40vital organs
50:40had been
50:40injured,
50:41but he'd
50:42lost a lot
50:42of blood.
50:43Exhaling in
50:44relief,
50:44I slumped
50:45onto the
50:45cold chair
50:46and watched
50:47as Dante
50:47lay unconscious
50:48on the
50:48hospital bed.
50:49I had
50:50mixed feelings.
50:51I couldn't
50:52believe he'd
50:52actually blocked
50:53the attack
50:53for me.
50:55Dante's
50:55family had
50:56rushed to
50:56the hospital.
50:59When Maria
51:00saw Dante,
51:01she had a
51:01meltdown
51:01and confronted
51:02me.
51:03What the
51:03hell do
51:03you want?
51:04Does he
51:05owe you
51:05anything?
51:06You left
51:07without a
51:07word on
51:07your wedding
51:08day,
51:08and now
51:08he's in
51:09the hospital
51:09because of
51:10you!
51:10Can't you
51:11stop causing
51:11trouble for
51:12him?
51:14I kept
51:15my head
51:15bowed,
51:16silently
51:16allowing her
51:17to rebuke
51:17me.
51:18I didn't
51:18bother
51:18explaining
51:19about the
51:19wedding.
51:20There was
51:20no point
51:21in doing
51:21so.
51:22Moreover,
51:22he had
51:23indeed
51:23saved me
51:23that day.
51:24Nina.
51:25His family
51:26immediately
51:27crowded
51:27around
51:27the
51:28bed,
51:28but his
51:28eyes
51:29remained
51:29fixed
51:30on me.
51:30Sensing
51:31what he
51:31wanted,
51:32Maria silently
51:32exited the
51:33hospital room
51:34and the
51:34others
51:34followed
51:35state.
51:36Soon,
51:36the room
51:36was quiet
51:37again.
51:38Was it
51:38worth it?
51:44It was.
51:47You also
51:48thought that
51:48it must have
51:49hurt a lot,
51:50right?
51:55Stop
51:56talking.
51:57You need
51:57all the
51:58rest you
51:58can get.
51:59I'd
51:59spent the
51:59whole night
52:00thinking about
52:00what you
52:01said yesterday.
52:02I was
52:03the one
52:03who destroyed
52:04our
52:04relationship.
52:06I didn't
52:06know how
52:07to appreciate
52:07you.
52:08I showed
52:09up today
52:09only because
52:10I wanted
52:10to tell
52:11you that
52:11I regret
52:12everything.
52:21in the
52:22past I
52:23would
52:23have
52:23surely
52:23been
52:23touched
52:24by
52:24these
52:24words.
52:25But now
52:25I was
52:26no longer
52:26someone who'd
52:27spend all
52:27my time
52:28waiting for
52:28someone else.
52:30If
52:31Isabelle
52:32hadn't
52:32shown up,
52:33would things
52:34have worked
52:34out between
52:34us?
52:35No.
52:38Isabelle
52:39had merely
52:39been the
52:40catalyst.
52:41Long before
52:41her arrival,
52:42Dante had
52:43already drained
52:44me of all
52:44my love and
52:45energy.
52:50Can I meet
52:51your fiancé?
52:52Startled,
52:53I agreed
52:54to it.
53:10Thanks for
53:10saving
53:11Nina.
53:12At last,
53:13he figured
53:14it out.
53:14Tim didn't
53:15show any
53:15jealousy,
53:16nor did
53:17he utter
53:17a word
53:17of mockery.
53:18He loved
53:19me with
53:19warmth and
53:20openness.
53:21Tim's very
53:21existence was
53:22a minute
53:22striking a
53:23blow against
53:23the arrogance
53:24and alluredness
53:25Dante once
53:25showed me.
53:27The two
53:28men talked
53:29for a very
53:30long time.
53:34It's a secret
53:35between us
53:35men.
53:35Chuckering,
53:36I didn't
53:37pursue any
53:37further.
53:38The day
53:38before my
53:39wedding,
53:39I visited
53:40Dante to
53:40bid him
53:41farewell.
53:47may I
53:48attend
53:48your
53:49wedding
53:49tomorrow?
54:13May I
54:15Tim looked
54:16incredibly
54:16charming
54:17in his
54:17well-fitted
54:18black suit.
54:19As I
54:19stared at
54:20him while
54:20he stood
54:21beside me,
54:21I felt a
54:22sense of
54:22peace and
54:23joy I'd
54:24never felt
54:24before.
54:25After meeting
54:26him, I
54:27finally understood
54:27what true love
54:28felt like.
54:29Deceit and
54:30mistrust had
54:31no place in a
54:31love like this.
54:33At last,
54:34the wedding
54:34ceremony began.
54:35I took
54:36dad's hand and
54:37slowly walked
54:38down the aisle
54:38toward Tim.
54:39When passing
54:40my hand over
54:41to Tim,
54:42dad solemnly
54:43said,
54:43I'm leaving
54:44my daughter
54:45in your care
54:45now.
54:46Rest assured,
54:47for I will
54:47protect her
54:48with my
54:48life.
54:49Tim promised
54:50earnestly.
54:51We exchanged
54:52our vows
54:53and our rings
54:54before sharing
54:55a passionate
54:56kiss.
54:56The crowd
54:57immediately erupted
54:58in cheers
54:59and hearty
55:00applause.
55:00All of the
55:01guests were
55:02offering their
55:02sincerest
55:03willishes to
55:04Tim and me.
55:05Meanwhile,
55:06in the corner,
55:06Dante clapped
55:07as he stared
55:08at me.
55:09He was
55:10suddenly reminded
55:11of the wedding
55:12that never
55:12happened two
55:13years ago.
55:14He thought
55:14about how
55:15the old
55:15me must
55:16have been
55:16filled with
55:16ancipation
55:17as I planned
55:18every detail
55:18of the
55:19wedding,
55:19from the
55:20ceremony to
55:21our wedding
55:21outfits,
55:21and also the
55:22reception.
55:23He figured
55:24that it had
55:24to have been
55:24agonizing for
55:25me when I
55:26decided to
55:26cancel the
55:27wedding.
55:27Dante had
55:28broken my
55:28heart,
55:29and now I'd
55:30found someone
55:30with whom I
55:31could truly
55:31be happy.
55:32It was time
55:33for him to
55:33accept this
55:34and move
55:34on.
55:35He closed
55:35his eyes,
55:36and a tear
55:36cascaded down
55:37his cheek.
55:38After the
55:39wedding,
55:39I buzzied myself
55:40seeing the
55:42finally had a
55:42chance to
55:43sit down
55:43and rest.
55:44Linda approached
55:45me with mixed
55:45emotions in her
55:46eyes.
55:47She passed me
55:48an envelope,
55:48saying,
55:49Dante asked me
55:50to give this
55:50to you,
55:50and to wish
55:51you a happy
55:51marriage.
55:52She patted
55:53me on the
55:53shoulder before
55:54leaving.
55:54I abruptly
55:55remembered that
55:56Dante had said
55:57he wanted to
55:57attend my
55:58wedding,
55:58but I hadn't
55:59seen any sign
56:00of him that
56:01day.
56:01Opening the
56:02envelope,
56:02I read the
56:03letter.
56:04I'm sorry,
56:05Nina.
56:05Please forgive
56:06me for being
56:07too much of a
56:07cowardly weakling
56:09to wish you a
56:09happy marriage
56:10in person.
56:11I hope you
56:12have a blissful
56:12life.
56:13I went off
56:14to look for
56:14Tim.
56:15I'd begun a
56:16new life now.
56:17It was time
56:18for Dante to
56:19find his own
56:20future.
Comments