After Rebirth, I Gave My Control-Freak Fiancé to My Stepsister Episode ENGSUB Rebirth Romance, Revenge, ADB

MagicMovieMoments

Transcript

00:00:00My billionaire fiancé, Damien, did not love me. He loved control.

00:00:05In my last life, I tried to become his perfect wife, obedient, quiet, and easy to manage.

00:00:11I gave him everything, but he still chose my scheming stepsister every time.

00:00:15In the end, a car crash killed the woman he had spent years trying to cage,

00:00:19but death sent me back to the start, right before our wedding.

00:00:22This time, I will not beg for love.

00:00:24I am giving my controlling billionaire fiancé to my treacherous stepsister,

00:00:28packing my bags, and leaving New York forever.

00:00:30Their perfect world is going to burn, and I will walk away free.

00:00:36Manhattan's most exclusive VIP mic club was a blur of neon lights.

00:00:40I sat in the center of a private booth,

00:00:45and with perfect intention.

00:00:48Up by the second floor rallying, a paparazzi lens was pointed straight at us.

00:00:53Good. Those photos would be on Damien Blackhood's desk before morning.

00:00:58That was the whole point.

00:01:00Damien needed a wife who was spotless, graceful, and obedient.

00:01:03So I was going to rip his perfect wife fantasy apart with my own hands.

00:01:06If the scandal was ugly enough, he would call off the engagement himself.

00:01:09Then the air around me turned ice cold.

00:01:19In that split second, I could almost hear chains pulling tight from another life.

00:01:23In my past life, I loved him to the point of madness.

00:01:26I told myself his control was love.

00:01:29Then the Blackwood family code was placed in front of me.

00:01:31No nightclubs.

00:01:32No being alone with any man.

00:01:34No leaving New York without permission.

00:01:36He froze my passport and cut off every account I had.

00:01:39Then he clasped a diamond bracelet around my wrist and called it an engagement gift.

00:01:44It was not a gift.

00:01:45It was a GPS tracker.

00:01:47He sanded me down, piece by piece, until I became something quiet and hollow.

00:01:52The perfect Mrs. Blackwood.

00:01:55Then a car crash ended my suffocating life.

00:01:59I had been reborn on the night before our wedding.

00:02:01This time, I did not want Damien.

00:02:03I wanted to be Scarlet Vale again.

00:02:05So the first thing I did was find my father.

00:02:08I want to call off the engagement.

00:02:09What the hell is wrong with you?

00:02:11Marrying to the Blackwood family is the greatest opportunity of your life.

00:02:14He is so perfect.

00:02:15Let Clara marry him.

00:02:16She is the dignified, obedient one.

00:02:18The ideal Blackwood wife, right?

00:02:22You are really willing to give it up?

00:02:24I did not wait for the rest.

00:02:26I booked an international flight and moved my passport somewhere Damien's could not reach

00:02:31and called my best friend Mia.

00:02:33Come drink with me, which brought me here, to this moment.

00:02:37Who gave you the nerve to come to a place like this?

00:02:40I go where I want.

00:02:41What does that have to do with you?

00:02:58My blood ran cold.

00:03:00That bracelet.

00:03:01The same one that had locked away my freedom in my last life.

00:03:05Don't touch me!

00:03:09GPS tracking, heart rate monitor, entry and exit logs, synced in real time.

00:03:14Every step you take, I will see it.

00:03:17I want a public apology statement by tomorrow morning.

00:03:20You put diamonds on a cage and think that makes it something else?

00:03:25I held his gaze and said it clearly, one word at a time.

00:03:28I am not marrying you Damien.

00:03:30We are done.

00:03:34The car went silent.

00:03:35Damien's eyes snapped mine.

00:03:37Done?

00:03:38Done what?

00:03:39What the hell is that supposed to mean?

00:03:41For a second, I almost told him the truth.

00:03:44That the bride had already been changed.

00:03:46That Clara was the one his family would get.

00:03:49Then I stopped myself.

00:03:50I wanted him dreading every day until the wedding, convinced he was still stuck with me.

00:03:56Forget it.

00:03:57I was just mad.

00:04:02I'm taking you home.

00:04:03Sit properly.

00:04:05I kicked off my heels, pressed my bare feet into his expensive floor mat and rolled the window down.

00:04:11When are you going to learn to behave like a Blackwood wife?

00:04:15Maybe in my next life.

00:04:16The rose stopped at the Vale Estate gates.

00:04:19I want that apology on my desk by nine tomorrow.

00:04:21And don't waste your time trying to take off the bracelet.

00:04:24I pushed the door open.

00:04:25I looked down at the disgusting thing locked around my wrist.

00:04:29Then you'd better watch closely.

00:04:31I slammed the door and walked inside without looking back.

00:04:34Richard, Monica, and Clara were all waiting in the living room.

00:04:37My father, his ex-mistress turned trophy wife,

00:04:40and the bastard daughter they'd spent years polishing into exactly the kind of obedient, presentable girl Damien wanted.

00:04:46You reek of alcohol, and you wore a Blackwood engagement bracelet to a night cub.

00:04:52Have you completely lost your mind?

00:04:54Don't be too hard on her, Richard.

00:04:56Though honestly, I'm not sure a family like the Blackwoods can afford that kind of reputation.

00:05:01Scarlett, dad said he already spoke with the Blackwoods.

00:05:04Are you really sure you want me to take your place?

00:05:07A hundred percent sure.

00:05:09You've always loved picking up what I throw away.

00:05:12This time I'm handing it to you myself.

00:05:14No need to sneak around for it.

00:05:17Watch your mouth.

00:05:18Clara is steadier, smarter, and a far better fit for the Blackwood family than you ever were.

00:05:23Perfect.

00:05:24Just don't come crying to me when the whole thing blows up in your faces.

00:05:29I only hope you won't regret this.

00:05:31I would hate to see you lose everything because of one bad mood.

00:05:38Scarlet Veil never regrets a damn thing.

00:05:44A servant came hammering on my door first thing in the morning.

00:05:47Damien was downstairs.

00:05:48He stood in the living room like last night had never happened.

00:05:51First thing he checked was my wrist.

00:05:54The bracelet.

00:05:55Green light blinking.

00:05:57Then he looked up.

00:05:58The statement.

00:05:59I didn't write one.

00:06:00Blackwoods PR team buried those photos.

00:06:02I need that statement.

00:06:03Your rules do not apply to me anymore.

00:06:05I am not signing anything.

00:06:07When are you going to learn to do or told?

00:06:08Not in this lifetime.

00:06:10Right on Cuse, Clara appeared in a white dress, eyes faintly red, holding a printed statement.

00:06:15Damien, please don't be angry with Scarlet.

00:06:16She was upset last night.

00:06:18I wrote the statement for her.

00:06:19Will this work?

00:06:20Damien scanned it.

00:06:22When he looked back at me, the disgust was undisguised.

00:06:25Look at Clara.

00:06:26She knows when to be graceful, when to step back, when to put the family first.

00:06:30All you do is create problems.

00:06:35Scarlet just needs more time.

00:06:37The Blackwood charity gala is tonight.

00:06:39I can go with her and help her get through it.

00:06:42Help me with what?

00:06:43How to smile on cue?

00:06:46How to play the innocent girl in white while hiding the snake underneath?

00:06:50Enough.

00:06:51Add her name and release it.

00:06:52I did not sign it.

00:06:53You went to a nightclub as the future Mrs. Blackwood.

00:06:56It stopped being your personal guest the second you dragged my family name into it.

00:06:59If you refuse to do the right thing, I will do it for you.

00:07:02Then take Clara.

00:07:03She is always so good at doing the right thing.

00:07:04You are my fiancé.

00:07:06You will be at that gala tonight.

00:07:07Fine.

00:07:08This life, I was going to give him exactly what he wanted.

00:07:10Clara linked her arm through mine, going upstairs.

00:07:13Warm smiles.

00:07:14Nails digging into my skin.

00:07:15The second the door closed, I shook her off.

00:07:17Nobody is watching.

00:07:18Drop the act.

00:07:19Damien will be mine.

00:07:20On the wedding day, he will be grateful someone made the switch.

00:07:22A disaster like you has no business near the Blackwood name.

00:07:24Then why didn't you tell him just now?

00:07:25Scared that once he knows, he still won't want you?

00:07:27I won't just keep your mouth shut, Scarlet.

00:07:28I don't care about the you or your control freak fiancine.

00:07:31Happy wedding.

00:07:34The Blackwood Family Charity Gala was packed with Manhattan's most powerful people.

00:07:39Old money, new money, and the kind of influence that could buy both.

00:07:42I showed up deliberately in a floor-long thread backless gown, bold, unapologetic,

00:07:47and everything a Blackwood wife was not supposed to be.

00:07:50Clara wore white couture, pristine as a lily.

00:07:54When the waltz began and every eye in the room drifted toward Damis,

00:07:58Manhattan's most coveted heir stepped forward and reached right past me,

00:08:02his actual fiancée, to offer his hand to Clara.

00:08:05The socialite crowd broke into sharp, delighted whispers.

00:08:08Did you see that?

00:08:10He chose the stepsister.

00:08:12Honestly, I get it.

00:08:13Scarlet is a walking scandal.

00:08:14Clara is everything a Blackwood wife should be.

00:08:17Damien led Clara onto the floor without looking back,

00:08:19then threw me a cold parting shot.

00:08:21You do not know how to dance at this level.

00:08:24Stay where you are and watch Clara.

00:08:26Maybe you will finally learn something.

00:08:29I watched them turn beneath the chandeliers and felt nothing but revulsion.

00:08:34I slipped upstairs to the terrace for air, desperate to breathe something that did not feel like a trap.

00:08:39Of course, Clara followed.

00:08:41Her heels clicked up the stairs like she had been attached to my shadow all night.

00:08:45She wore the face of someone who had already won, and when she spoke, her voice was low and vicious.

00:08:50Poor Scarlet.

00:08:51Your mother could not beat mine, and now you cannot beat me either.

00:08:55Losing must run in your blood.

00:08:57She should have said anything else, anything but that.

00:09:00She had insulted my dead mother.

00:09:02My eyes went cold.

00:09:03Without a word, I drew back and slapped her heart across the face.

00:09:06The crack cut through the night air.

00:09:08Clara's head snapped to the side, and her cheek flushed red almost instantly.

00:09:12She screamed.

00:09:14You crazy bitch!

00:09:15You actually hit me?

00:09:17I closed the distance and grabbed her by the neck.

00:09:20Hit you?

00:09:20I can do a lot worse than hit you.

00:09:22I trained in MMA, Clara.

00:09:24Taking apart a fake, fragile little thing like you would barely count as exercise.

00:09:29I whipped one leg up in a clean sidekick.

00:09:36The courtyard below erupted into screaming chaos.

00:09:38I straightened my dress, picked up my wrap, and turned to leave.

00:09:41But I had not made it three steps before Damien's hand clamped around my wrist like a vice.

00:09:46His eyes were bloodshot with rage, and his voice was cold enough to freeze the air between us.

00:09:50Clara fell from the terrace.

00:09:52Was it you?

00:09:53I met his eyes without flinching.

00:09:55Yes.

00:09:56She had it coming.

00:09:58You are beyond saving.

00:10:00Since she refuses to apologize, she needs to learn a lesson.

00:10:03Throw her into the estate fountain.

00:10:04No one lets her out until I say so.

00:10:06The bodyguards grabbed me before I could fight them off.

00:10:08No matter how hard I struggled,

00:10:10they dragged me across the courtyard and threw me straight into the fountain.

00:10:14The water was freezing cold, but it was liquid water, not ice.

00:10:17The spring night air cut like a blade, and the cold sank straight into my bones.

00:10:21Every time I clawed for the marble rim of the fountain,

00:10:24the guard standing along the edge pushed me back under without a word.

00:10:27The struggle drained me fast.

00:10:30Then something worse hit me.

00:10:31A sharp, familiar cramp twisted low in my abdomen.

00:10:34My period had come early.

00:10:36Blood seeped into the cold water around me,

00:10:38spreading in slow, dark ribbons beneath the surface.

00:10:41I was trembling, barely conscious,

00:10:43when I heard one of the guards call Damien.

00:10:45Sir, Miss Val just got her period.

00:10:46There is blood in the water.

00:10:47Should we keep going?

00:10:48There was a brief silence on the other end.

00:10:50Keep going.

00:10:50She will never learn if she does not suffer the consequences.

00:10:53In that moment, my blood ran colder than the fountain ever could.

00:10:55The despair of two lifetimes crashed down over me,

00:10:58all at once, and the world went black.

00:11:04When I opened my eyes again,

00:11:06I was in a hospital room that smelled sharply of antiseptic.

00:11:08Damien was sitting at my bedside.

00:11:10When he saw me wake up,

00:11:11he released my hand with an expression of careful indifference.

00:11:14I spoke with your father.

00:11:15He will not give you any more trouble.

00:11:17But do not ever go after Clara.

00:11:20Clara is my father's precious little affair daughter.

00:11:23She is not my problem,

00:11:25and I am not promising you a damn thing.

00:11:31Mr. Blackwood,

00:11:32Clara is getting very upset in the next room.

00:11:34She has been crying and asking for you.

00:11:38I will go check on her.

00:11:39She was hurt because of you.

00:11:41As your fiancée, it is only proper that I go.

00:11:47Go on, then.

00:11:48Run to your real fiancée.

00:11:49On the day I was discharged,

00:11:51Damien forced me back into the car

00:11:53and drove me to the veil estate.

00:11:54But when I pushed open my bedroom door,

00:11:56my blood went cold.

00:11:58Clara was sitting at my vanity,

00:11:59dangling a sapphire necklace from her fingertips.

00:12:01My mother's sapphire necklace.

00:12:03The only thing she had left me.

00:12:05I crossed the room in three steps.

00:12:07My voice stripped down to nothing.

00:12:09Put it down and get out.

00:12:12Yours?

00:12:14Scarlet, everything in this house

00:12:15is going to be mine.

00:12:25Daddy, I only wanted to look at Scarlet's necklace

00:12:28and she shoved me into the floor.

00:12:38What the hell are you smiling at?

00:12:40I looked straight at Clara.

00:12:41You love putting on a show?

00:12:42Fine.

00:12:43I will give you the performance of your life.

00:12:45I grabbed a metal pen from the vanity

00:12:47and drove it straight at the Clara's palm.

00:12:49Clean through.

00:12:50Pinned to the hardwood.

00:12:51Ah!

00:12:51You fucking psycho!

00:12:52You're all dead!

00:12:53Stop!

00:12:53Get this animal out of my house!

00:12:55You are no longer welcome in the Veil family!

00:12:57The servants dragged me to the door

00:12:59and threw my luggage into the mud.

00:13:01I bent down,

00:13:01pulled my mother's sapphire necklace out of the dirt

00:13:04and held it tight.

00:13:05It was raining.

00:13:05I stood sosed under an ornery

00:13:07until a black roll's pulled up.

00:13:08Damien got out without a word,

00:13:10put me in the car

00:13:11and drove me to his house.

00:13:12He came back with a first aid kit

00:13:13and started treating the mark

00:13:15my father had left on my face.

00:13:16Then the doorbell rang.

00:13:18Clara, banded hand, fragile expression.

00:13:20She walked straight into Damien's arms

00:13:22like she belonged there.

00:13:23Damien, I had to come.

00:13:24I was worried what she did to me.

00:13:25She is still...

00:13:25Damien's face darkened.

00:13:26Apologize to her.

00:13:27Right now, Scarlet.

00:13:29Not a chance in hell.

00:13:30We started arguing by the entryway.

00:13:31Damien reached for my arm

00:13:33and I shoved him off.

00:13:34In the struggle,

00:13:34his elbow knocked into the glass kettle

00:13:36sitting on the side cabinet.

00:13:37The kettle reacted to the floor and shattered.

00:13:39Scalding water exploded across the marble.

00:13:41He threw himself around Clara

00:13:42and covered her completely.

00:13:43I was on the other side.

00:13:44The boiling water splashed across my legs and arm.

00:13:46My skin turned red almost at once

00:13:48then started to blister and peel.

00:13:49Damien checked Clara first.

00:13:51She was fine.

00:13:52Then he glanced at me on the floor,

00:13:53bent down and picked Clara up.

00:13:54Leave her.

00:13:55A little pain might teach her to think

00:13:56before she goes after you again.

00:13:58He left me alone on the floor

00:13:59with scalding water still spreading around me.

00:14:04I sat on that floor,

00:14:05holding myself together through the pain

00:14:07and called 911 myself.

00:14:09I got out of the hospital

00:14:10just in time for Clara's birthday party.

00:14:12Richard used the occasion

00:14:13to make a grand announcement.

00:14:14The majority of the Vale family's

00:14:15trust assets and shares

00:14:16would be transferred to Clara

00:14:17in front of every guest in the room,

00:14:19took out a velvet box

00:14:20and clasped a diamond necklace

00:14:22worth a small fortune around Clara's neck.

00:14:24Clara's socialite friends

00:14:25swept over with their glasses,

00:14:27making sure to spill red wine across my dress.

00:14:29Look at the ex-fiancé.

00:14:31You clean up like somebody's charity project.

00:14:37The bottle shattered.

00:14:39Blood and liquor ran together.

00:14:41The room erupted in screams.

00:14:43Damien was on me in seconds,

00:14:45crushing my wrist in his grip,

00:14:46his eyes loaded with contempt.

00:14:48Scarlet, what the hell is wrong with you?

00:14:51Apologize to them.

00:14:52Now.

00:14:53In your dreams!

00:14:54Damien laughed,

00:14:55but there was no humor in it.

00:14:56It was the laugh of a man

00:14:57who had run out of patience completely.

00:14:59He knew exactly what I feared most.

00:15:01Since you refuse to listen,

00:15:02you can sit in the dark

00:15:03and think about what you have done.

00:15:05Locker in the wine cellar.

00:15:06Nobody opens that door

00:15:07without my permission.

00:15:08They dragged me

00:15:08into the estates' basement wine cellar.

00:15:10Stone walls.

00:15:11No windows.

00:15:12No light.

00:15:13The heavy iron door slammed shut,

00:15:15and total darkness

00:15:16swallowed me whole.

00:15:18Three days and three nights.

00:15:19No water.

00:15:20No food.

00:15:21The fear nearly broke me.

00:15:23On the fourth day,

00:15:24the door finally opened,

00:15:25but it was not Damien.

00:15:27It was Clara,

00:15:28pushing in a piece of equipment

00:15:29I did not recognize.

00:15:31She was smiling

00:15:32like something out of hell.

00:15:33Damien said you needed

00:15:34to learn a real lesson,

00:15:35so I brought something

00:15:36to make sure it sticks.

00:15:37Two men in black

00:15:38dragged me to a metal chair

00:15:39and strapped me down.

00:15:40They pressed electrode pads

00:15:42to my temples.

00:15:43Clara hit the switch.

00:15:44The current ripped through me.

00:15:46The pain had no words.

00:15:48It only had sound,

00:15:49and the sound was mine.

00:15:52Then there was nothing at all.

00:15:55I woke up in the main house,

00:15:57in a proper bed.

00:15:58Damien was sitting beside me,

00:16:00frowning.

00:16:00I told you to stay in there

00:16:01and think.

00:16:02Three days.

00:16:03How are you this week?

00:16:04I opened my eyes

00:16:04and looked at him.

00:16:06Your precious Clara

00:16:07brought men into that cellar

00:16:08with an electric shock chair

00:16:09and used it on me.

00:16:10Do you believe me?

00:16:13Impossible.

00:16:14Clara's gentle.

00:16:15She would never do

00:16:15something like that.

00:16:16Scarlet, there is a limit

00:16:17to how far you can take a lie.

00:16:19He would never believe me.

00:16:21Fine.

00:16:21I would collect that debt

00:16:23on my own.

00:16:24That night,

00:16:24I hired a team

00:16:25and made the arrangements myself.

00:16:27That night,

00:16:27Clara had been bound,

00:16:29suspended in the open air

00:16:30through the entire night.

00:16:32Damien kicked my door in,

00:16:33the vein in his temple

00:16:34visible from across the room.

00:16:35You left Clara

00:16:36hanging off a rooftop

00:16:37all night.

00:16:37If it were not

00:16:38for the safety net

00:16:39at the base of the building,

00:16:40she would be dead.

00:16:41I sat by the window

00:16:41trimming my nails

00:16:42without looking up.

00:16:43Damien slammed his hand

00:16:44on the table

00:16:44hard enough to rattle it.

00:16:46The wedding is in a few days.

00:16:47You are staying

00:16:48in this house until then.

00:16:49You are not going anywhere.

00:16:50Do you understand me?

00:16:51The night before the wedding,

00:16:53a still-shaking Clara

00:16:54was brought back

00:16:54to the Vale estate.

00:16:55Richard took one look

00:16:56at me and started screaming.

00:16:57Stay away from

00:16:57the wedding tomorrow.

00:16:58Don't you dare show your face

00:16:59and humiliate this family.

00:17:01I picked up the luggage

00:17:02I had already packed

00:17:03and smiled at him.

00:17:05Trust me,

00:17:07that suffocating circus

00:17:09is the last place

00:17:09I would ever want to be.

00:17:11You could not pay me to go.

00:17:16Wedding morning.

00:17:18When I came downstairs,

00:17:19Damien was already

00:17:20in the house.

00:17:21At Clara's insistence,

00:17:23the ceremony had been planned

00:17:24as an elaborate,

00:17:25old-fashioned church wedding.

00:17:27Damien couldn't see

00:17:28who was underneath it.

00:17:29He assumed his lessons

00:17:31had finally worked,

00:17:32that the sharp edges

00:17:33had been worn down,

00:17:34and the woman walking toward him

00:17:36had learned to obey.

00:17:37He stepped forward

00:17:38and took the bride's hand gently.

00:17:40Don't be nervous, Scarlet.

00:17:41I'm right here.

00:17:42I will teach you

00:17:43everything you need to know

00:17:44to become the perfect

00:17:45Mrs. Blackwood.

00:17:47Go on, Damien.

00:17:49Marry your dream wife.

00:17:50Consider it my wedding gift

00:17:51to you both.

00:17:53Once the procession left

00:17:54for St. Hart Cathedral,

00:17:55the Vale estate

00:17:56went completely quiet

00:17:59and flagged a cab to JFK.

00:18:02Inside the car,

00:18:03I pulled a small remote

00:18:04from my coat pocket

00:18:05and looked back at the house

00:18:07one last time.

00:18:08My mother had designed it.

00:18:10Now it sheltered the woman

00:18:11who had replaced her

00:18:12and the daughter

00:18:13who had spent years

00:18:14making my life hell.

00:18:15I was done with it.

00:18:20Miss, was that your house?

00:18:24Yes.

00:18:25I blew it up.

00:18:29St. Hart Cathedral.

00:18:31The vaulted ceiling

00:18:32soared overhead

00:18:32and the pipework

00:18:33and filled the nave

00:18:34and grand with something.

00:18:35Every name that mattered

00:18:35in Hatton had shown up.

00:18:37At the end of the aisle,

00:18:37Damien stood in a perfectly

00:18:38tailored suit,

00:18:39precise, untouchable,

00:18:40watching the bride

00:18:41walk toward him.

00:18:42Today's bride

00:18:42was the long usual lace veil

00:18:43fell all the way down,

00:18:44hiding her face completely.

00:18:46Damien assumed

00:18:46all those cold lessons

00:18:47had finally worked.

00:18:48He assumed I had finally

00:18:49been worn smooth

00:18:50and that the woman

00:18:50walking towards him

00:18:51had learned how to submit.

00:18:52The priest began the vows.

00:18:53Damien lowered his voice,

00:18:54speaking only to the bride

00:18:55in front of him.

00:18:56After today,

00:18:56I will personally teach you

00:18:57how to be a proper Mrs. Blackwood.

00:18:59He took the bride's hand

00:19:00and guided her toward the altar

00:19:01as camera flashes

00:19:02stirred across the room.

00:19:04Then came the moment

00:19:04everyone had been waiting for.

00:19:06The groom lifted the veil.

00:19:07Damien reached up

00:19:08with calm certain fingers,

00:19:09caught the edge of the lace

00:19:10and swept it back.

00:19:10For one breath,

00:19:11the cathedral seemed to freeze.

00:19:13The face in front of him

00:19:14was not the one

00:19:15burned into his memory.

00:19:16It was not the proud,

00:19:17defiant face

00:19:18he had spent years

00:19:18trying to control.

00:19:19It was Clara,

00:19:21flushed with excitement,

00:19:22her eyes bright

00:19:22with smug satisfaction.

00:19:24The cathedral went silent

00:19:25for one stunned second

00:19:26before the whole room

00:19:27broke into chaos.

00:19:28Why is the younger veil daughter

00:19:29wearing the wedding dress?

00:19:30The half smile

00:19:31on Damien's face frozen

00:19:32then vanished completely.

00:19:34His pupils tightened

00:19:36like someone had struck him.

00:19:37In one violent motion,

00:19:39he flung the veil away

00:19:40as if it had burned his hand.

00:19:41Clara had no warning.

00:19:43The force sent her

00:19:44stumbling back

00:19:44and crashing to the floor,

00:19:46her headpiece crooked

00:19:47and her white gown

00:19:48tangled around her legs

00:19:49in front of the entire congregation.

00:19:52Damien's voice

00:19:53tore through the cathedral.

00:19:54Where is Scarlet?

00:19:56Tell me where she is!

00:19:59The most prestigious

00:20:00society wedding in New York

00:20:01had just turned

00:20:02into the city's biggest scandal.

00:20:05Damien,

00:20:06just finish the ceremony.

00:20:08Richard told us

00:20:09a few days ago

00:20:09that the bride

00:20:10was being changed to Clara.

00:20:12We thought Clara

00:20:13was more suitable,

00:20:14more composed.

00:20:15The arrangement benefits

00:20:16both families' trusts

00:20:17and shareholding

00:20:18so we agreed to it privately.

00:20:19She had assumed

00:20:20he would be relieved.

00:20:21His reaction told her

00:20:22she had never understood

00:20:23her son at all.

00:20:24Damien's personal stint

00:20:25pushed past security

00:20:26and sprinted into the hall.

00:20:27His face drained of color.

00:20:28Sir, it is bad.

00:20:29The veil estate

00:20:30exploded half an hour ago.

00:20:31The entire mansion is gone.

00:20:33There is nothing left

00:20:33but rubble.

00:20:34That sentence

00:20:35snapped the last thread

00:20:36of Damien's composure.

00:20:37If I had not come to the wedding,

00:20:39I had to be at the estate.

00:20:40That reckless, insane woman.

00:20:42Did she burn herself

00:20:43alive in there?

00:20:43It was enormous and bottomless,

00:20:45the kind of fear

00:20:46that only came

00:20:46when loss had already

00:20:47reached for your throat.

00:20:48He shoved his mother aside,

00:20:50ignored every voice

00:20:51calling after him and ran.

00:20:53The black rolls

00:20:53tore through red lights

00:20:54one after another

00:20:55before screeching to a stop

00:20:56in front of what remained

00:20:57of the veil estate.

00:20:58Damien stumbled out of the car

00:21:00and stood before

00:21:01the scorched ruins,

00:21:02feeling as if something

00:21:03had been carved

00:21:04straight out of his chest.

00:21:05He screamed my name

00:21:06into the rubble

00:21:07until his voice broke.

00:21:08Then he shoved past

00:21:09the emergency crew

00:21:11and tore into the debris

00:21:12with his bare hands.

00:21:13The entire structure

00:21:14could have caved in

00:21:15at any second,

00:21:16but he did not stop.

00:21:17Get off me!

00:21:18She might still be in there!

00:21:20Let me through!

00:21:23His designer suit

00:21:24was shredded

00:21:25where the debris

00:21:25had caught it,

00:21:26but he did not notice.

00:21:27Rebarm sliced his palms open.

00:21:29Smoldering cinders

00:21:30burned blisters

00:21:30straight into his skin.

00:21:31Blood dripped into the sut,

00:21:33but he did not flinch once.

00:21:34There was only one thought

00:21:35left in him.

00:21:37He had to find her.

00:21:38His voice had gone raw.

00:21:40Scarlet, answer me!

00:21:42Come out here!

00:21:43I will never make you

00:21:44write another apology.

00:21:46I will never lock you down again.

00:21:48Whatever you want,

00:21:49I will give it to you.

00:21:50Just answer me.

00:21:52In the area

00:21:53where my bedroom had been,

00:21:54he finally dug out

00:21:55a small jewelry box,

00:21:56warped and half-melted,

00:21:57with the blackwood crest

00:21:58barely recognizable

00:21:59on the surface.

00:22:00His hands shook

00:22:00as he pried it open.

00:22:01Inside lay a diamond necklace

00:22:03fused into a molten shape.

00:22:04He closed his fist around it.

00:22:06The scorched,

00:22:06twisted metal

00:22:07cut into his palm,

00:22:08but he held on anyway.

00:22:09Guilt hit him like drowning,

00:22:10cold and total,

00:22:11with no way back to the surface.

00:22:13For the first time,

00:22:14he understood

00:22:14what his control had done

00:22:15to the woman he to love.

00:22:17I had always been bright,

00:22:18defiant,

00:22:19but he had spent years

00:22:20trying to grind that fire out of me.

00:22:21His certainty,

00:22:22his rules,

00:22:23and his need to own

00:22:24every part of my life

00:22:25had driven me to this.

00:22:26Then his assistant

00:22:26came sprinting across

00:22:27the debris field,

00:22:28holding a tablet

00:22:29and barely able to breathe.

00:22:30Sir, we found something.

00:22:32You need to see this.

00:22:33It was security footage

00:22:34from a discreet camera

00:22:35at a side exit

00:22:36near the estate.

00:22:36The timestamp was

00:22:37ten minutes before the explosion.

00:22:39A slender figure in a plain coat,

00:22:41pulling a small carry-on,

00:22:42walked out of the Vale estate

00:22:43at an easy pace.

00:22:44She flacked a cab on the street.

00:22:46Just before getting in,

00:22:47she looked back at the house,

00:22:48raised her hand,

00:22:49and pressed something.

00:22:50Behind her,

00:22:50the fireball rose.

00:22:51The image was grainy,

00:22:52but Damien Profford

00:22:53knew that face

00:22:54had burned into him for years.

00:22:55It was me,

00:22:56alive and untouched,

00:22:57walking out of the house

00:22:58by my own choice.

00:23:02The relief and a deeper,

00:23:03darker panic

00:23:04hit him at the same time,

00:23:05nearly knocking him off his feet.

00:23:06She was alive.

00:23:08That was everything.

00:23:09But she had done this

00:23:10with clear eyes and steady hands.

00:23:11She had blown up the house

00:23:11she had grown up in,

00:23:12set up a wedding day decoy,

00:23:13and walked away

00:23:14without looking back.

00:23:15This was not a tantrum,

00:23:16and it was not a cry for attention.

00:23:18She truly did not want him.

00:23:19She hated him enough

00:23:20to erase her old life

00:23:22in one morning,

00:23:22and she had meant

00:23:23every word she said.

00:23:24Damien pulled himself up

00:23:25from the wreckage,

00:23:26his eyes shot through with red

00:23:27and his voice scraped raw,

00:23:29but there was something

00:23:29in it now beyond rage,

00:23:31something dangerously

00:23:32close to desperation.

00:23:33Listen to me.

00:23:33Use every private aviation resource

00:23:35and every security network

00:23:36the Blackwood family has.

00:23:38I want every private terminal

00:23:39and border crossing

00:23:40in this country locked down.

00:23:41He locked eyes

00:23:41with his assistant.

00:23:42Track that cab.

00:23:43Pull passenger manifels

00:23:44and facial recognition data

00:23:45from every transatlantic departure.

00:23:47Search every route,

00:23:48every airport name

00:23:48she could have used.

00:23:49I want her found,

00:23:50and I want her found now!

00:23:52After giving the orders,

00:23:53he drove straight to the Four Seasons

00:23:54where Richard's family

00:23:55had taken him a suite.

00:23:56Inside, Richard, Monica

00:23:57and a shaken, pale-faced Clara

00:23:59were still trying to recover

00:24:00from the morning's disasters.

00:24:02Damien kicked the door open

00:24:03and walked in

00:24:04like something feral.

00:24:05Hands raised,

00:24:05we scrambled.

00:24:06Damien, please let me explain.

00:24:07Scarlet refused the marriage herself.

00:24:08She voluntarily handed

00:24:09the contract over to Clara.

00:24:10We had no choice.

00:24:11Clara is gracious,

00:24:12she is well-behaved,

00:24:13and she is far more appropriate

00:24:14for you than that reckless girl.

00:24:15She handed it over.

00:24:16Damien laughed.

00:24:17Low and terrible

00:24:18was the look

00:24:19you gave something already dead.

00:24:21Do you have any idea

00:24:22what you have done?

00:24:22Do you think I am some piece

00:24:23of property your family

00:24:24can pass around

00:24:25whenever it suits you?

00:24:26He overturned

00:24:27the marble coffee table,

00:24:28shards scattered

00:24:29across the carpet.

00:24:31There is one woman

00:24:32who carries the name

00:24:33Damien Blackoad's wife.

00:24:35That woman is Scarlet,

00:24:36and it has always been Scarlet.

00:24:38Now tell me where she is.

00:24:43Clara had been terrified

00:24:44from the moment

00:24:45Damien walked in,

00:24:47but watching him

00:24:47fall apart like this

00:24:48over the woman

00:24:49who had run away

00:24:50made her envy

00:24:51curdle into something vicious.

00:24:53It became stronger

00:24:54than fear.

00:24:55She threw herself forward

00:24:56and grabbed the leg

00:24:57of his trousers,

00:24:59looking up at him

00:25:00with tears streaming

00:25:01down her face.

00:25:03Damien,

00:25:04what does she have

00:25:05that I do not?

00:25:05I love you more

00:25:06than she ever did.

00:25:08I will follow

00:25:09every rule

00:25:10in that family code.

00:25:11I will be the perfect

00:25:12Mrs. Blackwood.

00:25:16Just look at me,

00:25:18please.

00:25:18Look at me for once.

00:25:20Damien looked down

00:25:21at her.

00:25:21There was nothing

00:25:22in his eyes.

00:25:23Not anger,

00:25:23not pity,

00:25:24just naked,

00:25:25undisguised disgust.

00:25:26He stepped back,

00:25:27then kicked her away

00:25:28from him.

00:25:28Clara crashed into

00:25:29the corner of the sofa

00:25:30and gasped from the impact.

00:25:31Do not ever compare

00:25:33yourself to her.

00:25:35You do not even get

00:25:36to come close

00:25:36to a single hair

00:25:37on her head.

00:25:38The only reason

00:25:39you and your entire family

00:25:40ever mattered to me

00:25:41was because of Scarlet.

00:25:43Without her,

00:25:44you are nothing.

00:25:44I would waste

00:25:45a second looking at her.

00:25:46He did not stay

00:25:47to hear Richard

00:25:48and Monica beg.

00:25:52He walked out

00:25:54back at Blackwood Tower

00:25:56in the top floor office.

00:25:58He moved through the dark

00:25:59like something trapped

00:26:00in a cage,

00:26:02pacing because he could

00:26:03not stop

00:26:04and could not think.

00:26:06Hours later,

00:26:07his assistant came in

00:26:08looking worse than before,

00:26:09holding a file

00:26:10with both hands.

00:26:11Sir, we found new records.

00:26:13Miss Vale filed

00:26:14an expedited

00:26:15single entry exit visa

00:26:16through a private channel

00:26:18one week before

00:26:18the nightclub incident.

00:26:20One week before

00:26:22the nightclub?

00:26:23His feet stopped moving.

00:26:25The realization

00:26:26hit him like ice water.

00:26:28The nightclub,

00:26:29the dancer,

00:26:30the paparazzi,

00:26:31and even the bracelet

00:26:32had all been part

00:26:33of the same plan.

00:26:35Every time she pushed him,

00:26:37provoked him,

00:26:38and refused him.

00:26:40It had never been

00:26:41recklessness.

00:26:42It had never been

00:26:43a tantrum

00:26:43or some desperate

00:26:44game for attention.

00:26:46She had planned

00:26:46everything carefully,

00:26:48putting every piece

00:26:49in place long before

00:26:50he had ever thought

00:26:51she was capable of it.

00:26:52She had not stumbled

00:26:53into freedom

00:26:54by accident.

00:26:55She had built her escape

00:26:57step by step,

00:26:58and she had never once

00:26:59intended to come back.

00:27:03Damien braced himself

00:27:04against his desk,

00:27:06his knuckles turning

00:27:07white from the pressure.

00:27:08He stared at the date

00:27:09on the file as if it

00:27:10were the last thing

00:27:11left in the world.

00:27:13His stomach twisted

00:27:14violently,

00:27:15and regret hit him

00:27:16so hard it felt

00:27:17almost physical.

00:27:19He suddenly remembered

00:27:20how different I had been

00:27:21during those days.

00:27:22I had screamed the same

00:27:24thing at him again

00:27:25and again.

00:27:25I told him I was not

00:27:27marrying him.

00:27:27I told him we were done.

00:27:29Back then,

00:27:29he had thought it was

00:27:30just a spoiled heiress

00:27:31throwing a tantrum.

00:27:32He thought all he had

00:27:33to do was snap a tracking

00:27:35bracelet around my wrist,

00:27:36lock me up for a few days,

00:27:38force me to sign

00:27:39a public statement,

00:27:40and I would stay trapped

00:27:42inside that beautiful cage.

00:27:44But the truth was

00:27:45that I had already decided

00:27:47I did not want him anymore.

00:27:50Was it the insane family code

00:27:51that had driven me away?

00:27:53Was it the way he kept

00:27:54taking Clara's side

00:27:55and blaming me

00:27:56every single time?

00:27:59Was it the night

00:28:00he threw me

00:28:01into that freezing fountain

00:28:02while I was bleeding?

00:28:04Or was it the simple fact

00:28:06that he had never once

00:28:07believed me?

00:28:08The question spread

00:28:09through Damien's mind

00:28:11like poison,

00:28:12but none of it changed

00:28:13the only thing

00:28:14he cared about now.

00:28:15No matter what it took,

00:28:17even if he had to use

00:28:19every dirty trick

00:28:20the Blackwood family had,

00:28:22he had to get me back.

00:28:24Even if I hated him,

00:28:25even if I resented him,

00:28:26even if I made him suffer

00:28:27for the rest of his life,

00:28:29he was going to keep me

00:28:30by his side forever.

00:28:34Keep searching.

00:28:35Don't stop until you find it.

00:28:37He told him to use

00:28:38every connection

00:28:38the Blackwood family had,

00:28:40from finance circles

00:28:42to private security networks.

00:28:44He did not care

00:28:45what it cost.

00:28:45He did not care

00:28:46who they had to pressure.

00:28:48They were going to find me.

00:28:52The entire month

00:28:53that followed

00:28:54turned into a manhunt.

00:28:55I had vanished

00:28:56without a trace.

00:28:57There was no record of me

00:28:58on any private jet manifest,

00:29:00no ferry log,

00:29:01and no clean departure route

00:29:02anyone could find.

00:29:04Anxiety burned

00:29:05through Damien's nerves

00:29:06every second of every day.

00:29:07Since he could not

00:29:08take that rage out on me,

00:29:09he poured all of it

00:29:10onto the already broken

00:29:11Vail family.

00:29:15Blackwood Group

00:29:16launched a full-scale

00:29:17commercial attack

00:29:18on the Vail businesses.

00:29:19Their methods

00:29:20were merciless

00:29:21and they left

00:29:21no room for survival.

00:29:23The Vail company

00:29:24had already been

00:29:25falling apart.

00:29:26Within two weeks,

00:29:27its assets were liquidated,

00:29:29its stock price collapsed,

00:29:31and bankruptcy

00:29:32was waiting at the door.

00:29:38Richard was completely

00:29:39losing his mind.

00:29:41He went to Blackwood Tower

00:29:43several times,

00:29:44begging for a meeting,

00:29:45but he could not even

00:29:46get past the elevator

00:29:47on the ground floor.

00:29:48after the bankruptcy,

00:29:50Clara became the easiest

00:29:51target for Damien's despair.

00:29:56She could not accept it.

00:29:59She kept trying to use

00:30:01the media to get

00:30:01Damien's attention.

00:30:03She even stood outside

00:30:04Blackwood Tower

00:30:04in the pouring rain,

00:30:06waiting there like someone

00:30:07with nowhere else to go.

00:30:08Finally,

00:30:09she threw herself in front

00:30:10of Damien's stretch limousine

00:30:11and refused to move.

00:30:13Move.

00:30:14Clara pressed her face

00:30:15against the rain-streaked window,

00:30:17crying so hard

00:30:18she could barely speak.

00:30:20She begged Damien

00:30:21to stop destroying

00:30:22the Vail family.

00:30:23She said she was sorry.

00:30:24I promised I would find

00:30:26that bitch Scarlet

00:30:27and bring her back.

00:30:29All I wanted was for him

00:30:31to look at me.

00:30:32The window rolled down

00:30:33only a crick,

00:30:34revealed Damien's cold,

00:30:35hollow face

00:30:36and the stubble

00:30:37along his jaw.

00:30:37He did not even give her

00:30:39a proper look.

00:30:42Get her out of my way.

00:30:47The guards got out

00:30:49and dragged Clara away

00:30:50like she was nothing,

00:30:51ignoring her screams.

00:30:54The limousine drove off,

00:30:56leaving Clara sitting

00:30:58in the mud,

00:30:59sobbing in the rain.

00:31:00Damien closed his eyes

00:31:01and let the alcohol

00:31:02and sleepless nights

00:31:03swallow him whole.

00:31:05He had started relying

00:31:06on heavy doses

00:31:07of sleeping pills

00:31:08just to get a few hours

00:31:09of rest.

00:31:10But every time

00:31:11he fell asleep,

00:31:12the same nightmares

00:31:13came back.

00:31:15He saw me in the fountain,

00:31:16bleeding and pale.

00:31:17He heard me screaming

00:31:18in the wine cellar

00:31:19while the current

00:31:20tore through me.

00:31:24He saw the explosion

00:31:25and the fire

00:31:26swallowing the Vail estate.

00:31:27Every time,

00:31:28he woke up drenched

00:31:29in cold sweat,

00:31:30his heart pounding

00:31:31with terror and regret.

00:31:33He became darker

00:31:34and more violent

00:31:35with each passing day.

00:31:37Everyone in Blackwood's

00:31:38upper management

00:31:39walked on eggshells

00:31:40around him.

00:31:41One week later,

00:31:43Damien's mother

00:31:43forced him to attend

00:31:44a top-teal private

00:31:45charity gala

00:31:46in Manhattan.

00:31:47No one had expected

00:31:48that after Scarlet Vale

00:31:49left,

00:31:49she would take the soul

00:31:50of Manhattan's

00:31:51most powerful air

00:31:52with her.

00:31:52Damien stood in a corner

00:31:53with a glass of whiskey,

00:31:54staring blankly

00:31:55at the dance floor.

00:31:56Then for one second,

00:31:57he thought he saw

00:31:57a familiar figure

00:31:58in a bright red dress,

00:31:59laughing with that proud,

00:32:00dazzling profile

00:32:00he could not forget.

00:32:03He called my name.

00:32:04His heart almost stopped.

00:32:06He lost every trace

00:32:07of composure,

00:32:08pushed through the crowd

00:32:09of politicians

00:32:10and billionaires

00:32:11and grabbed

00:32:11the woman's wrist.

00:32:15What the hell are you doing?

00:32:16Let go of me!

00:32:17It was not me.

00:32:18The light in Damien's eyes

00:32:19went out instantly,

00:32:20replaced by despair

00:32:20and humiliation.

00:32:21He released her

00:32:22as if all the strength

00:32:23had left his body.

00:32:24The wealthy guests

00:32:24around him stared

00:32:25with confusion

00:32:26and thinly hidden mockery.

00:32:28Sir, please.

00:32:28You need to be careful.

00:32:29This is not appropriate.

00:32:31It does not meet

00:32:31Blackwood family standards.

00:32:33Damien repeated the word

00:32:34with a bitter laugh.

00:32:36Standards?

00:32:37To hell with the standards.

00:32:38I do not care

00:32:39about any of it anymore.

00:32:41I only want Scarlet.

00:32:43Then he pulled his fist back

00:32:44and slammed it

00:32:45into the decorative

00:32:46stone pillar beside him.

00:32:48His knuckles

00:32:48split open immediately

00:32:50and blood ran down

00:32:51the column.

00:32:52But he did not feel

00:32:53the physical pain.

00:32:55All he felt

00:32:56was the hollow space

00:32:57in his chest

00:32:57where something vital

00:32:58used to be.

00:33:02Another week passed.

00:33:05The thick curtains

00:33:06were drawn shut.

00:33:07The ashtrays

00:33:08were overflowing

00:33:09with cigar beads.

00:33:10The air smelled

00:33:11of tobacco

00:33:12and bitter coffee.

00:33:14Inside the top floor

00:33:15office of Blackwood Tower

00:33:16the atmosphere

00:33:17was so heavy

00:33:18it felt like

00:33:18the silence

00:33:19before a storm.

00:33:20Damien had been

00:33:20sitting there

00:33:21for five days

00:33:22without real sleep.

00:33:23Every hour

00:33:23felt like torture.

00:33:25His desk was covered

00:33:26with reports

00:33:26from private investigators

00:33:27and they all

00:33:28said the same thing.

00:33:32They could not find me.

00:33:34Just as he was

00:33:35about to lose

00:33:36the last of his sanity

00:33:37his assistant

00:33:38walked in carefully

00:33:39with a black coffee.

00:33:43He swallowed hard

00:33:44before speaking.

00:33:45Sir,

00:33:46we have new information.

00:33:48We cross-checked

00:33:49blurry facial matches

00:33:50from every non-standard

00:33:51exit channel

00:33:52over the past three months.

00:33:53We found someone

00:33:54who looks a lot

00:33:55like Miss Vale.

00:33:56Damien's head snapped up.

00:33:58His blood-shart eyes

00:33:59locked onto the assistant

00:34:00like a starving wolf.

00:34:01The assistant

00:34:02quickly continued.

00:34:03She appeared

00:34:04in the transit area

00:34:05of Heathrow Airport.

00:34:08The timing matches.

00:34:10It was three days

00:34:11after the mansion exploded.

00:34:15Damien grabbed

00:34:16the classified file

00:34:17from his assistant,

00:34:18his fingers shaking

00:34:19so badly

00:34:20from desperation

00:34:21and excitement

00:34:21that he could barely

00:34:22hold it steady.

00:34:23He stared at the

00:34:24enlarged surveillance photo.

00:34:26The image was blurry,

00:34:28but it showed someone

00:34:29in a coat

00:34:30walking towards

00:34:31a quieter boarding gate

00:34:32with a small suitcase.

00:34:34The figure was familiar enough

00:34:35to burn through his bones.

00:34:37He knew it was

00:34:38a new lead on me.

00:34:40Hope lit up

00:34:40the near-extinction

00:34:41madness in his eyes

00:34:42like the last lifeline

00:34:43thrown to a drowning man.

00:34:45Where was the

00:34:46connecting flight going?

00:34:47We are still working on it.

00:34:50Heathrow transit records

00:34:50are complicated,

00:34:51and she seems to have

00:34:52avoided the major

00:34:53national flights

00:34:53that required

00:34:54strepter identity checks.

00:34:55She chose smaller,

00:34:57cheaper airlines

00:34:57that attracted less attention.

00:34:59It will take time.

00:35:00We do not have time.

00:35:03Get the jet ready.

00:35:04We are leaving

00:35:05for Heathrow right now.

00:35:06Yes, sir.

00:35:07Sir, the Federal Reserve

00:35:08board meeting

00:35:09is this afternoon.

00:35:10Cancel it.

00:35:11Cancel everything.

00:35:12Nothing matters

00:35:13more than finding her.

00:35:14Three hours later,

00:35:15the Blackwood family's

00:35:16private jet tore

00:35:17through the clouds

00:35:18above Manhattan

00:35:18and landed at

00:35:19Heathrow's airport

00:35:20in London.

00:35:21The plane had not

00:35:22even fully stopped

00:35:22before Damien

00:35:23was already opening

00:35:24the door.

00:35:25He could not wait

00:35:25for the stairs

00:35:26to lower all the way

00:35:27and jump down.

00:35:28His tie was crooked,

00:35:29his shirt collar

00:35:29was torn open,

00:35:30and deep circles

00:35:31shadowed his eyes.

00:35:32Messy stubble

00:35:33covered his jaw.

00:35:34He looked nothing

00:35:34like the perfectly

00:35:35dressed, untouchable

00:35:36CEO he used to be.

00:35:37Damien repeated

00:35:38the city name

00:35:38under his breath

00:35:39as he ran

00:35:40through the crowded airport,

00:35:41his sharp eyes

00:35:42scanning every woman

00:35:43he passed.

00:35:44Finally,

00:35:44he saw the boarding gate

00:35:45just as it was

00:35:46about to close.

00:35:49Damien's eyes

00:35:50locked onto the end

00:35:51of the boarding line.

00:35:52The slender figure

00:35:53in a cream linen dress,

00:35:54wide-breamed hat

00:35:55and sunglasses

00:35:56was the woman

00:35:57he had been hunting

00:35:57for an entire month.

00:35:59Scarlet?

00:36:00He ran toward her,

00:36:02not caring that

00:36:02travelers around him

00:36:03were staring in shock.

00:36:05He grabbed my wrist

00:36:06and held on

00:36:07like his life

00:36:07depended on it.

00:36:08My body went stiff.

00:36:13Let go of me,

00:36:14Mr. Blackwood.

00:36:15Grabbing a woman

00:36:16in public like this

00:36:16is not very appropriate,

00:36:17is it?

00:36:18I thought your precious

00:36:19family code

00:36:20cared about appearances.

00:36:21The cold sarcasm

00:36:22in my voice

00:36:23hit Damien like ice water,

00:36:25but he did not

00:36:26care anymore.

00:36:27Scarlet,

00:36:28come back with me.

00:36:29Please.

00:36:30I know I was wrong.

00:36:31I screwed up.

00:36:32I will fix it.

00:36:33Just come home with me.

00:36:35I laughed

00:36:36and pried his fingers

00:36:37off me,

00:36:38one by one.

00:36:41Come back to what?

00:36:42That cage

00:36:43with three thousand

00:36:44stupid rules?

00:36:45Am I supposed to go back

00:36:46and play Mrs. Blackwood again?

00:36:47His face turned paler.

00:36:49I looked at him

00:36:50with open disgust.

00:36:52Did you forget

00:36:53your perfect bride

00:36:53is Clara now?

00:36:55Your sweet,

00:36:56sensible little bride

00:36:57is waiting for you.

00:36:58Chasing your ex-fiance

00:36:59through an airport

00:37:00is a bad look,

00:37:01Damien.

00:37:02The man who had once

00:37:02been Manhattan's

00:37:03coldest and most

00:37:04untouchable heir

00:37:05fell to his knees

00:37:05in that foreign airport,

00:37:07surrounded by cameras

00:37:07and strangers,

00:37:08looking smaller than dirt.

00:37:10Damien looked up at me

00:37:11and tears finally

00:37:12broke through.

00:37:13The wedding did not count.

00:37:14I never wanted her.

00:37:15I do not care about

00:37:17the family code anymore.

00:37:18If you come back with me,

00:37:19you can do whatever you want.

00:37:20I will agree to anything.

00:37:22Just do not leave me like this.

00:37:24I took a step back

00:37:25as if avoiding

00:37:25something filthy.

00:37:27Your apology came too late

00:37:29and honestly,

00:37:31I do not need it.

00:37:32Then I turned around,

00:37:33handed my boarding pass

00:37:34to the gate agent

00:37:35and walked straight

00:37:36into the jet bridge

00:37:37with my back straight.

00:37:39Damien tried to follow,

00:37:40but airport security

00:37:41and his assistant

00:37:42held him back.

00:37:43Scarlett!

00:37:45He screamed my name

00:37:46toward the closing door,

00:37:47sounding like a man

00:37:48being torn apart.

00:37:53Three months later,

00:37:55in Monaco,

00:37:55inside the Monte Carlo Casino,

00:37:57money and desire

00:37:58blurred together

00:37:58under the glittering lights.

00:37:59The sound of poker chips

00:38:01never stopped.

00:38:01At a crowded Bacarmo table,

00:38:03every man nearby

00:38:04had his eyes fixed

00:38:05on the woman

00:38:05sitting across

00:38:06from the dealer.

00:38:09That woman was me.

00:38:11I wore a black silk slip dress

00:38:13with thin straps

00:38:14and a high clip

00:38:15that revealed

00:38:16my pale ankles

00:38:17and silver heels.

00:38:19The next round of cards

00:38:20came out.

00:38:20I barely glanced

00:38:22at my hand

00:38:22before tapping

00:38:23my fingers lightly

00:38:24on the table.

00:38:26Raise.

00:38:27Player wins.

00:38:29Then he pushed

00:38:30a mountain of chips

00:38:31toward me.

00:38:31The crowd around us

00:38:33broke into amazed whispers.

00:38:34They said the socialite

00:38:36from New York

00:38:36had won seven hands

00:38:37in a row.

00:38:38They said my psychological

00:38:39game was terrifying.

00:38:41I took a sip of champagne

00:38:43and almost laughed

00:38:44at the irony.

00:38:45This was not luck.

00:38:46It was probability,

00:38:47statistics,

00:38:48and psychology.

00:38:49All the things

00:38:50Damien had once

00:38:51forced me to learn

00:38:51so I could become

00:38:52the perfect high society wife.

00:38:54I never thought

00:38:55those lessons

00:38:55would become

00:38:56my best weapon

00:38:57for burning through money

00:38:58in a place like this.

00:38:59Just as I was about

00:39:00to place another bet,

00:39:01a drunk local air

00:39:02named Charles

00:39:03shoved through the crowd.

00:39:04His face was red

00:39:05from losing too much money

00:39:06and he reeked of alcohol.

00:39:08Come play with me tonight.

00:39:11I will split my winnings with you.

00:39:13Before his hand

00:39:14could touch me,

00:39:14I stepped back

00:39:15and lifted my right foot

00:39:16in its seven centimeter heel.

00:39:18Then I kicked him hard

00:39:19and precisely between the legs,

00:39:21using every bit of strength

00:39:22I had built

00:39:23through years of training.

00:39:25I was about to leave

00:39:26with my chip card

00:39:27when the crowd

00:39:27suddenly parted.

00:39:28A young mixed age man

00:39:29walked toward me

00:39:30with his hands in his pockets.

00:39:31He wore a black suit

00:39:32with the top three buttons undone,

00:39:34looking relaxed and arrogant

00:39:35in a way that came naturally

00:39:36to men who had never

00:39:36been told no.

00:39:37A limited edition watch

00:39:38gleamed on his wrist.

00:39:39It was Nathaniel.

00:39:43Nathaniel had an unlit cigar

00:39:44between his lips.

00:39:45He used the polished tip

00:39:46of his shoe

00:39:46to nudge Charles,

00:39:47who was still curled up

00:39:48on the floor groaning.

00:39:49His expression was pure contempt.

00:39:51You put your hands

00:39:51on someone I am interested in

00:39:53in my casino.

00:39:54That is not flirting, Charles.

00:39:56That is a death wish.

00:39:59If I ever see you

00:40:01near her again,

00:40:01what she broke tonight

00:40:03will be the least

00:40:04of your problems.

00:40:05Charles scrambled away

00:40:06with the help of his friends,

00:40:07too scared to look back.

00:40:08Then Nathaniel turned to me.

00:40:10His deep,

00:40:11flirtious eyes landed on mine,

00:40:12and he did not bother

00:40:13hiding his interest.

00:40:14He stepped forward naturally,

00:40:16slid one arm around my waist

00:40:17and pulled me closer

00:40:17with a confidence

00:40:18that was almost insulting.

00:40:19His hold was intimate,

00:40:21possessive,

00:40:21and far too practiced.

00:40:23My body tensed,

00:40:24and I tried to pull away,

00:40:25but his arms stayed relaxed

00:40:26while still leaving

00:40:27no room to escape.

00:40:28He lowered his head

00:40:29close to my ear,

00:40:30his warm breath

00:40:31brushing my skin.

00:40:32I have been watching

00:40:33the little wildcat

00:40:34from New York

00:40:34for a while now.

00:40:36Those claws are impressive.

00:40:37Then he lifted his head

00:40:38and announced it

00:40:39to the whole casino

00:40:40with the kenless arrogance

00:40:41of a spoiled playboy.

00:40:42Damien Blackwood

00:40:43was blind enough

00:40:44not to want her.

00:40:45Lucky me,

00:40:46because I do.

00:40:48The Monaco socialists

00:40:49watching from nearby

00:40:50immediately started

00:40:51buzzing with gossip.

00:40:53Everyone knew Nathaniel

00:40:54had impossibly high standards,

00:40:55and now he was publicly

00:40:57chasing a runaway bride

00:40:58from New York.

00:40:59I looked up at him,

00:41:01met his burning gaze,

00:41:02and smiled.

00:41:05I appreciate the offer,

00:41:07but do I look like

00:41:08I need a man

00:41:09to get whatever I want?

00:41:10Nathaniel did not get angry.

00:41:12Instead,

00:41:13he pulled me a little closer,

00:41:14and the admiration

00:41:15in his eyes

00:41:16almost overflowed.

00:41:17That mouth of yours

00:41:19is dangerous.

00:41:20I like dangerous.

00:41:25I stayed in Monaco

00:41:26for a while,

00:41:26and Nathaniel

00:41:27kept his word.

00:41:28He pursued me

00:41:28loudly, aggressively,

00:41:29and with absolutely

00:41:30no shame.

00:41:31The next morning,

00:41:32a limited edition

00:41:32bright yellow Lamborghini

00:41:33was parked outside

00:41:34my apartment building.

00:41:35The keys were delivered

00:41:36with a card

00:41:36written in messy handwriting.

00:41:37It was just a way

00:41:38to get around.

00:41:39If you crash it,

00:41:40I will pay for it.

00:41:41A few days later,

00:41:42he rented a massive luxury yacht

00:41:43and threw an extravagant

00:41:44party on the water,

00:41:45insisting that I be

00:41:46the center of it.

00:41:52Have fun anywhere you want.

00:41:54Use my name

00:41:55if anyone gets in your way.

00:41:57He took me skydiving,

00:41:58deep sea diving,

00:41:59and even snuck us

00:42:00onto an F1 track

00:42:01to race cars

00:42:02in the middle of the night.

00:42:03He did every crazy,

00:42:04dangerous,

00:42:04reckless thing with me,

00:42:05and none of it

00:42:06had anything to do

00:42:07with family codes,

00:42:08rules,

00:42:08or proper behavior.

00:42:09What got to me most

00:42:10was that he never asked me

00:42:11to be gentle,

00:42:12quiet,

00:42:12or obedient.

00:42:13He never wanted me

00:42:14to behave.

00:42:14Whenever I pushed a race car

00:42:15up to 200 miles per hour,

00:42:17showing every wild edge I had,

00:42:18he sat in the passenger seat

00:42:20whistling and cheering

00:42:20like he had never seen

00:42:21anything better.

00:42:22After we landed

00:42:23on the soft sand

00:42:23from a 10,000 meter skydive,

00:42:25Nathaniel pulled off

00:42:26his goggles,

00:42:27his hair was a mess,

00:42:28and he was smoking a cigarette

00:42:29while looking at my flushed face

00:42:30with a chalky smile.

00:42:31This is how you are

00:42:31supposed to live, Scarlett.

00:42:33Wild, loud,

00:42:34and impossible to leash.

00:42:35It suits you a hell of a lot better

00:42:36than playing some

00:42:36polished fake heiress

00:42:37in New York.

00:42:38Looking at this loud,

00:42:39arrogant man,

00:42:40I felt something inside

00:42:41me start to loosen.

00:42:42A frozen part of my heart,

00:42:43locked away by Damien

00:42:44for two lifetimes,

00:42:45began to thaw just a little.

00:42:46When I was with Nathaniel,

00:42:47I did not have to pretend.

00:42:48I did not have to be careful.

00:42:49I could let every sharp edge show.

00:42:51One night,

00:42:52we were playing a huge game

00:42:53of Texas Hold Us

00:42:53at a private club,

00:42:54and I had lost

00:42:55several hands in a row.

00:42:56I was hesitating over

00:42:57whether to call the bet

00:42:58when Nathaniel lazily pushed

00:42:59more than half of his

00:43:00kips towards me.

00:43:01Call it.

00:43:01Do not get scared now.

00:43:03If you lose,

00:43:03it is on me.

00:43:04If you win,

00:43:05it's your fun life.

00:43:06On the way home that night,

00:43:07with the wind blowing

00:43:08through the car,

00:43:09he was quiet for once.

00:43:11Then,

00:43:12he said something

00:43:13I did not expect.

00:43:15You know,

00:43:16we met a long time ago.

00:43:21I turned my head in surprise

00:43:23and looked at his handsome profile.

00:43:28Nathaniel kept his eyes on the road

00:43:30and let out a bitter laugh.

00:43:32Years ago,

00:43:33I had a horse track in New York.

00:43:36You were 18.

00:43:38Richard,

00:43:39Monica,

00:43:39and Clara

00:43:40there to embarrass

00:43:40to embarrass you

00:43:41in front of half the social crowd.

00:43:43Do you remember what you did?

00:43:46You jumped your horse

00:43:47over the highest obstacle

00:43:48and beat the guy

00:43:49who had been looking down

00:43:50on you all day.

00:43:51You were sitting on that horse,

00:43:53laughing like you owned

00:43:53the whole world,

00:43:54loud,

00:43:55arrogant,

00:43:56impossible to ignore.

00:43:57I remember thinking,

00:43:58damn,

00:43:59that girl is something else.

00:44:02I was stunned.

00:44:04I had almost forgotten

00:44:05that miserable day

00:44:06when Richard had tried

00:44:08so hard to humiliate me.

00:44:10Too bad your eyes

00:44:11were only on that fake gentleman,

00:44:13Damien Blackwood.

00:44:15I was wild back then, too,

00:44:17but I knew one thing.

00:44:18You cannot force someone

00:44:20to want you.

00:44:21So I did not step in

00:44:23just to get rejected.

00:44:26His words landed like a stone

00:44:28dropped into the dead-still lake

00:44:29of my heart.

00:44:31So there had been someone

00:44:32watching the real Scarlet Vals

00:44:34all along,

00:44:35even when I had not known it.

00:44:37What truly changed

00:44:38the way I saw him

00:44:38happened during a dirt bike accident.

00:44:40We were racing

00:44:41on a mountain road

00:44:42in southern Europe.

00:44:43On the way down,

00:44:43the pavement was wet

00:44:44and I was going too fast.

00:44:45My tire lost traction

00:44:46on a sharp turn

00:44:47and both my bike and I

00:44:48flew toward a steep drop

00:44:49hundreds of feet below.

00:44:51In that split second,

00:44:53Nathaniel was right behind me.

00:44:54He did not hesitate.

00:44:55He hit the gas

00:44:55and shot toward me,

00:44:56using his heavier bike

00:44:57to slam into mine

00:44:58and change the direction

00:44:59of my fall.

00:44:59But because of the force

00:45:00and the rebound,

00:45:01he and his bike went

00:45:02tumbling down the steep slope

00:45:03instead.

00:45:03I found him among the rocks.

00:45:04His right leg was pinned

00:45:05under the heavy bike.

00:45:06Blood covered his forehead

00:45:07and his face was white from pain.

00:45:09Do not cry.

00:45:10I am too damn tough

00:45:11to die like this.

00:45:12Even then,

00:45:13he forced an ugly,

00:45:14cocky smile,

00:45:14like he was still trying

00:45:15to make me feel better.

00:45:18In the private hospital

00:45:20in Monaco,

00:45:20Nathaniel had thick bandages

00:45:21wrapped around his head

00:45:22and a cased on his right arm,

00:45:24but he still acted like

00:45:25the same wild,

00:45:25careless trouble mare.

00:45:26He lay in the hospital bed,

00:45:28looking at me as I sat beside him

00:45:29with slightly red eyes.

00:45:31For once,

00:45:31he put away all his cocky,

00:45:33unserious attitude.

00:45:34His deep,

00:45:35flurchous eyes

00:45:36locked onto mine

00:45:37with a seriousness

00:45:38I had never seen

00:45:39from him before.

00:45:39I know you've been hurt.

00:45:42I know Black Hill broke you

00:45:44with his rules and chains.

00:45:48I am not asking you

00:45:49to get over it for me.

00:45:50Take all the time you need.

00:45:52I can wait.

00:45:54I can wait.

00:45:56When you are ready

00:45:57to want someone again,

00:45:59I want you to think of me first.

00:46:00His honesty,

00:46:01the way he had risked

00:46:02his life to save me

00:46:03and the way he accepted

00:46:04every wild part of me

00:46:05without trying to change it

00:46:06all hit me at once.

00:46:07It felt like hot sunlight

00:46:08breaking through the frozen walls

00:46:09around my heart.

00:46:10For this time,

00:46:10I did not answer

00:46:11with something sharp.

00:46:12I only lowered my eyes

00:46:13and felt some of those

00:46:14cold hard chains inside me

00:46:15begin to crack.

00:46:16But the peace did not last long.

00:46:18A few days later,

00:46:19the nightmare found me again.

00:46:21Late one night,

00:46:22after I had been out

00:46:23dancing with Mia,

00:46:24I was walking back

00:46:25to my apartment

00:46:25when the air around me

00:46:26turned cold

00:46:27in a way I knew too well.

00:46:29A thin, worn out figure

00:46:30stood under the shadow

00:46:31of a streetlight.

00:46:31His eyes red

00:46:32with endless obsession.

00:46:33Damien Blackwood.

00:46:34He looked terrifying.

00:46:35His suit was wrinkled,

00:46:36his eyes were bloodshot

00:46:37and violent desperation

00:46:38seemed to radiate

00:46:39from his entire body,

00:46:40like he was one step away

00:46:41from losing his mind.

00:46:42He stepped forward

00:46:42and grabbed my arm,

00:46:43squeezing so hard

00:46:44it felt like he was

00:46:45trying to break it.

00:46:46His voice was rough,

00:46:47like sandpaper

00:46:48dragged over concrete.

00:46:50Scarlet,

00:46:50are you done playing games?

00:46:52Come back with me.

00:46:54Now.

00:46:56Let go of me,

00:46:57Mr. Blackwood.

00:46:58Do we even know each other?

00:47:10Just as Damien was about

00:47:11to force me into his car,

00:47:13a hand with long

00:47:13defined fingers

00:47:14and a limited edition watch

00:47:16cut through the air

00:47:16faster than anyone expected.

00:47:18It caught Damien's wrist

00:47:19with a sharp smack

00:47:20and held tight.

00:47:24A Blackwood CEO

00:47:25should know better

00:47:26than to put his hands

00:47:27on my woman in public.

00:47:30Even a three-year-old

00:47:31knows you cannot

00:47:31force someone

00:47:32to want you.

00:47:33He twisted Damien's wrist

00:47:35with sudden,

00:47:35explosive strength,

00:47:37forcing him

00:47:37to let go of me.

00:47:39At the same time,

00:47:41he slid his arm

00:47:42around my waist

00:47:43and pulled me behind him,

00:47:44natural and protective.

00:47:46Damien's eyes

00:47:47shot to Nathaniel's hand

00:47:48on my waist

00:47:49like poison daggers.

00:47:50The jealousy and rage

00:47:52burned through

00:47:52the last thread of sanity

00:47:53the New York air

00:47:54had left.

00:47:55Damien's veins

00:47:56stood out on his forehead

00:47:57and he spat Nathaniel's name

00:47:58through his teeth.

00:47:59Take your hands off her.

00:48:01You are a spoiled piece of trash

00:48:03who changes women

00:48:04more often than cars.

00:48:06Do not touch her

00:48:07with your filthy hands.

00:48:09If you do not let go,

00:48:10I will destroy

00:48:12your entire family

00:48:13in Europe.

00:48:18I am a mess, sure.

00:48:20I sleep around

00:48:21and I have never

00:48:22pretended to be a saint.

00:48:23Then his tones

00:48:24changed completely

00:48:25and every word

00:48:27came out cold

00:48:27and poisoned.

00:48:28But I have never

00:48:29been sick enough

00:48:30to make a woman

00:48:31write a 10,000 word

00:48:32tumblr apology.

00:48:33I have never locked her

00:48:34in a dark wine cellar

00:48:35for three days

00:48:36without food

00:48:37but water.

00:48:38I have never thrown her

00:48:39into a freezing fountain

00:48:40at a gala.

00:48:42Watched her bleed

00:48:42in the water

00:48:43and then told my guards

00:48:45to keep going

00:48:45because she needed

00:48:46to learn a lesson.

00:48:54So tell me Blackwood

00:48:56what the hell

00:48:57kind of man

00:48:58do you think you are?

00:49:03Every word out

00:49:04of Nathaniel's mouth

00:49:04cut open the guilt

00:49:05Damien had been

00:49:06trying not to face.

00:49:07Right there

00:49:08on a foreign street

00:49:09Nathaniel stripped away

00:49:10every pathetic excuse

00:49:11Damien had ever made

00:49:12about love,

00:49:13discipline and protection

00:49:14leaving him with

00:49:15nothing to hide behind.

00:49:16The color drained

00:49:17from Damien's face.

00:49:18His lips trembled

00:49:19and he tried

00:49:20to argue back

00:49:20but his throat

00:49:21was so dry

00:49:22that not a single word

00:49:23came out.

00:49:23Two months of guilt

00:49:25and regret

00:49:25crashed over him

00:49:26all at once.

00:49:27His vision went dark

00:49:28and he could barely stand.

00:49:30Then he snapped.

00:49:32Shut up.

00:49:34His voice was hazy

00:49:35and shaking.

00:49:39Shut your mouth!

00:49:41The last thread

00:49:42holding him to get broke.

00:49:43He pulled his fist back

00:49:45and charged forward

00:49:45trying to tear me away

00:49:47from Nathaniel.

00:49:48Nathaniel had run

00:49:49out of patience.

00:49:50His eyes went cold

00:49:52and he lunged forward

00:49:53throwing a punch

00:49:54straight at Damien.

00:49:55Two powerful men

00:49:56who were used to

00:49:57commanding boardrooms

00:49:58and making entire markets move

00:49:59started brawling

00:50:00on the streets of Monaco

00:50:01like common street thugs.

00:50:02The heavy sound

00:50:03of fists hitting flesh

00:50:04and the raw grails of age

00:50:05made casino guests

00:50:06scream and scattered.

00:50:07In the chaos

00:50:08Damien used that reckless

00:50:10almost suicidal force

00:50:11to break through the guards

00:50:12and reach me again.

00:50:14Come with me.

00:50:15I am not losing you again.

00:50:17He grabbed

00:50:18my shoulders

00:50:18with his bloody hands

00:50:19his eyes obsessive

00:50:21and unhinged.

00:50:21Damien forced me

00:50:22into the black armored car

00:50:24waiting on the street

00:50:25and ordered his men

00:50:26to clear up hay.

00:50:27Clear the way.

00:50:28Now!

00:50:30Drive to the private airport.

00:50:32Now,

00:50:32we are leaving

00:50:33for New York.

00:50:36By the time

00:50:37Nathaniel ran back

00:50:38into the street

00:50:38with blood on his face

00:50:39all he could see

00:50:40were the taillights

00:50:41disappearing

00:50:41toward the coast.

00:50:46Find Blackwood's

00:50:47private flight path

00:50:48across the Atlantic.

00:50:49Get my people ready.

00:50:50I am going to New York

00:50:52and I am tearing

00:50:53his tower down

00:50:54if I have to.

00:50:56Twelve hours later,

00:50:57the Gulfray

00:50:57landed a heavily guarded

00:50:58private estate

00:50:59outside New York City,

00:51:00completely isolated

00:51:01from the outside world.

00:51:02It was Damien's

00:51:03most hidden asset,

00:51:04a beautiful golden cage

00:51:05built with the best

00:51:06security systems

00:51:07money could buy.

00:51:08I was locked inside

00:51:09the luxurious living room

00:51:10but I stayed

00:51:11completely silent.

00:51:12I did not cry.

00:51:13I did not scream.

00:51:15I did not make a scene.

00:51:16I only looked at Damien

00:51:18with a coldness

00:51:18that made it clear

00:51:19he was already dead to me.

00:51:22Damien's heart cracked

00:51:23piece by piece

00:51:24under that look.

00:51:25He desperately wanted

00:51:26to make things right.

00:51:28Then he suddenly remembered

00:51:30that I had once mentioned

00:51:31liking a certain

00:51:32French dessert.

00:51:33He had never been

00:51:34in a kitchen in his life

00:51:35but he took off his jacket

00:51:36and walked into

00:51:37the kitchen anyway.

00:51:38clumsily cutting ingredients

00:51:39with his ruined hands.

00:51:40Hot oil splashed up

00:51:41and burned blisters

00:51:42across the backs

00:51:43of his hands

00:51:43that he did not

00:51:44seem to notice.

00:51:45An hour later

00:51:45he came out

00:51:46carrying a plate of dessert

00:51:47that looked terrible

00:51:47and slightly burnt.

00:51:49He walked up to me

00:51:50with a tired,

00:51:50worn out face

00:51:51that carried

00:51:51a pathetic kind of hope.

00:51:53His whole body

00:51:53was shaking.

00:51:54His eyes were red

00:51:55and he could barely stand

00:51:56as it helped

00:51:57it played out to me.

00:51:58He used to say

00:51:58you liked this.

00:51:59I made it myself.

00:52:00Please, Scarlett,

00:52:01just try one bite.

00:52:03I leaned against the couch,

00:52:04completely different,

00:52:05and did not even bother

00:52:06to look at him.

00:52:07I treated him

00:52:07like he was invisible.

00:52:08Damien's heart sank deeper

00:52:09into that frozen silence

00:52:11until there was nothing

00:52:11left but despair.

00:52:13All his pride fell away

00:52:14as he dropped to his knees

00:52:15in front of me

00:52:15and looked up like a beggar.

00:52:16I know that now.

00:52:17I don't want the family code anymore.

00:52:18I will never lock you down again.

00:52:19Just do not look at me

00:52:20like I'm already dead.

00:52:21It's driving me insane.

00:52:22Why you can't forgive me?

00:52:26I finally turned my head

00:52:28and looked at his broken face.

00:52:31Beneath my calm surface

00:52:32was the frozen cold

00:52:34of two lifetimes.

00:52:35You really want to know why?

00:52:37Fine, Damien.

00:52:38I will tell you.

00:52:40I looked at him

00:52:40without blinking

00:52:41because at the charity gala,

00:52:44you let your guards

00:52:45throw me into a freezing fountain.

00:52:48You knew I was bleeding

00:52:49and when they asked

00:52:50if they should stop,

00:52:51you told them to keep going.

00:52:54His face went white

00:52:55because in the pouring rain,

00:52:57you brought me back

00:52:58to your mansion

00:52:59but the second Clara

00:53:00put on her innocent little act,

00:53:02you protected her

00:53:03from the boiling water

00:53:04and left me on the floor

00:53:06while my skin peeled off.

00:53:07His breathing turned unsteady

00:53:09because you locked me

00:53:10in that dark wine cellar

00:53:12and gave Clara

00:53:13the perfect chance

00:53:14to torture me

00:53:14with an electroshock chair.

00:53:16When I told you the truth

00:53:17with injuries

00:53:18all over my body,

00:53:19you called me a liar.

00:53:22His face went pale.

00:53:24Every time you had to choose

00:53:25between me and Clara,

00:53:26you chose her.

00:53:29You chose your family's reputation.

00:53:31You chose control

00:53:33and now you are kneeling here

00:53:34asking me to believe

00:53:35you loved me?

00:53:37Every word struck Damien

00:53:39like a judgment.

00:53:40Damien's face

00:53:40was completely pale.

00:53:42His body shook so hard

00:53:43he could barely stay upright.

00:53:44He tried to argue

00:53:45to say I had misunderstood

00:53:46but in front of

00:53:47those brutal facts,

00:53:48he realized words

00:53:49meant nothing.

00:53:50Regret tore through him.

00:53:51He tried to stand

00:53:52but accidentally

00:53:53knocked over the bag

00:53:54tucked between the couch hips.

00:53:55Everything inside

00:53:56spilled onto the floor.

00:53:58As he scrambled

00:53:59to pick it up,

00:54:00his fingers touched

00:54:01a medical file

00:54:01hidden deep inside.

00:54:06Damien opened

00:54:07the medical report

00:54:08from the private hospital

00:54:10in Monaco

00:54:10before he could think

00:54:11better of it.

00:54:12Large area deep

00:54:13second degree burns

00:54:14with severe PSTD

00:54:15caused prolonged

00:54:16psychological

00:54:16combustion of pressure.

00:54:18Burns.

00:54:19Boiling water.

00:54:22He stared at the date

00:54:23on the report.

00:54:24It was the same day

00:54:25he had knocked over

00:54:26the hot water

00:54:27and carried Clara

00:54:28away from the mansion.

00:54:29That was how badly

00:54:30I had been hurt.

00:54:31It had not only been

00:54:32my body,

00:54:33my mind had been damaged too.

00:54:35And what had he been doing

00:54:36then the man

00:54:37who claimed to love me?

00:54:38He had been holding Clara,

00:54:39the person at the center

00:54:41of all of it

00:54:42asking if she was okay.

00:54:43Meanwhile,

00:54:44he had left me

00:54:44in boiling water

00:54:45to suffer.

00:54:46Damien completely

00:54:46lost control.

00:54:47He punched the wall

00:54:48so hard that the crack

00:54:49of his knuckles

00:54:49breaking was audible.

00:54:51Blood splattered

00:54:51across the wall

00:54:52but the physical pain

00:54:53was nothing compared

00:54:54to the feeling

00:54:54of his heart

00:54:55being crushed

00:54:55piece by piece.

00:54:56He crawled back

00:54:57to my feet

00:54:57like a dying dog

00:54:58and grabbed the hem

00:54:59of my dress

00:55:00with his broken

00:55:00bleeding hand.

00:55:02His voice was wrecked

00:55:03as he apologized

00:55:04over and over again.

00:55:05I did not know

00:55:06it was that bad.

00:55:08Scarlett,

00:55:08I swear,

00:55:09I did not know.

00:55:10Kill me if you want.

00:55:11Take a knife

00:55:12and do it right now.

00:55:14Just give me one chance.

00:55:15Please.

00:55:17Just one chance.

00:55:20I looked down at him,

00:55:21my long lashes

00:55:22casting cold shadows

00:55:24over my eyes.

00:55:25There was no emotion

00:55:26in them at all.

00:55:27I heard your apology,

00:55:29Damien.

00:55:30I just do not forgive you.

00:55:35At that moment,

00:55:36the roar of Moletter cycle engines

00:55:38screaming security alarms

00:55:40exploded outside the villa.

00:55:41Through the chaos

00:55:42of guards yelling

00:55:43and fighting,

00:55:44the thick bulletproof

00:55:45front door of the living room

00:55:46was slammed open

00:55:47from the outside.

00:55:48Nathaniel burst in

00:55:48covered in injuries,

00:55:50his eyes wild with rage,

00:55:51carrying the kind of fury

00:55:52that looked ready to kill.

00:55:55Nathaniel strode in

00:55:56over the shattered glass,

00:55:58his black leather jacket

00:55:59stained with the blood

00:56:00of Damien's guards.

00:56:02The usual lazy charm

00:56:03in his eyes was gone,

00:56:05replaced by something

00:56:06savage and deadly.

00:56:10He pulled me behind him

00:56:11in one swift motion.

00:56:14His right fist trembled

00:56:16from the force

00:56:17he was barely holding back.

00:56:21Damien Blackwood,

00:56:23you really had the nerve

00:56:24to take her right under my nose.

00:56:26You think because your family

00:56:28runs New York,

00:56:29I cannot touch you?

00:56:31Damien was still on the floor,

00:56:32his broken hand hung at his side,

00:56:34blood dripping from his fingertips

00:56:35onto the expensive wool carpet.

00:56:37Slowly he stood.

00:56:38His proud,

00:56:39untouchable spine

00:56:40looked bent now,

00:56:40but the moment he saw Nathaniel,

00:56:42jealousy and violence

00:56:43flared back to life

00:56:44in his hollow eyes.

00:56:45Let her go.

00:56:47Nathaniel,

00:56:47this is New York.

00:56:52This is my territory!

00:56:54When the council

00:56:55I'm assailed,

00:56:56you are not taking her

00:56:58anywhere!

00:56:59Nathaniel looked as if

00:57:00he had just heard

00:57:01the funniest thing

00:57:02in the world.

00:57:06He stepped forward

00:57:07and grabbed Damien

00:57:08by the collar,

00:57:09lifting him

00:57:10with brutal force.

00:57:11Your territory?

00:57:12Look outside.

00:57:15Beyond the windows,

00:57:16countless armored vehicles

00:57:17flashed with warning lights

00:57:19surrounding the private estate.

00:57:20Nathaniel's men

00:57:21had already formed

00:57:22a standoff

00:57:23with Blackwood's guards.

00:57:24I am not just

00:57:25taking her out of here today.

00:57:29I am going to go

00:57:30and collect

00:57:31and I select

00:57:32the life you should have

00:57:33lost in Monaco

00:57:34right here in New York.

00:57:39Damien did not fight back.

00:57:41He let Nathaniel

00:57:42hold him by the collar,

00:57:43but his eyes stayed

00:57:44locked on my face

00:57:45over Nathaniel's shoulder.

00:57:46There was no trace

00:57:47of his old arrogance

00:57:48left in that look,

00:57:49only a plea so desperate

00:57:51it had sunk

00:57:51into his bones.

00:57:53Scarlet,

00:57:54do not go.

00:57:54I am begging you.

00:57:58Stay,

00:57:59even if all you want

00:58:00is to kill me.

00:58:01I looked at him

00:58:02without emotion,

00:58:03as if I were looking

00:58:04at something already dead.

00:58:06Damien,

00:58:07the moment you threw yourself

00:58:09in front of Clara,

00:58:10we became enemies

00:58:11in both lifetimes.

00:58:12Do not make me hate you

00:58:13more than I already do.

00:58:15Then I turned

00:58:16and took Nathaniel's

00:58:17blooded hand myself.

00:58:19Nathaniel,

00:58:20let's go.

00:58:21Nathaniel froze

00:58:22for half a second,

00:58:23then clasped

00:58:24my hand tightly

00:58:24locking his fingers

00:58:26with mine.

00:58:26With a look of disgust,

00:58:28he shoved Damien away

00:58:29as if pushing aside trash.

00:58:30Damien staggered back

00:58:32and crashed

00:58:32into the luxury

00:58:33wine cabinet

00:58:34behind him.

00:58:35Countless bottles

00:58:36shattered across the floor

00:58:37and dark red wine

00:58:38spread over the wreckage

00:58:39like blood.

00:58:42He sat collapsed

00:58:43in the ruin,

00:58:44able to do nothing

00:58:44but watch

00:58:45as Nathaniel shielded me

00:58:46and led me out

00:58:47of that beautiful

00:58:48golden cage

00:58:49without looking back.

00:58:51Nathaniel shielded me

00:58:52and led me out

00:58:53without looking back.

00:58:58The door slammed

00:59:00shut behind us.

00:59:01Behind it

00:59:02came Damien's

00:59:03broken,

00:59:04desperate growl.

00:59:13The suffocating gloom

00:59:14of New York

00:59:15was left behind

00:59:16on the other side

00:59:17of the Atlantic.

00:59:19Nathaniel did not

00:59:20take me back to Modico

00:59:21and its glittering,

00:59:22noisy world

00:59:22of money and pleasure.

00:59:24Instead,

00:59:24he put me on his private jet

00:59:25and flew me straight

00:59:26to an extremely private estate

00:59:28in the south of France.

00:59:29The estate sat deep

00:59:31in the quiet

00:59:31Provenche countryside,

00:59:32far away from the world.

00:59:36When I opened the windows,

00:59:38I could see endless fields

00:59:40of lavender.

00:59:40The air smelled clean,

00:59:43the air smelled clean,

00:59:43full of grass,

00:59:44sunlight,

00:59:45and peace.

00:59:46There was no Richard Will

00:59:47calculating what I was worth.

00:59:49There was no Damien Blackfield

00:59:50haunting me

00:59:51with his obsession.

00:59:52There was only a silence

00:59:53gentle enough

00:59:54to make breathing

00:59:54feel easy again.

00:59:56Cancel all meetings.

00:59:58Nathaniel threw away

00:59:59every bit of his

01:00:00Southern European

01:00:00playboy image

01:00:01and became

01:00:02surprisingly patient.

01:00:04He canceled

01:00:05business mootings,

01:00:06turned down parties,

01:00:07and simply sat with me

01:00:08during breakfast

01:00:09in the flower-filled garden.

01:00:11At sunset,

01:00:12he would lie

01:00:13half on the grass

01:00:13beneath the grapevines

01:00:14with a book in his hand.

01:00:16Every now and then,

01:00:17he would look up

01:00:18and flash me

01:00:19that lazy,

01:00:20troublemaking smile.

01:00:21He never mentioned

01:00:22New York.

01:00:22He never mentioned

01:00:23Damien Blackwood.

01:00:25He never mentioned

01:00:25any part of the past

01:00:27that hurt me.

01:00:28With that strange,

01:00:29reckless tenderness

01:00:30only he had,

01:00:31he slowly chased

01:00:32the shadows

01:00:33of my last life

01:00:33from between my brows.

01:00:38The skin burned

01:00:39by deep second-degree scalds

01:00:41still arced at night,

01:00:42and the PTSD

01:00:43left by my past life

01:00:45often dragged me awake

01:00:46from nightmares.

01:00:47Every time I sat up

01:00:48covered in cold sweat,

01:00:49I saw a faint light

01:00:50glowing outside

01:00:51on the terrace.

01:00:52Nathaniel was always there,

01:00:53guarding my bedroom

01:00:54from the soap

01:00:54outside the glass doors.

01:00:55He held an old guitar

01:00:56in his arms,

01:00:57his long fingers

01:00:58moving over the strings.

01:00:59The melodies

01:01:00were never perfect,

01:01:01but somehow

01:01:01they were gentle enough

01:01:02to calm my heart.

01:01:05Nightmare again,

01:01:06wildcat?

01:01:07Do not be scared.

01:01:09I am right here.

01:01:10Not even God

01:01:11gets past me tonight.

01:01:16Paint whatever you want.

01:01:18Turn my face

01:01:18into a pig

01:01:19if it makes you happy.

01:01:23During the years,

01:01:24Damien controlled me.

01:01:26Painting had been dismissed

01:01:27as a useless distraction.

01:01:29But here,

01:01:30it was freedom.

01:01:31It belonged to

01:01:32Scarletta Vale.

01:01:35Under Nathaniel's

01:01:36shameless indulgements

01:01:37and steady companionship,

01:01:39I smiled more and more.

01:01:40It was the kind of joy

01:01:42that came from being

01:01:42accepted without conditions

01:01:44and encouraged

01:01:44to release

01:01:45every part of myself.

01:01:46One day,

01:01:47he secretly arranged

01:01:48a 10,000 meter skydive.

01:01:49The Hellifter climbed

01:01:50higher and higher

01:01:51with a violent roar.

01:01:52Beneath us were

01:01:53the jewel blue Mediterranean

01:01:54and the distant line

01:01:55of the Alps.

01:01:56Wind poured in

01:01:56through the open cabin door,

01:01:58whipping my hair

01:01:58into chaos.

01:01:59The instructor checked

01:02:00our gear one final time.

01:02:01I looked at the shrinking

01:02:02world outside the door,

01:02:04took a deep breath,

01:02:05and felt the brightest

01:02:05rush of anticipation

01:02:06I had known

01:02:07since my rebirth.

01:02:08Nathiel Hulma

01:02:09hailed my tightly,

01:02:09his palm burning hot

01:02:11out against mine.

01:02:12He leaned close to my ear

01:02:13and shouted over the engine.

01:02:15He grinned,

01:02:15wild and dazzling.

01:02:16Just as the green light

01:02:17came on and the instructor

01:02:18signaled that we were

01:02:19ready to jump,

01:02:20he suddenly gestured

01:02:21for him to wait.

01:02:22He turned to me

01:02:22and stared straight

01:02:23into my eyes,

01:02:24deep and burning.

01:02:25Above the deafening engine,

01:02:26his voice somehow

01:02:27reached me clearly.

01:02:28Scarlet,

01:02:29before we jump,

01:02:30Scarlet Vale,

01:02:31I know you are hurt.

01:02:33I know that bastard

01:02:34in New York

01:02:34broke something in you.

01:02:35I am not gonna feed

01:02:37you pretty lies.

01:02:37I am asking you straight.

01:02:39Give me a chance.

01:02:44Let me take care of you.

01:02:47Everything Damien Blackwood

01:02:48did to you,

01:02:49I will spend the rest

01:02:49of my life

01:02:51helping you heal from it.

01:02:54If the sky falls,

01:02:56I will hold it up for you.

01:02:57If you want to walk

01:02:58through the world

01:02:59like you own it,

01:02:59I will clear the road.

01:03:01If you want the stars,

01:03:02I will build you

01:03:02a damn ladder.

01:03:04I have never been

01:03:05this serious

01:03:05about anyone, Scarlet.

01:03:08I choose you.

01:03:09His confession

01:03:10was direct,

01:03:11arrogant,

01:03:11and rough around

01:03:12the edges

01:03:12just like him,

01:03:13but it burned

01:03:14through me like sunlight,

01:03:15melting the deepest ice

01:03:16inside my heart.

01:03:17There was no prophet

01:03:18binding us together.

01:03:19No rules.

01:03:20No cage.

01:03:21Only the purest

01:03:22kind of desire

01:03:23to love someone

01:03:23as they were.

01:03:24I looked into

01:03:25those flirtuous eyes,

01:03:26now filled with love

01:03:28and nervousness,

01:03:29and the string

01:03:29that had been pulled

01:03:30in my heart

01:03:31for two lives

01:03:32finally snapped loose.

01:03:34The heavy chains

01:03:35were scattered

01:03:35by the wind

01:03:3610,000 meters

01:03:37above the earth.

01:03:55The wind thundered

01:03:56past my ears

01:03:57as I opened

01:03:58my arms to freedom.

01:03:59This time,

01:04:00my guardian

01:04:00was falling beside me.

01:04:05The sun

01:04:06in southern France

01:04:07was warm

01:04:08and gentle,

01:04:08but the top floor

01:04:10of Blackwood Tower

01:04:11in New York,

01:04:11the heavy curtains

01:04:12were drawn tight,

01:04:13shutting out

01:04:13every trace of daylight.

01:04:15Damien Sack collapsed

01:04:15in his oversized

01:04:16leather chair,

01:04:17surrounded by

01:04:18empty vodka bottles.

01:04:19He had grown

01:04:19painfully thin,

01:04:20his face was hangered,

01:04:22his eyes sunken,

01:04:23and the hair

01:04:23he had once kept

01:04:24perfectly styled

01:04:24for the sake

01:04:25of the family code

01:04:25now hung in a mess.

01:04:26His phone screen

01:04:27was still lit.

01:04:28On it was a blurry

01:04:28pamperazzi photo

01:04:29taken in southern France.

01:04:30Sunlight poured

01:04:31over an outdoor cafe.

01:04:32I was wearing

01:04:33a bright yellow dress,

01:04:34laughing with Nathaniel

01:04:35a spoonful of ice cream.

01:04:36Nathaniel was looking

01:04:37at me with open affection,

01:04:38gently tapping my nose

01:04:39with his finger.

01:04:39The photo was beautiful

01:04:40enough to hurt.

01:04:41Scarlet,

01:04:42I only found out recently

01:04:43that Clara used

01:04:44an electroshock chair

01:04:45on you in the wine feller.

01:04:46I have locked her away.

01:04:48I will make her pay back

01:04:49every bit of pain

01:04:50she caused you.

01:04:54Scarlet.

01:04:56Scarlet.

01:04:57Scarlet.

01:04:59Tears mixed with blood

01:05:01at the corner of his mouth.

01:05:03He whispered my name

01:05:04like a prayer

01:05:05and a punishment.

01:05:07I was smiling,

01:05:09bright and unrhynd,

01:05:10but that happiness

01:05:11no longer belonged to him.

01:05:13That place beside me

01:05:15should have been his.

01:05:16He was the one

01:05:17who had pushed me away

01:05:18with those damned rules.

01:05:29He wrote like a madman.

01:05:31Sometimes his handwriting

01:05:33was messy.

01:05:34Sometimes it was painfully neat.

01:05:36Before long,

01:05:37the white paper

01:05:38was covered in tear marks

01:05:39and bloody fingerprints

01:05:41from his broken hand.

01:05:42He wrote about how stupid

01:05:44he had been to believe

01:05:45the Vale family's act.

01:05:46He wrote about

01:05:47forcing me to write apologies,

01:05:49locking me in the wine cellar,

01:05:50I bled and bound me

01:05:51standing at him,

01:05:52spilled about,

01:05:53then hot water

01:05:53to protect Clara

01:05:54while leaving me

01:05:55with second degree burns

01:05:56and PTSD.

01:05:58Scarlet,

01:05:58I only found out recently

01:06:00that Clara used

01:06:00an electroshock chair

01:06:01on you in the wine feller.

01:06:03I have locked her away.

01:06:05I will make her pay back

01:06:06every bit of pain

01:06:07and she caused you.

01:06:15The letter was sent

01:06:16by international courier

01:06:17to southern France

01:06:18and eventually reached my hands.

01:06:21I did not read a single line.

01:06:23I threw it straight

01:06:24into the roaring fireplace.

01:06:26The pages curled

01:06:27and flailed in the flames

01:06:29and turned to ash.

01:06:36No answer ever came.

01:06:41After the letter was sent,

01:06:42no reply came back.

01:06:44Damien's last bit of hope

01:06:45died completely.

01:06:47Ignoring the furious objections

01:06:48of his private doctor,

01:06:50he tore the IV from his hand

01:06:51and booked the nearest flight

01:06:53to the south of France.

01:06:54Through the Blackwood family's

01:06:55underground channels in Europe,

01:06:57he eventually located

01:06:58the quiet estate

01:06:58surrounded by lavender fields.

01:07:00But he did not dare go near it.

01:07:02He was afraid of disturbing me.

01:07:04Even more than that,

01:07:05he was afraid of seeing

01:07:06the disgust in my eyes.

01:07:08So he stayed outside

01:07:09the thorny fence like a ghost,

01:07:10watching from far away

01:07:11day and night.

01:07:12He saw Nathaniel's Lamborghini

01:07:13come and go.

01:07:14He saw us walking hand in hand

01:07:15along the country road

01:07:16at sunset.

01:07:17At night,

01:07:17he saw Nathaniel's shadow

01:07:18on the second floor balcony

01:07:19as he gently held me

01:07:20in his arms.

01:07:21Every scene was a dull knife,

01:07:23slowly cutting through

01:07:24his body and soul.

01:07:25One day,

01:07:25a violent storm

01:07:26broke over southern France.

01:07:28Lightning split the night sky.

01:07:29Damien stood outside

01:07:30the fence without moving,

01:07:31letting the cold rain

01:07:32soak him through.

01:07:33He was running a fever

01:07:34of 104 degrees,

01:07:35his body burning

01:07:36under the creasing rain,

01:07:37but he stood there

01:07:38like a statue

01:07:39and refused to leave.

01:07:42In his sick,

01:07:43desperate mind,

01:07:44he imagined that

01:07:46maybe the rain

01:07:46was heavy enough

01:07:47to soften my heart.

01:07:49Maybe I would come out

01:07:50with an umbrella

01:07:51and look at him

01:07:52just once.

01:07:53Only when his body

01:07:54finally gave out

01:07:56did he collapse

01:07:56into the muddy water.

01:07:58Before he lost

01:07:59consciousness completely,

01:08:01he thought he saw

01:08:02the curtain move

01:08:03in a second floor window.

01:08:12scarlet,

01:08:14let me see her.

01:08:17Keep dreaming,

01:08:18Blackwood.

01:08:19She does not

01:08:20want to see you.

01:08:22She would feel dirty

01:08:23wasting even

01:08:24one second

01:08:24on you.

01:08:29She told me

01:08:30to give you

01:08:30four words.

01:08:32No forgiveness.

01:08:35No pity.

01:08:36No return.

01:08:42Keep whatever dignity

01:08:43the Blackwood family

01:08:44still has.

01:08:45Every word

01:08:46struck Damien

01:08:47like an ice hook

01:08:48through the heart,

01:08:49shattering the last bit

01:08:50of hope left in him.

01:08:51He understood.

01:08:52I was not even willing

01:08:54to waste hatred

01:08:54on him anymore.

01:08:56Between us,

01:08:56everything had ended

01:08:57in the second

01:08:57of the car crash

01:08:58in my last life

01:08:59and in the moment

01:09:00he ordered the guards

01:09:00to keep me in the fountain

01:09:01in this life.

01:09:03After his fever broke,

01:09:04he was put on a plane

01:09:05back to New York

01:09:06by Nathaniel's private guards.

01:09:09He left like a puppet

01:09:10with its soul pulled out.

01:09:18Damien's forced departure

01:09:19did not stop

01:09:20the next storm

01:09:20from arriving.

01:09:22After recovering

01:09:23in southern France,

01:09:24I was no longer

01:09:25the weak woman

01:09:25from my past life

01:09:26who could only endure pain.

01:09:28With Nathaniel's

01:09:28financial power

01:09:29and international

01:09:30underground network

01:09:31behind me,

01:09:32I personally planned

01:09:32the final reckoning

01:09:33against the Vail family.

01:09:35Using hackers,

01:09:35I gathered hard evidence

01:09:36of Richard's years

01:09:37of tax evasion,

01:09:38money laundering,

01:09:39embezzlement

01:09:40of my mother's trust assets,

01:09:41and massive commercial

01:09:42brubbering.

01:09:43Then I anonymously

01:09:44submit everything

01:09:44to the highest federal

01:09:45prosecutors in New York.

01:09:49The evidence

01:09:50was overwhelming.

01:09:51Richard was arrested

01:09:52by federal agents

01:09:53during a Vail group

01:09:54board meeting

01:09:55right in front of the cameras

01:09:56and the entire press.

01:09:58The Vail family trust

01:09:59and company

01:09:59collapsed overnight.

01:10:01Their assets

01:10:02were seized

01:10:02and liquidated,

01:10:03and bankruptcy

01:10:04followed almost immediately.

01:10:06In the visiting room

01:10:07of New York's

01:10:07first federal prison,

01:10:08I sat behind

01:10:09thick bulletproof glass

01:10:10and looked coldly

01:10:11at Richard.

01:10:12He had gone

01:10:12white-haired overnight.

01:10:13He looked old,

01:10:14broken,

01:10:15and frantic.

01:10:16Scarlet,

01:10:16I am your father!

01:10:17My blood runs

01:10:18in your veins!

01:10:19You sent your own father

01:10:20to hell with your own hands!

01:10:22You'll pay for this!

01:10:22Pay for it?

01:10:23Richard,

01:10:23did you think about

01:10:24payback when you

01:10:25brought Monica

01:10:25into my mother's house?

01:10:27Did you think about it

01:10:27when you let

01:10:28try to sell me

01:10:28into the Blackwood family

01:10:29like a piece of property?

01:10:33This is your payback.

01:10:36Spend the rest of your life

01:10:37repenting in there.

01:10:43Monica could not survive

01:10:45the shock of the

01:10:46Vail family

01:10:46collapsing overnight.

01:10:48Her mind broke

01:10:49completely,

01:10:49and she was forced

01:10:51into the cheapest

01:10:52psychiatric hospital

01:10:53in New York.

01:10:54Every day,

01:10:55she wandered

01:10:56with tangled hair,

01:10:57muttering nonsense

01:10:58to herself.

01:11:04Damien,

01:11:05please save my mother!

01:11:06Please save the

01:11:07Vail family!

01:11:08I know I was wrong!

01:11:09I will bring Scarlet

01:11:10back if you want!

01:11:10I will beg that bitch

01:11:11to come back!

01:11:12Just look at me once!

01:11:14The iron gate

01:11:15slowly opened.

01:11:16Damien came out

01:11:17with a cane.

01:11:19He looked down

01:11:20at the woman

01:11:20kneeling at his feet

01:11:21like she was

01:11:22filth on the road.

01:11:23There was no emotion

01:11:24in his eyes,

01:11:25only disgust.

01:11:27Love?

01:11:28Clara,

01:11:29I know exactly

01:11:30how you and Monica

01:11:30schemed your way

01:11:31through Manhattan society

01:11:32and bullied Scarlet

01:11:33for years.

01:11:34I did not touch you

01:11:35before because

01:11:36you were not worth

01:11:37dirtying my hands.

01:11:39Also,

01:11:40I was saving you

01:11:41from Scarlet.

01:11:44Now that she has

01:11:45made her move,

01:11:46I am satisfied.

01:11:47Get this disgusting

01:11:48woman out of my sight.

01:11:54After that,

01:11:55a filthy,

01:11:55ragged woman

01:11:56appeared on the

01:11:57underground streets

01:11:57of Manhattan.

01:11:58She smelled rotten,

01:11:59laughed at strangers,

01:12:00and screamed at shadows.

01:12:02Damien had his men

01:12:03watch her from a distance.

01:12:04He did not allow her

01:12:05to die.

01:12:05He made sure

01:12:06she stayed alive

01:12:07long enough

01:12:07to suffer every humiliation

01:12:08the bottom of society

01:12:09had to offer.

01:12:10It was exactly

01:12:11what I had wanted

01:12:12for her.

01:12:12She would live

01:12:13like a rat in the gutter,

01:12:14slowly and painful.

01:12:17After hearing

01:12:18how everything ended,

01:12:19I stood before

01:12:20the floor-to-clear

01:12:20windows of the estate

01:12:21in southern France

01:12:22and watched the sun

01:12:23sink below the horizon.

01:12:24For the first time,

01:12:25my heart felt

01:12:26strangely calm.

01:12:27The nightmare

01:12:27and karma

01:12:28that had followed me

01:12:29through two lifetimes

01:12:29had finally come

01:12:30to an end.

01:12:31Bad people

01:12:32got what they deserved.

01:12:33From now on, baby,

01:12:34let me be the only one

01:12:35who gets to spoil you.

01:12:36Over the next half year,

01:12:38Nathaniel and I

01:12:38grew closer and closer.

01:12:40We traveled

01:12:40from country to country,

01:12:42enjoying our freedom

01:12:42and love

01:12:43anywhere in the world

01:12:44we wanted.

01:12:45We both thought

01:12:45the blood and storms

01:12:46were finally behind us.

01:13:04But no one expected Clara,

01:13:06who had long gone mad

01:13:08and been forgotten

01:13:08in the trash-filled

01:13:09corners of New York,

01:13:10to be planning

01:13:11one last act of revenge.

01:13:27Nathaniel reacted instantly.

01:13:29With a low growl,

01:13:29he shoved open the car door

01:13:30and threw himself

01:13:31into the fight,

01:13:31doing everything he could

01:13:32to protect me.

01:13:33But there were too many of them

01:13:34and they had come prepared.

01:13:35Nathaniel was soon

01:13:36cut across the arm

01:13:36while shielding me,

01:13:37then forced to the ground

01:13:38under several guns.

01:13:39His face was covered in blood

01:13:41and his eyes were wild

01:13:42with rage.

01:13:42Do not touch her!

01:13:44Let her go!

01:13:51A burst of crazed applause

01:13:53rang out.

01:13:53Clara slowly stepped out

01:13:54from behind one of the vants.

01:13:55She wore a filthy,

01:13:56torn dress stained with grime.

01:13:57Her hair was a tangled mess

01:13:58and her eyes were cloudy

01:13:59and insane.

01:14:00In her hand,

01:14:00she gripped a loaded glock.

01:14:01Her ruined face twisted

01:14:02like something out of a nightmare

01:14:03as she laughed at me.

01:14:11At that deadly moment,

01:14:12just as one of the thugs

01:14:13was about to pull the trigger,

01:14:14the roar of an engine

01:14:15ripped through the sea wind.

01:14:16A black armored SUV

01:14:17came crashing in from behind,

01:14:19ramping the van,

01:14:19blocking the road

01:14:20and screeched to a stop

01:14:21in the middle of the chaos.

01:14:22A thin figure with a slight limp

01:14:23stepped out,

01:14:24carrying an automatic rifle

01:14:26and surrounded by cold,

01:14:27murderous and tate.

01:14:28Damien.

01:14:29He had been following my movements

01:14:30from a distance all along.

01:14:31When he found out Clara

01:14:32had disappeared

01:14:33under strange circumstances,

01:14:34he sensed something was wrong

01:14:35and tracked the rive route here

01:14:37for the sea.

01:14:42Let her go, Clara.

01:14:44Get that filthy gun

01:14:45away from her head.

01:14:52Damien, you came too?

01:14:54Good.

01:14:54Perfect.

01:14:55The head of the Blackwood family

01:14:57and Nathaniel's family

01:14:58are both here.

01:14:59I can send all of you

01:15:00to hell together.

01:15:01What do you want?

01:15:02I will give you

01:15:04every Blackwood trust,

01:15:05every share,

01:15:06every asset I have.

01:15:08Take my life if you want.

01:15:10Just let Scarlet go.

01:15:13I do not want anything anymore.

01:15:15I want her to suffer.

01:15:18I want you,

01:15:19the high and mighty

01:15:20king of Manhattan,

01:15:21to watch with your own eyes

01:15:22while I tear her apart.

01:15:25Watching both men suffer

01:15:26because of me

01:15:27tore my heart open

01:15:28and tears blurred my vision.

01:15:29Stop!

01:15:30Nathaniel, Damien,

01:15:31just go!

01:15:32Do not worry about me!

01:15:32You want her alive?

01:15:33Fine!

01:15:34Damien, king of Manhattan,

01:15:35get on your knees!

01:15:36Kneel and beg me!

01:15:37Damien looked at my

01:15:38deathly pale face

01:15:39and did not hesitate

01:15:39for even a second.

01:15:40He threw away the rifle

01:15:41in his hand

01:15:42and dropped to his knees

01:15:43on rough gravel-covered road.

01:15:44The heavy sound of his bones

01:15:45hitting the ground

01:15:45tore through the sea wind.

01:15:46This was a man

01:15:47who had been pathologically proud

01:15:48in both lifetimes,

01:15:49a man who had never

01:15:50lowered his head to anyone.

01:15:51For my life,

01:15:52he threw away

01:15:52every last bit of dignity.

01:15:59Look at you!

01:16:01You finally know

01:16:02what it feels like.

01:16:04Beat him.

01:16:05Beat him until

01:16:06he cannot move.

01:16:09The thugs rushed forward.

01:16:11Iron rods and fists

01:16:12fell on Damien like rain.

01:16:13He curled tightly

01:16:14around himself,

01:16:15blood pouring from his mouth,

01:16:16but he stubbornly

01:16:17kept his body angled toward me,

01:16:18blocking the sand and gravel

01:16:19that flew in my direction.

01:16:20Stop!

01:16:22Please, stop!

01:16:36In that split second,

01:16:38no one saw

01:16:38where Damien found the strength.

01:16:40Like a black panther

01:16:41burning through its last breath,

01:16:42he threw himself up

01:16:43from the ground

01:16:43and slammed me

01:16:44with the ounce of life

01:16:44he had left.

01:16:45He knocked me hard

01:16:46onto the road

01:16:46and covered completely

01:16:47with his broad,

01:16:48bloodied back,

01:16:48leaving no gap

01:16:49between me and the bullet.

01:16:50The sound that followed

01:16:51tore into his back,

01:16:52exploding only a few millimeters

01:16:53from his heart.

01:16:54Blood sprayed across the air

01:16:56and instantly stained

01:16:58my white dress,

01:16:59a shocking red.

01:17:05For a moment,

01:17:06the whole world seemed to stop.

01:17:07Damien's heavy body

01:17:08pressed down over mine.

01:17:09With impossible effort,

01:17:10he slowly raised his head.

01:17:12His deathly,

01:17:13pale face was covered in blood.

01:17:14When he saw that I was safe,

01:17:15Claire Crenbuthum,

01:17:16without a cloud,

01:17:17his mouth lifted

01:17:18into a relieved smile.

01:17:19In that smile

01:17:19was a kind of longing

01:17:20and regret I had never seen

01:17:21from him in either lifetime.

01:17:22He struggled to raise

01:17:23his bleeding hand

01:17:24as if he wanted to touch

01:17:25my face one last time,

01:17:27but his fingers shook

01:17:28violently in the air,

01:17:29never quite reaching me,

01:17:30before falling wheatly

01:17:31into the mud.

01:17:33He looked at me

01:17:33as the light in his eyes

01:17:35began to scatter.

01:17:36Scarlet,

01:17:37I am sorry.

01:17:41This time,

01:17:42I finally protected you.

01:17:45live well with Nathaniel.

01:17:48Goodbye.

01:17:59Damien!

01:18:08But I only held

01:18:09the blood-covered man-in-arms,

01:18:11tears streaming down my face.

01:18:12Did I hate him?

01:18:13Did I resent him?

01:18:14The moment that bullet

01:18:15tore through his body,

01:18:16the chains from my past life

01:18:17and the hatred from this life

01:18:18were shattered with it.

01:18:19With his own life,

01:18:20he completed a redemption

01:18:21that had come

01:18:22two life teams too late.

01:18:26Above the Southeast Asian island,

01:18:27the roar of a rescue helicopter

01:18:29tore through the humid air.

01:18:30A team of top international medics

01:18:32carefully lifted Damien,

01:18:33covered in blood

01:18:34and deep in shock,

01:18:35onto a stretcher.

01:18:35His face had turned acin,

01:18:37almost like a corpse.

01:18:38His breathing and heartbeat

01:18:39were so weak

01:18:39the machines could barely detect them.

01:18:41I stood beside the helicopter,

01:18:42his warm blood still on my face.

01:18:44face and clothes.

01:18:45My fates have been trolling snow,

01:18:46wrapped in bandages

01:18:47and looking grim.

01:18:47Poor self threw the pain

01:18:48of his fractures

01:18:49and pulled me hard

01:18:49into his arms,

01:18:50using his broad chest

01:18:51to hold me up.

01:18:52His eyes were complicated

01:18:53as he watched Damien

01:18:53always despised

01:18:54and really been willing

01:18:55to trade his life

01:18:56for my freedom.

01:18:57The helicopter rushed

01:18:58toward the nearest

01:18:58international medical center.

01:19:00The doors of the operating room

01:19:02stayed shut

01:19:03and the red light above them

01:19:05burned for 12 full hours.

01:19:08Nathania and I waited

01:19:09in the hallway

01:19:10as time stretched

01:19:11until it felt like a century.

01:19:15The surgery succeeded.

01:19:17The bullet is out,

01:19:18but he's not out of danger.

01:19:20Recovery will be long.

01:19:21The damage is severe,

01:19:23irreversible.

01:19:34Damien remained unconscious

01:19:36in the sterile ICU

01:19:37for more than half a month.

01:19:39During that time,

01:19:40with no one in control

01:19:41of Blackwood Group,

01:19:42rival financial powers

01:19:43in New York

01:19:43began tearing into it.

01:19:44The stock price plunged

01:19:45and the company started

01:19:46from the inside.

01:19:47Through Nathaniel's

01:19:47underground channels,

01:19:48Iannoy passed Damien's

01:19:49confidential medical trial

01:19:50to a relatively loyal elder

01:19:51inside the Blackwood family.

01:19:53That elder stepped in

01:19:54and barely stabilized

01:19:55the chaos in New York.

01:19:56Half a month later,

01:19:57Damien finally opened his eyes

01:19:58to the beeping

01:19:59of medical machines.

01:20:00His vision slowly focused

01:20:02until he's standing

01:20:03outside the satiral glass.

01:20:04Our eyes met

01:20:05and the air in the room

01:20:06seemed to freeze.

01:20:07My gaze was complicated.

01:20:08There was concern in it.

01:20:09There was release.

01:20:10There was no love left.

01:20:11There was no hatred left either.

01:20:13Damien wore an oxygen mask.

01:20:14His dry lips parted

01:20:15as if he wanted to say my name,

01:20:17but only a weak,

01:20:18hoary breath came out.

01:20:19He saw the calm in my eyes.

01:20:20He also saw Nathaniel behind me,

01:20:22covered in casts and bandages

01:20:23still gripping my shoulder

01:20:24in a posture of absolute protection.

01:20:26Damien understood,

01:20:27but the last faint,

01:20:28impossible hope in his soul

01:20:29went out like a candle in the wind.

01:20:31Two silent lines of tears

01:20:32slid from the corners of his eyes

01:20:34into his hair.

01:20:34He had used his life to save me.

01:20:37Whatever remained between us

01:20:38had died with that redemption.

01:20:41Three months later,

01:20:42at Geneva International Airport

01:20:44in Switzerland,

01:20:45morning fog covered up the runway

01:20:46bound for one of Switzerland's

01:20:47top private rehabilitation plants

01:20:49waited in silence.

01:20:50Damien could barely sit

01:20:51in a wheelchair now.

01:20:52He looked older and thinner

01:20:53than any disability

01:20:53in his left leg.

01:20:54For the rest of his life,

01:20:55he would have to rely on a cane

01:20:56and a wheelchair to move.

01:20:57His body had been drained

01:20:58almost beyond repair.

01:21:00He never tried to contact me again.

01:21:02He even refused visits

01:21:03from the core members

01:21:04of the Blackwood family.

01:21:05Before boarding,

01:21:06he calmly signed

01:21:07every equity transfer document

01:21:09and full management

01:21:10authorization agreement,

01:21:11handing away the business empire

01:21:13he had once treated as his life.

01:21:14He sold all of his Manhattan properties,

01:21:17poured every dollar

01:21:17into a newly established

01:21:19Global Wildlife and Freedom

01:21:20Photography Trust.

01:21:21It was an anonymous gift

01:21:23that would benefit me forever

01:21:24without requiring my signature.

01:21:25The medical plane's engines roared.

01:21:27Damien leaned beside the window

01:21:28and looked out at the endless,

01:21:29freezing white cloud sea

01:21:30above the Alps.

01:21:31His eyes held nothing but

01:21:32quiet acceptance

01:21:33and deathly stillness.

01:21:34He had finally removed himself

01:21:35from my world.

01:21:36Scarlet, I love you.

01:21:37Not because I want to lock you

01:21:38in a house like some pretty bird

01:21:40and not because what you're following

01:21:41own any damn family rules.

01:21:43I love you exactly like this.

01:21:44Wild, proud, bright

01:21:45and impossible to tame.

01:21:47Let me be the man

01:21:48who protects you

01:21:49for the rest of your life.

01:21:50Marry me.

01:21:56Yes.

01:21:57I will marry you.

01:21:59The last light of sunset

01:22:00wrapped around us in gold

01:22:01as he pulled me into his arms.

01:22:03The chains for my past life

01:22:05were finally broken.

01:22:06In this life,

01:22:07I finally had the wide-open sky

01:22:08I deserved.

Category

Transcript

Comments

Recommended