- 10 hours ago
He Gave Her Dress Away New π
Category
π₯
Short filmTranscript
00:00I was at the boutique, checking on the wedding dress I had custom designed for myself.
00:04When a young woman walked in, the shop assistant came over and whispered to me.
00:09This girl had already rejected 99 dresses in their shop over the past three months.
00:14Her standards were impossibly high.
00:16Worse still, she had a ridiculously wealthy and doting husband
00:19who accompanied her through endless design changes without a single complaint.
00:23Just as the associate was venting her frustration, the girl's eyes landed on my dress.
00:28It was love at first sight.
00:30When she was told the dress wasn't for sale,
00:32she immediately pulled out her phone and called her husband.
00:35Minutes later, the boutique manager rushed over, looking panicked.
00:40She told me,
00:41Had Juspens bought the entire bridal shop,
00:43his first and only demand as the new owner, give his wife that exact dress?
00:47The manager begged me to part with it.
00:49I refused.
00:51No! I had designed this dress for my own wedding.
00:53Why would I give it to a stranger?
00:55Chloe, please, just think about it.
00:57She's the young madam of the Winston family.
01:00Getting on her good side could do wonders for your career.
01:03I froze.
01:04She is the young madam of the Winston family?
01:06Then who am I?
01:07Seeing my shock, a flicker of pride crossed the girl's face.
01:11You're a designer too, right?
01:13She smiled and gave me a polite nod.
01:15If you let me wear your dress to my wedding,
01:18I promise you'll make a name for yourself in the design world very quickly.
01:21My mind was reeling.
01:23I forced myself to breathe.
01:25Could I please see this lady's contract?
01:27When they handed me the paperwork, I flipped straight to the last page.
01:31There, signed in bold, arrogant strokes, was a name I knew better than my own, Vincent.
01:36The handwriting was so familiar I thought I was hallucinating.
01:40This was the name that had filled the margins of my teenage notebooks.
01:44It was the name printed right next to mine on the welcome sign at our engagement party not that long
01:49ago.
01:50And now, here it was on a bridal contract, right next to the name Natalie.
01:54An absurd, undeniable reality crashed over me.
01:58My fiancΓ© Vincent was having an affair.
02:02My knees felt weak.
02:04I took a sip of water, forcing the trembling out of my hands, and really looked at Natalie.
02:09She looked to be in her early twenties.
02:12Radiant, youthful, and vibrant.
02:14And looking closely at her features, I saw a faint, haunting resemblance to how I looked when I was younger.
02:20That realization didn't bring me any comfort.
02:23It just made my stomach churn with disgust.
02:25Numbly, I nodded.
02:27I told them she could have the dress.
02:28Natalie clapped her hands in delight, and turned toward the dressing room.
02:33Wait!
02:35I said, stopping her.
02:37This dress requires a very specific makeup look to really shine.
02:41Let me do it for you.
02:42Natalie was escorted to a private VIP makeup room.
02:46The cosmetics laid out for her were entirely different from what regular clients used.
02:51Seeing my surprise, Natalie covered her mouth and giggled.
02:54My husband refuses to let me share a makeup room with anyone else.
02:58He's a germaphobe when it comes to me.
03:00He had someone buy all of this brand new, just for me.
03:04Your husband treats you very well.
03:06Hmm.
03:07Throwing money at me is all he can do right now.
03:10I'm here trying on my wedding dress, and he couldn't even make time to come with me.
03:14Oh, Mrs. Winston, don't joke like that.
03:17Mr. Vincent has been here with you almost every single time you've come in over the last few months.
03:21He must just be tied up with something truly unavoidable today.
03:24The flattery worked.
03:25Natalie smiled, appeased.
03:28Unless it was an absolute emergency, he'd definitely be here.
03:32Her smile was blinding.
03:34It stung my eyes.
03:35I couldn't help but remember how utterly disinterested Vincent had been in planning our wedding.
03:41When I picked a venue, he simply said,
03:43Whatever you decide is fine.
03:46When I booked a photography team for our engagement shoot,
03:49He bailed on me three separate times.
03:52I had spent months convincing myself he was just too busy with work.
03:56Now I knew the truth.
03:57It wasn't that he didn't have the time.
03:59He just couldn't be bothered to spare any effort on me.
04:02I picked up a brush and began adjusting her eyebrows.
04:05Out of nowhere, she asked,
04:08Chloe, were you planning to give that dress to someone?
04:11Why did the staff say it was not for sale?
04:13My hand paused.
04:15Oh, Yambalai designed my rune the wedding the dress.
04:18Natalie blinked, genuinely taken aback.
04:22Oh, wow.
04:24I'm so sorry.
04:25She apologized, but she made absolutely no move to give the dress back.
04:32It's just that I'm so in love with it.
04:35I'm so picky.
04:37I can't bear go if I find a like something,
04:39but I believe you can do even better.
04:43It's fine.
04:44I'm not in a rush anymore.
04:46Since I was doing her makeup, she couldn't hold it to her ear,
04:49so she put it on speaker.
04:50Hey, sweetheart.
04:51How's the fitting going?
04:53The voice was low,
04:54laced with an undeniable, overflowing fondness.
04:57He used to talk to me like that, too.
04:59Back when we first moved in together,
05:01every day he'd wake up earlier than me,
05:03lean in close and whisper,
05:05Chloe, time to wake up.
05:07If I ignored him, he'd tease me until we just ended up holding each other.
05:12But sitting there now, I realized with a sickening jolt
05:15that I couldn't even remember the last time he had woken me up like that.
05:19Vincent.
05:20I had almost forgotten what you sounded like when you were gentle,
05:24only to hear it through another woman's phone.
05:27How deeply painfully ironic.
05:29I'm still getting my makeup done.
05:31Honey, the dress is absolutely stunning.
05:34It's such a shame you're not here to see it.
05:36I really wanted to show you.
05:38Vincent's voice was pure indulgence.
05:40Be a good girl.
05:41I'm swamped today.
05:43I have a board meeting this afternoon, and I just can't get away.
05:46I'll come with you next time, I promise.
05:48No way!
05:49I finally found the perfect dress!
05:52How could you abandon me on such a big day?
05:55You're making me so sad.
05:57A soft sigh came through the speaker.
06:00All right, all right.
06:01I'll head over as soon as my meeting is done.
06:03I swear I can never say no to you.
06:05Hearing that, a hollow laugh escaped my lips.
06:07Just last night, I had told Vincent that I was picking up my finished wedding dress today.
06:12I asked if he could come with me.
06:13He said he's got meetings all day and can't make it.
06:17I pleaded.
06:18But he just pinched his nose, gave me a cold look, and said,
06:22Stop acting like a child.
06:25Then he walked into the bedroom and shut the door without looking back.
06:28Yet all it took was a little whine from Natalie, and he surrendered instantly.
06:33His schedule can be interrupted.
06:35I'm just not the woman he'd interrupt it for.
06:37Natalie giggled, flirted with him for another second, and hung up.
06:41Mrs. Winston, your husband treats you like a queen!
06:45It makes me so jealous!
06:47Natalie beamed, basking in the glow of her perfect life.
06:51Catching my eye, she asked,
06:53Chloe, when is your wedding?
06:55The question caught me off guard.
06:57Before I could answer, a rival designer from the boutique.
07:01Someone who had never liked me.
07:03Walked in holding some accessories.
07:05Hearing the question, she sneered.
07:08Her?
07:09She's been custom designing her dress for months,
07:13but none of us have ever seen this mythical fiancΓ© of his.
07:17Who knows if he even exists?
07:19She turned a fawning smile toward Natalie.
07:23Not everyone has your luck, Mrs. Winston.
07:26Mr. Vincent runs a massive corporate empire,
07:30yet he still finds time to help you with all the tedious wedding prep.
07:34I lowered my eyes, having absolutely nothing to say in my defense.
07:38She was right.
07:41Vincent hadn't even given me a concrete date for the wedding.
07:44All this planning.
07:46It had been nothing but a one-woman show.
07:49Your fiancΓ© doesn't help at all?
07:51You're doing everything alone?
07:53That's awful.
07:55You really need to think things through, Chloe.
07:58Don't marry the wrong man.
08:03She appears to mean well,
08:04but her patronizing tone is unmistakable.
08:07You're right.
08:08I'll think it over.
08:10What about you?
08:11When is the big day?
08:13Natalie thought for a moment.
08:15Sometime in the fall, probably.
08:17My husband said we should get legally married at City Hall first,
08:20and he'll handle everything else.
08:22All I have to do is pick out what I like.
08:24I froze.
08:26You're already legally married?
08:28Yep.
08:29We went on Valentine's Day.
08:31I thought the date was so romantic,
08:33so I pustered him until he agreed.
08:36He was originally supposed to fly out of state
08:38for a business trip that day.
08:41Chloe, am I being too childish?
08:43My mom says I never grow up,
08:45but my husband likes me just like that.
08:47He says he wants to spoil me,
08:49take care of me,
08:50and make sure I never have a worry in the world.
08:55Looking at her bright, untroubled smile,
08:57my heart turned to ash.
08:59Vincent had already married Natalie.
09:01On Valentine's Day.
09:06What a sick joke.
09:09Valentine's Day was my birthday.
09:11I had waited up for him until past midnight that night.
09:14He never came home.
09:16The next day, he claimed his out-of-state meetings ran late,
09:20and he missed his flight.
09:21I had believed him.
09:22I hadn't pushed it.
09:24Little did I know,
09:26while I sat alone waiting for him on my birthday.
09:29He was at City Hall marrying another woman.
09:31I had been with Vincent since I was 18.
09:34Today, I was 28.
09:36A decade.
09:37For ten years,
09:39I watched him go from a boy
09:40who counted down the days
09:41until we were of legal age
09:43so he could marry me,
09:44to a man who found every excuse
09:46to delay the wedding.
09:47Lately, he avoided the topic of City Hall altogether.
09:51Now I knew why.
09:53He was already a married man.
09:55Natalie said Vincent promised her a lifetime.
09:58She had no idea I'd heard those exact same vows.
10:01Under a sky full of stars,
10:03he had dropped to one knee.
10:05As he slid the ring onto my finger,
10:07he swore he would love me forever,
10:09cherish me,
10:10and never let me suffer a single day in my life.
10:13In the end,
10:14he kept his vows.
10:15He just gave them to someone else.
10:18Once her makeup was done,
10:20Natalie headed to the fitting room
10:21to slip into the gown.
10:23I followed her in to help.
10:24As I was lacing up the corset back,
10:26she suddenly leaned in and whispered,
10:28Chloe, do you think you could loosen the waistline
10:30for me a little?
10:32I looked at her reflection in the mirror,
10:34confused.
10:35But this measurement
10:36is absolutely perfect on you.
10:39If I alter it,
10:41the silhouette won't be as flattering.
10:43But Natalie lowered her voice even more.
10:46I'm pregnant.
10:47My husband doesn't know yet.
10:48I want to surprise him.
10:50By the time the wedding rolls around,
10:51I'll definitely have a bump.
10:53And I'm worried it'll be too late to alter it then.
10:56So please,
10:57help me adjust it now.
10:58And keep it a secret.
10:59The sudden bombshell left me
11:01completely, utterly paralyzed.
11:03It took me a long moment to process the words.
11:06And when I did,
11:07a creeping chill seeped into my bones.
11:10She was pregnant.
11:11Vincent was having a baby with another woman.
11:14Natalie rested a hand on her flat stomach,
11:16her face glowing with a profound, radiant joy.
11:20That happiness felt like shattered glass
11:22against my eyes.
11:24I mumbled an incoherent reply,
11:26fled the fitting room,
11:27and leaned against the closed door,
11:28gasping for breath
11:29as I desperately tried to calm the turmoil
11:32surging inside me.
11:33I was pregnant two years ago,
11:35but Winston Group was restructuring,
11:38and Vincent was under enormous stress.
11:41He said it wasn't the time for a child
11:43and begged me to get an abortion.
11:46Because I loved him,
11:47I went through with it.
11:49And now Natalie was carrying his child.
11:51A dark, malicious thought curled in my mind.
11:54If Vincent finds out about this baby,
11:57he might not be as thrilled as she thinks.
11:59Just then, Natalie's phone buzzed on the vanity.
12:02It was Vincent.
12:04Chloe?
12:06Can you answer that for me?
12:08I'm tied up right now.
12:10I hesitated.
12:11But a sudden, vicious urge took root in my chest.
12:15If Vincent heard my voice on her phone,
12:17what would he do?
12:18Driven by a morbid curiosity,
12:20I swiped to answer.
12:22Hello?
12:23Unfortunately, I held back tears all afternoon.
12:25My voice hoarse,
12:27and Vincent didn't notice at all.
12:29Who is this?
12:31I sneered silently.
12:33Since my cover wasn't blown,
12:35I decided to play the part.
12:37I'm a stylist at the boutique.
12:39Mrs. Winston is in the fitting room right now.
12:41Is there a message you'd like me to pass along?
12:43Vincent suspected absolutely nothing.
12:46It's fine.
12:46I just called to tell her I ordered some coffee and pastries for her.
12:50Please remind her to eat something.
12:52I don't want her feeling unwell.
12:53His tone,
12:54so gentle and considerate,
12:56it was heartbreaking.
12:57Is Mrs. Winston feeling under the weather?
13:00I asked,
13:00pretending to care.
13:01Is there anything specific we should be careful of while assisting her?
13:04Vincent was silent for a beat.
13:07She's pregnant.
13:09She thinks I don't know yet,
13:10and I don't want to ruin her surprise.
13:12So please don't tell her I know.
13:14Just be extra careful with her.
13:18I ended the call,
13:20slowly sank to the floor,
13:21and buried my face in my hands.
13:23How stupidly pathetic.
13:26I thought he didn't want children,
13:27but the truth is he just didn't want mine.
13:30Chloe, you were blind,
13:32wasting ten years of your youth on a man like that.
13:34When Natalie finally stepped out of the fitting room,
13:37she was breathtaking.
13:38The dress I had painstakingly designed to fit my own body
13:41draped over her perfectly,
13:43just like the man I had chosen for myself.
13:47Apparently, our tastes were identical.
13:49The boutique staff swarmed her,
13:52showering her with praise.
13:54Natalie soaked up the attention,
13:56practically glowing.
13:58She picked up the skirt,
14:00twirled,
14:00snapped a photo,
14:01and sent it to Vincent.
14:03Honey, look.
14:05Isn't it gorgeous?
14:06Didn't I tell you I have great taste?
14:09Vincent texted back almost instantly.
14:14Wear it for me when you get home.
14:21Oh my god, Mrs. Winston!
14:23You two are so in love!
14:25It's criminal!
14:27Natalie blushed,
14:28clearly not expecting him to be so intimately flirtatious in public,
14:32and quietly tucked her phone away.
14:40My heart tasted like bile.
14:42I had spent three months sketching and refining that dress.
14:46Vincent had the opportunity to look at it every single day,
14:49but he never paid attention.
14:50He never cared to remember what it looked like.
14:53But the moment Natalie sent him a picture,
14:55he gave her his full, undivided attention.
14:58Was this the difference between being loved and being tolerated?
15:01I stood in the corner,
15:02watching the blush on Natalie's cheeks.
15:04She was wrapped in the kind of intoxicating happiness
15:07that I used to know so well.
15:09I grew up poor.
15:10I never had the money to take art classes
15:12or build a foundation in drawing.
15:15When I decided I wanted to pivot to fashion design,
15:18everyone doubted me.
15:19Everyone except Vincent.
15:21He was my rock.
15:22He believed in my dream more fiercely than I did.
15:25Once, passing a wedding dress shop,
15:27I was captivated by a vintage gown in the window,
15:29but it was a display piece, not for sale.
15:32I left disappointed and never mentioned it again.
15:34The next day, that exact dress was sitting in my bedroom.
15:39Chloe.
15:42Whatever you love, I will give you.
15:44Whatever you want to do, I will support.
15:47Spread your wings.
15:48I've got you.
15:50I asked him once why he was so good to me.
15:52He smiled, looking like the sun itself.
15:54Because we're soulmates,
15:56like a lock and a key.
15:59I was put on this earth to treat you right,
16:02and I plan on doing it for the rest of my life.
16:04I know, without a shadow of a doubt,
16:07that he truly loved me back then.
16:09But time ruins everything, doesn't it?
16:12Natalie admired herself in the mirror,
16:14as a stylist knelt beside her,
16:16tidying the skirt.
16:17Mrs. Winston, this dress looks flawless on you.
16:19If you paired it with a statement necklace,
16:21maybe something with a pop of color,
16:23it would be absolutely legendary.
16:25Natalie touched her bare collarbone,
16:27her eyes lighting up.
16:37She practically skipped over to her designer handbag on the sofa,
16:41and pulled out a velvet jewelry.
16:43She trotted over to me,
16:44beaming with excitement.
16:46Look, Chloe!
16:48Chloe!
16:49My husband won this for me at an auction recently.
16:54She popped the box open.
16:56A blinding flash of crimson caught the light.
16:59The moment my eyes focused on the necklace,
17:02the air was punched out of my lungs.
17:05I stared at the jewels.
17:07Then I looked at Natalie.
17:09Then back at the necklace.
17:11It took me a long, agonizing minute
17:14to accept that I wasn't losing my mind.
17:16That necklace was mine.
17:18More specifically,
17:19it was my late mother's.
17:22It was an heirloom passed down from my grandmother.
17:25An antique piece you couldn't find anywhere on the market.
17:30Years ago, the group was on the verge of bankruptcy.
17:33Vincent was deep in debt and utterly desperate.
17:36I couldn't bear to watch himself destruct.
17:39So, I sold my mother's necklace.
17:41The money covered the critical gap in his company's finances,
17:44pulling the Winston group back from the grave.
17:46Even when my family was so poor,
17:48we couldn't afford groceries.
17:50I never once considered selling that necklace.
17:52Vincent knew exactly what it meant to me.
17:55He knew the weight of my sacrifice.
17:56He had sworn to me.
17:58Tears in his eyes.
17:59That he would track it down
18:00and buy it back for me no matter what it cost.
18:03But that necklace was bought by a private collector
18:05and vanished without a trace.
18:07This loss has been tormenting me.
18:09As if I betrayed my mother
18:10by failing to protect her last keepsake.
18:12Whenever the topic came up,
18:14Vincent was overwhelmed with guilt.
18:16He assured me he was using all his connections to find it.
18:19When did he finally track it down?
18:20And what exactly was going through his mind
18:23when he stood at that auction,
18:24spent a fortune to win it back,
18:26and then handed it to his mistress.
18:29My jaw locked so tight my teeth ached.
18:31My fingernails dug into my palms
18:33until the skin broke.
18:35Vincent!
18:36What the hell did he think I was?
18:38How dare he use my late mother's legacy
18:40to court another woman?
18:41What a monster he's become.
18:43Rage.
18:44Hot and blinding exploded in my chest.
18:46I couldn't breathe.
18:47I couldn't stay quiet anymore.
18:48I needed to rip him apart.
18:50Before I could say a word,
18:52the heavy doors of the VIP suite swung open.
18:58A tall, familiar silhouette walked in.
19:01Natalie, are you finished?
19:02I came to take you home.
19:04The sound of his voice sent a violent tremor
19:06through my body.
19:08Slowly, stiffly, I turned my head.
19:10Natalie's face lit up.
19:12She lifted the heavy skirt of the gown
19:14and practically threw herself into his arms.
19:17Honey, you made it!
19:20Vincent's eyes landed on me.
19:22The color instantly drained from his face.
19:25Chloe?
19:26He choked out.
19:27What are you doing here?
19:29I arched a brow,
19:31letting a razor-sharp smile touch my lips.
19:34What, am I ruining the mood?
19:36Vincent glanced at Natalie,
19:38who was clinging to his arm,
19:39and instinctively took a half-step away from her.
19:42His eyes darted back to me,
19:44wild with panic.
19:46What did you two talk about?
19:48A cold laugh escaped me.
19:50Even now, the man was trying to do damage control.
19:53I looked at Natalie.
19:54Her eyes were wide,
19:56darting between us in total confusion.
19:58She looked like a lost deer.
20:00Suddenly, the fire in my chest died down,
20:03leaving nothing but cold, exhausting pity.
20:06I didn't want to humiliate her in public.
20:08At the end of the day,
20:10she was just another idiot he had played.
20:12I took a deep breath,
20:13forcing my voice to remain dead calm.
20:15I looked dead into Vincent's eyes.
20:17Give me the necklace back.
20:19We will talk about everything else later.
20:21Without a second of hesitation,
20:23Vincent turned to Natalie and held out his hand.
20:25Give me the necklace.
20:27Natalie stared at him, bewildered.
20:29What?
20:30His voice dropped into a harsh, commanding bark.
20:33Give it to me.
20:34Now.
20:34Natalie was taken aback for a moment.
20:36She looked at Vincent's terrifying, grim expression,
20:40then lowered her head,
20:43took out the necklace she was holding,
20:45and handed it to him.
20:46The heavy rubies settled into my palm.
20:49I felt a fraction of my soul return to my body.
20:52Vincent lunged forward and grabbed my wrist.
20:55Chloe, where are you going?
20:58I violently ripped my arm out of his grasp.
21:01Deal with your mess first.
21:03We'll talk when you get home.
21:04I marched out of the boutique without looking back.
21:12The moment I got back to the apartment,
21:14I started packing.
21:15Clothes.
21:16My passport.
21:18My mother's photo albums.
21:20My sketch pads.
21:21The vase I bought at a flea market.
21:24The bedsheets monogrammed with our initials.
21:27The scarf Vincent had painstakingly hand-knitted for me
21:31our first Christmas together.
21:32There was so much.
21:34So much had overwhelmed me.
21:37My hands shook as I shoved things into suitcases.
21:40But the piles never seemed to end.
21:44A strangled scream ripped from my throat.
21:47I grabbed the knitted scarf and tore at it violently
21:50until the yarn snapped,
21:52slicing into my bleeding palms.
21:54I collapsed onto the floor,
21:56buried my face in my knees,
21:58and finally let the ugly, broken sobs tear through me.
22:02There was too much history in this house.
22:05From the velvet curtains to the ceramic plates in the kitchen,
22:09every single object was something we had picked out together,
22:13buzzing with excitement for our future.
22:16When we bought this place,
22:17I told him I wanted to design the interior myself.
22:20He sat beside me for weeks,
22:22sketching floor plans,
22:23driving me to every furniture showroom in the city.
22:26Renovating is supposed to be stressful,
22:28but we had loved every second of it.
22:30Those days were filled with endless conversations
22:32about the life we were building.
22:34The only thing we never talked about was breaking up.
22:37I had been so goddamn certain we would make it to the end.
22:40Now, it was all just a punchline to a sick joke.
22:43Through blurred, tear-filled eyes,
22:45I looked around the beautiful apartment.
22:47From this day forward,
22:49none of this belonged to me anymore.
22:52Vincent burst in to find my suitcases by the door.
22:56I mocked his panicked face.
23:00Wow.
23:01Never thought I'd see the day you'd be in a rush to get home.
23:04Vincent ignored the sarcasm.
23:06Chloe, the necklace.
23:07I just won it at the auction recently.
23:08I wanted to surprise you,
23:09which is why I didn't tell you.
23:10But Natalie saw it,
23:11and she wouldn't let it go.
23:12I only meant to let her borrow it for a few days
23:14before giving it back to you.
23:14I swear on my life,
23:15I never intended to give Mom's necklace to her.
23:18You have to believe me.
23:19He knew the necklace was my weakness,
23:20but too late.
23:22His words were static.
23:24Mom!
23:25From him turned my stomach.
23:27I turned from my coat.
23:30He saw the luggage,
23:31closed in,
23:32and grabbed my shoulders.
23:34Chloe, what are you doing?
23:35Where are you going?
23:36I stared into his indecipherable, stormy eyes.
23:40Anywhere but here.
23:44I'm just making room for you and your wife.
23:47Where else are you two going to live after the wedding?
23:49Vincent hugged me, voice cracking.
23:52She is not my wife.
23:54You are the only woman I have ever loved.
23:57I let out a harsh, barking laugh,
23:59and shoved him off me.
24:01She's not your wife?
24:03I am.
24:04So you help her try dresses while I beg for five minutes?
24:07I grabbed my portfolio from the table
24:10and shoved it into his chest.
24:13Look, does her dress look familiar?
24:16Vincent glanced at the sketches, shocked.
24:19He finally realized.
24:20The dress Natalie stole was mine,
24:23and he'd helped her.
24:24A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the room.
24:27Vincent swallowed hard,
24:29his voice dropping to a miserable whisper.
24:32Sorry, Chloe.
24:33I never meant to hurt you.
24:34She just reminds me of the younger you.
24:37I couldn't help spoiling her.
24:39Please give me another chance.
24:41Hearing this tragic, romantic confession,
24:44I actually burst out laughing.
24:46I laughed until I doubled over.
24:48I laughed until my ribs ached and my lungs burned.
24:51I looked at the man I had worshipped for a decade.
24:54Are you out of your mind?
24:55I choked out, wiping a tear from my eye.
24:58You love her because she looks like me?
25:01I am standing right in front of you, breathing alive,
25:04and you go out and find a cheaper knockoff?
25:07Does that make you feel like some kind of tragic, devoted romantic?
25:11Vincent flinched.
25:12Guilt turned to irritation.
25:13He hated being mocked.
25:15Chloe, stop talking to me like that.
25:18I apologized.
25:20I'll break up with her.
25:22But, Brumique, with her,
25:23you need to know when to drop it.
25:26I wrenched myself out of his grip.
25:28Break up with her?
25:29That's not how it works, Vincent.
25:31When you leave her, it's called a divorce.
25:33I watched the color drain from his face once again.
25:36Valentine's Day.
25:37What a romantic day to tie the knot at City Hall, huh?
25:40Did you have a nice time while you stood me up on my birthday?
25:43You're a real piece of work, Vincent.
25:46His face darkened into something ugly and unreadable.
25:49We aren't legally married.
25:51I lied to her.
25:53I told you I would never marry anyone but you.
25:56You have to believe me.
25:57I stared at him, stunned.
26:00His confession only showed how hollow he was.
26:03He played us both.
26:04Lies to pacify me.
26:06A fake marriage to control her.
26:08He destroyed us, yet demanded a medal for his loyalty.
26:12I was done.
26:12I couldn't stay another second.
26:14I grabbed my suitcase and headed for the door.
26:17Vincent slammed his hand against the door.
26:19You are not leaving.
26:20You can yell, break things, hit me.
26:23But you are not leaving this door.
26:26Didn't shout or cry, just looked at him calmly.
26:28Vincent, are you trying to illegally detain me?
26:31Of course not, but-
26:32Step aside, or your CEO makes front page for false imprisonment.
26:35That hit home.
26:36Scandal would crash the stock mom's necklace saved.
26:38Fine, I'll give you time to cool off, but I am not letting you go.
26:41His arm dropped slowly.
26:43I walked out without looking back.
26:45I returned to my old apartment in the East End.
26:48After my mother passed away, this place became a living nightmare.
26:52My father was a violent drunk.
26:54My mother took his fists.
26:55On her deathbed, she gave me her necklace and begged me to find a good man, not to repeat
27:00her mistake.
27:00After she died, I became my father's punching bag.
27:03For years, every inch of my skin was bruised.
27:06Then I met Vincent.
27:07He dragged me out of that hellhole without hesitation.
27:10For my sake, he fell out with his family and was exiled from Winston Group's inner circle
27:15for years.
27:16Later, as the company collapsed, I gave him the necklace, the leverage, to claw his way to
27:21the CEO.
27:22On his appointment day, I took him to my mother's grave, laid flowers, and told her I'd found
27:27the right man.
27:28Vincent held my hand and swore on her tombstone to protect me forever.
27:32He broke his promise.
27:33Two years ago, my father died of liver cancer.
27:35Vincent wanted to gut and remodel the apartment, but I stopped him.
27:39I thought I'd never return.
27:40I really should have let him do it.
27:42At least I wouldn't be choking on dust right now.
27:44Scrubbing windows, my phone rang.
27:46It was Mia, my best friend and business partner.
27:49I answered, coughing violently from the dust.
27:52Chloe, babe, are you packed?
27:54We fly out to New York for the exhibition next week.
27:56Are you okay?
27:57You sound awful.
27:58Are you sick?
27:58I pushed open the balcony door and took a deep breath of fresh air.
28:02No, I'm fine.
28:03I'm just cleaning up my old apartment.
28:04It's a dust parlet.
28:06What the hell are you doing at the old apartment?
28:08I paused, then calmly told her everything.
28:11She went silent, stunned, short-circuited.
28:14When she finally spoke, her voice was low.
28:17Chloe, tell me this is a sick joke.
28:19That guy who looks at you like you're everything?
28:21How could he cheat?
28:23I couldn't blame her.
28:24I'd never told anyone how distant he'd become.
28:27To everyone, he was still the perfect fiancΓ©.
28:30Until yesterday, even I wouldn't have believed it.
28:33I shook off the memories and steered back to work.
28:36A year ago, Mia and I started a bridal studio.
28:39My design was picked for NYFW.
28:41We fly next week.
28:43I never told Vincent.
28:44Doesn't matter now.
28:46After finalizing plans and thanking Mia for cursing him out, I hung up and collapsed on
28:50the moldy sofa, drained.
28:52I'd accepted reality.
28:53But reliving the betrayal to someone who rooted for us felt like a blade on an open wound.
28:59I needed work.
29:00To keep my hands and brain too busy for Vincent Winston.
29:04Vincent bombarded me for days.
29:06I ignored him.
29:07Still a wreck.
29:08And had nothing to say.
29:10Then came a text from someone unexpected.
29:13At the cafe, Natalie sat with a weak smile.
29:16No boutique arrogance.
29:18Hi, Chloe.
29:20I sat across.
29:21She looked exhausted.
29:23You don't look so good.
29:24Tears instantly welled in her eyes.
29:26It's been a nightmare.
29:27I just...
29:29I never thought...
29:30She choked on her tears.
29:32I slid a napkin across the table.
29:34Chloe, sorry for intruding on your relationship.
29:37Don't blame yourself.
29:38You're not at fault.
29:40Vincent is the liar.
29:41Don't tear yourself apart for his sins.
29:44I'm just a cheap copy of you.
29:46That's why he wanted me.
29:47Should thank you.
29:48Without your face, I'd never have this life.
29:51Stop.
29:51Replacement is a cheater's lie.
29:53If he loved either of us, he wouldn't do this.
29:56Don't cheapen yourself for him.
29:59Now I see why he loved you so much.
30:01You really are a good person.
30:04So, what are you going to do now?
30:08Chloe, I know this sounds horrible, but I can't let him go.
30:11You don't want him anymore, right?
30:13So, can you let me have him?
30:16Even if I'm just your stand-it, I don't care.
30:18I accept it.
30:20I stared at her, speechless.
30:21Why?
30:22You're so young.
30:23You have your whole life ahead of you,
30:24because I know I will never find a man like him again.
30:26But I know, stay with him, and it'll eat you alive.
30:29He betrayed me today, you tomorrow.
30:31Then what?
30:31But...
30:32I know.
30:33But I love him.
30:34And more than that, I love the life he gives me.
30:38Chloe, the things I've gotten in the last few months
30:40are things I could work my entire life for and never touch.
30:42I can't give it up.
30:44I'm sorry.
30:44I'm just a shallow, materialistic woman.
30:47I had no response.
30:48Or what?
30:49Did you not actually break up with him?
30:51Are you just playing hard to get to make him beg?
30:53I'm not playing games.
30:54I am never getting back together with him.
30:57But Vincemint isn't a handbag for me to hand over to you.
31:00If you want him, go fight for him yourself.
31:03Leave me out of it.
31:04Promise me.
31:07Promise me you'll never see him again.
31:09You're asking for too much, Natalie.
31:11I don't owe you any promises.
31:13I was kind because you were manipulated,
31:15but I won't tolerate your insecurities.
31:17You've crossed a line.
31:19She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
31:21It's your life.
31:22Just make sure you don't regret it.
31:23I turned to leave, tossing one last sentence over my shoulder.
31:28The day of the New York flight arrived.
31:31I was standing at the terminal with Mia, checking our boarding passes,
31:34when I heard someone shout my name.
31:36Vincent was pushing through the busy airport crowd, rushing toward me.
31:40For a second, I saw Vincent backlit in that dark alley,
31:43running to save me from my father.
31:45He was still handsome, but my heart didn't flutter.
31:47Nothing left.
31:48Vincent pulled me into a crushing hug.
31:50Chloe, I finally found you.
31:52I was...
31:53I was wrong.
31:54I was so wrong.
31:56Please forgive me.
31:56I swear I'll never do it again.
31:58Please don't leave me.
31:59Please.
31:59I smiled, gently pushed him away.
32:02I owed him no explanation.
32:04Vincent, let's end it here while we still have some good memories.
32:10I don't want to remember just the screaming and hatred.
32:13It's better for both of us.
32:16I made one mistake.
32:18Just one.
32:19Why are you giving me the death penalty?
32:22Chloe, you're not being fair to me!
32:24My smile didn't waver.
32:26Vincent, you weren't fair to me or Natalie either.
32:29No!
32:30No, you love me.
32:31You can't just throw us away.
32:32You're just angry.
32:33You haven't forgiven me yet, that's all.
32:35I looked at his pathetic, broken expression and sighed.
32:38A few days ago, I thought I'd never get over you.
32:41But when you hugged me, just now,
32:43I realized I felt absolutely nothing.
32:47My heart didn't beat for you, Vincent.
32:49I've let it go.
32:51You should too.
32:52With that, I gave him a small wave,
32:54turned around,
32:55and walked through the security checkpoint.
32:57Behind me, his hands finally fell to his sides.
33:00It was truly,
33:02finally,
33:03over.
33:03Sorry!
33:04He looks so pathetic.
33:06Ten years together,
33:07maybe you wanted an excuse to take him back.
33:09So I lied you were leaving forever
33:10to make him panic and make a last grand gesture.
33:12I just wanted to give you a choice.
33:13But if you were done,
33:14I wanted him gone too.
33:16I didn't want you to have regrets.
33:17Don't ever do it again.
33:19NYFW was a huge success.
33:22Our studio blew up overnight with global orders.
33:24As my career soared,
33:26the past faded.
33:27Three years flew by.
33:28No contact with Vincent,
33:30but Mia kept me posted over drinks.
33:32Natalie married Vincent because she was pregnant,
33:35but the old lady Winston refused to accept their daughter.
33:38She kept trying for a son,
33:40but it never happened.
33:41Once the thrill was gone,
33:43Vincent stopped spoiling her.
33:44So she had to bite her tongue and walk on eggshells
33:47just to keep living that fancy life.
33:50History repeated itself.
33:51Vincent got a new mistress.
33:53Natalie lost it,
33:54cornered her in a mall,
33:55and they got into a screaming, fist-fighting brawl.
33:58The video went viral.
33:59The scandal tanked Winston Group's stock.
34:02Furious,
34:02Vincent filed for divorce.
34:04Thank God you didn't take him back.
34:05That man is toxic waste.
34:07I just smiled,
34:08taking a sip of my drink,
34:10and kept my thoughts to myself.
34:12Do we have the displays ready for tomorrow's bridal expo?
34:14Because if we don't,
34:15I don't want to hear another word about this soap opera.
34:17Oh my God,
34:18the acrylic signs!
34:19I forgot to pick them up.
34:19I'll be right back!
34:20I watched her run out the door,
34:23laughing softly.
34:24I looked down at the beautiful,
34:26intricate gown taking shape on my sketch pad.
34:29In this life,
34:29the only person you should never betray is yourself.
34:32That's how you live without regrets.
34:34I learned that lesson just in time to walk away.
34:37Natalie didn't,
34:38but I suppose after everything,
34:40she probably understands it now.
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