- 17 minutes ago
Don's Regret Came Too Late
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00:00My husband's late brother's widow posted a photo of a pregnancy report on Instagram.
00:04The caption read,
00:05Thank you for your sperm, for giving me the most precious gift.
00:08Under the father column on the report, printed in black and white, Dominic Valenti, my husband.
00:12I left a single question mark in the comments.
00:15Less than 40 seconds later, Dominic's call came through.
00:18Serena, what do you think you're doing?
00:20What exactly are you being snide about?
00:22Vivian has been a widow for three years.
00:23She wants a child for company, what's wrong with that?
00:26Lucian died for me, he took that bullet in my place.
00:29Taking care of the woman he left behind is the least I can do.
00:32It's a blood debt I owe, and you have no right to question it.
00:35The line went dead.
00:36I didn't even get a single word in.
00:38Twenty minutes later, Vivian's account updated again.
00:41This time, it was a series of photos of an apartment, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline,
00:46and in the open-plan kitchen, the back of a man busy at the counter.
00:49I recognized the property.
00:50It was registered under the Valenti name.
00:52I recognized the man, too.
00:53I pressed the phone screen dark and sat in blackness for a long time.
00:57On the desk in front of me lay a pregnancy test report.
01:00Two days ago, I found out I was two months pregnant.
01:03I'd planned to tell him on our wedding anniversary.
01:05A surprise.
01:05Five years of marriage, and we'd never been able to conceive.
01:08I thought this child would be a new hope for us.
01:10Now, it seemed he no longer needed that kind of surprise.
01:13When dawn broke, I dialed the hospital.
01:16Hello.
01:17I'd like to schedule an abortion for today.
01:19That was when Dominic walked through the door.
01:21Serena, who are you on the phone with?
01:25He came in carrying a paper bag.
01:28Brought you clam chowder from that place you like.
01:30Drink it while it's hot.
01:31I opened the container inside the bag.
01:33The soup had already congealed.
01:34Lumpy grains and broth that looked like something regurgitated.
01:38He reached out to put his arm around my shoulder.
01:40I shifted away.
01:41Not hungry.
01:42Dominic frowned, but poured the soup into a bowl,
01:44and set it in front of me anyway.
01:46The smell of it hit me, briny and sharp,
01:49and my stomach lurched.
01:50I bolted to the bathroom and hunched over the toilet, dry heaving.
01:54He followed and tried to rub my back and knocked his hand away.
01:58Don't touch me!
01:59Dominic's expression darkened.
02:01A flash of impatience crossed those deep brown eyes.
02:04What do you want from me?
02:06I'm already trying my best to manage your feelings, Serena.
02:09What more do you want?
02:10For me to get on my knees and apologize?
02:13Then what do you think I should do?
02:14Send her my congratulations?
02:16Tell her how happy I am she's carrying my husband's child?
02:19Lucien died for me.
02:20Taking care of Vivian is my responsibility, my obligation.
02:24Nothing happened between us.
02:25It was just a sperm donation.
02:27Can you stop making everything so soldered?
02:29Honestly, Serena, right now you look like nothing but a jealous, irrational shrew.
02:33I went still.
02:34In those early days after Lucien died,
02:37I was the one who took the initiative,
02:38bringing Dominic along to visit her.
02:40Whenever something broke in her apartment,
02:42the two of us went together to fix it.
02:43It was only later that things began to shift.
02:45At some point, I couldn't pinpoint exactly when Dominic started going alone to buy her groceries.
02:50Alone to assemble her new furniture.
02:52He'd get a call from her in the middle of the night,
02:54throw on his coat, and walk out the door.
02:56Every time I confronted him, he'd say the same thing.
02:58She's Lucien's widow.
02:59Then he'd shake me off and leave.
03:01But I never imagined he'd go so far as to give her a child.
03:04Take a good look at yourself.
03:05He flung the words at me and slammed the door behind him.
03:08Again.
03:11Soon enough, Vivienne's social media updated once more.
03:13In the photo, Dominic's hand rested on her gently swelling belly,
03:17the light warm and intimate.
03:18The caption,
03:19Baby's daddy came to be with us.
03:21He said,
03:21This is where home really feels warm.
03:23I laughed, laughed until the tears came.
03:28At three in the afternoon, I arrived at the hospital.
03:31After paying for the procedure,
03:32I sat in the general waiting area for my number to be called.
03:35At the far end of the corridor,
03:36the VIP wing had been entirely cleared out.
03:39Several bodyguards in black suits stood at attention on either side.
03:42I recognized the Valenti crest on their tie pins.
03:45The door to the VIP consultation room opened,
03:47and Dominic walked out with one hand firmly on Vivienne's waist.
03:50She wore a cream-colored loose dress,
03:53and leaned into his arms,
03:54her face a portrait of bliss and devotion.
03:56They sat down in the lounge area,
03:58heads close together as they talked.
03:59I turned,
04:00intending to slip away in the other direction,
04:01but Dominic had already looked up and spotted me.
04:04Serena?
04:04His brow furrowed,
04:05his gaze cold and heavy.
04:07Are you following me?
04:08I kept my voice as flat as I could.
04:10I'm just here to see a doctor.
04:12For what?
04:13Dominic, don't give Serena a hard time.
04:15Maybe it's just a routine checkup?
04:17Let me go talk to her.
04:18I don't want you two fighting because of me.
04:20You're pregnant.
04:20Sit still.
04:21The doctor said you need to rest during the first trimester.
04:24Don't move around.
04:24I'll handle this.
04:25I turned to leave again.
04:26Dominic stepped forward and grabbed my wrist.
04:28The yank set me stumbling backward.
04:30I nearly fell.
04:31I'm still talking to you, Serena.
04:32What are you doing at the hospital?
04:35And I already answered.
04:36I'm here to see a doctor.
04:38I'm not so idle that I'd waste my time stalking the two of you.
04:41Dominic frowned,
04:42seeming about to snatch the receipt from my hand to check for himself.
04:45Serena,
04:46I know you're angry,
04:47but after Lucy was gone,
04:49I was all alone in that house,
04:50so lonely.
04:51I just wanted a little life of my own to keep me company.
04:54I never meant to hurt you and Dom.
04:56I calmly withdrew my hand.
04:57The next second,
04:58Vivian let out a cry,
04:59her body pitching sharply backward.
05:02Dominic shoved me aside and caught her in his arms.
05:05Are you okay?
05:06Does anything hurt?
05:06I'm fine.
05:08My legs just went weak.
05:10Dom,
05:10don't blame Serena.
05:11She didn't mean to.
05:12Are you really that vicious, Serena?
05:15I didn't touch her.
05:16I saw it with my own eyes.
05:19If anything happens to her or the baby,
05:21I will never forgive you.
05:22Dominic,
05:23he paused mid-motion as he was soothing Vivian.
05:25What if I told you I'm pregnant
05:28and I came here today for an abortion?
05:31At that moment,
05:32Vivian tilted her face up close to his,
05:34her lips grazing the shell of his ear.
05:37Serena,
05:37don't try to manipulate me with tricks like that.
05:40No matter what,
05:41I'm not leaving Viviana.
05:44Serena Valente,
05:45are you here?
05:46Are you still going through with the procedure?
05:48I don't know how long I stood there.
05:50Not until the nurse called my name from the doorway.
05:52Yes.
05:53I want this pregnancy terminated.
05:54Before long,
05:56I was wheeled into the operating room,
05:57the blinding surgical light directly overhead.
06:00Then,
06:00darkness.
06:01That evening,
06:02when I returned to the townhouse,
06:03the place was pitch black.
06:04No calls,
06:05no texts,
06:06nothing.
06:06But when I opened my phone,
06:08there he was again on Vivian's feed.
06:09A set of maternity photos.
06:11Dominic in a white dress shirt,
06:12wearing a pink cartoon headband for the shoot.
06:14Their hands layered together on her gently rounded belly,
06:17gazing tenderly at each other.
06:18I liked the post.
06:20For an entire week after that,
06:21Dominic didn't come home.
06:22I took the antibiotics alone,
06:23pressed a hot water bottle to my abdomen alone,
06:26and reviewed the terms of the divorce agreement alone.
06:28The day the faxed divorce papers arrived,
06:31Dominic called.
06:33Dinner at the family estate tonight.
06:35Fine.
06:36When I pushed open the dining room doors,
06:38I saw that the chair beside the head of the table,
06:40the one that had always been mine,
06:41was occupied by someone else.
06:43Vivian, Dominic's mother,
06:44Helena,
06:44was smiling warmly and holding her hand.
06:46Oh, Serena,
06:47you're here.
06:48Serena,
06:48after Helena found out I was pregnant,
06:50she insisted I move into the estate for my prenatal care.
06:53She said it would be easier to look after me here.
06:55Please don't overthink.
06:56That's enough, Viviana.
06:57Serena,
06:57you and Dominic have been married five years without producing a child.
07:00The baby in Vivian's stomach is the sole velouty heir.
07:02It's only natural she lives here.
07:03As for you,
07:04starting tomorrow,
07:04you'll move in and learn from the housekeeper
07:06how to take proper care of a pregnant woman.
07:08If Vivian is satisfied with you in any way,
07:10I'll have Dominic divorce you.
07:11Instantly,
07:12every servant in the dining room wore a smirk.
07:14They were all waiting for me to become the jealous shrew,
07:16waiting for me to lose my mind,
07:18to scream,
07:18to beg.
07:19Instead,
07:19I laughed.
07:20Well,
07:20that works out perfectly.
07:22Helena's brow furrowed.
07:23What's that supposed to mean?
07:25Helena,
07:25I came here tonight for one reason,
07:27to divorce Dominic.
07:30The dining room went silent for a few seconds.
07:33You,
07:34Serena,
07:34don't forget where you came from.
07:36The fact that you're even sitting at this table
07:38is a privilege the Velocci family grant
07:40Then it's settled.
07:42I don't want your privilege anymore.
07:44I was about to pull the divorce agreement from my bag
07:46when Vivian dropped to her knees without warning.
07:48Serena,
07:48I'm begging you,
07:49don't do this to my baby.
07:52The child is innocent.
07:53This is all my fault.
07:55You can't just live a life.
07:57Stop.
07:59Serena,
08:00you're actually trying to force her to abort the baby?
08:02I'm not.
08:06Next instant,
08:07before I could finish,
08:08he charged across the room
08:09and drove his shoe into my lower abdomen.
08:11The force was savage.
08:12No restraint.
08:13You vicious bitch!
08:14Haven't I taught you enough of a lesson already?
08:17My vision was blurring,
08:18but I braced myself
08:19and dragged my body upright
08:20to inch by inch.
08:21Then,
08:21with the last of my strength,
08:23I pulled the divorce agreement from my bag
08:24and hurled it in his face.
08:26My voice sounded far away and hollow.
08:27Dominic Valenstie,
08:29we're done.
08:30The rage on his face froze.
08:32Then I turned and walked toward the door.
08:33One step,
08:34two steps.
08:35My vision collapsed
08:36into blackness.
08:37My knees buckled
08:38and I went down.
08:39Something warm surged from inside me,
08:41soaking through my skirt.
08:42Oh my god!
08:42Her legs!
08:44There's blood everywhere!
08:45John kicked her in the stomach!
08:47Is she,
08:47is she mismarrying?
08:48Call an ambulance!
08:49Hurry!
08:50Hurry!
08:51She's passed out!
08:51Serena!
08:53Serena!
08:53Serena,
08:54look at me!
08:54Don't close your eyes!
08:55Look at me!
08:56I tried to open my mouth
08:57and say something,
08:58but nothing came out.
08:59The blood pooled beneath me,
09:00spreading,
09:01and the darkness swallowed me whole.
09:04When I opened my eyes again,
09:06I saw a white ceiling,
09:07an IV line,
09:08and a tear-streaked face
09:10at my bedside.
09:11Mom was sitting there,
09:12gripping my hand tightly,
09:14tears falling harder,
09:15but forced to smile.
09:16Sweetheart,
09:18you're awake.
09:19How do you feel?
09:20Tell mama where it hurts.
09:23Mom.
09:24Mom's here.
09:26Mommy's right here.
09:28Cry it out, baby.
09:29Just let it all out.
09:31I cried for a long time,
09:33until my throat gave out,
09:35until my eyes were swollen and raw.
09:37Dad came in after I'd mostly calmed down.
09:39He looked at my pale face,
09:40and for just a flicker,
09:41his eyes went red.
09:42You've suffered, sweetheart.
09:45I should never have let you marry
09:46into that family.
09:51Back then,
09:52Dominic had dimples when he smiled.
09:54He liked eating hot dogs
09:55with way too much mustard
09:56at late-night street stalls.
09:58He'd get misty-eyed
09:59over the ending of an old movie.
10:02The first time Dad met him,
10:04he said,
10:04I don't trust anyone in the mob.
10:08Dominic stood on our front porch,
10:10in the rain,
10:11for three days,
10:12on the morning of the third day.
10:14Dominic collapsed on the steps,
10:15and Dad finally opened the door,
10:17that evening in the living room,
10:19still running a fever.
10:20I will spend the rest of my life
10:22being good to her.
10:23Dad was silent for a long time.
10:30But three years later,
10:32Dominic knelt in a pool of blood,
10:33clutching his brother's body,
10:35and never smiled like that again.
10:39Mom touched my face,
10:40and frowned slightly.
10:41Dominic is outside.
10:43Let me see her.
10:46Let me see her.
10:48Please.
10:50Just let me see her.
10:51I closed my eyes briefly.
10:53Let him in.
10:56Serena.
10:57Let him in, Mom.
10:58You two wait outside,
10:59I need to talk to him alone.
11:01My parents exchanged a look,
11:03then reluctantly rose
11:04and left the room.
11:08The door opened.
11:09Dominic stood there.
11:10His complexion was gray,
11:11his jaw locked,
11:12his eyes threaded with red.
11:13He walked to the bedside.
11:15Serena,
11:15I didn't know you were pregnant.
11:17I didn't know you'd miscarried it.
11:19That day,
11:19I just thought you were trying
11:20to force Vivian to-
11:21I've already signed the divorce papers.
11:22Sign them.
11:26No!
11:29Serena,
11:29I won't sign.
11:31I love you.
11:34You say you just didn't know
11:36I was pregnant.
11:36Fine.
11:37Then let me ask you something.
11:40You'd get a call from her
11:41in the dead of night
11:42and walk out the door
11:43sometimes at two or three
11:44in the morning
11:45and you called that
11:46taking care of her,
11:47right?
11:47You bought her an apartment,
11:49a Veloti property
11:50titled in her name
11:51and you called that
11:52making arrangements,
11:53right?
11:55You gave her a child
11:57and you called that
11:58helping her fulfill a wish,
11:59right?
12:01Then let me tell you,
12:03if a man has no feelings
12:05for a woman,
12:06he doesn't leave his house
12:07at 3 a.m.
12:08because she called.
12:09He doesn't buy her a home
12:11and put her name on the deed
12:12and she certainly
12:14doesn't let her carry his child.
12:16Dominic,
12:17you can lie to me,
12:18you can lie to yourself,
12:19but you can't lie to the facts.
12:22Everything you did for Vivian
12:23tells me and tells everyone
12:25that you love her.
12:28You're the Dawn,
12:29you control everything,
12:30but you don't get to control
12:32whether I stay or go.
12:33That's not...
12:35Serena.
12:36I was just...
12:37I only...
12:40Sign the papers, Dominic.
12:41There's nothing left to say.
12:44His head snapped up
12:45and in his eyes,
12:46I saw a kind of panic
12:48I'd never seen before.
12:51Serena?
12:52Dad.
12:53Mom.
12:55You've said what you came to say.
12:56Now get out!
12:58No.
12:58Serena,
12:59give me one more chance.
13:01Get out!
13:03You're not welcome here.
13:05Dominic didn't move.
13:07He stared at me,
13:08unblinking.
13:08Dominic was finally
13:09pushed out of the room.
13:13I looked away,
13:14blocked him on every platform
13:16and phone number,
13:17and sent Helena a single message.
13:18Please,
13:19have your son sign the papers.
13:21It'll free up a spot
13:22for the woman
13:23he actually wants to protect.
13:27A few days later,
13:28when I went downstairs for a walk,
13:29I found Dominic
13:30outside the building entrance.
13:31He was leaning against
13:32a black sedan.
13:33No bodyguards.
13:34No driver.
13:35The moment he saw me come out,
13:37he straightened
13:38and took a few steps
13:38in my direction.
13:45Serena.
13:47His voice was wrecked.
13:50How are you feeling?
13:52Any better?
13:53I was carrying a bag of fruit.
13:55My tone was distant.
13:56Much better.
13:58If there's nothing else,
13:59I'm heading back up.
14:00He reached out to stop me.
14:02Carefully,
14:03tentatively,
14:04the same design
14:04Dominic and I
14:05had created together
14:06for our wedding band.
14:06No matter what happens,
14:08I'll never take it off.
14:09But I also hadn't forgotten
14:10what he'd said to me later.
14:11Viv gets upset
14:12when she sees my wedding ring.
14:14It reminds her of Lucien.
14:15Why can't you be more considerate
14:17of other people's feelings?
14:19I glanced instinctively
14:20at my own left ring finger.
14:22Pushed the box back toward him.
14:23The rings are new,
14:25but what's broken
14:26can't be fixed.
14:29After a few seconds of silence,
14:31he erupted.
14:32Serena,
14:33why can't you cut me off
14:33some slack just once?
14:35You're the one
14:36who didn't tell me
14:36about the pregnancy.
14:37If you had just said something,
14:38I never would have walked away
14:39at the hospital that day.
14:40I've explained the situation
14:41with Vivian.
14:41I don't love her.
14:42I was only looking after her
14:43for Lucien,
14:44helping her fulfill a wish.
14:46Why can't you understand that?
14:47At the hospital that day,
14:49your exact words were,
14:52no matter what,
14:53you would not leave her.
14:55And the anger froze on his face.
14:57If you won't sign the papers,
14:59then stop coming to find me.
15:01No.
15:02I don't want to see you again.
15:04I turned and walked
15:05straight back through
15:06the building entrance.
15:06Serena?
15:10But that night,
15:11I received a text from Vivian.
15:13Tomorrow,
15:14the cafe,
15:15I have something to say.
15:19There you are.
15:22Serena,
15:23since things have come this far,
15:24I'm not going to beat
15:25around the brush.
15:27Dominic loves me.
15:28Just sign the divorce papers
15:30and stop holding us up.
15:32I think you have it backwards.
15:33The one who won't agree
15:34to the divorce is Dominic,
15:36not me.
15:37That's impossible.
15:38I'm carrying his child.
15:40Why would he not want me?
15:41You must be the one
15:42clinging to him,
15:43refusing to let go.
15:44I didn't respond.
15:45The silence seemed
15:46to infuriate her.
15:47I bet you don't know yet.
15:49This baby wasn't conceived
15:50the way Dominic told you.
15:52No providing a sample,
15:53no artificial insermination.
15:57Dominic and I slept together
15:58more than once.
16:00The air went still for a beat.
16:02Is that so?
16:09Dominic and I slept together
16:11more than once.
16:13The air went still for a beat.
16:14Is that so?
16:22I stood.
16:23I picked up the still,
16:25half-full Americana
16:26and threw it
16:27squarely in her face.
16:29You're insane!
16:31Viviana,
16:31you should be great
16:33before you're pregnant
16:34right now.
16:35I grabbed my bag
16:37and walked out.
16:38After leaving the cafe,
16:41I went straight
16:42to the law office
16:43and handed the voice recorder
16:45I'd been carrying
16:45to my attorney.
16:50Three days later,
16:51at the hearing,
16:52the old men
16:53poured over the evidence.
16:54Finally,
16:55one of them
16:56struck the gavel.
16:57Some frightened,
16:58some gave thin,
16:59knowing smiles.
17:00By ruling of the
17:01family joint council,
17:02the infidelity
17:03is substantiated.
17:04The marriage of
17:04Dominic Valotto
17:05and Serena Valotto
17:06shall be automatically
17:07dissolved in one month.
17:08Dominic's shoulders
17:09collapsed.
17:11And walking out
17:12through the council
17:13hall doors,
17:14Dominic was standing
17:15at the bottom
17:15of the steps.
17:16Serena,
17:19do you hate me
17:20that much?
17:21You really won't
17:22leave any room at all.
17:23I took out my phone,
17:24pulled up the recording
17:25and pressed play.
17:26Vivian's voice poured
17:27for me.
17:28Dominic and I slept
17:29together,
17:29more than once.
17:31I can explain.
17:32That day,
17:32I helped her move
17:32some things back
17:33to her place
17:33and she said
17:34she wanted to cook
17:34dinner to thank me.
17:35We had some wine
17:36and then,
17:36and I don't know
17:37how it just...
17:38Dominic.
17:39Lucien took a bullet
17:40for you
17:40and you turned around
17:41and took care of his wife
17:42all the way
17:43into her bed.
17:45If he could crawl
17:46out of that grave,
17:47the first person
17:49he'd put down
17:49is you.
17:51Serena,
17:52but I only love you!
17:53It was only that
17:54one time with her!
17:55I don't need love
17:56that cheap.
17:58Perhaps out of guilt,
18:00Dominic transferred
18:01a substantial sum
18:02into my account
18:03during the divorce proceedings.
18:04I accepted
18:05every cent.
18:07It was enough
18:08to live comfortably
18:08for a long time,
18:10so I bought
18:11a one-way ticket
18:11to Barcelona
18:12and set off
18:13traveling alone.
18:20From Las Ramblas
18:22to the Charles Bridge
18:22in Prague,
18:27from the black
18:28sand beaches
18:28of Iceland
18:29to a star-gazing
18:31camp in New Zealand.
18:32And at every stop,
18:34I mailed my parents
18:35a postcard
18:36and logged my experiences
18:37on a blog.
18:38When I came home
18:39after a long stretch
18:40of travel,
18:41Mom eagerly filled me in
18:42over dinner
18:42on the aftermath
18:43of Dominic and Vivienne.
18:45Do you know what happened
18:45to Dominic and Vivianian later?
18:49After our divorce,
18:50Vivienne,
18:51Belly and all,
18:51staged a coup.
18:52Dominic refused
18:53to marry her.
18:54He said he'd only
18:54ever looked after her
18:55out of guilt toward Lucien,
18:56that there had never
18:57been any real feeling.
18:58Vivienne dropped
18:59every pretense
19:00and weaponized the baby.
19:01Marry her,
19:02or she'd get an abortion.
19:03Helena,
19:04desperate for an heir,
19:05couldn't stomach
19:06that kind of threat.
19:06She strong-armed Dominic
19:08into a wedding,
19:09but married life
19:09was nothing like
19:10what Vivienne had envisioned.
19:11Dominic was glacially
19:12cold to her.
19:13He never came back
19:14to the estate,
19:15never ate dinner with her,
19:16wouldn't even sit
19:16at the same table.
19:17He shut himself
19:18in his downtown apartment
19:19to work,
19:19the way he used
19:20to shut me out.
19:21No,
19:21worse than he'd ever
19:22been with me.
19:23Vivienne had no sense
19:24of security.
19:24She probably understood
19:25better than anyone
19:26how she'd clawed
19:27her way to the top,
19:28and that made her
19:29all the more paranoid.
19:30When Dominic didn't
19:31come home,
19:31she'd hunt him down
19:32at the office,
19:33making scenes in the lobby,
19:34demanding he come back
19:35with her.
19:37She started crashing
19:38business functions.
19:39There was one occasion
19:40when Dominic was
19:41at a critical juncture
19:42in a joint deal
19:43with several other families,
19:44and Vivienne somehow
19:45got hold of the restaurant
19:46address.
19:47She burst into
19:48the private dining room
19:50and demanded to know
19:51why he hadn't
19:52answered his phone.
19:56Every person at that table
19:58was a power player
19:59from one of the branch families.
20:00For the Don's wife
20:01to throw a tantrum
20:02in that setting,
20:03loss of face
20:03doesn't begin to cover it.
20:05The deal nearly fell apart.
20:06Afterward,
20:07the straw that finally
20:08broke everything
20:09came a month later.
20:10Dominic was out
20:11at an evening function
20:12and hadn't come home.
20:13Vivienne tracked him
20:14to the venue.
20:15She spotted a young woman
20:16seated beside Dominic,
20:17pouring his wine.
20:18Nothing more than
20:19a liaison from the other
20:20party's PR team.
20:21She stormed over
20:22and slapped the woman
20:23across the face.
20:24The kind of people
20:24who circulate in those rooms
20:26are not the kind you provoke.
20:27The woman hit back
20:28immediately.
20:29In a scuffle,
20:30Vivienne's belly
20:31struck the edge of a table.
20:32The child was rushed
20:33to the ICU,
20:34put on a ventilator,
20:35a tiny life bristling
20:36with tubes,
20:37fighting inside an incubator
20:38for nearly three weeks.
20:40In the end,
20:40the baby didn't make it.
20:43With the child gone,
20:44Dominic initiated
20:45the joint council's
20:46arbitration
20:47that very same day,
20:48on the grounds
20:49that Vivienne
20:49had gravely damaged
20:50the family's reputation
20:52and commercial interests.
20:53The marriage
20:54was forcibly dissolved.
20:56Vivienne must have
20:56known it was over.
20:57She took a severance payout
20:58and vanished from the city.
21:01Helena was now back
21:01to working every connection
21:03she had,
21:03scouting for a new
21:04daughter-in-law.
21:05But the Valenti Circus
21:06of the past two years
21:08had already made the rounds
21:09through every drawing room
21:10in their circle.
21:13Serves him right.
21:14If he'd treated you
21:16the way he should have,
21:17would any of this
21:17have happened?
21:18I smiled,
21:18but offered no comment.
21:20They had nothing
21:20to do with me anymore.
21:21I went back
21:22to packing my bags.
21:23The ticket for my next trip
21:24was already booked.
21:27Go on, then.
21:29Send me lots
21:30of pretty photos.
21:32I zipped my backpack shut,
21:34stood up,
21:35and flashed her
21:36an OK sign.
21:37Don't worry.
21:38I thought my life
21:39was finally about
21:40to settle into
21:41real peace and quiet.
21:43What I didn't expect
21:44was to run into Dominic
21:45one more time
21:46before I left.
21:47When he appeared,
21:48I flinched.
21:49His face was ashen,
21:51his hair a mess,
21:52nothing like the
21:52commanding dawn
21:53he'd once been.
21:55Serena, Vivian,
21:56and I are divorced.
21:57The baby's gone too.
21:59And?
21:59It was the baby
22:00that bothered you,
22:01wasn't it?
22:01The baby's gone now.
22:02We can start over.
22:05Dominic,
22:05there is no starting over.
22:08We're done.
22:11No.
22:12Serena,
22:13you loved me
22:13so much once.
22:15I know it was all
22:16because of Viviana
22:16and the baby
22:17that you left me.
22:18There's nothing
22:18standing between us anymore.
22:19Give me one more chance.
22:21I'll love you
22:22right this time.
22:23Better than before.
22:24He grabbed my hand,
22:26practically begging.
22:27But Dominic,
22:28I don't love you anymore.
22:30It's over.
22:32Move forward.
22:34He shook his head,
22:35unable to believe
22:36what he was hearing.
22:37In the end,
22:38he walked away
22:39with red-rimmed eyes.
22:40Serena doesn't love me anymore.
22:42It doesn't love me.
22:42So utterly wrecked,
22:44he almost looked pitiable.
22:45I watched his unsteady figure
22:47retreat into the distance,
22:48the once untouchable godfather,
22:50reduced to this.
22:52When I boarded the flight
22:53to Copenhagen,
22:54I slid open the window shade.
22:56Outside,
22:57the morning sky
22:58was on fire with dawn.
23:00Blazing.
23:01Breathtaking.
23:01I was moving forward
23:02and I wouldn't look back.
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