- 9 hours ago
Delayed Starlight HD
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00On our 10th anniversary, I was ready to gift Julian a 15% equity state in my company.
00:04Then I saw the lab results.
00:06Both Julian and I are type O, yet our son is type A.
00:08It's a biological impossibility.
00:11For 10 years, I've been raising a child that isn't mine.
00:14I looked at the boy sitting beside me, a miniature version of Julian.
00:19I didn't make a sound.
00:21I simply calmly did two things.
00:24First, I pulled a strand of hair from my son's head when he wasn't looking.
00:30Second, I tore up the share transfer agreement I'd prepared.
00:36I watched my son walk through the school gates before turning the car around.
00:42The DNA testing center was across town.
00:47I need express results.
00:49How fast can you do it?
00:51The technician glanced up from her paperwork.
00:53Standard processing is five business days.
00:55Rush processing is today, by 4 p.m., triple the cost.
00:58Rush it.
00:59My hands trembled slightly as I handed over the sample.
01:02After they swapped my cheek cells, I sat in the waiting area, staring at the clock on the wall.
01:07Every second felt like an hour.
01:09I pulled out my phone and made another call.
01:12I need you to investigate my husband, Julian Robinson.
01:15I want to know everywhere he's been, especially in the last few months.
01:19The private detective's voice was professional, detracted.
01:22Understood.
01:25At 3.40 p.m., my phone buzzed.
01:28I opened the electronic report, skipped straight to the end.
01:33DNA analysis indicates a 0.001% probability of biological relationship between Vivian Hart and Alex Robinson.
01:41Even though I had prepared myself, seeing those words made my vision blur for a moment.
01:47I leaned against the wall and slipped down to the floor.
01:51Not my child.
01:53I'd raised a child who wasn't mine for nine years.
01:57So where was my child?
02:01I drove straight to St. Mary's Private Hospital, the same place where I'd given birth nine years ago.
02:08Dr. Susie was still there.
02:09She'd been promoted to department head.
02:12Dr. Susie, I need to access my delivery records and hospitalization files from nine years ago.
02:16Her smile frozen for a moment.
02:19That was so long ago.
02:21The files might already be archived.
02:23It took some effort.
02:26But eventually, someone from the records off brought over a folder.
02:31I flipped it open.
02:32The documentation was shockingly sporse.
02:36Only basic informations.
02:37Admission time.
02:39Discharge time.
02:40Delivery method.
02:41Newborn wait.
02:42No detailed labor notes.
02:44No nurse handoff records.
02:46No pediatric examination reports.
02:48Is this everything?
02:49She looked apologetic.
02:51That's all we have in the system.
02:54Paper records are usually kept for ten years.
02:56You're right.
02:57At the edge of that window.
02:59What about the newborn footprints?
03:01The blood samples?
03:03She shook her head.
03:05Those should be in the newborn records.
03:10But we couldn't locate them.
03:12It was obvious there was something wrong.
03:14An abnormally simple medical file.
03:16Missing newborn records.
03:17A child who wasn't mine.
03:19But looked exactly like my husband.
03:21The pieces were starting to form a picture I didn't want to see.
03:29My phone rang.
03:30It was Julian.
03:32Where are you?
03:33I already picked up Alec.
03:35I'd completely forgotten about school pickup time.
03:37At least I'd warn the teacher ahead of time.
03:40I'm out.
03:40Running business.
03:41I'll be home soon.
03:42I hung up.
03:43After dinner.
03:44I claimed a headache.
03:46And retreated to the bedroom early.
03:47Through the closed door.
03:49I could hear Julian helping Alex with homework in the living room.
03:53Their voices drifting through the house.
03:56Dad, is mom upset?
04:00Mom's just tired.
04:02Finish your homework and get to bed early.
04:04I waited until they were both asleep.
04:07Then I started searching.
04:08The master bedroom.
04:10The living room.
04:11Alex's room.
04:12I went through everything looking for...
04:15I didn't even know what I found.
04:17Nothing.
04:18Finally, I turned to the computer in the study.
04:22The truth had to be in there.
04:24Footsteps in the hallway.
04:25I quickly closed out of the files I'd been opening.
04:28When Julian pushed the door open, I was straightening papers on the desk.
04:32He glanced at the computer screen.
04:34It had returned to the desktop.
04:35A photo of the three of us at the beach.
04:38From three years ago.
04:39Still up?
04:40Just organizing some old documents.
04:42I reached over and turned off the monitor.
04:45He stood there for a moment.
04:47Like he wanted to say something.
04:49In the end, he just nodded.
04:51Get some rest.
04:53I sat in the darkness.
04:55Listening to his footsteps fade down the hall.
04:57That night, I didn't touch the computer again.
05:00I lay in bed.
05:01Thoughts racing.
05:03Unable to find sleep.
05:05The next morning, I still let Julian take Alex to school.
05:09He looked at me.
05:10Picked up the car keys.
05:12Alright.
05:13The moment they left, I went straight to the study.
05:18I turned on the computer and tried the password.
05:20Our wedding anniversary?
05:22Wrong.
05:22His birthday?
05:23Wrong.
05:25Alex's birthday?
05:26Still wrong.
05:28I tried the date we first met.
05:30His mother's birthday?
05:32The day the company was bounted?
05:33All wrong.
05:35The system locked me out.
05:36Please try again in 15 minutes?
05:38I sat there staring at the login screen.
05:41This computer we'd bought together, now locked against me.
05:45That evening, Julian came home from work.
05:48He was barely through the door when he said,
05:51I'm going to Italy tomorrow.
05:52Business trip.
05:53Not sure how long I'll be gone.
05:55I came, out of the kitchen carrying a dish.
05:59That's sudden.
06:00Who are you going with?
06:01He set his briefcase on the table.
06:03It was a last-minute arrangement.
06:06Vivian, can you not do this?
06:07I stared at him, confused.
06:09It was just a casual question.
06:11Why was he reacting like this?
06:12You question everything you suspect.
06:15Everyone.
06:17I'm just going to work.
06:18I turned back to serve the rice.
06:20My hands were shaking slightly.
06:22I was just asking.
06:24He said nothing more.
06:25Walked straight to the bedroom.
06:27Dinner was silent.
06:29Alex must have sensed something was off.
06:32For once, he didn't complain about the food.
06:34After his shower, Julian grabbed his coat from the sofa to hang it up.
06:39A receipt slipped from the pocket and fell near my feet after he left the room.
06:44I picked it up.
06:45A perfume purchase.
06:47Expensive.
06:47Bought yesterday afternoon.
06:49A brand name I didn't recognize, but I knew it wasn't for me.
06:52I thought about our marriage.
06:53Ten years.
06:54Julian hadn't bought me a gift in all that time.
06:57Not since our first anniversary.
06:59A scarf.
07:00I still had it somewhere.
07:01After that, nothing.
07:03No birthday gifts.
07:04No anniversary gifts?
07:06No.
07:07Just because...
07:09Gifts.
07:10I told myself he wasn't romantic.
07:12He showed love in other ways.
07:14He was practical and focused on providing on his career.
07:16I'd made excuses for him.
07:18But now, holding this receipt, I understood.
07:20He wasn't unromantic.
07:22He wasn't too busy.
07:23He wasn't too practical.
07:24His romance just wasn't for me.
07:26It was for someone else.
07:28Someone who wore expensive French perfume.
07:30I wrote down the information from the receipt.
07:35The next morning, after Julian left for the airport, I called the boutique.
07:40I need to verify a purchase.
07:41A receipt from yesterday afternoon.
07:43One moment.
07:44Yes, I have it here.
07:45The buyer was Chloe Williams.
07:50I knew that name.
07:52Julian's secretary.
07:53Hired six months ago.
07:54Early 30s.
07:56Divorced.
08:02I drove to the airport.
08:03I didn't know what I was hoping to confirm.
08:05Maybe the perfume was for a client.
08:07Maybe I was overthinking.
08:09I waited outside the international departures hall for half an hour.
08:14Then I saw them.
08:15Julian and her.
08:16Chloe wore a brown jacket, pulling a small suitcase behind her.
08:19She walked beside Julian, laughing at something he'd said.
08:23Julian's face carried an expression I hadn't seen in years, relaxed.
08:27At the security checkpoint, Chloe stopped.
08:30She reached up, casual and familiar, to straighten Julian's collar.
08:34He didn't pull away.
08:37He leaned down and whispered something in her ear.
08:39She smiled.
08:42Then she stood on her toes and kissed him on the lips.
08:46Julian's hand rested on her waist.
08:49They stayed like that for a moment, before separating like they'd done it a thousand times before.
08:53The last shred of self-deception evaporated.
08:56All those late nights working.
08:58All those times he'd been irritable with me.
08:59All of it finally made sense.
09:01I watched their intimate silhouette disappear through security.
09:05A new thought crystallized in my mind.
09:08That child who wasn't mine.
09:10And this woman.
09:11Could they be connected?
09:15On the drive back, I called the private detective I'd hired.
09:19I need you to look into someone else.
09:21Chloe Williams.
09:23I want to know everything about her, especially whether she has any children.
09:28Detective worked fast.
09:30By the next afternoon, I had the report.
09:33Chloe Williams, 32 years old, divorced five years ago.
09:36One son, nine years old, a public school in the West End.
09:39The date jumped out at me.
09:41Chloe's son was only one week older than Alex.
09:44For the first time in ten years, I felt my blood run hot.
09:48I sat on the sofa holding the detective's report.
09:51I ran a study.
09:53My fingers hovered over the keyboard.
09:56Then slowly I typed in Chloe's birth date.
09:59The desktop opened.
10:01There was only one folder named Work Backup.
10:05I clicked it open.
10:07Inside were subfolders organized by year, starting 11 years ago.
10:12The earliest folder contained scanned photographs.
10:15Julian and Chloe in high school uniform standing under a locust tree.
10:19Nineteen-year-old Julian smiling, his arm around Chloe's shoulders.
10:23She had her hair in a ponytail looking up at him.
10:27The next photo was from college, the two of them in the library.
10:32Then their graduation photo, both in cap and gown.
10:36That was the year Julian told me the company was struggling financially.
10:40We'd canceled our anniversary trip.
10:43Instead, he bought a scarf for me.
10:45I closed the folder.
10:47The screen behind the closed folder is our wedding photo.
10:51I stared at our wedding photo and felt bile rise in my throat.
10:54Me in my white dress, lace sleeves, and long train, holding a bouquet of white roses.
10:59Julian in his black suit, gray tie, boutonniere, both of us smiling at the camera.
11:03The photographer had made us laugh, said something stupid.
11:05We both cracked up, and the photo captured that moment.
11:08Pure happy.
11:09I stared at it at my face, so happy, so naive, so trusting.
11:14I didn't know who that woman was anymore.
11:17That woman who'd believed her husband, who'd made excuses for him,
11:21who'd convinced herself everything was fine.
11:24That woman was gone.
11:26Had to close my eyes and hand over my mouth.
11:28The perfect couple.
11:29The perfect lie.
11:30Sick at the photos I'd just seen.
11:32Sick at the years of deception.
11:34Sick at myself for not seeing it sooner.
11:36For believing him.
11:37For trusting him.
11:38For raising a child who wasn't even mine while my real son was somewhere else.
11:43I drove to the west end.
11:45The elementary school looked even more ruddown than the detective had described.
11:49Children poured out through the gate.
11:51I sat in my car, hands cripping the steering wheel.
11:54He walked out alone.
11:56No one there to pick him up.
11:57He looked left, then right, then started walking slowly along the sidewalk.
12:02I held my breath.
12:03That child?
12:04Alan?
12:05No.
12:05My child.
12:06The way he walked reminded me of myself.
12:08A slight pigeon toe.
12:10When he raised his hand to push hair out of his face.
12:12I saw it.
12:13A birthmark on his wrist.
12:15Same place I had mine.
12:20I could see dust on his eyelashes.
12:22His lips were chapped.
12:23His sneakers were coming apart at the seams.
12:26His eyes looked empty.
12:27Not like a nine-year-old's eyes at all.
12:29I covered my mouth to stop myself from making a sound.
12:32He walked away, disappearing around the corner.
12:34I collapsed over the steering wheel and broke down completely.
12:37For that child walking home alone.
12:39For ten years of living in the wrong life.
12:41For being such a fool.
12:43Dancing in a play someone else had written.
12:46Then I wiped my tears and started the car.
12:50At the law office, I placed a USB drive on Attorney Morrison's desk.
12:54Inside, backup copies of all the photos.
12:57The DNA test results.
12:58Scanned hospital records.
13:00The perfume receipt files on Chloe and Alan.
13:03I want a divorce.
13:05I want Julian to leave with nothing.
13:07I want custody of my child.
13:09I want him to pay for what he's done.
13:12Walking out of the attorney's office.
13:13I remembered what Julian had said when he proposed ten years ago.
13:17Vivian, I will give you a lifetime of stability.
13:20Turns out his lifetime was only ten years.
13:23No, probably less than that.
13:25I pulled out my phone and called the company's second largest shareholder.
13:28My father's old colleague.
13:30Mr. Aaron, about next week's board meeting.
13:33I'd like to discuss a few things with you first.
13:37Julian seemed to have forgotten something important.
13:40This company's name is Hart.
13:41He became general manager because I convinced my father to give a chance.
13:45I put him in that position.
13:46I could take him down just as easily.
13:48Two weeks after Julian left, I liquidated every asset.
13:51I could convert to cash.
13:53Every afternoon, I went to that elementary school in the West End.
13:56One day, it rained.
13:57Alan didn't have an umbrella.
13:59He waited under the onomy of the corner store for half an hour, then finally ran home.
14:03Through the downpour, I sat in my car, rain blurring the windshield.
14:07Friday afternoon, I arrived at the school early.
14:09When I saw Alan coming out, I got out of the car and walked past like a stranger.
14:13I accidentally dropped my folder in front of him.
14:15He full for a moment, then bent down to pick it up for me.
14:17Thank you, sweetheart.
14:18Is your mom not here yet?
14:19He shook his head.
14:20Mom's working late.
14:22How are you getting home?
14:24I'll take the bus.
14:25I pulled an opened bottle of water from my bag.
14:27Have some water.
14:29He hesitated, then took it and said thank you.
14:33I noticed he had a habit of pressing his lips together when he spoke, just like me.
14:37His eyes were shaped like mine, too.
14:39Inner double eyelids, the outer corner slightly downturned.
14:42Does your mom work late often?
14:44He nodded, then shook his head.
14:47Sometimes.
14:48What about your dad?
14:49He didn't answer.
14:50Just looked down at his shoes.
14:52Those sneakers.
14:53The soles were separating.
14:54The left shoelace was broken.
14:56I didn't ask anything more.
14:57I pulled $200 from my wallet and tucked it into his hand.
15:01Buy yourself some new shoes.
15:03No, I can't take this.
15:04Consider it a thank you for helping me with my folder.
15:07I slipped the money into the side pocket of his backpack and walked away.
15:11After a few steps, I glanced back.
15:13He stood there looking lost.
15:17That evening, I stood in the doorway of Alex's room.
15:20He was playing with a new Lego set.
15:22Julian had bought him a limited edition space shuttle.
15:25Expensive.
15:27Mom, what's wrong?
15:29I walked in and touched his hair.
15:32Did you finish your homework?
15:33Finished ages ago.
15:35He held up his model.
15:36Dad said if I get an A on my midterms, he'll take me to Disneyland.
15:40I smiled.
15:42That's wonderful.
15:44The moment I turned away, the smile vanished.
15:47Julian's different treatment of the two children stabbed at my heart like a thorn.
15:52My biological son wore torn shoes and rode the bus alone, while this child enjoyed everything.
16:02After two weeks away, Julian finally came home.
16:06He set down his suitcase.
16:08Where's Alex?
16:09Why is it so quiet?
16:11I enrolled him in piano lessons, two hours every evening.
16:14Since when?
16:15He's only in fourth grade.
16:17I didn't answer.
16:20I could smell that perfume on him.
16:23He moved closer, trying to put his arms around me.
16:26I stepped aside.
16:28Why do you smell like perfume?
16:33Who were you having dinner with?
16:34His expression flickered with irritation.
16:37Vivian, here you go again with the suspicion.
16:39I had a business dinner with a client.
16:42Can you not be like...
16:43This?
16:44It was almost funny.
16:45I see how terrible his acting had always been.
16:49I walked to the coffee table, opened the drawer, and pulled out an envelope.
16:53Slowly, I laid the photographs across the table.
16:56One by one, Julian's face turned ugly.
16:59He grabbed one photo and threw it back.
17:01You had me.
17:03Followed.
17:04Does it matter?
17:05I smiled slightly.
17:07What matters is what happens when these photos show up at the board meeting or get sent to your clients.
17:13He collapsed onto the opposite sofa, hands covering his face.
17:18What do you want?
17:19I stared at him.
17:21First, fire Chloe Williams.
17:24Guarantee you'll never see her again.
17:26Second, tell me what happened at the hospital nine years ago.
17:30He stood up angry.
17:32Now you're crazy!
17:34For a couple of lousy photos?
17:35My voice turned cold.
17:37Julian, don't forget.
17:38My father built this company from the ground up.
17:40You have everything you have because of me.
17:43What I gave, I can take back.
17:48I almost wavered.
17:50Then I thought of Alan's torn shoes.
17:52I thought of him waiting alone in the rain.
17:54For the sake of our ten years together, and for the sake of our child,
17:57if you do what I'm asking, we can move forward.
18:00After all, we still have Alex.
18:04I turned toward the bedroom and returned with a document, a pregnancy test report.
18:08It showed I was five weeks pregnant.
18:10Julian stared at the report.
18:12Then he looked up at me.
18:14You're pregnant?
18:15I nodded, placing my hand on my stomach.
18:19Five weeks.
18:20The doctor says everything looks stable.
18:22This time, his expression shifted constantly.
18:24His throat worked.
18:25His eyes moved between me and the report.
18:28I continued, so as long as you cut things off with Chloe completely,
18:32make her leave the company in our lives.
18:35I can let the past go.
18:38We still have Alex, and now we have this baby.
18:41Julian's gaze fell to my stomach.
18:43There was obvious conflict in his eye.
18:45I need to think.
18:49His voice was horsky.
18:51He turned and went into the bedroom.
18:53The next morning, I drank my coffee and watched Julian emerge with dark circles under his eyes.
19:00I pushed a glass of water toward him.
19:03He took it silently, but didn't look at me.
19:08I've thought it over, Vivian.
19:10We...
19:10Don't bother.
19:11I cut him off, pulling divorce papers from a folder and placing them on the table.
19:16His expression turned furious.
19:18What is this supposed to mean?
19:21We're having another child?
19:23I told you I was pregnant, and you needed an entire night to decide whether to break up with her.
19:30Julian stood.
19:31We have a child on the way.
19:33Won't you?
19:33Think about the baby.
19:35Think about Alex.
19:36You mean the child I raised for nine years who turns out to be yours and Chloe?
19:40He stumbled backward, hitting the table.
19:44How did you...
19:45When did you find out?
19:46I held up my phone.
19:48The screen showed a photo of the DNA test results.
19:51I should thank you for that folder on your computer.
19:54Password is Chloe's birthday.
19:57His breathing quicked, taking on a panicked edge.
20:00Let me explain.
20:01Explain how you switched the babies when I was giving birth.
20:05Explain how you got Chloe hired at the company.
20:08Or explain how the two of you have been laughing at me behind my back for ten years!
20:12I stepped closer.
20:14The funniest part?
20:16The guilt I sometimes saw in your eyes when you looked at Alex.
20:20Were you feeling guilty for deceiving me?
20:23Are guilty for not treating your real son better than Alan?
20:26Julian suddenly remembered.
20:27His voice dropped to a whisper.
20:29Where's Alan?
20:30I need to see him.
20:32Too late.
20:33I turned and opened the door.
20:35Julian rushed forward.
20:36Vivian, you can't do this.
20:39That's...
20:40That's my son.
20:41Your son?
20:42No.
20:43My son is somewhere.
20:45You'll never find him.
20:47Chloe's son is still upstairs asleep.
20:49Unaware of the choice his real father is facing.
20:52And grabbed my arm.
20:53Shook him off.
20:54From the day you switched those babies.
20:58You lost the right to be called a father.
21:01Now get out of my house!
21:02You lost the right to be called a father.
21:04I need to go back to Aberdeen singing,
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