- 19 minutes ago
He Gave Her Dress Away | Full 28 Eps SD Drama 2026
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🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00I was at the boutique, checking on the wedding dress I had custom designed for myself.
00:05When 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.
00:36Minutes later, the boutique manager rushed over, looking panicked.
00:40She told me,
00:41Had Justbins bought the entire bridal shop,
00:43his first and only demand as the new owner, give his wife that exact dress?
00:48The manager begged me to part with it.
00:50I refused.
00:51I 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?
01:08Seeing my shock, a flicker of pride crossed the girl's face.
01:12You're a designer too, right?
01:13She smiled and gave me a polite nod.
01:16If 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.
01:22My 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.
01:55An absurd, undeniable reality crashed over me.
01:58My fiancé 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.
02:26Numbly, I nodded.
02:27I told them she could have the dress.
02:29Natalie 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.
02:43Natalie 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.
03:01He 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.
03:24True.
03:25The flattery worked.
03:26True.
03:26Natalie 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, he 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.
04:00He just couldn't be bothered to spare any effort on me.
04:02I picked up a brush and began adjusting her eyebrows.
04:06Out 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, Yembele designed my rune the wedding the dress.
04:19Natalie blinked, genuinely taken aback.
04:23Oh, wow.
04:24I'm so sorry.
04:26She apologized, but she made absolutely no move to give the dress back.
04:32It's just that I'm so in love with it.
04:36I'm so picky.
04:37I can't bear go if I finally like something, but 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, so she put it on speaker.
04:51Hey, sweetheart.
04:52How's the fitting going?
04:53The voice was low, laced with an undeniable, overflowing fondness.
04:57He used to talk to me like that, too.
04:59Back when we first moved in together, every day he'd wake up earlier than me, lean in
05:04close 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 that I couldn't even remember
05:17the last time he had woken me up like that.
05:19Vincent.
05:21I had almost forgotten what you sounded like when you were gentle, only to hear it through
05:26another 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.
05:39Vincent's voice was pure indulgence.
05:41Be a good girl.
05:42I'm swamped today.
05:43I have a board meeting this afternoon, and I just can't get away.
05:47I'll come with you next time, I promise.
05:49No way!
05:50I finally found the perfect dress!
05:52How could you abandon me on such a big day?
05:56You're making me so sad.
05:58A soft sigh came through the speaker.
06:01All right, all right.
06:02I'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.
06:08Just 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.
06:14He 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.
06:29Yet 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.
06:52Catching my eye, she asked,
06:54Chloe, 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,
07:06Hearing the question, she sneered.
07:08Her?
07:10She's been custom designing her dress for months,
07:13but none of us have ever seen this mythical fiancé of his.
07:18Who knows if he even exists?
07:20She turned a fawning smile toward Natalie.
07:22Not 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.
07:39She was right.
07:41Vincent hadn't even given me a concrete date for the wedding.
07:45All this planning.
07:46It had been nothing but a one-woman show.
07:49Your fiancé doesn't help at all?
07:51You're doing everything alone?
07:54That's awful.
07:55You really need to think things through, Chloe.
07:59Don't marry the wrong man.
08:03She appears to mean well,
08:05but 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?
08:14Natalie thought for a moment.
08:16Sometime in the fall, probably.
08:18My husband said we should get legally married at City Hall first,
08:21and he'll handle everything else.
08:22All I have to do is pick out what I like.
08:25I froze.
08:27You're already legally married?
08:29Yep.
08:30We went on Valentine's Day.
08:32I thought the date was so romantic,
08:34so I pustered him until he agreed.
08:36He was originally supposed to fly out of state
08:39for a business trip that day.
08:42Chloe, am I being too childish?
08:44My mom says I never grow up,
08:45but my husband likes me just like that.
08:48He says he wants to spoil me,
08:50take care of me,
08:51and make sure I never have a worry in the world.
08:55Looking at her bright, untroubled smile,
08:58my heart turned to ash.
09:00Vincent had already married Natalie.
09:02On 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.
09:15He never came home.
09:17The next day, he claimed his out-of-state meetings ran late,
09:20and he missed his flight.
09:22I had believed him.
09:23I hadn't pushed it.
09:25Little did I know,
09:26while I sat alone waiting for him on my birthday,
09:29he was at City Hall marrying another woman.
09:32I had been with Vincent since I was 18.
09:35Today, I was 28.
09:36A decade.
09:38For 10 years, I watched him go from a boy
09:40who counted down the days until we were of legal age
09:43so he could marry me.
09:45To a man who found every excuse to delay the wedding.
09:48Lately, he avoided the topic of City Hall altogether.
09:52Now I knew why.
09:53He was already a married man.
09:56Natalie said Vincent promised her a lifetime.
09:58She had no idea I'd heard those exact same vows.
10:02Under a sky full of stars,
10:04he had dropped to one knee.
10:05As he slid the ring onto my finger,
10:08he swore he would love me forever,
10:10cherish me,
10:11and never let me suffer a single day in my life.
10:13In the end, he kept his vows.
10:16He just gave them to someone else.
10:19Once her makeup was done,
10:20Natalie headed to the fitting room to slip into the gown.
10:23I followed her in to help.
10:25As I was lacing up the corset back,
10:27she suddenly leaned in and whispered,
10:29Chloe, do you think you could loosen the waistline for me a little?
10:33I looked at her reflection in the mirror, confused.
10:36But this measurement is absolutely perfect on you.
10:40If I alter it,
10:42the silhouette won't be as flattering.
10:44Natalie lowered her voice even more.
10:46I'm pregnant.
10:47My husband doesn't know yet.
10:49I want to surprise him.
10:50By the time the wedding rolls around,
10:52I'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.
10:59And keep it a secret.
11:00The sudden bombshell left me completely, utterly paralyzed.
11:04It took me a long moment to process the words.
11:07And when I did,
11:08a creeping chill seeped into my bones.
11:11She was pregnant.
11:12Vincent was having a baby with another woman.
11:14Natalie rested a hand on her flat stomach,
11:17her face glowing with a profound, radiant joy.
11:20That happiness felt like shattered glass against my eyes.
11:24I mumbled an incoherent reply,
11:26fled the fitting room,
11:27and leaned against the closed door,
11:29gasping for breath,
11:30as I desperately tried to calm the turmoil surging inside me.
11:34I was pregnant two years ago.
11:36But Winston Group was restructuring,
11:38and Vincent was under enormous stress.
11:42He said it wasn't the time for a child,
11:44and begged me to get an abortion.
11:47Because I loved him,
11:48I went through with it.
11:50And now Natalie was carrying his child.
11:52A dark, malicious thought curled in my mind.
11:55If 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.
12:05Chloe?
12:07Can you answer that for me?
12:08I'm tied up right now.
12:10I hesitated.
12:12But a sudden, vicious urge took root in my chest.
12:15If Vincent heard my voice on her phone,
12:18what would he do?
12:19Driven by a morbid curiosity,
12:21I swiped to answer.
12:23Hello?
12:23Unfortunately, I held back tears all afternoon,
12:26my voice hoarse,
12:28and Vincent didn't notice at all.
12:30Who is this?
12:32I sneered silently.
12:34Since my cover wasn't blown,
12:36I decided to play the part.
12:37I'm a stylist at the boutique.
12:39Mrs. Winston is in the fitting room right now.
12:42Is there a message you'd like me to pass along?
12:44Vincent suspected absolutely nothing.
12:46It's fine.
12:47I just called to tell her
12:48I ordered some coffee and pastries for her.
12:51Please remind her to eat something.
12:52I don't want her feeling unwell.
12:54His tone, so gentle and considerate,
12:57it was heartbreaking.
12:58Is Mrs. Winston feeling under the weather?
13:00I asked, pretending to care.
13:02Is there anything specific we should be careful of while assisting her?
13:05Vincent was silent for a beat.
13:08She's pregnant.
13:10She thinks I don't know yet,
13:11and I don't want to ruin her surprise.
13:13So please don't tell her I know.
13:15Just be extra careful with her.
13:19I ended the call,
13:20slowly sank to the floor,
13:22and buried my face in my hands.
13:24How stupidly pathetic.
13:26I thought he didn't want children,
13:28but 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.
13:35When Natalie finally stepped out of the fitting room,
13:37she was breathtaking.
13:39The dress I had painstakingly designed to fit my own body
13:42draped over her perfectly.
13:43Just like the man I had chosen for myself.
13:48Apparently, our tastes were identical.
13:50The boutique staff swarmed her,
13:53showering her with praise.
13:55Natalie soaked up the attention,
13:57practically glowing.
13:59She picked up the skirt,
14:00twirled,
14:01snapped a photo,
14:02and sent it to Vincent.
14:04Honey, look.
14:05Isn't it gorgeous?
14:07Didn't I tell you I have great taste?
14:10Vincent texted back almost instantly.
14:15Wear it for me when you get home.
14:22Oh my god, Mrs. Winston!
14:24You two are so in love!
14:25It's criminal!
14:28Natalie blushed,
14:29clearly not expecting him to be so intimately flirtatious in public,
14:33and quietly tucked her phone away.
14:41My heart tasted like bile.
14:43I had spent three months sketching and refining that dress.
14:47Vincent had the opportunity to look at it every single day,
14:50but he never paid attention.
14:51He never cared to remember what it looked like.
14:53But the moment Natalie sent him a picture,
14:56he gave her his full, undivided attention.
14:58Was this the difference between being loved and being tolerated?
15:02I stood in the corner,
15:03watching the blush on Natalie's cheeks.
15:05She was wrapped in the kind of intoxicating happiness that I used to know so well.
15:10I grew up poor.
15:11I never had the money to take art classes or build a foundation in drawing.
15:16When I decided I wanted to pivot to fashion design,
15:19everyone doubted me.
15:20Everyone except Vincent.
15:22He was my rock.
15:23He 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,
15:30but it was a display piece,
15:32not for sale.
15:33I left disappointed and never mentioned it again.
15:35The next day,
15:36that exact dress was sitting in my bedroom.
15:50I asked him once why he was so good to me.
15:52He smiled,
15:53looking like the sun itself.
15:55Because we're soulmates,
15:57like a lock and a key.
16:00I was put on this earth to treat you right,
16:03and I plan on doing it for the rest of my life.
16:05I know,
16:06without a shadow of a doubt,
16:08that he truly loved me back then.
16:10But time ruins everything,
16:12doesn't it?
16:13Natalie admired herself in the mirror,
16:15as a stylist knelt beside her,
16:17tidying the skirt.
16:18Mrs. Winston,
16:18this dress looks flawless on you.
16:20If you paired it with a statement necklace,
16:22maybe something with a pop of color,
16:24it would be absolutely legendary.
16:26Natalie touched her bare collarbone,
16:28her eyes lighting up.
16:31I knew something was missing!
16:34It's perfect timing.
16:35I just picked up a necklace from an auction house today.
16:37Let me try it on.
16:38She practically skipped over to her designer handbag on the sofa,
16:41and pulled out a velvet jewelry.
16:44She trotted over to me,
16:45beaming with excitement.
16:47Look, Chloe!
16:50My husband won this for me at an auction recently.
16:55She popped the box open.
16:57A blinding flash of crimson caught the light.
17:00The moment my eyes focused on the necklace,
17:03the air was punched out of my lungs.
17:06I stared at the jewels.
17:08Then I looked at Natalie.
17:10Then back at the necklace.
17:12It took me a long, agonizing minute
17:15to accept that I wasn't losing my mind.
17:17That necklace was mine.
17:19More specifically,
17:20it was my late mother's.
17:23It was an heirloom passed down from my grandmother.
17:26An antique piece you couldn't find anywhere on the market.
17:31Years ago, the group was on the verge of bankruptcy.
17:34Vincent was deep in debt,
17:36and utterly desperate.
17:37I couldn't bear to watch himself destruct.
17:40So, I sold my mother's necklace.
17:42The money covered the critical gap in his company's finances,
17:45pulling the Winston group back from the grave.
17:47Even when my family was so poor,
17:49we couldn't afford groceries.
17:51I never once considered selling that necklace.
17:53Vincent knew exactly what it meant to me.
17:56He knew the weight of my sacrifice.
17:58He had sworn to me,
17:59tears in his eyes,
18:00that he would track it down and buy it back for me
18:02no matter what it cost.
18:03But that necklace was bought by a private collector
18:06and vanished without a trace.
18:08This loss has been tormenting me,
18:10as if I betrayed my mother
18:11by failing to protect her last keepsake.
18:13Whenever the topic came up,
18:15Vincent was overwhelmed with guilt.
18:17He assured me he was using all his connections to find it.
18:19When did he finally track it down?
18:21And what exactly was going through his mind
18:24when he stood at that auction,
18:25spent a fortune to win it back,
18:28and then handed it to his mistress?
18:30My jaw locked so tight my teeth ached.
18:33My fingernails dug into my palms
18:34until the skin broke.
18:36Vincent, what the hell did he think I was?
18:39How dare he use my late mother's legacy
18:41to court another woman?
18:42What a monster he's become.
18:44Rage, hot and blinding,
18:46exploded in my chest.
18:47I couldn't breathe.
18:48I couldn't stay quiet anymore.
18:50I needed to rip him apart.
18:51Before I could say a word,
18:53the heavy doors of the VIP suite swung open.
18:59A tall, familiar silhouette walked in.
19:02Natalie, are you finished?
19:03I came to take you home.
19:04The sound of his voice sent a violent tremor through my body.
19:08Slowly, stiffly, I turned my head.
19:11Natalie's face lit up.
19:13She lifted the heavy skirt of the gown
19:15and practically threw herself into his arms.
19:18Honey, you made it!
19:21Vincent's eyes landed on me.
19:23The color instantly drained from his face.
19:26Chloe?
19:27He choked out.
19:28What are you doing here?
19:30I arched a brow,
19:32letting a razor-sharp smile touch my lips.
19:35What, am I ruining the mood?
19:37Vincent glanced at Natalie,
19:39who was clinging to his arm,
19:40and instinctively took a half-step away from her.
19:43His eyes darted back to me,
19:45wild with panic.
19:47What did you two talk about?
19:49A cold laugh escaped me.
19:51Even now, the man was trying to do damage control.
19:54I looked at Natalie.
19:56Her eyes were wide,
19:57darting between us in total confusion.
19:59She looked like a lost deer.
20:01Suddenly, the fire in my chest died down,
20:04leaving nothing but cold, exhausting pity.
20:07I didn't want to humiliate her in public.
20:10At the end of the day,
20:11she was just another idiot he had played.
20:13I took a deep breath,
20:14forcing my voice to remain dead calm.
20:16I looked dead into Vincent's eyes.
20:18Give me the necklace back.
20:20We will talk about everything else later.
20:22Without a second of hesitation,
20:24Vincent turned to Natalie and held out his hand.
20:27Give me the necklace.
20:28Natalie stared at him, bewildered.
20:30What?
20:31His voice dropped into a harsh, commanding bark.
20:34Give it to me, now.
20:36Natalie was taken aback for a moment.
20:38She looked at Vincent's terrifying, grim expression,
20:41then lowered her head,
20:44took out the necklace she was holding,
20:46and handed it to him.
20:47The heavy rubies settled into my palm.
20:50I felt a fraction of my soul return to my body.
20:54Vincent lunged forward and grabbed my wrist.
20:56Chloe, where are you going?
20:59I violently ripped my arm out of his grasp.
21:02Deal with your mess first.
21:03We'll talk when you get home.
21:05I marched out of the boutique without looking back.
21:13The moment I got back to the apartment,
21:15I started packing.
21:17Clothes.
21:18My passport.
21:19My mother's photo albums.
21:21My sketch pads.
21:22The vase I bought at a flea market.
21:25The bedsheets monogrammed with our initials.
21:28The scarf Vincent had painstakingly hand-knitted for me
21:32our first Christmas together.
21:33There was so much.
21:35So much it overwhelmed me.
21:37My hands shook as I shoved things into suitcases.
21:41But the piles never seemed to end.
21:45A strangled scream ripped from my throat.
21:49I grabbed the knitted scarf and tore at it violently
21:51until the yarn snapped,
21:53slicing into my bleeding palms.
21:55I collapsed onto the floor,
21:58buried my face in my knees,
21:59and finally let the ugly, broken sobs tear through me.
22:04There was too much history in this house.
22:07From the velvet curtains to the ceramic plates in the kitchen,
22:11every single object was something we had picked out together,
22:15buzzing with excitement for our future.
22:17When we bought this place,
22:18I told him I wanted to design the interior myself.
22:21He sat beside me for weeks,
22:23sketching floor plans,
22:25driving me to every furniture showroom in the city.
22:27Renovating is supposed to be stressful,
22:29but we had loved every second of it.
22:31Those days were filled with endless conversations
22:33about the life we were building.
22:35The only thing we never talked about was breaking up.
22:38I had been so goddamn certain we would make it to the end.
22:41Now it was all just a punchline to a sick joke.
22:44Through blurred, tear-filled eyes,
22:46I looked around the beautiful apartment.
22:49From this day forward,
22:50none of this belonged to me anymore.
22:53Vincent burst in to find my suitcases by the door.
22:57I mocked his panicked face.
23:02Wow.
23:03Never thought I'd see the day you'd be in a rush to get home.
23:06Vincent ignored the sarcasm.
23:07Chloe, the necklace.
23:08I just won it at the auction recently.
23:10I wanted to surprise you, which is why I didn't tell you.
23:12But Natalie saw it and she wouldn't let it go.
23:13I only meant to let her borrow it for a few days
23:15before giving it back to you.
23:16I swear on my life,
23:17I never intended to give Mom's necklace to her.
23:19You have to believe me.
23:20He knew the necklace was my weakness,
23:22but too late.
23:24His words were static.
23:26Mom from him turned my stomach.
23:29I turned from my coat.
23:31He saw the luggage,
23:33closed in,
23:34and grabbed my shoulders.
23:35Chloe, what are you doing?
23:36Where are you going?
23:37I stared into his indecipherable, stormy eyes.
23:41Anywhere but here.
23:45I'm just making room for you and your wife.
23:48Where else are you two going to live after the wedding?
23:50Vincent hugged me, voice cracking.
23:53She is not my wife.
23:55You are the only woman I have ever loved.
23:58I let out a harsh, barking laugh and shoved him off me.
24:02She's not your wife?
24:04I am.
24:06So you help her try dresses while I beg for five minutes?
24:09I grabbed my portfolio from the table and shoved it into his chest.
24:14Look, does her dress look familiar?
24:17Vincent glanced at the sketches, shocked.
24:20He finally realized the dress Natalie stole was mine, and he'd helped her.
24:26A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the room.
24:29Vincent swallowed hard, his voice dropping to a miserable whisper.
24:33Sorry, Chloe, I never meant to hurt you.
24:36She just reminds me of the younger you.
24:38I couldn't help spoiling her.
24:41Please give me another chance.
24:42Hearing this tragic, romantic confession, I actually burst out laughing.
24:47I laughed until I doubled over.
24:49I laughed until my ribs ached and my lungs burned.
24:52I looked at the man I had worshipped for a decade.
24:55Are you out of your mind?
24:56I choked out, wiping a tear from my eye.
25:00You love her because she looks like me?
25:02I am standing right in front of you, breathing alive, and you go out and find a cheaper knockoff?
25:08Does that make you feel like some kind of tragic, devoted romantic?
25:12Vincent flinched.
25:13Guilt turned to irritation.
25:15He hated being mocked.
25:17Chloe, stop talking to me like that.
25:19I apologized.
25:22I'll break up with her.
25:23But, Promeek, with her, you need to know when to drop it.
25:27I wrenched myself out of his grip.
25:29Break up with her?
25:31That's not how it works, Vincent.
25:32When you leave her, it's called a divorce.
25:34I watched the color drain from his face once again.
25:37Valentine's Day.
25:38What a romantic day to tie the knot at City Hall, huh?
25:42Did you have a nice time while you stood me up on my birthday?
25:45You're a real piece of work, Vincent.
25:47His face darkened into something ugly and unreadable.
25:51We aren't legally married.
25:52I lied to her.
25:54I told you I would never marry anyone but you.
25:57You have to believe me.
25:59I stared at him.
26:01Stunned.
26:01His confession only showed how hollow he was.
26:04He played us both.
26:06Lies to pacify me.
26:07A fake marriage to control her.
26:10He destroyed us.
26:11Yet demanded a medal for his loyalty.
26:13I was done.
26:14I couldn't stay another second.
26:16I grabbed my suitcase and headed for the door.
26:18Vincent slammed his hand against the door.
26:21You are not leaving.
26:21You can yell, break things, hit me.
26:25But you are not leaving this door.
26:27Didn't shout or cry.
26:28Just looked at him calmly.
26:30Vincent, are you trying to illegally detain me?
26:32Of course not, but-
26:33Step aside or your CEO makes front page for false imprisonment.
26:37That hit home.
26:37Scandal would crash the stock mom's necklace saved.
26:40Fine.
26:40I'll give you time to cool off.
26:41But I am not letting you go.
26:42His arm dropped slowly.
26:45I walked out without looking back.
26:47I returned to my old apartment in the East End.
26:49After my mother passed away, this place became a living nightmare.
26:54My father was a violent drunk.
26:56My mother took his fists.
26:57On her deathbed, she gave me her necklace and begged me to find a good man.
27:01Not to repeat her mistake.
27:02After she died, I became my father's punching bag.
27:05For years, every inch of my skin was bruised.
27:08Then I met Vincent.
27:09He dragged me out of that hellhole without hesitation.
27:12For my sake, he fell out with his family and was exiled from Winston Group's inner circle for years.
27:17Later, as the company collapsed.
27:19I gave him the necklace.
27:21The leverage to claw his way to CEO.
27:24On his appointment day, I took him to my mother's grave, laid flowers, and told her I'd found the right
27:29man.
27:29Vincent held my hand and swore on her tombstone to protect me forever.
27:33He broke his promise.
27:35Two years ago, my father died of liver cancer.
27:37Vincent wanted to gut and remodel the apartment.
27:39But I stopped him.
27:40I thought I'd never return.
27:42I really should have let him do it.
27:43At least I wouldn't be choking on dust right now.
27:45Scrubbing windows, my phone rang.
27:48It was Mia, my best friend and business partner.
27:51I answered, coughing violently from the dust.
27:54Chloe, babe, are you packed?
27:55We fly out to New York for the exhibition next week.
27:58Are you okay?
27:59You sound awful.
28:00Are you sick?
28:00I pushed open the balcony door and took a deep breath of fresh air.
28:04No, I'm fine.
28:05I'm just cleaning up my old apartment.
28:06It's a dust parlet.
28:07What the hell are you doing at the old apartment?
28:09I paused, then calmly told her everything.
28:12She went silent, stunned, short-circuited.
28:16When she finally spoke, her voice was low.
28:19Chloe, tell me this is a sick joke.
28:21That guy who looks at you like you're everything?
28:23How could he cheat?
28:24I couldn't blame her.
28:25I'd never told anyone how distant he'd become.
28:28To everyone, he was still the perfect fiancé.
28:32Until yesterday, even I wouldn't have believed it.
28:34I shook off the memories and steered back to work.
28:37A year ago, Mia and I started a bridal studio.
28:40My design was picked for NYFW.
28:43We fly next week.
28:45I never told Vincent.
28:46Doesn't matter now.
28:47After finalizing plans and thanking Mia for cursing him out,
28:51I hung up and collapsed on the moldy sofa.
28:53Drained.
28:54I'd accepted reality.
28:55But reliving the betrayal to someone who rooted for us felt like a blade on an open wound.
29:00I needed work.
29:02To keep my hands and brain too busy for Vincent Winston.
29:05Vincent bombarded me for days.
29:08I ignored him.
29:09Still a wreck.
29:10And had nothing to say.
29:12Then came a text from someone unexpected.
29:15At the cafe, Natalie sat with a weak smile.
29:18No boutique arrogance.
29:20Hi, Chloe.
29:21I sat across.
29:23She looked exhausted.
29:24You don't look so good.
29:26Tears instantly welled in her eyes.
29:28It's been a nightmare.
29:29I just...
29:31I never thought...
29:32She choked on her tears.
29:34I slid a napkin across the table.
29:36Chloe, sorry for intruding on your relationship.
29:39Don't blame yourself.
29:40You're not at fault.
29:42Vincent is the liar.
29:43Don't tear yourself apart for his sins.
29:46I'm just a cheap copy of you.
29:48That's why he wanted me.
29:49Should thank you.
29:50Without your face, I'd never have this life.
29:53Stop.
29:53Replacement is a cheater's lie.
29:55If he loved either of us, he wouldn't do this.
29:57Don't cheapen yourself for him.
30:00Now I see why he loved you so much.
30:03You really are a good person.
30:05So, what are you gonna do now?
30:10Chloe, I know this sounds horrible, but I can't let him go.
30:13You don't want him anymore, right?
30:15So, can you let me have him?
30:18Even if I'm just your stand-it, I don't care.
30:20I accept it.
30:21I stared at her, speechless.
30:23Why?
30:24You're so young.
30:25You have your whole life ahead of you,
30:26because I know I will never find a man like him again.
30:28But I know, stay with him, and it'll eat you alive.
30:30He betrayed me today, you tomorrow.
30:33Then what?
30:34I know.
30:35But I love him.
30:36And more than that, I love the life he gives me.
30:39Chloe, the things I've gotten in the last few months
30:41are things I could work my entire life for and never touch.
30:44I can't give it up.
30:45I'm sorry.
30:46I'm just a shallow, materialistic woman.
30:49I had no response.
30:50Or what?
30:51Did you not actually break up with him?
30:53Are you just playing hard to get to make him beg?
30:55I'm not playing games.
30:56I am never getting back together with him.
30:58But Vincemint isn't a handbag for me to hand over to you.
31:02If you want him, go fight for him yourself.
31:04Leave me out of it.
31:06Promise me.
31:08Promise me you'll never see him again.
31:11You're asking for too much, Natalie.
31:13I don't owe you any promises.
31:15I was kind because you were manipulated,
31:17but I won't tolerate your insecurities.
31:19You've crossed a line.
31:20She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
31:23It's your life.
31:24Just make sure you don't regret it.
31:25I turned to leave,
31:27tossing one last sentence over my shoulder.
31:57The day of the New York flight arrived.
31:58I'll never do it again.
31:59Please don't leave me.
32:01Please.
32:01I smiled,
32:02gently pushed him away.
32:04I owed him no explanation.
32:06Vincent, let's end it here
32:08while we still have some good memories.
32:11I don't want to remember
32:12just the screaming and hatred.
32:15It's better for both of us.
32:17I made one mistake.
32:20Just one.
32:21Why are you giving me the death penalty?
32:24Chloe, you're not being fair to me.
32:26My smile didn't waver.
32:28Vincent, you weren't fair to me or Natalie either.
32:31No.
32:32No, you love me.
32:33You can't just throw us away.
32:34You're just angry.
32:35You haven't forgiven me yet.
32:37That's all.
32:37I looked at his pathetic, broken expression and sighed.
32:40A few days ago, I thought I'd never get over you.
32:43But when you hugged me, just now,
32:45I realized I felt absolutely nothing.
32:49My heart didn't beat for you, Vincent.
32:52I've let it go.
32:53You should too.
32:54With that, I gave him a small wave,
32:56turned around,
32:56and walked through the security checkpoint.
32:59Behind me, his hands finally fell to his sides.
33:02It was truly,
33:04finally over.
33:05Sorry.
33:06He looked so pathetic.
33:08Ten years together,
33:09maybe you wanted an excuse to take him back.
33:11So I lied you were leaving forever
33:12to make him panic and make a last grand gesture.
33:14I just wanted to give you a choice.
33:15But if you were done,
33:16I wanted him gone too.
33:18I didn't want you to have regrets.
33:19Don't ever do it again.
33:21NYFW was a huge success.
33:24Our studio blew up overnight with global orders.
33:26As my career soared,
33:28the past faded.
33:29Three years flew by.
33:30No contact with Vincent.
33:32But Mia kept me posted over drinks.
33:34Natalie married Vincent because she was pregnant.
33:37But the old lady Winston refused to accept their daughter.
33:40She kept trying for a son,
33:42but it never happened.
33:43Once the thrill was gone,
33:45Vincent stopped spoiling her.
33:47So she had to bite her tongue
33:48and walk on eggshells
33:49just to keep living that fancy life.
33:52History repeated itself.
33:53Vincent got a new mistress.
33:55Natalie lost it,
33:56cornered her in a mall,
33:57and they got into a screaming,
33:59fist-fighting brawl.
34:00The video went viral.
34:01The scandal tanked Winston Group's stock.
34:04Furious,
34:04Vincent filed for divorce.
34:06Thank God you didn't take him back.
34:07That man is toxic waste.
34:09I just smiled,
34:10taking a sip of my drink,
34:12and kept my thoughts to myself.
34:14Do we have the displays ready
34:15for tomorrow's Bridal Expo?
34:16Because if we don't,
34:17I don't want to hear another word
34:18about this soap opera.
34:19Oh my God,
34:20the acrylic signs!
34:20I forgot to pick them up!
34:21I'll be right back!
34:22I watched her run out the door,
34:24laughing softly.
34:26I looked down at the beautiful,
34:28intricate gown
34:29taking shape on my sketch pad.
34:31In this life,
34:31the only person
34:32you should never betray
34:33is yourself.
34:34That's how you live
34:35without regrets.
34:36I learned that lesson
34:37just in time to walk away.
34:39Natalie didn't,
34:40but I suppose after everything
34:42she probably understands it now.
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