🍊Canceled Honeymoon [Eng Sub] - 🐍He Chose His Bestie Over Me! | Full Movie #ReelShort

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☕ Storytime: What Would You Do?
Imagine packing your bags for a romantic getaway, only to find out your "husband" secretly canceled the trip to coddle his childhood bestie! 🚩 Oh, and the cherry on top? He never even legally registered your marriage! 🤯
In Canceled Honeymoon, Claire decides she’s had enough of the toxic mind games. Watch her drop the dead weight, catch a flight to London, and completely reinvent herself. Meanwhile, her toxic ex and his manipulative bestie get a massive dose of karma! 💅 Let us know in the comments: How fast would you have blocked him? 📱🚫 Catch all the drama now on ReelShort!
⭐ GENRE: Female, Karma, Caught Cheating, Modern, Drama, Romance

Transcript

00:00:06I didn't know why he was bothering to explain when he'd moved in with me and Poppy bought

00:00:10the apartment directly above ours the very next day. He hadn't explained. When Poppy had giggled

00:00:16in our doorway, hanging off Julian and purring, sweetie, I'll always be on top of you. He hadn't

00:00:21explained then either. All he ever said was, Claire, you know what we are to each other.

00:00:27They were childhood sweethearts after all. Two old money families joined at the hip. Everyone

00:00:32had watched them grow up. For years, they've been the golden couple in every photo. Until

00:00:37Julian launched a three-year campaign chasing me in college. To him, that was proof enough

00:00:41that there was nothing between him and Poppy. Once I tore myself apart over it, I obsessed.

00:00:46I picked fights. But now, whatever they did had nothing to do with me anymore. I looked

00:00:50away. All I said was, yeah, of course. Then I started to wheel my suitcase past him. It

00:00:55was the answer he should have wanted. He didn't take it well.

00:01:00Say that again? I said, we're done, Julian. I'm breaking up with you.

00:01:08You're really not done throwing this tantrum, are you? And by the way, Claire, we had our

00:01:13wedding last week. If you're throwing a fit, the words divorce, not breakup.

00:01:20Before our honeymoon to the Amalfi Coast, my husband Julian cancelled our flight behind

00:01:25my back. He swapped them for tickets to Ibiza with his childhood best friend, Poppy. Even

00:01:32his pack of party boyfriends thought he'd gone too far and tried to talk him down.

00:01:40The fuck?

00:01:41Julian, this is messed up. Claire's been looking forward to it forever.

00:01:45Julian didn't care. He brushed them off without a second thought. It's Poppy's birthday wish.

00:01:50One more single girl trip with her before I'm locked down for good. Claire always blows

00:01:54everything out of proportion. This'll be good for her. Reminder she's not the center of

00:01:58the universe. The Poppy he was talking about was his weepy childhood playmate. And I was

00:02:03Claire. The wife he couldn't even bother to say my wife about. I didn't fight. I didn't

00:02:07argue. I pretended I had no idea, quietly cancelled the honeymoon, and bought a one-way ticket

00:02:13to another country on the other side of the ocean. My phone was lagging. The cancellation

00:02:17screen kept spinning. Meanwhile, on Poppy's pink tablet, an iMessage group chat called

00:02:22Astor's Royal Guard wouldn't stop lighting up. I tapped it open. Poppy's avatar filled

00:02:27the screen.

00:02:28What the hell is wrong with you assholes? Every single one of you is taking Claire's side.

00:02:32Like she's your bro, not me.

00:02:34Fine. You're right. It's all my fault. I'm just a bitch. I shouldn't have a birthday.

00:02:40I definitely shouldn't have wished for Julian to come with me. I should be like the rest

00:02:44of you, kissing Queen Claire's ass. You're her real friends. I don't matter at all. Happy

00:02:49now. Julian, who'd been ghosting me for two days claiming he was in meetings, replied in

00:02:54seconds. He at the other six guys and sent one thing. A single? Question mark.

00:02:59Sorry, sorry, sorry.

00:03:01It's just one bachelorette trip. Queen Poppy says jump. We don't just send Julie on.

00:03:07All six of us drop everything and show up as bodyguards.

00:03:11Screw you. Claire's the one you actually answered to.

00:03:14Claire, please. So they had a wedding. Big deal. Julian's still got that paperwork locked

00:03:19in his safe. She's a wife in name only. Legally, none of it counts. Last laugh's still up for

00:03:24grabs.

00:03:25I blinked, staring at the group chat that was so much livelier without me in it. If Poppy

00:03:30hadn't left her tablet in Julian's car, I wouldn't have even earned a peek at all this

00:03:34fun. And there I'd been, naively reading travel guides, hoping the honeymoon would make for

00:03:40great photos.

00:03:42I stared at the empty itinerary for a long time. Then I went back to the home screen, typed in

00:03:48a

00:03:48new destination, and made a call. Mom, I'll go to London with you. On the other end, my mother

00:03:56caught it immediately. Something was wrong. Back then, she'd turned down a once-in-a-lifetime job

00:04:01offer for my sake. Mom, I know you have questions. But right now, I don't have the energy to explain

00:04:08everything that just happened. I've made up my mind. Once I wrap up work and get my visa

00:04:13sorted, I'll fly out. Then I'll tell you everything. Mom went quiet for a few seconds. In the end,

00:04:19she didn't push. I hung up and collapsed onto the couch, trying to steady myself. Julian's

00:04:23friends had a point. We'd signed a prenup. We'd had a wedding. But he deliberately locked the

00:04:27marriage license. The one we still had to file with City Hall, in his safe. Until it was legally

00:04:32binding, I was just a wife who could be swapped out at any moment. Which, right now, meant I didn't

00:04:37have to wait for him to come home. No divorce proceedings. No drawn-out fights over assets.

00:04:41I pushed the wave of feeling back down, and forced myself up to start packing. In the closet,

00:04:46the his-and-hers vacation outfits, freshly pressed, seemed to grin at me. I'd designed them myself.

00:04:51For the honeymoon. For Julian. I'd pulled all-nighters. Revising them over and over.

00:04:57The final pieces had just come in today. Half an hour ago, I'd still been waiting for Julian

00:05:02to come home and try them on. Now, I just wanted to throw every single one of them in the

00:05:06trash.

00:05:08By the time I'd packed and dragged my suitcase to the door, it was the middle of the night.

00:05:18Julian, say it. Come on. You're my royal stallion. Giddy up. Yeah! Yeah!

00:05:23Through my stinging, blurred vision, I saw Julian, who hadn't been home in three days,

00:05:28giving Poppy a piggyback ride. Her face was flushed red. One hand had his ear in a death grip.

00:05:34The other was patting his head, demanding he neigh.

00:05:40Poppy's drunk.

00:05:41I didn't know why he was bothering to explain. When he'd moved in with me,

00:05:45and Poppy bought the apartment directly above ours the very next day, he hadn't explained.

00:05:50When Poppy had giggled in our doorway, hanging off Julian and purring,

00:05:54Sweetie, I'll always be on top of you. He hadn't explained then either. All he ever said was,

00:06:00Claire, you know what we are to each other. They were childhood sweethearts, after all.

00:06:05Two old money families joined at the hip. Everyone had watched them grow up. For years,

00:06:10they'd been the golden couple in every photo. Until Julian launched a three-year campaign chasing

00:06:14me in college. To him, that was proof enough that there was nothing between him and Poppy.

00:06:18Once I tore myself apart over it, I obsessed. I picked fights. But now,

00:06:23whatever they did had nothing to do with me anymore. I looked away. All I said was,

00:06:27yeah, of course. Then I started to wheel my suitcase past him. It was the answer he should

00:06:32have wanted. He didn't take it well.

00:06:36Say that again?

00:06:37I said, we're done, Julian. I'm breaking up with you.

00:06:43You're really not done throwing this tantrum, are you? And by the way, Claire, we had our wedding

00:06:49last week. If you're throwing a fit, the words divorce, not breakup.

00:06:55Breakup. Divorce. To Julian, they were the same kind of joke. He looked at me lazily,

00:07:01the way you humor a child who's being unreasonable. I didn't bother arguing. The corner of my mouth

00:07:06twitched. Call it whatever you want, but I couldn't leave. The standoff lasted only a few seconds.

00:07:23Julian instinctively reached down to help her up. She shoved him away.

00:07:27Don't touch me. I'm done. I'm done. The second she sees me, it's I want to break up. I'm leaving.

00:07:32Am I some kind of prop? Am I garbage? Why is she so disgusted by me?

00:07:38Julian, let's cut each other off. I am sick of walking on eggshells around her.

00:07:44It's all my fault. I shouldn't have ever shown up in your lives. I shouldn't have grown up with you.

00:07:50Right on cue, she launched into dramatic dry heaving, baking that she couldn't breathe,

00:07:54tearing through her Hermes bag for something. My pills! Where's my Xanax? I'm dying! Maybe I

00:07:58should just die. Anything's better than being treated like this every single time.

00:08:01The heat at my wrist disappeared. Julian had already pulled her into his arms,

00:08:06stopping her. It took maybe a few seconds. Poppy was gasping wildly against his chest,

00:08:13her eyes red. Happy now? It was always like this. The instant I showed even a hint of resistance,

00:08:22Poppy would declare an anxiety attack and start frantically hurting herself. Can't speak to her,

00:08:27can't touch her, can't even walk away. In the early days, Julian had begged me to humor her.

00:08:33Claire, you've been through it yourself. You know how it is. When she's like this,

00:08:37all you can do is go along with her. Because lives were on the line, I caved every

00:08:40time. I avoided the storm, but eventually, I figured it out. Poppy's condition only flared

00:08:46up when Julian wasn't choosing her over me. That so-called anxiety disorder, it was just

00:08:51possessedness in costume, forcing him to pick a side. I looked down at the smug little look

00:08:55on Poppy's face. I nodded. Sure. Very happy. Though, you moved a little too fast. You didn't

00:09:03get to find the pills. Your acting could use some work. Try harder next time. A flash of

00:09:09shock crossed Poppy's face. She froze, then started gearing up for round two. His tall frame

00:09:14loomed over me. Suddenly, my whole field of vision went dark. The shoulder that used to

00:09:19shelter me was now carrying another woman. Carrying her while blocking my way out.

00:09:25Claire, I really have been spoiling you too much. She has every right to make you pay for

00:09:32that. Be grateful, Claire. I'm the one holding her back.

00:09:36For a moment, the world went vacuum silence. I couldn't hear a thing. Even Poppy froze.

00:09:42Then she snapped out of it, jerked her hand free, and swung it hard at my face. A second

00:09:46before her palm hit me, Julian caught her wrist. Those eyes. The ones that used to watch over

00:09:51me through the night. That used to pull me out of nightmares. Tonight they were cold as

00:09:55ice. A flicker of disgust. A warning. You really thought you could just walk out on

00:09:59me? If she'd actually hit you, you'd be throwing a fit for days, right? She got hurt

00:10:05and you don't even care? When you're ready to be reasonable, you'll apologize to Poppy yourself.

00:10:13I stood there, watching the floor numbers climb, my whole body shaking. Cold, so cold. The kind

00:10:19that crept up from the bottom of you, that no coat, no matter how expensive, could keep out.

00:10:24Five years. Five whole years. My body could make a clean break. My heart couldn't pull free that fast.

00:10:32I don't know how long it took. Eventually, I flagged down a cab and headed to a hotel near work.

00:10:37Until I left the country, that's where I'd stay.

00:10:40While I waited for my visa, I had to close out the project I'd been leading for almost two years.

00:10:46My personal life was already a wreck. My career wasn't going to be. I buried myself in overtime,

00:10:53kept myself slammed, partly to speed things up, partly so I wouldn't have time to think.

00:10:57As long as I was busy, I couldn't dwell on anything else. Maybe it was the toll on my body

00:11:03and nerves. Lately, I'd been constantly tired, constantly nauseous. My boss reminded me to

00:11:08pull it together. The client was coming a-sting-in this afternoon to finalize the contract.

00:11:13At the head of the table sat someone I knew. Julian, in a sharp suit. And beside him,

00:11:19in a cinched-waist, backless cocktail dress, sat Poppy. My nails dug into my palms before I could stop

00:11:25them. My boss thought I had nerves and whispered,

00:11:28Relax, the proposal and the designs have already been signed off by their project lead. These two

00:11:32are just bored trust fund wabies playing at being adults. Smile through it, humor the rich kids,

00:11:36and we're done. Just give them your usual pitch.

00:11:40I drew a breath. I forced on a smile. I opened the deck and walked them through my design vision.

00:11:44Smooth, composed, point by point. Poppy propped her chin in her hand, nodding along all smiles

00:11:49under the table. My boss flashed me a discreet thumbs up. I exhaled, reading the room. Someone

00:11:55slid the contract across the table. Hmm, it's not doing it for me. The design's so boring. It

00:11:59gives me a headache just looking at it. I don't think I want a sign. The smile froze on my

00:12:05boss's

00:12:06face. I kept mine polite. Is there a specific element you're not happy with? Poppy didn't even

00:12:11glance at the contract. She held up her hand, admiring her fresh manicure. Hard to say.

00:12:17It's more of a feeling. Then she hooked her arm through Julian's. What do you think?

00:12:21Every eye in the room turned to him. Julian's eyes landed on me. On instinct, I looked away.

00:12:27Sounds like your project lead doesn't have much faith in her own work either. I'm suddenly losing

00:12:31interest in this investment. Pulling out. Oh, and just so you know, I've already authorized my people

00:12:39to begin a hostile takeover of your company. Congratulations, Claire. You'll be working for me

00:12:44very soon. Two years on this account. A thousand discarded drafts. I'd lost count of the nights I'd

00:12:50spent at my desk to get here. We were finally about to land. This was supposed to be the

00:12:54showcase project. The perfect closing chapter on this stage of my career. One careless sentence

00:12:58from him, and it was all stillborn. Back at the office, my boss came tearing in, white as a shield,

00:13:04shaking from head to toe. He was practically sobbing.

00:13:08Claire, he will destroy the whole firm. Please, just go apologize.

00:13:14It wasn't that I didn't want to save the project. It was that I knew exactly who Poppy was actually

00:13:21here for. The only way this project survived was if I disappeared.

00:13:28I just hadn't expected the one thing tying me to this city would get torn apart this fast.

00:13:32The wave of nauseous hit again. I stumbled out of the office. Julian, still here. His hands started

00:13:40wandering somewhere. It had no business going. I bit down on him with everything I had. The taste of

00:13:45blood bloomed thick between our mouths. Get out!

00:13:50Julian stood there, his expression unreadable.

00:13:58Claire, after all this time, why haven't you learned?

00:14:01I tried to twist away. The harder I fought, the tighter he held me.

00:14:06If you'd just apologized for what happened last time,

00:14:11none of this would be happening today.

00:14:16How hard is it to lower your head just once?

00:14:20Julian's voice was softer than any sweet nothing he'd ever whispered in my ear.

00:14:23But I was shaking anyway. Not from the cold.

00:14:26From a cramp tearing through my stomach.

00:14:29An eerie, sinking, dragging down feeling.

00:14:32Something was rushing out of me.

00:14:34A ridiculous thought surfaced in my mind.

00:14:37I tried to look down.

00:14:40Julian's grip on my chin held me in place.

00:14:42All I could do was bite my lip and hold on.

00:14:46Something warm slipped down my thigh.

00:14:49Dripping onto the carpet.

00:14:50Julian noticed.

00:14:59Claire, you...

00:15:06Before our honeymoon to the Amalfi Coast,

00:15:08my husband Julian cancelled our flight behind my back.

00:15:12He swapped them for tickets to Ibiza

00:15:14with his childhood best friend, Poppy.

00:15:17Even his pack of party boyfriends thought he'd gone too far.

00:15:21And tried to talk him down.

00:15:26The fuck?

00:15:27Julian, this is messed up.

00:15:29Claire's been looking forward to it forever.

00:15:31Julian didn't care.

00:15:33He brushed them off without a second thought.

00:15:35It's Poppy's birthday wish.

00:15:36One more single girl trip with her before I'm locked down for good.

00:15:39Claire always blows everything out of proportion.

00:15:42This'll be good for her.

00:15:43Reminder she's not the center of the universe.

00:15:44The Poppy he was talking about was his weepy childhood playmate.

00:15:48And I was Claire.

00:15:49The wife he couldn't even bother to say my wife about.

00:15:52I didn't fight.

00:15:53I didn't argue.

00:15:54I pretended I had no idea,

00:15:56quietly cancelled the honeymoon,

00:15:58and bought a one-way ticket to another country on the other side of the ocean.

00:16:01My phone was lagging.

00:16:02The cancellation screen kept spinning.

00:16:05Meanwhile, on Poppy's pink tablet,

00:16:07an iMessage group chat called

00:16:08Astor's Royal Guard wouldn't stop lighting up.

00:16:11I tapped it open.

00:16:12Poppy's avatar filled the screen.

00:16:14What the hell is wrong with you assholes?

00:16:16Every single one of you is taking Claire's side.

00:16:18Like she's your bro, not me.

00:16:20Fine.

00:16:21You're right.

00:16:22It's all my fault.

00:16:23I'm just a bitch.

00:16:24I shouldn't have a birthday.

00:16:26I definitely shouldn't have wished for Julian to come with me.

00:16:29I should be like the rest of you,

00:16:31kissing Queen Claire's ass.

00:16:33You're her real friends.

00:16:34I don't matter at all.

00:16:35Happy now.

00:16:36Julian, who'd been ghosting me for two days,

00:16:38claiming he was in meetings,

00:16:39replied in seconds.

00:16:40He add the other six guys and sent one thing.

00:16:43A single question mark.

00:16:46Sorry, sorry, sorry.

00:16:47It's just one bachelorette trip.

00:16:49Queen Poppy says jump.

00:16:51We don't just send Julian.

00:16:53All six of us drop everything and show up as bodyguards.

00:16:58Screw you.

00:16:58Claire's the one you actually answered to.

00:17:00Claire, please.

00:17:01So they had a wedding.

00:17:02Big deal.

00:17:03Julian still got that paperwork locked in his safe.

00:17:06She's a wife in name only.

00:17:08Legally, none of it counts.

00:17:09Last laughs still up for grabs.

00:17:11I blinked, staring at the group chat that was so much livelier without me in it.

00:17:15If Poppy hadn't left her tablet in Julian's car,

00:17:18I wouldn't have even earned a peek at all this fun.

00:17:21And there I'd been, naively reading travel guides,

00:17:25hoping the honeymoon would make for great photos.

00:17:28I stared at the empty itinerary for a long time.

00:17:31Then I went back to the home screen,

00:17:33typed in a new destination,

00:17:35and made a call.

00:17:37Mom,

00:17:39I'll go to London with you.

00:17:40On the other end,

00:17:41my mother caught it immediately.

00:17:43Something was wrong.

00:17:44Back then,

00:17:45she'd turned down a once-in-a-lifetime job offer for my sake.

00:17:48Mom,

00:17:49I know you have questions,

00:17:51but right now,

00:17:52I don't have the energy

00:17:53to explain everything that just happened.

00:17:56I've made up my mind.

00:17:58Once I wrap up work and get my visa sorted,

00:18:00I'll fly out.

00:18:01Then I'll tell you everything.

00:18:02Mom went quiet for a few seconds.

00:18:04In the end,

00:18:05she didn't push.

00:18:06I hung up and collapsed onto the couch,

00:18:08trying to steady myself.

00:18:09Julian's friends had a point.

00:18:10We'd signed a prenup,

00:18:11we'd had a wedding,

00:18:12but he deliberately locked the marriage license,

00:18:14the one we still had to file with City Hall,

00:18:16in his safe,

00:18:17until it was legally binding.

00:18:19I was just a wife,

00:18:19who could be swapped out at any moment,

00:18:21which, right now,

00:18:22meant I didn't have to wait for him to come home.

00:18:24No divorce proceedings.

00:18:26No drawn-out fights over assets.

00:18:28I pushed the wave of feeling back down,

00:18:29and forced myself up to start packing.

00:18:32In the closet,

00:18:32the his-and-hers vacation outfits,

00:18:34freshly pressed,

00:18:35seemed to grin at me.

00:18:36I'd designed them myself,

00:18:37for the honeymoon,

00:18:39for Julian.

00:18:39I'd pulled all-nighters,

00:18:41revising them over and over.

00:18:43The final pieces had just come in today.

00:18:45Half an hour ago,

00:18:46I'd still been waiting for Julian

00:18:48to come home and try them on.

00:18:49Now,

00:18:50I just wanted to throw

00:18:51every single one of them in the trash.

00:18:54By the time I'd packed

00:18:55and dragged my suitcase to the door,

00:18:57it was the middle of the night.

00:19:04Julian, say it.

00:19:05Come on.

00:19:06You're my royal stallion.

00:19:07Giddy up.

00:19:08Yeah, yeah.

00:19:09Through my stinging, blurred vision,

00:19:11I saw Julian,

00:19:12who hadn't been home in three days,

00:19:14giving Poppy a piggyback ride.

00:19:16Her face was flushed red.

00:19:18One hand had his ear in a death grip.

00:19:20The other was patting his head,

00:19:22demanding he neighed.

00:19:26Poppy's drunk.

00:19:27I didn't know why he was bothering to explain.

00:19:30When he'd moved in with me,

00:19:31and Poppy bought the apartment

00:19:32directly above ours the very next day,

00:19:34he hadn't explained.

00:19:36When Poppy had giggled in our doorway,

00:19:38hanging off Julian and purring,

00:19:40sweetie,

00:19:40I'll always be on top of you,

00:19:42he hadn't explained then either.

00:19:44All he ever said was,

00:19:46Claire, you know what we are to each other.

00:19:49They were childhood sweethearts, after all.

00:19:51Two old money families joined at the hip.

00:19:53Everyone had watched them grow up.

00:19:55For years,

00:19:56they'd been the golden couple in every photo,

00:19:58until Julian launched a three-year campaign

00:20:00chasing me in college.

00:20:01To him,

00:20:02that was proof enough

00:20:03that there was nothing between him and Poppy.

00:20:05Once I tore myself apart over it,

00:20:06I obsessed.

00:20:07I picked fights.

00:20:09But now,

00:20:09whatever they did

00:20:10had nothing to do with me anymore.

00:20:11I looked away.

00:20:12All I said was,

00:20:13yeah, of course.

00:20:14Then I started to wheel my suitcase past him.

00:20:17It was the answer he should have wanted.

00:20:19He didn't take it well.

00:20:22Say that again?

00:20:23I said,

00:20:24we're done, Julian.

00:20:26I'm breaking up with you.

00:20:30You're really not done throwing this tantrum, are you?

00:20:32And by the way, Claire,

00:20:34we had our wedding last week.

00:20:36If you're throwing a fit,

00:20:38the words divorce,

00:20:40not breakup.

00:20:42Breakup.

00:20:43Divorce.

00:20:43To Julian,

00:20:44they were the same kind of joke.

00:20:46He looked at me lazily,

00:20:47the way you humor a child

00:20:48who's being unreasonable.

00:20:50I didn't bother arguing.

00:20:51The corner of my mouth twitched.

00:20:53Call it whatever you want.

00:20:54But I couldn't leave.

00:20:55The standoff lasted only a few seconds.

00:21:02Enough!

00:21:03I can't deal with you two anymore!

00:21:09Julian instinctively reached down to help her up.

00:21:11She shoved him away.

00:21:12Don't touch me.

00:21:13I'm done.

00:21:14I'm done.

00:21:15The second she sees me,

00:21:16it's I want to break up.

00:21:17I'm leaving.

00:21:18Am I some kind of prop?

00:21:20Am I garbage?

00:21:20Why is she so disgusted by me?

00:21:23Julian!

00:21:24Let's cut each other off.

00:21:26I am sick of walking on eggshells around her.

00:21:30It's all my fault.

00:21:32I shouldn't have ever shown up in your lives.

00:21:34I shouldn't have grown up with you.

00:21:36Right on cue,

00:21:37she launched into dramatic dry heaving,

00:21:39baking that she couldn't breathe,

00:21:40tearing through her Hermes bag for something.

00:21:41My pills!

00:21:42Where's my Xanax?

00:21:43I'm dying!

00:21:44Maybe I should just die!

00:21:45Anything's better than being treated like this every single time!

00:21:47The heat at my wrist disappeared.

00:21:49Julian had already pulled her into his arms,

00:21:52stopping her.

00:21:53It took maybe a few seconds.

00:21:57Poppy was gasping wildly against his chest,

00:21:59her eyes red.

00:22:03Happy now?

00:22:04It was always like this.

00:22:05The instant I showed even a hint of resistance,

00:22:08Poppy would declare an anxiety attack

00:22:10and start frantically hurting herself.

00:22:12Can't speak to her.

00:22:13Can't touch her.

00:22:15Can't even walk away.

00:22:16In the early days,

00:22:17Julian had begged me to humor her.

00:22:19Claire, you've been through it yourself.

00:22:21You know how it is.

00:22:22When she's like this,

00:22:23all you can do is go along with her.

00:22:24Because lives were on the line,

00:22:26I caved every time.

00:22:27I avoided the storm,

00:22:29but eventually,

00:22:29I figured it out.

00:22:30Poppy's condition

00:22:31only flared up

00:22:32when Julian wasn't choosing her over me.

00:22:34That so-called anxiety disorder,

00:22:36it was just possessedness in costume,

00:22:38forcing him to pick a side.

00:22:39I looked down at the smug little look on Poppy's face.

00:22:42I nodded.

00:22:43Sure.

00:22:45Very happy.

00:22:46Though,

00:22:47you moved a little too fast.

00:22:49You didn't get to find the pills.

00:22:50Your acting could use some work.

00:22:53Try harder next time.

00:22:54A flash of shock crossed Poppy's face.

00:22:56She froze,

00:22:57then started gearing up for round two.

00:22:59His tall frame loomed over me.

00:23:01Suddenly,

00:23:01my whole field of vision went dark.

00:23:03The shoulder that used to shelter me

00:23:05was now carrying another woman.

00:23:07Carrying her

00:23:08while blocking my way out.

00:23:10Claire,

00:23:12I really have been spoiling you too much.

00:23:16She has every right to make you pay for that.

00:23:19Be grateful, Claire.

00:23:20I'm the one holding her back.

00:23:22For a moment,

00:23:23the world went vacuum silence.

00:23:24I couldn't hear a thing.

00:23:27Even Poppy froze.

00:23:28Then she snapped out of it,

00:23:30jerked her hand free,

00:23:31and swung it hard at my face.

00:23:32A second before her palm hit me,

00:23:34Julian caught her wrist.

00:23:35Those eyes.

00:23:36The ones that used to watch over me

00:23:37through the night.

00:23:38That used to pull me out of nightmares.

00:23:40Tonight they were cold as ice.

00:23:41A flicker of disgust.

00:23:43A warning.

00:23:43You really thought you could just walk out on me?

00:23:46If she'd actually hit you,

00:23:47you'd be throwing a fit for days, right?

00:23:50She got hurt and you don't even care?

00:23:54When you're ready to be reasonable,

00:23:56you'll apologize to Poppy yourself.

00:23:59I stood there,

00:24:00watching the floor numbers climb,

00:24:01my whole body shaking.

00:24:03Cold.

00:24:04So cold.

00:24:04The kind that crept up from the bottom of you,

00:24:06that no coat,

00:24:07no matter how expensive,

00:24:08could keep out.

00:24:10Five years.

00:24:12Five whole years.

00:24:13My body could make a clean break.

00:24:15My heart couldn't pull free that fast.

00:24:18I don't know how long it took.

00:24:20Eventually,

00:24:20I flagged down a cab

00:24:21and headed to a hotel near work.

00:24:23Until I left the country,

00:24:24that's where I'd stay.

00:24:26While I waited for my visa,

00:24:28I had to close out the project

00:24:29I'd been leading for almost two years.

00:24:32My personal life was already a wreck.

00:24:35My career wasn't going to be.

00:24:37I buried myself in overtime,

00:24:39kept myself slammed,

00:24:41partly to speed things up,

00:24:42partly so I wouldn't have time to think.

00:24:44As long as I was busy,

00:24:45I couldn't dwell on anything else.

00:24:47Maybe it was the toll on my body and nerves.

00:24:49Lately,

00:24:50I'd been constantly tired,

00:24:51constantly nauseous.

00:24:52My boss reminded me to pull it together.

00:24:55The client was coming a sting in this afternoon

00:24:57to finalize the contract.

00:24:59At the head of the table sat someone I knew.

00:25:02Julian,

00:25:03in a sharp suit.

00:25:04And beside him,

00:25:05in a cinched waist,

00:25:06backless cocktail dress,

00:25:07sat Poppy.

00:25:08My nails dug into my palms

00:25:10before I could stop them.

00:25:12My boss thought I had nerves and whispered,

00:25:14Relax,

00:25:15the proposal and the designs

00:25:16have already been signed off

00:25:17by their project lead.

00:25:18These two are just bored

00:25:19trust fund babies playing it being adults.

00:25:20Smile through it,

00:25:21humor the rich kids,

00:25:22and we're done.

00:25:23Just give them your usual pitch.

00:25:26I drew a breath.

00:25:27I forced on a smile.

00:25:28I opened the deck

00:25:29and walked them through my design vision.

00:25:30Smooth, composed,

00:25:31point by point.

00:25:32Poppy propped her chin in her hand,

00:25:34nodding along all smiles under the table.

00:25:36My boss flashed me a discreet thumbs up.

00:25:38I exhaled,

00:25:39reading the room.

00:25:40Someone slid the contract across the table.

00:25:43Hmm,

00:25:43it's not doing it for me.

00:25:44The design's so boring.

00:25:45It gives me a headache just looking at it.

00:25:48I don't think I want a sign.

00:25:50The smile froze on my boss's face.

00:25:52I kept mine polite.

00:25:54Is there a specific element

00:25:55you're not happy with?

00:25:57Poppy didn't even glance at the contract.

00:25:59She held up her hand,

00:26:00admiring her fresh manicure.

00:26:02Hard to say.

00:26:03It's more of a feeling.

00:26:05Then she hooked her arm through Julian's.

00:26:07What do you think?

00:26:08Every eye in the room turned to him.

00:26:09Julian's eyes landed on me.

00:26:11On instinct,

00:26:12I looked away.

00:26:13Sounds like your project lead

00:26:14doesn't have much faith

00:26:15in her own work either.

00:26:17I'm suddenly losing interest

00:26:18in this investment.

00:26:19Pulling out.

00:26:21Oh,

00:26:22and just so you know,

00:26:23I've already authorized my people

00:26:25to begin a hostile takeover

00:26:26of your company.

00:26:28Congratulations, Claire.

00:26:29You'll be working for me

00:26:30very soon.

00:26:32Two years on this account.

00:26:33A thousand discarded drafts.

00:26:35I'd lost count of the nights

00:26:36I'd spent at my desk to get here.

00:26:37We were finally about to land.

00:26:39This was supposed to be

00:26:40the showcase project,

00:26:41the perfect closing chapter

00:26:42on this stage of my career.

00:26:43One careless sentence from him,

00:26:44and it was all stillborn.

00:26:46Back at the office,

00:26:47my boss came tearing in,

00:26:49white as a shield,

00:26:50shaking from head to toe.

00:26:52He was practically sobbing.

00:26:54Claire, he will destroy

00:26:56the whole firm.

00:26:57Please,

00:26:58just go apologize.

00:27:00It wasn't that I didn't want

00:27:02to save the project.

00:27:04It was that I knew exactly

00:27:05who Poppy was actually here for.

00:27:08The only way this project survived

00:27:10was if I disappeared.

00:27:14I just hadn't expected

00:27:15the one thing tying me to this city

00:27:17would get torn apart this fast.

00:27:19The wave of nauseous hit again.

00:27:21I stumbled out of the office.

00:27:23Julian, still here.

00:27:25His hand started wandering somewhere.

00:27:27It had no business going.

00:27:28I bit down on him

00:27:29with everything I had.

00:27:31The taste of blood bloomed thick

00:27:33between our mouths.

00:27:34Get out!

00:27:36Julian stood there,

00:27:37his expression unreadable.

00:27:43Claire,

00:27:45after all this time,

00:27:46why haven't you learned?

00:27:47I tried to twist away.

00:27:49The harder I fought,

00:27:50the tighter he held me.

00:27:52If you'd just apologized

00:27:54for what happened last time,

00:27:57none of this would be happening today.

00:28:02How hard is it to lower your head

00:28:04just once?

00:28:06Julian's voice was softer

00:28:07than any sweet nothing

00:28:08he'd ever whispered in my ear.

00:28:10But I was shaking anyway.

00:28:12Not from the cold.

00:28:13From a cramp tearing through my stomach.

00:28:15An eerie, sinking,

00:28:17dragging down feeling.

00:28:18Something was rushing out of me.

00:28:20A ridiculous thought

00:28:22surfaced in my mind.

00:28:24I tried to look down.

00:28:26Julian's grip on my chin

00:28:27held me in place.

00:28:28All I could do

00:28:30was bite my lip

00:28:30and hold on.

00:28:32Something warm

00:28:33slipped down my thigh.

00:28:35Dripping onto the carpet,

00:28:37Julian noticed.

00:28:45Claire, you...

00:28:52Before our honeymoon

00:28:53to the Amalfi Coast,

00:28:54my husband Julian

00:28:56canceled our flight

00:28:57behind my back.

00:28:58He swapped them

00:28:59for tickets to Ibiza

00:29:00with his childhood

00:29:02best friend, Poppy.

00:29:04Even his pack

00:29:04of party boyfriends

00:29:05thought he'd gone too far

00:29:07and tried to talk him down.

00:29:12What the fuck?

00:29:13Julian, this is messed up.

00:29:15Claire's been looking forward

00:29:16to it forever.

00:29:17Julian didn't care.

00:29:19He brushed them off

00:29:19without a second thought.

00:29:21It's Poppy's birthday wish.

00:29:22One more single girl trip with her

00:29:24before I'm locked down for good.

00:29:25Claire always blows everything

00:29:27out of proportion.

00:29:28This'll be good for her.

00:29:29Reminder she's not the center

00:29:30of the universe.

00:29:31The Poppy he was talking about

00:29:32was his weepy childhood playmate.

00:29:34And I was Claire,

00:29:35the wife he couldn't even bother

00:29:37to say my wife about.

00:29:38I didn't fight.

00:29:39I didn't argue.

00:29:40I pretended I had no idea,

00:29:42quietly canceled the honeymoon,

00:29:44and bought a one-way ticket

00:29:45to another country

00:29:46on the other side of the ocean.

00:29:47My phone was lagging.

00:29:49The cancellation screen

00:29:50kept spinning.

00:29:51Meanwhile,

00:29:51on Poppy's pink tablet,

00:29:53an iMessage group chat

00:29:54called Astor's Royal Guard

00:29:56wouldn't stop lighting up.

00:29:57I tapped it open.

00:29:58Poppy's avatar filled the screen.

00:30:00What the hell is wrong

00:30:01with you assholes?

00:30:02Every single one of you

00:30:03is taking Claire's side.

00:30:04Like she's your bro,

00:30:06not me.

00:30:06Fine.

00:30:07You're right.

00:30:08It's all my fault.

00:30:09I'm just a bitch.

00:30:10I shouldn't have a birthday.

00:30:12I definitely shouldn't have wished

00:30:14for Julian to come with me.

00:30:15I should be like the rest of you,

00:30:17kissing Queen Claire's ass.

00:30:19You're her real friends.

00:30:20I don't matter at all.

00:30:21Happy now.

00:30:22Julian,

00:30:22who'd been ghosting me

00:30:23for two days

00:30:24claiming he was in meetings,

00:30:25replied in seconds.

00:30:26He at the other six guys

00:30:28and sent one thing.

00:30:29A single question mark.

00:30:32Sorry, sorry, sorry.

00:30:33It's just one bachelorette trip.

00:30:35Queen Poppy says jump.

00:30:37We don't just send Julian.

00:30:39All six of us drop everything

00:30:40and show up as bodyguards.

00:30:44Where are you?

00:30:44Claire's the one

00:30:45you actually answer to.

00:30:46Claire, please.

00:30:47So they had a wedding.

00:30:48Big deal.

00:30:49Julian still got that paperwork

00:30:51locked in his safe.

00:30:52She's a wife in name only.

00:30:54Legally, none of it counts.

00:30:55Last laugh's still up for grabs.

00:30:57I blinked,

00:30:58staring at the group chat

00:30:59that was so much livelier

00:31:01without me in it.

00:31:01If Poppy hadn't left her tablet

00:31:03in Julian's car,

00:31:04I wouldn't have even earned a peek

00:31:06at all this fun.

00:31:07And there I'd been,

00:31:09naively reading travel guides,

00:31:11hoping the honeymoon

00:31:12would make for great photos.

00:31:14I stared at the empty itinerary

00:31:16for a long time.

00:31:17Then I went back

00:31:18to the home screen,

00:31:20typed in a new destination,

00:31:21and made a call.

00:31:23Mom,

00:31:25I'll go to London with you.

00:31:26On the other end,

00:31:27my mother caught it immediately.

00:31:29Something was wrong.

00:31:30Back then,

00:31:31she'd turned down

00:31:31a once-in-a-lifetime job offer

00:31:33for my sake.

00:31:35Mom,

00:31:35I know you have questions,

00:31:37but right now,

00:31:38I don't have the energy

00:31:39to explain everything

00:31:40that just happened.

00:31:42I've made up my mind.

00:31:44Once I wrap up work

00:31:45and get my visa sorted,

00:31:46I'll fly out.

00:31:47Then I'll tell you everything.

00:31:48Mom went quiet

00:31:49for a few seconds.

00:31:50In the end,

00:31:51she didn't push.

00:31:52I hung up and collapsed

00:31:53onto the couch,

00:31:54trying to steady myself.

00:31:55Julian's friends had a point.

00:31:56We'd signed a prenup,

00:31:58we'd had a wedding,

00:31:58but he'd deliberately

00:31:59locked the marriage license,

00:32:00the one we still had to file

00:32:01with City Hall,

00:32:02in his safe,

00:32:03until it was legally binding.

00:32:05I was just a wife

00:32:05who could be swapped out

00:32:06at any moment,

00:32:07which, right now,

00:32:08meant I didn't have to wait

00:32:09for him to come home.

00:32:10No divorce proceedings,

00:32:12no drawn-out fights over assets.

00:32:14I pushed the wave

00:32:14of feeling back down

00:32:15and forced myself up

00:32:17to start packing.

00:32:18In the closet,

00:32:18the his-and-hers

00:32:19vacation outfits,

00:32:20freshly pressed,

00:32:21seemed to grin at me.

00:32:22I'd designed them myself,

00:32:23for the honeymoon,

00:32:25for Julian.

00:32:26I'd pulled all-nighters,

00:32:27revising them over and over.

00:32:29The final pieces

00:32:30had just come in today.

00:32:31Half an hour ago,

00:32:32I'd still been waiting

00:32:33for Julian to come home

00:32:34and try them on.

00:32:35Now,

00:32:36I just wanted to throw

00:32:37every single one of them

00:32:38in the trash.

00:32:40By the time I'd packed

00:32:41and dragged my suitcase

00:32:42to the door,

00:32:43it was the middle of the night.

00:32:50Julian,

00:32:51say it,

00:32:51come on,

00:32:52you're my royal stallion.

00:32:54Giddy up,

00:32:54yeah,

00:32:55yeah!

00:32:55Through my stinging,

00:32:56blurred vision,

00:32:57I saw Julian,

00:32:58who hadn't been home

00:32:59in three days,

00:33:00giving Poppy a piggyback ride.

00:33:02Her face was flushed red.

00:33:04One hand had his ear

00:33:05in a death grip.

00:33:06The other was patting his head,

00:33:08demanding he neigh.

00:33:12Poppy's drunk.

00:33:14I didn't know why

00:33:15he was bothering to explain.

00:33:16When he'd moved in with me

00:33:17and Poppy bought the apartment

00:33:18directly above ours

00:33:19the very next day,

00:33:21he hadn't explained.

00:33:22When Poppy had giggled

00:33:23in our doorway,

00:33:24hanging off Julian

00:33:25and purring,

00:33:26sweetie,

00:33:27I'll always be on top of you,

00:33:28he hadn't explained then either.

00:33:30All he ever said was,

00:33:32Claire,

00:33:33you know what we are

00:33:34to each other.

00:33:35They were childhood sweethearts

00:33:36after all.

00:33:37Two old money families

00:33:38joined at the hip.

00:33:39Everyone had watched them grow up.

00:33:41For years,

00:33:42they'd been the golden couple

00:33:43in every photo,

00:33:44until Julian launched

00:33:45a three-year campaign

00:33:46chasing me in college.

00:33:47To him,

00:33:48that was proof enough

00:33:49that there was nothing

00:33:50between him and Poppy.

00:33:51Once I tore myself apart over it,

00:33:53I obsessed.

00:33:53I picked fights.

00:33:55But now,

00:33:55whatever they did

00:33:56had nothing to do with me anymore.

00:33:57I looked away.

00:33:58All I said was,

00:33:59yeah, of course.

00:34:00Then I started to wheel

00:34:01my suitcase past him.

00:34:03It was the answer

00:34:04he should have wanted.

00:34:05He didn't take it well.

00:34:08Say that again?

00:34:09I said,

00:34:10we're done, Julian.

00:34:12I'm breaking up with you.

00:34:16You're really not done

00:34:17throwing this tantrum,

00:34:18are you?

00:34:18And by the way,

00:34:19Claire,

00:34:20we had our wedding last week.

00:34:22If you're throwing a fit,

00:34:24the words,

00:34:25divorce,

00:34:26not,

00:34:27breakup.

00:34:28Breakup.

00:34:29Divorce.

00:34:29To Julian,

00:34:30they were the same kind of joke.

00:34:32You looked at me lazily,

00:34:33the way you humor a child

00:34:34who's being unreasonable.

00:34:36I didn't bother arguing.

00:34:37The corner of my mouth twitched.

00:34:39Call it whatever you want,

00:34:40but I couldn't leave.

00:34:41The standoff lasted

00:34:42only a few seconds.

00:34:48Enough!

00:34:49I can't deal with you two anymore!

00:34:55Julian instinctively reached down

00:34:56to help her up.

00:34:57She shoved him away.

00:34:58Don't touch me!

00:35:00I'm done!

00:35:01The second she sees me,

00:35:02it's I want a breakup?

00:35:03I'm leaving?

00:35:04Am I some kind of prop?

00:35:06Am I garbage?

00:35:06Why is she so disgusted by me?

00:35:09Julian!

00:35:10Let's cut each other off!

00:35:12I am sick of walking

00:35:14on eggshells around her!

00:35:16It's all my fault!

00:35:18I shouldn't have ever

00:35:19shown up in your lives!

00:35:20I shouldn't have grown up with you!

00:35:22Right on cue,

00:35:23she launched into dramatic

00:35:24dry heaving,

00:35:25faking that she couldn't breathe,

00:35:26tearing through her Hermes bag

00:35:27for something.

00:35:27My pills!

00:35:28Where's my Xanax?

00:35:29I'm dying!

00:35:30Maybe I should just die!

00:35:31Anything's better than

00:35:32being treated like this

00:35:32every single time!

00:35:33The heat at my wrist

00:35:34disappeared.

00:35:35Julian had already

00:35:37pulled her into his arms,

00:35:38stopping her.

00:35:39It took maybe a few seconds.

00:35:43Poppy was gasping wildly

00:35:44against his chest,

00:35:45her eyes red.

00:35:49Happy now?

00:35:50It was always like this.

00:35:51The instant I showed

00:35:52even a hint of resistance,

00:35:54Poppy would declare

00:35:55an anxiety attack

00:35:56and start frantically

00:35:57hurting herself.

00:35:58can't speak to her,

00:35:59can't touch her,

00:36:00can't even walk away.

00:36:02In the early days,

00:36:03Julian had begged me

00:36:04to humor her.

00:36:05Claire, you've been

00:36:06through it yourself.

00:36:07You know how it is.

00:36:08When she's like this,

00:36:09all you can do

00:36:09is go along with her.

00:36:10Because lives were on the line,

00:36:12I caved every time.

00:36:13I avoided the storm,

00:36:15but eventually,

00:36:15I figured it out.

00:36:16Poppy's condition

00:36:17only flared up

00:36:18when Julian wasn't

00:36:19choosing her over me.

00:36:20That so-called

00:36:21anxiety disorder,

00:36:22it was just

00:36:23possessedness in costume,

00:36:24forcing him to pick a side.

00:36:25I looked down at the

00:36:26smug little look

00:36:27on Poppy's face.

00:36:28I nodded.

00:36:30Sure.

00:36:31Very happy.

00:36:33Though,

00:36:33you moved a little too fast.

00:36:35You didn't get to find the pills.

00:36:36Your acting could use some work.

00:36:39Try harder next time.

00:36:40A flash of shock

00:36:41crossed Poppy's face.

00:36:42She froze,

00:36:43then started gearing up

00:36:44for round two.

00:36:45His tall frame

00:36:46loomed over me.

00:36:47Suddenly,

00:36:47my whole field of vision

00:36:49went dark.

00:36:49The shoulder that used

00:36:51to shelter me

00:36:51was now carrying

00:36:52another woman.

00:36:53Carrying her

00:36:54while blocking

00:36:55my way out.

00:36:57Claire,

00:36:58I really have

00:36:59been spoiling you

00:37:00too much.

00:37:02She has every right

00:37:03to make you pay for that.

00:37:05Be grateful,

00:37:06Claire.

00:37:06I'm the one

00:37:07holding her back.

00:37:08For a moment,

00:37:09the world went

00:37:09vacuum silence.

00:37:11I couldn't hear a thing.

00:37:13Even Poppy froze.

00:37:15Then she snapped

00:37:15out of it,

00:37:16jerked her hand free,

00:37:17and swung it hard

00:37:17at my face.

00:37:18A second before

00:37:19her palm hit me,

00:37:20Julian caught her wrist.

00:37:21Those eyes.

00:37:22The ones that used

00:37:23to watch over me

00:37:23through the night.

00:37:24That used to pull me

00:37:25out of nightmares.

00:37:26Tonight they were

00:37:27cold as ice.

00:37:27A flicker of disgust.

00:37:29A warning.

00:37:29You really thought

00:37:30you could just

00:37:30walk out on me?

00:37:32If she'd actually

00:37:33hit you,

00:37:34you'd be throwing

00:37:34a fit for days,

00:37:35right?

00:37:36She got hurt

00:37:37and you don't even care?

00:37:40When you're ready

00:37:41to be reasonable,

00:37:42you'll apologize

00:37:42to Poppy yourself.

00:37:45I stood there,

00:37:46watching the floor

00:37:47numbers climb,

00:37:47my whole body shaking.

00:37:49Cold,

00:37:50so cold,

00:37:51the kind that crept up

00:37:51from the bottom of you

00:37:52that no coat,

00:37:53no matter how expensive,

00:37:54could keep out.

00:37:56Five years.

00:37:58Five whole years.

00:37:59My body could make

00:38:00a clean break.

00:38:01My heart couldn't

00:38:02pull free that fast.

00:38:04I don't know

00:38:04how long it took.

00:38:06Eventually,

00:38:06I flagged down a cab

00:38:07and headed to a hotel

00:38:08near work.

00:38:09Until I left the country,

00:38:10that's where I'd stay.

00:38:12While I waited

00:38:13for my visa,

00:38:14I had to close out

00:38:15the project I'd been

00:38:16leading for almost

00:38:16two years.

00:38:18My personal life

00:38:20was already a wreck.

00:38:21My career wasn't

00:38:22going to be.

00:38:23I buried myself

00:38:24in overtime,

00:38:25kept myself slammed,

00:38:27partly to speed things up,

00:38:28partly so I wouldn't

00:38:29have time to think.

00:38:30As long as I was busy,

00:38:31I couldn't dwell

00:38:32on anything else.

00:38:33Maybe it was the toll

00:38:34on my body and nerves.

00:38:35Lately,

00:38:36I'd been constantly tired,

00:38:37constantly nauseous.

00:38:39My boss reminded me

00:38:40to pull it together.

00:38:41The client was coming

00:38:42a-sting in this afternoon

00:38:43to finalize the contract.

00:38:45At the head of the table

00:38:47sat someone I knew.

00:38:48Julian,

00:38:49in a sharp suit,

00:38:50and beside him,

00:38:51in a cinched-waist,

00:38:52backless cocktail dress,

00:38:54sat Poppy.

00:38:54My nails dug into my palms

00:38:56before I could stop them.

00:38:58My boss thought I had nerves

00:39:00and whispered,

00:39:00Relax,

00:39:01the proposal and the designs

00:39:02have already been signed off

00:39:03by their project lead.

00:39:04These two are just bored

00:39:05trust fund babies

00:39:05playing at being adults.

00:39:06Smile through it,

00:39:07humor the rich kids,

00:39:08and we're done.

00:39:09Just give them

00:39:09your usual pitch.

00:39:12I drew a breath.

00:39:13I forced on a smile.

00:39:14I opened the deck

00:39:15and walked them

00:39:15through my design vision.

00:39:16Smooth, composed,

00:39:17point by point.

00:39:18Poppy propped her chin

00:39:19in her hand,

00:39:20nodding along all smiles

00:39:21under the table.

00:39:22My boss flashed me

00:39:23a discreet thumbs up.

00:39:24I exhaled,

00:39:26reading the room.

00:39:27Someone slid the contract

00:39:28across the table.

00:39:29Hmm,

00:39:29it's not doing it for me.

00:39:30The design's so boring.

00:39:31It gives me a headache

00:39:32just looking at it.

00:39:34I don't think

00:39:35I want a sign.

00:39:36The smile froze

00:39:37on my boss's face.

00:39:38I kept mine polite.

00:39:40Is there a specific element

00:39:42you're not happy with?

00:39:43Poppy didn't even glance

00:39:44at the contract.

00:39:45She held up her hand,

00:39:46admiring her fresh manicure.

00:39:48Hard to say.

00:39:49It's more of a feeling.

00:39:51Then she hooked her arm

00:39:52through Julian's.

00:39:53What do you think?

00:39:54Every eye in the room

00:39:55turned to him.

00:39:56Julian's eyes landed on me.

00:39:57On instinct,

00:39:58I looked away.

00:39:59Sounds like your project lead

00:40:00doesn't have much faith

00:40:01in her own work either.

00:40:02I'm suddenly losing interest

00:40:04in this investment.

00:40:05Pulling out.

00:40:08Oh,

00:40:08and just so you know,

00:40:09I've already authorized

00:40:10my people to begin

00:40:11a hostile takeover

00:40:12of your company.

00:40:14Congratulations,

00:40:14Claire.

00:40:15You'll be working for me

00:40:16very soon.

00:40:18Two years on this account.

00:40:19A thousand discarded drafts.

00:40:21I'd lost count of the nights

00:40:22I'd spent at my desk

00:40:23to get here.

00:40:23We were finally about to land.

00:40:25This was supposed to be

00:40:26the showcase project.

00:40:27The perfect closing chapter

00:40:28on this stage of my career.

00:40:29One careless sentence from him

00:40:30and it was all stillborn.

00:40:32Back at the office,

00:40:33my boss came tearing in,

00:40:35white as a shield,

00:40:36shaking from head to toe.

00:40:38He was practically sobbing.

00:40:40Claire, he will destroy

00:40:42the whole firm.

00:40:43Please,

00:40:44just go apologize.

00:40:46It wasn't that I didn't

00:40:47want to save the project.

00:40:50It was that I knew exactly

00:40:52who Poppy was actually

00:40:53here for.

00:40:54The only way this project

00:40:56survived

00:40:56was if I disappeared.

00:41:00I just hadn't expected

00:41:01the one thing tying me

00:41:03to this city

00:41:03would get torn apart

00:41:04this fast.

00:41:05The wave of nauseous

00:41:06hit again.

00:41:07I stumbled out of the office.

00:41:09Julian,

00:41:09still here.

00:41:11His hands started

00:41:12wandering somewhere.

00:41:13It had no business going.

00:41:14I bit down on him

00:41:15with everything I had.

00:41:17The taste of blood

00:41:18bloomed thick

00:41:19between our mouths.

00:41:20Get out!

00:41:22Julian stood there,

00:41:23his expression

00:41:24unreadable.

00:41:29Claire,

00:41:31after all this time,

00:41:32why haven't you learned?

00:41:33I tried to twist away.

00:41:35The harder I fought,

00:41:36the tighter he held me.

00:41:39If you'd just apologized

00:41:40for what happened

00:41:41last time,

00:41:43none of this

00:41:44would be happening today.

00:41:48How hard is it

00:41:49to lower your head

00:41:51just once?

00:41:52Julian's voice

00:41:53was softer

00:41:53than any sweet nothing

00:41:54he'd ever whispered

00:41:55in my ear.

00:41:56But I was shaking anyway.

00:41:57Not from the cold.

00:41:59From a cramp

00:42:00tearing through my stomach.

00:42:01An eerie,

00:42:02sinking,

00:42:03dragging down feeling.

00:42:04Something was rushing

00:42:05out of me.

00:42:07A ridiculous thought

00:42:08surfaced in my mind.

00:42:10I tried to look down.

00:42:12Julian's grip on my chin

00:42:13held me in place.

00:42:15All I could do

00:42:16was bite my lip

00:42:16and hold on.

00:42:18Something warm

00:42:19slipped down my thigh,

00:42:20dripping onto the carpet.

00:42:22Julian noticed.

00:42:31Claire, you-

00:42:38Before our honeymoon

00:42:39to the Amalfi Coast,

00:42:40my husband Julian

00:42:42canceled our flight

00:42:43behind my back.

00:42:44He swapped them

00:42:45for tickets to Ibiza

00:42:46with his childhood

00:42:48best friend,

00:42:49Poppy.

00:42:50Even his pack

00:42:50of party boyfriends

00:42:51thought he'd gone too far

00:42:53and tried to talk him down.

00:42:58The fuck, Julian?

00:43:00This is messed up.

00:43:01Claire's been looking forward

00:43:02to it forever.

00:43:03Julian didn't care.

00:43:05He brushed them off

00:43:05without a second thought.

00:43:07It's Poppy's birthday wish.

00:43:08One more single girl trip

00:43:10with her before I'm

00:43:10locked down for good.

00:43:11Claire always blows

00:43:12everything out of proportion.

00:43:14This'll be good for her.

00:43:15Reminder she's not

00:43:16the center of the universe.

00:43:17The Poppy he was talking about

00:43:18was his weepy

00:43:19childhood playmate.

00:43:20And I was Claire.

00:43:21The wife he couldn't

00:43:22even bother to say

00:43:23my wife about.

00:43:24I didn't fight.

00:43:25I didn't argue.

00:43:26I pretended I had no idea,

00:43:28quietly canceled

00:43:29the honeymoon,

00:43:29and bought a one-way ticket

00:43:31to another country

00:43:32on the other side

00:43:33of the ocean.

00:43:33My phone was lagging.

00:43:35The cancellation screen

00:43:36kept spinning.

00:43:37Meanwhile,

00:43:37on Poppy's pink tablet,

00:43:39an iMessage group chat

00:43:40called Astor's Royal Guard

00:43:42wouldn't stop lighting up.

00:43:43I tapped it open.

00:43:44Poppy's avatar

00:43:45filled the screen.

00:43:46What the hell is wrong

00:43:47with you assholes?

00:43:48Every single one of you

00:43:49is taking Claire's side.

00:43:50Like she's your bro,

00:43:52not me.

00:43:52Fine.

00:43:53You're right.

00:43:54It's all my fault.

00:43:55I'm just a bitch.

00:43:56I shouldn't have a birthday.

00:43:58I definitely shouldn't

00:43:59have wished for Julian

00:44:00to come with me.

00:44:01I should be like

00:44:02the rest of you,

00:44:03kissing Queen Claire's ass.

00:44:05You're her real friends.

00:44:06I don't matter at all.

00:44:07Happy now.

00:44:08Julian,

00:44:09who'd been ghosting me

00:44:09for two days

00:44:10claiming he was in meetings,

00:44:11replied in seconds.

00:44:13He at the other six guys

00:44:14and sent one thing.

00:44:15A single question mark.

00:44:18Sorry, sorry, sorry.

00:44:19It's just one

00:44:20bachelorette trip.

00:44:22Queen Poppy says jump.

00:44:23We don't just send

00:44:24Julie on.

00:44:25All six of us drop

00:44:26everything and show up

00:44:27as bodyguards.

00:44:30Who are you?

00:44:30Claire's the one

00:44:31you actually answer to.

00:44:32Claire, please.

00:44:33So they had a wedding.

00:44:34Big deal.

00:44:35Julian still got that

00:44:36paperwork locked in his safe.

00:44:38She's a wife in name only.

00:44:40Legally, none of it counts.

00:44:41Last laugh's still up for grabs.

00:44:43I blinked,

00:44:44staring at the group chat

00:44:45that was so much livelier

00:44:47without me in it.

00:44:48If Poppy hadn't left

00:44:49her tablet in Julian's car,

00:44:50I wouldn't have even

00:44:51earned a peek

00:44:52at all this fun.

00:44:54And there I'd been,

00:44:55naively reading travel guides,

00:44:57hoping the honeymoon

00:44:58would make for great photos.

00:45:00I stared at the empty

00:45:01itinerary for a long time.

00:45:03Then I went back

00:45:04to the home screen,

00:45:06typed in a new destination,

00:45:07and made a call.

00:45:09Mom,

00:45:11I'll go to London with you.

00:45:12On the other end,

00:45:14my mother caught it immediately.

00:45:15Something was wrong.

00:45:16Back then,

00:45:17she'd turned down

00:45:18a once-in-a-lifetime

00:45:19job offer for my sake.

00:45:21Mom,

00:45:21I know you have questions,

00:45:23but right now,

00:45:24I don't have the energy

00:45:25to explain everything

00:45:27that just happened.

00:45:28I've made up my mind.

00:45:30Once I wrap up work

00:45:31and get my visa sorted,

00:45:32I'll fly out.

00:45:33Then I'll tell you everything.

00:45:34Mom went quiet

00:45:35for a few seconds.

00:45:36In the end,

00:45:37she didn't push.

00:45:38I hung up and collapsed

00:45:39onto the couch,

00:45:40trying to steady myself.

00:45:41Julian's friends

00:45:42had a point.

00:45:42We'd signed a prenup,

00:45:44we'd had a wedding,

00:45:44but he deliberately

00:45:45locked the marriage license,

00:45:46the one we still had to file

00:45:48with City Hall,

00:45:48in his safe,

00:45:49until it was legally binding.

00:45:51I was just a wife

00:45:52who could be swapped out

00:45:53at any moment,

00:45:53which,

00:45:54right now,

00:45:54meant I didn't have to wait

00:45:55for him to come home.

00:45:56No divorce proceedings,

00:45:58no drawn-out fights

00:45:59over assets.

00:46:00I pushed the wave

00:46:01of feeling back down

00:46:01and forced myself up

00:46:03to start packing.

00:46:04In the closet,

00:46:05the his-and-hers

00:46:05vacation outfits,

00:46:06freshly pressed,

00:46:07seemed to grin at me.

00:46:08I'd designed them myself,

00:46:10for the honeymoon,

00:46:10for Julian.

00:46:12I'd pulled all-nighters,

00:46:13revising them over and over.

00:46:15The final pieces

00:46:16had just come in today.

00:46:17Half an hour ago,

00:46:18I'd still been waiting

00:46:19for Julian to come home

00:46:21and try them on.

00:46:22Now,

00:46:22I just wanted to throw

00:46:23every single one of them

00:46:24in the trash.

00:46:26By the time I'd packed

00:46:27and dragged my suitcase

00:46:28to the door,

00:46:29it was the middle

00:46:30of the night.

00:46:36Julian,

00:46:37say it,

00:46:37come on,

00:46:38you're my royal stallion.

00:46:40Giddy up,

00:46:40yeah,

00:46:41yeah.

00:46:41Through my stinging,

00:46:42blurred vision,

00:46:43I saw Julian,

00:46:44who hadn't been home

00:46:45in three days,

00:46:46giving Poppy

00:46:47a piggyback ride.

00:46:48Her face was flushed red.

00:46:50One hand had his ear

00:46:51in a death grip.

00:46:52The other was patting his head,

00:46:54demanding he neigh.

00:46:58Poppy's drunk.

00:47:00I didn't know why

00:47:01he was bothering to explain.

00:47:02When he'd moved in with me

00:47:03and Poppy bought the apartment

00:47:04directly above ours

00:47:05the very next day,

00:47:07he hadn't explained.

00:47:08When Poppy had giggled

00:47:09in our doorway,

00:47:10hanging off Julian

00:47:11and purring,

00:47:12sweetie,

00:47:12I'll always be on top of you,

00:47:14he hadn't explained then either.

00:47:16All he ever said was,

00:47:18Claire,

00:47:19you know what we are

00:47:20to each other.

00:47:21They were childhood sweethearts

00:47:22after all.

00:47:23Two old money families

00:47:24joined at the hip.

00:47:25Everyone had watched them grow up.

00:47:27For years,

00:47:28they'd been the golden couple

00:47:29in every photo.

00:47:30Until Julian launched

00:47:31a three-year campaign

00:47:32chasing me in college.

00:47:33To him,

00:47:34that was proof enough

00:47:35that there was nothing

00:47:36between him and Poppy.

00:47:37Once I tore myself apart over it,

00:47:39I obsessed.

00:47:40I picked fights.

00:47:41But now,

00:47:41whatever they did

00:47:42had nothing to do with me anymore.

00:47:43I looked away.

00:47:44All I said was,

00:47:45yeah,

00:47:46of course.

00:47:46Then I started to wheel

00:47:47my suitcase past him.

00:47:49It was the answer

00:47:50he should have wanted.

00:47:51He didn't take it well.

00:47:54Say that again?

00:47:55I said,

00:47:56we're done,

00:47:57Julian.

00:47:58I'm breaking up with you.

00:48:02You're really not done

00:48:03throwing this tantrum,

00:48:04are you?

00:48:05And by the way,

00:48:05Claire,

00:48:06we had our wedding last week.

00:48:08If you're throwing a fit,

00:48:10the words divorce,

00:48:13not breakup.

00:48:14Breakup.

00:48:15Divorce.

00:48:15To Julian,

00:48:16they were the same kind of joke.

00:48:18He looked at me lazily,

00:48:19the way you humor a child

00:48:20who's being unreasonable.

00:48:22I didn't bother arguing.

00:48:23The corner of my mouth twitched.

00:48:25Call it whatever you want,

00:48:26but I couldn't leave.

00:48:27The standoff lasted

00:48:28only a few seconds.

00:48:34Enough!

00:48:35I can't deal with you two anymore!

00:48:41Julian instinctively reached down

00:48:43to help her up.

00:48:43She shoved him away.

00:48:45Don't touch me.

00:48:46I'm done.

00:48:47The second she sees me,

00:48:48it's I want to break up.

00:48:49I'm leaving.

00:48:50Am I some kind of prop?

00:48:52Am I garbage?

00:48:52Why is she so disgusted by me?

00:48:55Julian!

00:48:56Let's cut each other off!

00:48:59I am sick of walking

00:49:00on eggshells around her!

00:49:03It's all my fault!

00:49:04I shouldn't have ever

00:49:05shown up in your lives!

00:49:06I shouldn't have grown up with you!

00:49:08Right on cue,

00:49:09she launched into dramatic

00:49:10dry heaving,

00:49:11faking that she couldn't breathe,

00:49:12tearing through her Hermes bag

00:49:13for something.

00:49:14My pills!

00:49:14Where's my Xanax?

00:49:15I'm dying!

00:49:16Maybe I should just die!

00:49:17Anything's better than being treated

00:49:18like this every single time!

00:49:19The heat at my wrist disappeared.

00:49:21Julian had already pulled her

00:49:23into his arms,

00:49:24stopping her.

00:49:25It took maybe a few seconds.

00:49:29Poppy was gasping wildly

00:49:30against his chest,

00:49:31her eyes red.

00:49:35Happy now?

00:49:36It was always like this.

00:49:37The instant I showed

00:49:38even a hint of resistance,

00:49:40Poppy would declare

00:49:41an anxiety attack

00:49:42and start frantically

00:49:43hurting herself.

00:49:44Can't speak to her.

00:49:45Can't touch her.

00:49:46Can't even walk away.

00:49:48In the early days,

00:49:49Julian had begged me

00:49:50to humor her.

00:49:51Claire, you've been

00:49:52through it yourself.

00:49:53You know how it is.

00:49:54When she's like this,

00:49:55all you can do

00:49:55is go along with her.

00:49:56Because lives were on the line,

00:49:58I caved every time.

00:49:59I avoided the storm,

00:50:01but eventually,

00:50:01I figured it out.

00:50:03Poppy's condition

00:50:03only flared up

00:50:05when Julian wasn't

00:50:06choosing her over me.

00:50:07That so-called anxiety disorder,

00:50:08it was just possessedness

00:50:09in costume,

00:50:10forcing him to pick a side.

00:50:12I looked down

00:50:12at the smug little look

00:50:13on Poppy's face.

00:50:14I nodded.

00:50:16Sure.

00:50:17Very happy.

00:50:19Though,

00:50:19you moved a little too fast.

00:50:21You didn't get to find the pills.

00:50:22Your acting could use some work.

00:50:25Try harder next time.

00:50:26A flash of shock

00:50:27crossed Poppy's face.

00:50:28She froze,

00:50:29then started gearing up

00:50:30for round two.

00:50:31His tall frame loomed over me.

00:50:33Suddenly,

00:50:33my whole field of vision

00:50:35went dark.

00:50:35The shoulder that used

00:50:37to shelter me

00:50:37was now carrying another woman.

00:50:39Carrying her

00:50:40while blocking my way out.

00:50:43Claire,

00:50:44I really have been

00:50:46spoiling you too much.

00:50:48She has every right

00:50:49to make you pay for that.

00:50:51Be grateful, Claire.

00:50:52I'm the one holding her back.

00:50:54For a moment,

00:50:55the world went vacuum silence.

00:50:57I couldn't hear a thing.

00:50:59Even Poppy froze.

00:51:01Then she snapped out of it,

00:51:02jerked her hand free,

00:51:03and swung it hard at my face.

00:51:04A second before her palm hit me,

00:51:06Julian caught her wrist.

00:51:07Those eyes.

00:51:08The ones that used to watch over me

00:51:09through the night.

00:51:10That used to pull me

00:51:11out of nightmares.

00:51:12Tonight they were cold as ice.

00:51:13A flicker of disgust.

00:51:15A warning.

00:51:15You really thought

00:51:16you could just walk out on me?

00:51:18If she'd actually hit you,

00:51:20you'd be throwing a fit

00:51:20for days, right?

00:51:22She got hurt

00:51:23and you don't even care?

00:51:26When you're ready

00:51:27to be reasonable,

00:51:28you'll apologize

00:51:28to Poppy yourself.

00:51:31I stood there,

00:51:32watching the floor numbers climb,

00:51:33my whole body shaking.

00:51:35Cold.

00:51:36So cold.

00:51:37The kind that crept up

00:51:37from the bottom of you.

00:51:38that no coat,

00:51:39no matter how expensive,

00:51:41could keep out.

00:51:42Five years.

00:51:44Five whole years.

00:51:45My body could make a clean break.

00:51:47My heart couldn't pull free that fast.

00:51:50I don't know how long it took.

00:51:52Eventually,

00:51:52I flagged down a cab

00:51:53and headed to a hotel near work.

00:51:55Until I left the country,

00:51:56that's where I'd stay.

00:51:58While I waited for my visa,

00:52:00I had to close out

00:52:01the project I'd been leading

00:52:02for almost two years.

00:52:05My personal life

00:52:06was already a wreck.

00:52:07My career wasn't going to be.

00:52:09I buried myself in overtime,

00:52:11kept myself slammed,

00:52:13partly to speed things up,

00:52:14partly so I wouldn't have time to think.

00:52:16As long as I was busy,

00:52:17I couldn't dwell on anything else.

00:52:19Maybe it was the toll

00:52:20on my body and nerves.

00:52:22Lately,

00:52:22I'd been constantly tired,

00:52:23constantly nauseous.

00:52:25My boss reminded me

00:52:26to pull it together.

00:52:27The client was coming

00:52:28a sting in this afternoon

00:52:29to finalize the contract.

00:52:31At the head of the table

00:52:33sat someone I knew.

00:52:34Julian,

00:52:35in a sharp suit.

00:52:36And beside him,

00:52:37in a cinched waist,

00:52:38backless cocktail dress,

00:52:40sat Poppy.

00:52:40My nails dug into my palms

00:52:42before I could stop them.

00:52:44My boss thought I had nerves

00:52:46and whispered,

00:52:46Relax,

00:52:47the proposal and the designs

00:52:48have already been signed off

00:52:49by their project lead.

00:52:50These two are just bored

00:52:51trust fund babies

00:52:51playing at being adults.

00:52:52Smile through it,

00:52:53humor the rich kids,

00:52:54and we're done.

00:52:55Just give them

00:52:55your usual pitch.

00:52:58I drew a breath.

00:52:59I forced on a smile.

00:53:00I opened the deck

00:53:01and walked them

00:53:01through my design vision.

00:53:02Smooth, composed,

00:53:03point by point.

00:53:04Poppy propped her chin

00:53:05in her hand,

00:53:06nodding along all smiles

00:53:07under the table.

00:53:08My boss flashed me

00:53:09a discreet thumbs up.

00:53:10I exhaled,

00:53:12reading the room.

00:53:13Someone slid the contract

00:53:14across the table.

00:53:15Hmm,

00:53:15it's not doing it for me.

00:53:16The design's so boring.

00:53:17It gives me a headache

00:53:18just looking at it.

00:53:20I don't think I want a sign.

00:53:22The smile froze

00:53:23on my boss's face.

00:53:24I kept mine polite.

00:53:26Is there a specific element

00:53:28you're not happy with?

00:53:29Poppy didn't even glance

00:53:30at the contract.

00:53:31She held up her hand,

00:53:32admiring her fresh manicure.

00:53:34Hard to say.

00:53:35It's more of a feeling.

00:53:37Then she hooked her arm

00:53:38through Julian's.

00:53:39What do you think?

00:53:40Every eye in the room

00:53:41turned to him.

00:53:42Julian's eyes landed on me.

00:53:43On instinct,

00:53:44I looked away.

00:53:45Sounds like your project lead

00:53:46doesn't have much faith

00:53:47in her own work either.

00:53:48I'm suddenly losing interest

00:53:50in this investment.

00:53:52Pulling out.

00:53:54Oh,

00:53:54and just so you know,

00:53:55I've already authorized

00:53:56my people to begin

00:53:57a hostile takeover

00:53:58of your company.

00:54:00Congratulations,

00:54:01Claire.

00:54:01You'll be working for me

00:54:02very soon.

00:54:04Two years on this account.

00:54:05A thousand discarded drafts.

00:54:07I'd lost count of the nights

00:54:08I'd spent at my desk

00:54:09to get here.

00:54:09We were finally about to land.

00:54:11This was supposed to be

00:54:12the showcase project.

00:54:13The perfect closing chapter

00:54:14on this stage of my career.

00:54:15One careless sentence from him

00:54:17and it was all stillborn.

00:54:18Back at the office,

00:54:20my boss came tearing in,

00:54:21white as a shield,

00:54:22shaking from head to toe.

00:54:24He was practically sobbing.

00:54:27Claire,

00:54:27he will destroy the whole firm.

00:54:29Please,

00:54:30just go apologize.

00:54:32It wasn't that I didn't

00:54:34want to save the project.

00:54:36It was that I knew exactly

00:54:38who Poppy was actually here for.

00:54:40The only way this project survived

00:54:42was if I disappeared.

00:54:46I just hadn't expected

00:54:48the one thing tying me

00:54:49to this city

00:54:49would get torn apart this fast.

00:54:51The wave of nauseous

00:54:52hit again.

00:54:53I stumbled out of the office.

00:54:55Julian,

00:54:55still here?

00:54:57His hands started wandering

00:54:58somewhere.

00:54:59It had no business going.

00:55:00I bit down on him

00:55:01with everything I had.

00:55:03The taste of blood

00:55:04bloomed thick

00:55:05between our mouths.

00:55:06Get out!

00:55:08Julian stood there,

00:55:09his expression unreadable.

00:55:15Claire,

00:55:17after all this time,

00:55:18why haven't you learned?

00:55:19I tried to twist away.

00:55:21The harder I fought,

00:55:22the tighter he held me.

00:55:25If you'd just apologized

00:55:26for what happened last time,

00:55:30none of this would be happening today.

00:55:34How hard is it

00:55:35to lower your head

00:55:37just once?

00:55:38Julian's voice was softer

00:55:39than any sweet nothing

00:55:40he'd ever whispered in my ear,

00:55:42but I was shaking anyway.

00:55:44Not from the cold,

00:55:45from a cramp

00:55:46tearing through my stomach.

00:55:47An eerie,

00:55:48sinking,

00:55:49dragging down feeling.

00:55:50Something was rushing out of me.

00:55:53A ridiculous thought

00:55:54surfaced in my mind.

00:55:56I tried to look down.

00:55:58Julian's grip on my chin

00:55:59held me in place.

00:56:01All I could do

00:56:02was bite my lip

00:56:03and hold on.

00:56:04Something warm

00:56:05slipped down my thigh,

00:56:06dripping onto the carpet.

00:56:09Julian noticed.

00:56:17Claire, you-

00:56:24Before our honeymoon

00:56:25to the Amalfi Coast,

00:56:26my husband Julian

00:56:28canceled our flight

00:56:29behind my back.

00:56:30He swapped them

00:56:31for tickets to Ibiza

00:56:32with his childhood

00:56:34best friend,

00:56:35Poppy.

00:56:36Even his pack

00:56:36of party boyfriends

00:56:37thought he'd gone too far

00:56:39and tried to talk him down.

00:56:44The fuck?

00:56:45Julian,

00:56:46this is messed up.

00:56:48Claire's been looking forward

00:56:48to it forever.

00:56:49Julian didn't care.

00:56:51He brushed them off

00:56:52without a second thought.

00:56:53It's Poppy's birthday wish.

00:56:55One more single-girl trip

00:56:56with her

00:56:56before I'm locked down

00:56:57for good.

00:56:57Claire always blows

00:56:58everything out of proportion.

00:57:00This'll be good for her.

00:57:01Reminder she's not

00:57:02the center of the universe.

00:57:03The Poppy he was talking about

00:57:04was his weepy childhood playmate.

00:57:06And I was Claire,

00:57:07the wife he couldn't even bother

00:57:09to say my wife about.

00:57:10I didn't fight.

00:57:11I didn't argue.

00:57:12I pretended I had no idea,

00:57:14quietly canceled the honeymoon,

00:57:16and bought a one-way ticket

00:57:17to another country

00:57:18on the other side of the ocean.

00:57:19My phone was lagging.

00:57:21The cancellation screen

00:57:22kept spinning.

00:57:23Meanwhile,

00:57:23on Poppy's pink tablet,

00:57:25an iMessage group chat

00:57:26called

00:57:26Astor's Royal Guard

00:57:28wouldn't stop lighting up.

00:57:29I tapped it open.

00:57:30Poppy's avatar

00:57:31filled the screen.

00:57:32What the hell

00:57:32is wrong with you assholes?

00:57:34Every single one of you

00:57:35is taking Claire's side.

00:57:36Like she's your bro,

00:57:38not me.

00:57:39Fine.

00:57:39You're right.

00:57:40It's all my fault.

00:57:41I'm just a bitch.

00:57:43I shouldn't have

00:57:43a birthday.

00:57:44I definitely shouldn't

00:57:45have wished for Julian

00:57:46to come with me.

00:57:47I should be like

00:57:48the rest of you,

00:57:49kissing Queen Claire's ass.

00:57:51You're her real friends.

00:57:52I don't matter at all.

00:57:53Happy now.

00:57:54Julian,

00:57:54who'd been ghosting me

00:57:55for two days

00:57:56claiming he was in meetings,

00:57:58replied in seconds.

00:57:59He at the other six guys

00:58:00and sent one thing.

00:58:01A single question mark.

00:58:04Sorry, sorry, sorry.

00:58:05It's just one

00:58:06bachelorette trip.

00:58:08Queen Poppy says jump.

00:58:09We don't just send

00:58:10Julie on.

00:58:11All six of us

00:58:12drop everything

00:58:12and show up as bodyguards.

00:58:16Screw you.

00:58:16Claire's the one

00:58:17you actually answered to.

00:58:18Claire, please.

00:58:19So they had a wedding.

00:58:20Big deal.

00:58:21Julian still got

00:58:22that paperwork

00:58:23locked in his safe.

00:58:24She's a wife

00:58:25in name only.

00:58:26Legally,

00:58:26none of it counts.

00:58:28Last laugh's

00:58:28still up for grabs.

00:58:29I blinked,

00:58:30staring at the group chat

00:58:31that was so much

00:58:32livelier without me in it.

00:58:34If Poppy hadn't

00:58:34left her tablet

00:58:35in Julian's car,

00:58:36I wouldn't have

00:58:37even earned a peek

00:58:38at all this fun.

00:58:40And there I'd been,

00:58:41naively reading

00:58:42travel guides,

00:58:43hoping the honeymoon

00:58:44would make

00:58:45for great photos.

00:58:46I stared at the

00:58:47empty itinerary

00:58:48for a long time.

00:58:50Then I went back

00:58:50to the home screen,

00:58:52typed in a new destination,

00:58:53and made a call.

00:58:55Mom,

00:58:57I'll go to London

00:58:58with you.

00:58:59On the other end,

00:59:00my mother caught it

00:59:00immediately.

00:59:01Something was wrong.

00:59:02Back then,

00:59:03she'd turned down

00:59:04a once-in-a-lifetime

00:59:05job offer for my sake.

00:59:07Mom,

00:59:07I know you have questions,

00:59:09but right now,

00:59:10I don't have the energy

00:59:11to explain everything

00:59:13that just happened.

00:59:14I've made up my mind.

00:59:16Once I wrap up work

00:59:17and get my visa sorted,

00:59:18I'll fly out.

00:59:19Then I'll tell you everything.

00:59:20Mom went quiet

00:59:21for a few seconds.

00:59:22In the end,

00:59:23she didn't push.

00:59:24I hung up and collapsed

00:59:25onto the couch,

00:59:26trying to steady myself.

00:59:27Julian's friends

00:59:28had a point.

00:59:29We'd signed a prenup,

00:59:30we'd had a wedding,

00:59:30but he deliberately

00:59:31locked the marriage license,

00:59:32the one we still had to file

00:59:34with City Hall,

00:59:34in his safe,

00:59:35until it was legally binding.

00:59:37I was just a wife

00:59:38who could be swapped out

00:59:39at any moment,

00:59:39which,

00:59:40right now,

00:59:40meant I didn't have to wait

00:59:42for him to come home.

00:59:43No divorce proceedings.

00:59:44No drawn-out fights

00:59:45over assets.

00:59:46I pushed the wave

00:59:47of feeling back down

00:59:48and forced myself up

00:59:49to start packing.

00:59:50In the closet,

00:59:51the his and hers

00:59:51vacation outfits,

00:59:52freshly pressed,

00:59:53seemed to grin at me.

00:59:54I'd designed them myself,

00:59:55for the honeymoon,

00:59:57for Julian.

00:59:58I'd pulled all-nighters,

01:00:00revising them over and over.

01:00:01The final pieces

01:00:02had just come in today.

01:00:03Half an hour ago,

01:00:05I'd still been waiting

01:00:06for Julian to come home

01:00:07and try them on.

01:00:08Now,

01:00:08I just wanted to throw

01:00:09every single one of them

01:00:10in the trash.

01:00:12By the time I'd packed

01:00:13and dragged my suitcase

01:00:14to the door,

01:00:15it was the middle of the night.

01:00:22Julian, say it.

01:00:23Come on.

01:00:24You're my royal stallion.

01:00:25Giddy up.

01:00:26Yeah, yeah.

01:00:28Through my stinging,

01:00:28blurred vision,

01:00:29I saw Julian,

01:00:30who hadn't been home

01:00:31in three days,

01:00:32giving Poppy a piggyback ride.

01:00:34Her face was flushed red.

01:00:36One hand had his ear

01:00:37in a death grip.

01:00:38The other was patting his head,

01:00:40demanding he may.

01:00:44Poppy's drunk.

01:00:46I didn't know why

01:00:47he was bothering to explain.

01:00:48When he'd moved in with me,

01:00:49and Poppy bought the apartment

01:00:51directly above ours

01:00:52the very next day,

01:00:53he hadn't explained.

01:00:54When Poppy had giggled

01:00:55in our doorway,

01:00:56hanging off Julian

01:00:57and purring,

01:00:58sweetie,

01:00:59I'll always be on top of you,

01:01:00he hadn't explained

01:01:01then either.

01:01:03All he ever said was,

01:01:04Claire,

01:01:05you know what we are

01:01:06to each other.

01:01:07They were childhood

01:01:08sweethearts after all.

01:01:09Two old money families

01:01:10joined at the hip.

01:01:12Everyone had watched

01:01:12them grow up.

01:01:13For years,

01:01:14they'd been the golden couple

01:01:15in every photo,

01:01:16until Julian launched

01:01:17a three-year campaign

01:01:18chasing me in college.

01:01:19To him,

01:01:20that was proof enough

01:01:21that there was nothing

01:01:22between him and Poppy.

01:01:23Once I tore myself

01:01:24apart over it,

01:01:25I obsessed.

01:01:26I picked fights.

01:01:27But now,

01:01:27whatever they did

01:01:28had nothing to do

01:01:29with me anymore.

01:01:29I looked away.

01:01:30All I said was,

01:01:31yeah, of course.

01:01:32Then I started to wheel

01:01:33my suitcase past him.

01:01:35It was the answer

01:01:36he should have wanted.

01:01:37He didn't take it well.

01:01:40Say that again?

01:01:41I said,

01:01:43we're done, Julian.

01:01:44I'm breaking up with you.

01:01:48You're really not done

01:01:49throwing this tantrum,

01:01:50are you?

01:01:51And by the way, Claire,

01:01:52we had our wedding

01:01:53last week.

01:01:55If you're throwing a fit,

01:01:56the words divorce,

01:01:58not breakup.

01:02:00Breakup.

01:02:01Divorce.

01:02:01To Julian.

01:02:02They were the same

01:02:03kind of joke.

01:02:04He looked at me lazily,

01:02:05the way you humor

01:02:06a child who's being

01:02:07unreasonable.

01:02:08I didn't bother arguing.

01:02:09The corner of my mouth

01:02:10twitched.

01:02:11Call it whatever you want,

01:02:12but I couldn't leave.

01:02:13The standoff lasted

01:02:14only a few seconds.

01:02:20Enough!

01:02:21I can't deal

01:02:22with you two anymore!

01:02:27Julian instinctively

01:02:28reached down

01:02:29to help her up.

01:02:29She shoved him away.

01:02:30Don't touch me!

01:02:32I'm done!

01:02:33The second she sees me,

01:02:34it's I want a breakup?

01:02:35I'm leaving?

01:02:36Am I some kind of prop?

01:02:38Am I garbage?

01:02:39Why is she so disgusted

01:02:40by me?

01:02:41Julian!

01:02:42Let's cut each other off!

01:02:45I am sick of walking

01:02:46on eggshells around her!

01:02:49It's all my fault!

01:02:50I shouldn't have ever

01:02:51shown up in your lives!

01:02:52I shouldn't have

01:02:53grown up with you!

01:02:54Right on cue,

01:02:55she launched into

01:02:56dramatic dry heaving,

01:02:57baking that she

01:02:57couldn't breathe,

01:02:58tearing through

01:02:58her Hermes bag

01:02:59for something.

01:03:00My pills!

01:03:00Where's my Xanax?

01:03:01I'm dying!

01:03:02Maybe I should just die!

01:03:03Anything's better

01:03:04than being treated

01:03:04like this every single time!

01:03:05The heat at my wrist

01:03:06disappeared.

01:03:08Julian had already

01:03:09pulled her into his arms,

01:03:10stopping her.

01:03:11It took maybe

01:03:12a few seconds.

01:03:15Poppy was gasping

01:03:16wildly against his chest,

01:03:17her eyes red.

01:03:21Happy now?

01:03:22It was always like this.

01:03:23The instant I showed

01:03:25even a hint of resistance,

01:03:27Poppy would declare

01:03:27an anxiety attack

01:03:28and start frantically

01:03:29hurting herself.

01:03:30Can't speak to her.

01:03:31Can't touch her.

01:03:32Can't even walk away.

01:03:34In the early days,

01:03:35Julian had begged me

01:03:36to humor her.

01:03:37Claire, you've been

01:03:38through it yourself.

01:03:39You know how it is.

01:03:40When she's like this,

01:03:41all you can do

01:03:41is go along with her.

01:03:42Because lives were

01:03:43on the line,

01:03:44I caved every time.

01:03:45I avoided the storm,

01:03:47but eventually,

01:03:48I figured it out.

01:03:49Poppy's condition

01:03:49only flared up

01:03:51when Julian wasn't

01:03:52choosing her over me.

01:03:53That so-called

01:03:53anxiety disorder,

01:03:54it was just

01:03:55possessedness in costume,

01:03:56forcing him to pick a side.

01:03:58I looked down

01:03:58at the smug little look

01:03:59on Poppy's face.

01:04:00I nodded.

01:04:02Sure.

01:04:03Very happy.

01:04:05Though,

01:04:05you moved a little too fast.

01:04:07You didn't get

01:04:07to find the pills.

01:04:08Your acting

01:04:09could use some work.

01:04:11Try harder next time.

01:04:12A flash of shock

01:04:13crossed Poppy's face.

01:04:14She froze,

01:04:15then started gearing up

01:04:16for round two.

01:04:17His tall frame

01:04:18loomed over me.

01:04:19Suddenly,

01:04:20my whole field

01:04:20of vision went dark.

01:04:22The shoulder

01:04:22that used to shelter me

01:04:23was now carrying

01:04:24another woman.

01:04:25Carrying her

01:04:26while blocking

01:04:27my way out.

01:04:29Claire,

01:04:30I really have

01:04:31been spoiling you

01:04:32too much.

01:04:34She has every right

01:04:35to make you pay

01:04:36for that.

01:04:37Be grateful,

01:04:38Claire.

01:04:38I'm the one

01:04:39holding her back.

01:04:40For a moment,

01:04:41the world went

01:04:41vacuum silence.

01:04:43I couldn't hear

01:04:44a thing.

01:04:45Even Poppy froze.

01:04:46Then she snapped

01:04:47out of it,

01:04:48jerked her hand free

01:04:49and swung it hard

01:04:50at my face.

01:04:50A second before

01:04:51her palm hit me,

01:04:52Julian caught her wrist.

01:04:53Those eyes.

01:04:54The ones that used

01:04:55to watch over me

01:04:55through the night.

01:04:56That used to pull me

01:04:57out of nightmares.

01:04:58Tonight they were

01:04:59cold as ice.

01:05:00A flicker of disgust.

01:05:01A warning.

01:05:02You really thought

01:05:02you could just

01:05:03walk out on me?

01:05:04If she'd actually

01:05:05hit you,

01:05:06you'd be throwing

01:05:06a fit for days,

01:05:07right?

01:05:08She got hurt

01:05:09and you don't even care?

01:05:13When you're ready

01:05:13to be reasonable,

01:05:14you'll apologize

01:05:14to Poppy yourself.

01:05:17I stood there,

01:05:18watching the floor

01:05:19numbers climb,

01:05:20my whole body shaking.

01:05:21Cold, so cold.

01:05:23The kind that crept

01:05:23up from the bottom

01:05:24of you,

01:05:25that no coat,

01:05:26no matter how expensive,

01:05:27could keep out.

01:05:29Five years.

01:05:30Five whole years.

01:05:31My body could

01:05:32make a clean break.

01:05:33My heart couldn't

01:05:34pull free that fast.

01:05:36I don't know

01:05:37how long it took.

01:05:38Eventually,

01:05:38I flagged down a cab

01:05:39and headed to a hotel

01:05:40near work.

01:05:41Until I left the country,

01:05:42that's where I'd stay.

01:05:44While I waited

01:05:45for my visa,

01:05:46I had to close out

01:05:47the project I'd been leading

01:05:48for almost two years.

01:05:51My personal life

01:05:52was already a wreck.

01:05:53My career

01:05:54wasn't going to be.

01:05:55I buried myself

01:05:56in overtime,

01:05:57kept myself slammed,

01:05:59partly to speed things up,

01:06:00partly so I wouldn't

01:06:01have time to think.

01:06:02As long as I was busy,

01:06:03I couldn't dwell

01:06:04on anything else.

01:06:05Maybe it was the toll

01:06:06on my body and nerves.

01:06:08Lately,

01:06:08I'd been constantly tired,

01:06:09constantly nauseous.

01:06:11My boss reminded me

01:06:12to pull it together.

01:06:13The client was coming

01:06:14a-sting-in this afternoon

01:06:15to finalize the contract.

01:06:18At the head of the table

01:06:19sat someone I knew.

01:06:20Julian,

01:06:21in a sharp suit.

01:06:22And beside him,

01:06:23in a cinched-waist,

01:06:24backless cocktail dress,

01:06:26sat Poppy.

01:06:27My nails dug into my palms

01:06:28before I could stop them.

01:06:30My boss thought I had nerves

01:06:32and whispered,

01:06:32Relax,

01:06:33the proposal and the designs

01:06:34have already been signed off

01:06:35by their project lead.

01:06:36These two are just bored

01:06:37trust fund wavies

01:06:38playing at being adults.

01:06:39Smile through it,

01:06:39humor the rich kids,

01:06:40and we're done.

01:06:41Just give them your usual pitch.

01:06:44I drew a breath.

01:06:45I forced on a smile.

01:06:46I opened the deck

01:06:47and walked them

01:06:47through my design vision.

01:06:48Smooth, composed,

01:06:49point by point.

01:06:50Poppy propped her chin

01:06:51in her hand,

01:06:52nodding along all smiles

01:06:53under the table.

01:06:54My boss flashed me

01:06:55a discreet thumbs up.

01:06:56I exhaled,

01:06:58reading the room.

01:06:59Someone slid the contract

01:07:00across the table.

01:07:01Hmm,

01:07:01it's not doing it for me.

01:07:02The design's so boring.

01:07:03It gives me a headache

01:07:04just looking at it.

01:07:06I don't think I want a sign.

01:07:08The smile froze

01:07:09on my boss's face.

01:07:10I kept mine polite.

01:07:12Is there a specific element

01:07:14you're not happy with?

01:07:15Poppy didn't even glance

01:07:16at the contract.

01:07:17She held up her hand,

01:07:18admiring her fresh manicure.

01:07:20Hard to say.

01:07:21It's more of a feeling.

01:07:23Then she hooked her arm

01:07:24through Julian's.

01:07:25What do you think?

01:07:26Every eye in the room

01:07:27turned to him.

01:07:28Julian's eyes landed on me.

01:07:29On instinct,

01:07:30I looked away.

01:07:31Sounds like your project lead

01:07:33doesn't have much faith

01:07:33in her own work either.

01:07:35I'm suddenly losing interest

01:07:36in this investment.

01:07:38Pulling out.

01:07:40Oh,

01:07:40and just so you know,

01:07:41I've already authorized

01:07:42my people to begin

01:07:43a hostile takeover

01:07:45of your company.

01:07:46Congratulations, Claire.

01:07:47You'll be working for me

01:07:48very soon.

01:07:50Two years on this account.

01:07:51A thousand discarded drafts.

01:07:53I'd lost count of the nights

01:07:54I'd spent at my desk

01:07:55to get here.

01:07:55We were finally about to land.

01:07:57This was supposed to be

01:07:58the showcase project,

01:07:59the perfect closing chapter

01:08:00on this stage of my career.

01:08:01One careless sentence from him,

01:08:03and it was all stillborn.

01:08:04Back at the office,

01:08:06my boss came tearing in,

01:08:07white as a shield,

01:08:08shaking from head to toe.

01:08:10He was practically sobbing.

01:08:13Claire, he will destroy

01:08:14the whole firm.

01:08:15Please, just go apologize.

01:08:18It wasn't that I didn't

01:08:20want to save the project.

01:08:22It was that I knew exactly

01:08:24who Poppy was actually here for.

01:08:26The only way this project survived

01:08:29was if I disappeared.

01:08:32I just hadn't expected

01:08:34the one thing tying me

01:08:35to this city

01:08:35would get torn apart this fast.

01:08:37The wave of nauseous hit again.

01:08:39I stumbled out of the office.

01:08:41Julian, still here?

01:08:43His hands started wandering somewhere.

01:08:45It had no business going.

01:08:46I bit down on him

01:08:47with everything I had.

01:08:49The taste of blood

01:08:50bloomed thick between our mouths.

01:08:52Get out!

01:08:54Julian stood there,

01:08:56his expression unreadable.

01:09:02Claire,

01:09:03after all this time,

01:09:04why haven't you learned?

01:09:05I tried to twist away.

01:09:07The harder I fought,

01:09:08the tighter he held me.

01:09:11If you'd just apologized

01:09:12for what happened last time,

01:09:16none of this would be happening today.

01:09:20How hard is it to lower your head

01:09:23just once?

01:09:24Julian's voice was softer

01:09:25than any sweet nothing

01:09:26he'd ever whispered in my ear.

01:09:28But I was shaking anyway.

01:09:29Not from the cold.

01:09:31From a cramp tearing through my stomach.

01:09:33An eerie, sinking,

01:09:35dragging down feeling.

01:09:36Something was rushing out of me.

01:09:39A ridiculous thought

01:09:40surfaced in my mind.

01:09:42I tried to look down.

01:09:44Julian's grip on my chin

01:09:45held me in place.

01:09:46All I could do

01:09:48was bite my lip

01:09:49and hold on.

01:09:50Something warm

01:09:51slipped down my thigh.

01:09:53Dripping onto the carpet,

01:09:55Julian noticed.

01:10:03Claire, you-

🍊Canceled Honeymoon [Eng Sub] - 🐍He Chose His Bestie Over Me! | Full Movie #ReelShort

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