[Dailymotion] Canceled Honeymoon Full Movie – He Called Off the Honeymoon, Never Made It Legal, and Let Her Grieve Alone. Then She Never Looked Back.

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📝 Synopsis:
Another one in the books. Let's unpack Canceled Honeymoon.

Here's the setup: Claire thinks she's married. Turns out Julian never registered the marriage legally, canceled their honeymoon behind her back, and spent his time catering to his childhood friend Bobby. Claire finds all of this out at once — and then loses her baby because of the stress he created. She moves to London to piece herself back together. Julian shows up later, convinced he can win her back. He's wrong. She doesn't take him back, doesn't entertain his excuses, doesn't give him the satisfaction of a fight. She tells him to go be with Bobby and never looks back.

What makes this one work: Julian and Bobby spend the rest of their lives regretting it. Their marriage collapses, their families' business partnership falls apart, and they're stuck with each other and their own mistakes.

**✨ Bottom line:**
This is a clean, straightforward karma story. Claire doesn't waste time on revenge schemes — she just moves on and lives well. Julian and Bobby destroy themselves. ReelShort's been putting out some solid karma-driven dramas lately — this one earns its ending.

Anyone else appreciate a female lead who actually walks away and stays gone? Let's talk.

🎬 Genre: Romance, Drama, Revenge, Karma, Toxic Romance
👥 Cast:

Transcript

00:00:04I blinked, staring at the group chat that was so much livelier without me in it.

00:00:09If Poppy hadn't left her tablet in Julian's car, I wouldn't have even earned a peek at all this fun.

00:00:15And there I'd been, naively reading travel guides, hoping the honeymoon would make for great photos.

00:00:21I stared at the empty itinerary for a long time.

00:00:25Then I went back to the home screen, typed in a new destination, and made a call.

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

00:00:34On the other end, my mother caught it immediately.

00:00:37Something was wrong.

00:00:38Back then, she'd turned down a once-in-a-lifetime job offer for my sake.

00:00:42Mom, I know you have questions.

00:00:44But right now, I don't have the energy to explain everything that just happened.

00:00:49I've made up my mind.

00:00:51Once I wrap up work and get my visa sorted, I'll fly out.

00:00:54Then I'll tell you everything.

00:00:55Mom went quiet for a few seconds.

00:00:57In the end, she didn't push.

00:00:59I hung up and collapsed onto the couch, trying to steady myself.

00:01:02Julian's friends had a point.

00:01:04Before our honeymoon to the Amalfi Coast, my husband Julian cancelled our flight behind my back.

00:01:09He swapped them for tickets to Ibiza with his childhood best friend, Poppy.

00:01:15Even his pack of party boyfriends thought he'd gone too far and tried to talk him down.

00:01:23What the fuck?

00:01:25Julian, this is messed up.

00:01:27Claire's been looking forward to it forever.

00:01:29Julian didn't care.

00:01:30He brushed them off without a second thought.

00:01:32It's Poppy's birthday wish.

00:01:34One more single-girl trip with her before I'm locked down for good.

00:01:37Claire always blows everything out of proportion.

00:01:39This'll be good for her.

00:01:40Reminder she's not the center of the universe.

00:01:42The Poppy he was talking about was his weepy childhood playmate.

00:01:46And I was Claire, the wife he couldn't even bother to say my wife about.

00:01:50I didn't fight.

00:01:50I didn't argue.

00:01:51I pretended I had no idea, quietly cancelled the honeymoon, and bought a one-way ticket to

00:01:57another country on the other side of the ocean.

00:01:59My phone was lagging.

00:02:00The cancellation screen kept spinning.

00:02:02Meanwhile, on Poppy's pink tablet, an iMessage group chat called Astor's Royal Guard wouldn't

00:02:07stop lighting up.

00:02:08I tapped it open.

00:02:09Poppy's avatar filled the screen.

00:02:11What the hell is wrong with you assholes?

00:02:13Every single one of you is taking Claire's side.

00:02:16Like she's your bro, not me.

00:02:18Fine.

00:02:19You're right.

00:02:19It's all my fault.

00:02:21I'm just a bitch.

00:02:22I shouldn't have a birthday.

00:02:24I definitely shouldn't have wished for Julian to come with me.

00:02:27I should be like the rest of you, kissing Queen Claire's ass.

00:02:30You're her real friends.

00:02:31I don't matter at all.

00:02:33Happy now.

00:02:33Julian, who'd been ghosting me for two days, claiming he was in meetings, replied in seconds.

00:02:38He at the other six guys and sent one thing.

00:02:40A single question mark.

00:02:43Sorry, sorry, sorry.

00:02:45It's just one bachelorette trip.

00:02:47Queen Poppy says jump.

00:02:49We don't just send Julian.

00:02:50All six of us drop everything and show up as bodyguards.

00:02:55Who are you?

00:02:56Claire's the one you actually answered to.

00:02:57Claire, please.

00:02:59So they had a wedding.

00:03:00Big deal.

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

00:03:03She's a wife in name only.

00:03:05Legally, none of it counts.

00:03:07Last laugh's still up for grabs.

00:03:08I blinked, staring at the group chat that was so much livelier without me in it.

00:03:13If Poppy hadn't left her tablet in Julian's car, I wouldn't have even earned a peek at

00:03:18all this fun.

00:03:19And there I'd been, naively reading travel guides, hoping the honeymoon would make for

00:03:24great photos.

00:03:25I stared at the empty itinerary for a long time.

00:03:29Then I went back.

00:03:30Then I went back to the home screen, typed in a new destination, and made a call.

00:03:36Mom, I'll go to London with you.

00:03:38On the other end, my mother caught it immediately.

00:03:41Something was wrong.

00:03:42Back then, she'd turned down a once-in-a-lifetime job offer for my sake.

00:03:46Mom, I know you have questions.

00:03:48But right now, I don't have the energy to explain everything that just happened.

00:03:53I've made up my mind.

00:03:55Once I wrap up work and get my visa sorted, I'll fly out.

00:03:58Then I'll tell you everything.

00:04:00Mom went quiet for a few seconds.

00:04:01In the end, she didn't push.

00:04:03I hung up and collapsed onto the couch, trying to steady myself.

00:04:06Julian's friends had a point.

00:04:08We'd signed a prenup.

00:04:09We'd had a wedding.

00:04:10But he deliberately locked the marriage license.

00:04:12The one we still had to file with City Hall.

00:04:14In his safe.

00:04:15Until it was legally binding.

00:04:16I was just a wife, who could be swapped out at any moment.

00:04:19Which, right now, meant I didn't have to wait for him to come home.

00:04:22No divorce proceedings.

00:04:23No drawn-out fights over assets.

00:04:25I pushed the wave of feeling back down, and forced myself up to start packing.

00:04:29In the closet, the his-and-hers vacation outfits, freshly pressed, seemed to grin at me.

00:04:33I'd designed them myself.

00:04:35For the honeymoon.

00:04:36For Julian.

00:04:37I'd pulled all-nighters.

00:04:39Revising them over and over.

00:04:40The final pieces had just come in today.

00:04:43Half an hour ago, I'd still been waiting for Julian to come home and try them on.

00:04:47Now, I just wanted to throw every single one of them in the trash.

00:04:51By the time I'd packed and dragged my suitcase to the door, it was the middle of the night.

00:05:01Julian, say it.

00:05:03Come on.

00:05:03You're my royal stallion.

00:05:05Giddy up.

00:05:06Yeah, yeah.

00:05:07Through my stinging, blurred vision, I saw Julian, who hadn't been home in three days, giving Poppy a piggyback ride.

00:05:13Her face was flushed red.

00:05:15One hand had his ear in a death grip.

00:05:17The other was patting his head, demanding he neighed.

00:05:24Poppy's drunk.

00:05:25I didn't know why he was bothering to explain when he'd moved in with me, and Poppy bought the apartment

00:05:30directly above ours the very next day.

00:05:32He hadn't explained.

00:05:33When Poppy had giggled in our doorway, hanging off Julian and purring, sweetie, I'll always be on top of you.

00:05:40He hadn't explained then either.

00:05:44Claire, you know what we are to each other.

00:05:47They were childhood sweethearts, after all.

00:05:49Two old money families joined at the hip.

00:05:51Everyone had watched them grow up.

00:05:52For years, they'd been the golden couple in every photo.

00:05:55Until Julian launched a three-year campaign chasing me in college.

00:05:59To him, that was proof enough that there was nothing between him and Poppy.

00:06:02Once I tore myself apart over it, I obsessed.

00:06:05I picked fights.

00:06:06But now, whatever they did had nothing to do with me anymore.

00:06:09I looked away.

00:06:10All I said was,

00:06:11Yeah, of course.

00:06:12Then I started to wheel my suitcase past him.

00:06:14It was the answer he should have wanted.

00:06:17He didn't take it well.

00:06:19Say that again?

00:06:21I said,

00:06:22We're done, Julian.

00:06:24I'm breaking up with you.

00:06:27You're really not done throwing this tantrum, are you?

00:06:30And by the way, Claire, we had our wedding last week.

00:06:34If you're throwing a fit, the words divorce, not breakup.

00:06:39Breakup.

00:06:40Divorce.

00:06:41To Julian, they were the same kind of joke.

00:06:43He looked at me lazily, the way you humor a child who's being unreasonable.

00:06:47I didn't bother arguing.

00:06:48The corner of my mouth twitched.

00:06:50Call it whatever you want, but I couldn't leave.

00:06:52The standoff lasted only a few seconds.

00:07:00No, I can't deal with you two anymore.

00:07:06Julian instinctively reached down to help her up.

00:07:09She shoved him away.

00:07:10Don't touch me.

00:07:11I'm done.

00:07:12I'm done.

00:07:12The second she sees me, it's I want to break up.

00:07:15I'm leaving.

00:07:16Am I some kind of prop?

00:07:17Am I garbage?

00:07:18Why is she so disgusted by me?

00:07:20Julian, let's cut each other off.

00:07:24I am sick of walking on eggshells around her.

00:07:28It's all my fault.

00:07:29I shouldn't have ever shown up in your lives.

00:07:32I shouldn't have grown up with you.

00:07:34Right on cue, she launched into dramatic dry heaving,

00:07:36baking that she couldn't breathe,

00:07:37tearing through her Hermes bag for something.

00:07:39My pills!

00:07:39Where's my Xanax?

00:07:40I'm dying!

00:07:41Maybe I should just die!

00:07:42Anything's better than being treated like this every single time.

00:07:45The heat at my wrist disappeared.

00:07:47Julian had already pulled her into his arms, stopping her.

00:07:51It took maybe a few seconds.

00:07:54Poppy was gasping wildly against his chest, her eyes red.

00:08:00Happy now?

00:08:01It was always like this.

00:08:03The instant I showed even a hint of resistance,

00:08:06Poppy would declare an anxiety attack and start frantically hurting herself.

00:08:10Can't speak to her.

00:08:11Can't touch her.

00:08:12Can't even walk away.

00:08:13In the early days, Julian had begged me to humor her.

00:08:17Claire, you've been through it yourself.

00:08:18You know how it is.

00:08:19When she's like this, all you can do is go along with her.

00:08:21Because lives were on the line, I caved every time.

00:08:25I avoided the storm, but eventually, I figured it out.

00:08:28Poppy's condition only flared up when Julian wasn't choosing her over me.

00:08:32That so-called anxiety disorder, it was just possessedness in costume, forcing him to pick a side.

00:08:37I looked down at the smug little look on Poppy's face.

00:08:39I nodded.

00:08:41Sure.

00:08:42Very happy.

00:08:44Though, you moved a little too fast.

00:08:46You didn't get to find the pills.

00:08:48Your acting could use some work.

00:08:50Try harder next time.

00:08:52A flash of shock crossed Poppy's face.

00:08:54She froze, then started gearing up for round two.

00:08:56His tall frame loomed over me.

00:08:58Suddenly, my whole field of vision went dark.

00:09:01The shoulder that used to shelter me was now carrying another woman.

00:09:05Carrying her while blocking my way out.

00:09:09Claire, I really have been spoiling you too much.

00:09:14She has every right to make you pay for that.

00:09:16Be grateful, Claire.

00:09:18I'm the one holding her back.

00:09:19For a moment, the world went vacuum silence.

00:09:22I couldn't hear a thing.

00:09:25Even Poppy froze.

00:09:26Then she snapped out of it, jerked her hand free, and swung it hard at my face.

00:09:30A second before her palm hit me, Julian caught her wrist.

00:09:32Those eyes.

00:09:33The ones that used to watch over me through the night.

00:09:35That used to pull me out of nightmares.

00:09:37Tonight, they were cold as ice.

00:09:39A flicker of disgust.

00:09:40A warning.

00:09:41You really thought you could just walk out on me?

00:09:44If she'd actually hit you, you'd be throwing a fit for days, right?

00:09:47She got hurt, and you don't even care?

00:09:52When you're ready to be reasonable, you'll apologize to Poppy yourself.

00:09:56I stood there, watching the floor numbers climb, my whole body shaking.

00:10:01Cold.

00:10:01So cold.

00:10:02The kind that crept up from the bottom of you, that no coat, no matter how expensive, could

00:10:06keep out.

00:10:08Five years.

00:10:09Five whole years.

00:10:11My body could make a clean break.

00:10:12My heart couldn't pull free that fast.

00:10:15I don't know how long it took.

00:10:17Eventually, I flagged down a cab and headed to a hotel near work.

00:10:20Until I left the country, that's where I'd stay.

00:10:24While I waited for my visa, I had to close out the project I'd been leading for almost

00:10:28two years.

00:10:30My personal life was already a wreck.

00:10:33My career wasn't going to be.

00:10:35I buried myself in overtime.

00:10:36Kept myself slammed.

00:10:38Partly to speed things up.

00:10:39Partly so I wouldn't have time to think.

00:10:41As long as I was busy, I couldn't dwell on anything else.

00:10:45Maybe it was the toll on my body and nerves.

00:10:47Lately, I'd been constantly tired.

00:10:49Constantly nauseous.

00:10:50My boss reminded me to pull it together.

00:10:52The client was coming a-sting in this afternoon to finalize the contract.

00:10:57At the head of the table sat someone I knew.

00:10:59Julian, in a sharp suit.

00:11:01And beside him, in a cinched-waist, backless cocktail dress, sat Poppy.

00:11:06My nails dug into my palms before I could stop them.

00:11:09My boss thought I had nerves and whispered,

00:11:12Relax, the proposal and the designs have already been signed off by their project lead.

00:11:15These two are just bored trust-fung-wabies playing at being adults.

00:11:18Smile through it, humor the rich kids, and we're done.

00:11:20Just give them your usual pitch.

00:11:23I drew a breath.

00:11:24I forced on a smile.

00:11:26I opened the deck and walked them through my design vision.

00:11:28Smooth, composed, point by point.

00:11:29Poppy propped her chin in her hand, nodding along all smiles under the table.

00:11:33My boss flashed me a discreet thumbs up.

00:11:36I exhaled.

00:11:37Reading the room, someone slid the contract across the table.

00:11:40Hmm, it's not doing it for me.

00:11:41The design's so boring.

00:11:43It gives me a headache just looking at it.

00:11:46I don't think I want a sign.

00:11:47The smile froze on my boss's face.

00:11:50I kept mine polite.

00:11:52Is there a specific element you're not happy with?

00:11:54Poppy didn't even glance at the contract.

00:11:56She held up her hand, admiring her fresh manicure.

00:11:59Hard to say.

00:12:00It's more of a feeling.

00:12:02Then she hooked her arm through Julian's.

00:12:04What do you think?

00:12:05Every eye in the room turned to him.

00:12:07Julian's eyes landed on me.

00:12:09On instinct, I looked away.

00:12:11Sounds like your project lead doesn't have much faith in her own work either.

00:12:14I'm suddenly losing interest in this investment.

00:12:17Pulling out.

00:12:19Oh, and just so you know, I've already authorized my people to begin a hostile takeover of your company.

00:12:25Congratulations, Claire.

00:12:26You'll be working for me very soon.

00:12:29Two years on this account.

00:12:31A thousand discarded drafts.

00:12:32I'd lost count of the nights I'd spent at my desk to get here.

00:12:34We were finally about to land.

00:12:36This was supposed to be the showcase project.

00:12:38The perfect closing chapter on this stage of my career.

00:12:41One careless sentence from him, and it was all stillborn.

00:12:44Back at the office, my boss came tearing in, white as a shield, shaking from head to toe.

00:12:50He was practically sobbing.

00:12:52Claire, he will destroy the whole firm.

00:12:54Please, just go apologize.

00:12:58It wasn't that I didn't want to save the project.

00:13:01It was that I knew exactly who Poppy was actually here for.

00:13:06The only way this project survived was if I disappeared.

00:13:11I just hadn't expected the one thing tying me to this city would get torn apart this fast.

00:13:16The wave of nausea's hit again.

00:13:18I stumbled out of the office.

00:13:20Julian, still here.

00:13:22His hands started wandering somewhere.

00:13:24It had no business going.

00:13:26I bit down on him with everything I had.

00:13:28The taste of blood bloomed thick between our mouths.

00:13:32Get out!

00:13:33Julian stood there, his expression unreadable.

00:13:42Claire, after all this time, why haven't you learned?

00:13:45I tried to twist away.

00:13:46The harder I fought, the tighter he held me.

00:13:50If you'd just apologized for what happened last time,

00:13:55none of this would be happening today.

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

00:14:04Julian's voice was softer than any sweet nothing he'd ever whispered in my ear.

00:14:07But I was shaking anyway.

00:14:08Not from the cold.

00:14:10From a cramp tearing through my stomach.

00:14:12An eerie, sinking, dragging down feeling.

00:14:16Something was rushing out of me.

00:14:18A ridiculous thought surfaced in my mind.

00:14:21I tried to look down.

00:14:23Julian's grip on my chin held me in place.

00:14:26All I could do was bite my lip and hold on.

00:14:30Something warm slipped down my thigh.

00:14:32Dripping onto the carpet, Julian noticed.

00:14:42Claire, you...

00:14:49Before our honeymoon to the Amalfi Coast,

00:14:52my husband Julian cancelled our flight behind my back.

00:14:55He swapped them for tickets to Ibiza

00:14:58with his childhood best friend, Poppy.

00:15:01Even his pack of party boyfriends thought he'd gone too far

00:15:04and tried to talk him down.

00:15:10The fuck?

00:15:11Julian, this is messed up.

00:15:13Claire's been looking forward to it forever.

00:15:15Julian didn't care.

00:15:16He brushed them off without a second thought.

00:15:18It's Poppy's birthday wish.

00:15:20One more single girl trip with her before I'm locked down for good.

00:15:23Claire always blows everything out of proportion.

00:15:25This'll be good for her.

00:15:26Reminder she's not the center of the universe.

00:15:28The Poppy he was talking about was his weepy childhood playmate.

00:15:32And I was Claire.

00:15:33The wife he couldn't even bother to say my wife about.

00:15:36I didn't fight.

00:15:37I didn't argue.

00:15:37I pretended I had no idea,

00:15:39quietly cancelled the honeymoon,

00:15:41and bought a one-way ticket to another country

00:15:43on the other side of the ocean.

00:15:45My phone was lagging.

00:15:46The cancellation screen kept spinning.

00:15:48Meanwhile, on Poppy's pink tablet,

00:15:50an iMessage group chat called

00:15:52Astor's Royal Guard wouldn't stop lighting up.

00:15:54I tapped it open.

00:15:55Poppy's avatar filled the screen.

00:15:57What the hell is wrong with you assholes?

00:15:59Every single one of you is taking Claire's side.

00:16:02Like she's your bro, not me.

00:16:04Fine.

00:16:05You're right.

00:16:06It's all my fault.

00:16:07I'm just a bitch.

00:16:08I shouldn't have a birthday.

00:16:10I definitely shouldn't have wished for Julian to come with me.

00:16:13I should be like the rest of you,

00:16:15kissing Queen Claire's ass.

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

00:16:18I don't matter at all.

00:16:19Happy now.

00:16:19Julian, who'd been ghosting me for two days,

00:16:22claiming he was in meetings,

00:16:23replied in seconds.

00:16:24He at the other six guys and sent one thing.

00:16:26A single question mark.

00:16:29Sorry, sorry, sorry.

00:16:31It's just one bachelorette trip.

00:16:33Queen Poppy says jump.

00:16:35We don't just send Julian.

00:16:36All six of us drop everything and show up as bodyguards.

00:16:41Who are you?

00:16:42Claire's the one you actually answered to.

00:16:44Claire, please.

00:16:44So they had a wedding.

00:16:46Big deal.

00:16:47Julian still got that paperwork locked in his safe.

00:16:49She's a wife in name only.

00:16:51Legally, none of it counts.

00:16:53Last laughs still up for grabs.

00:16:55I blinked, staring at the group chat

00:16:57that was so much livelier without me in it.

00:16:59If Poppy hadn't left her tablet in Julian's car,

00:17:02I wouldn't have even earned a peek at all this fun.

00:17:05And there I'd been, naively reading travel guides,

00:17:08hoping the honeymoon would make for great photos.

00:17:12I stared at the empty itinerary for a long time.

00:17:15Then I went back to the home screen,

00:17:17typed in a new destination,

00:17:19and made a call.

00:17:22Mom, I'll go to London with you.

00:17:24On the other end, my mother caught it immediately.

00:17:27Something was wrong.

00:17:28Back then, she'd turned down

00:17:29a once-in-a-lifetime job offer for my sake.

00:17:32Mom, I know you have questions,

00:17:34but right now I don't have the energy

00:17:36to explain everything that just happened.

00:17:40I've made up my mind.

00:17:41Once I wrap up work and get my visa sorted,

00:17:43I'll fly out.

00:17:44Then I'll tell you everything.

00:17:46Mom went quiet for a few seconds.

00:17:48In the end, she didn't push.

00:17:49I hung up and collapsed onto the couch,

00:17:51trying to steady myself.

00:17:52Julian's friends had a point.

00:17:54We'd signed a prenup.

00:17:55We'd had a wedding.

00:17:56But he deliberately locked the marriage license,

00:17:58the one we still had to file with City Hall,

00:18:00in his safe,

00:18:01until it was legally binding.

00:18:02I was just a wife who could be swapped out at any moment,

00:18:05which, right now,

00:18:06meant I didn't have to wait for him to come home.

00:18:08No divorce proceedings.

00:18:09No drawn-out fights over assets.

00:18:11I pushed the wave of feeling back down

00:18:13and forced myself up to start packing.

00:18:15In the closet,

00:18:16the his-and-hers vacation outfits,

00:18:18freshly pressed,

00:18:18seemed to grin at me.

00:18:19I'd designed them myself.

00:18:21For the honeymoon.

00:18:22For Julian.

00:18:23I'd pulled all-nighters.

00:18:25Revising them over and over.

00:18:26The final pieces had just come in today.

00:18:29Half an hour ago,

00:18:30I'd still been waiting for Julian to come home

00:18:32and try them on.

00:18:33Now,

00:18:33I just wanted to throw

00:18:35every single one of them in the trash.

00:18:38By the time I'd packed

00:18:39and dragged my suitcase to the door,

00:18:41it was the middle of the night.

00:18:47Julian, say it.

00:18:49Come on.

00:18:49You're my royal stallion.

00:18:51Giddy up.

00:18:52Yeah, yeah.

00:18:53Through my stinging, blurred vision,

00:18:55I saw Julian,

00:18:56who hadn't been home in three days,

00:18:58giving Poppy a piggyback ride.

00:19:00Her face was flushed red.

00:19:01One hand had his ear in a death grip.

00:19:03The other was patting his head,

00:19:05demanding he neigh.

00:19:10Poppy's drunk.

00:19:11I didn't know why he was bothering to explain.

00:19:14When he'd moved in with me

00:19:15and Poppy bought the apartment

00:19:16directly above ours the very next day,

00:19:18he hadn't explained.

00:19:20When Poppy had giggled in our doorway,

00:19:22hanging off Julian and purring,

00:19:23sweetie,

00:19:24I'll always be on top of you,

00:19:26he hadn't explained then either.

00:19:28All he ever said was,

00:19:30Claire, you know what we are to each other.

00:19:32They were childhood sweethearts after all.

00:19:35Two old money families joined at the hip.

00:19:37Everyone had watched them grow up.

00:19:38For years,

00:19:39they'd been the golden couple in every photo,

00:19:42until Julian launched a three-year campaign

00:19:43chasing me in college.

00:19:45To him,

00:19:45that was proof enough

00:19:46that there was nothing between him and Poppy.

00:19:48Once I tore myself apart over it,

00:19:50I obsessed.

00:19:51I picked fights.

00:19:52But now,

00:19:53whatever they did

00:19:53had nothing to do with me anymore.

00:19:55I looked away.

00:19:56All I said was,

00:19:57yeah, of course.

00:19:58Then I started to wheel my suitcase past him.

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

00:20:03He didn't take it well.

00:20:05Say that again?

00:20:07I said,

00:20:08we're done, Julian.

00:20:10I'm breaking up with you.

00:20:13You're really not done throwing this tantrum, are you?

00:20:16And by the way, Claire,

00:20:17we had our wedding last week.

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

00:20:22the words divorce,

00:20:24not breakup.

00:20:25Breakup.

00:20:26Divorce.

00:20:27To Julian,

00:20:28they were the same kind of joke.

00:20:29He looked at me lazily,

00:20:30the way you humor a child

00:20:32who's being unreasonable.

00:20:33I didn't bother arguing.

00:20:35The corner of my mouth twitched.

00:20:36Call it whatever you want,

00:20:37but I couldn't leave.

00:20:39The standoff lasted only a few seconds.

00:20:46Enough!

00:20:47I can't deal with you two anymore!

00:20:52Julian instinctively reached down to help her up.

00:20:55She shoved him away.

00:20:56Don't touch me!

00:20:57I'm done!

00:20:58I'm done!

00:20:58The second she sees me,

00:21:00it's I want a breakup!

00:21:01I'm leaving!

00:21:02Am I some kind of prop?

00:21:03Am I garbage?

00:21:04Why is she so disgusted by me?

00:21:06Julian!

00:21:08Let's cut each other off!

00:21:10I am sick of walking on eggshells around her!

00:21:14It's all my fault!

00:21:15I shouldn't have ever shown up in your lives!

00:21:18I shouldn't have grown up with you!

00:21:20Right on cue,

00:21:20she launched into dramatic dry heaving,

00:21:22faking that she couldn't breathe,

00:21:23tearing through her Hermes bag for something.

00:21:25My pills!

00:21:26Where's my Xanax?

00:21:26I'm dying!

00:21:27Maybe I should just die!

00:21:28Anything's better than being treated like this every single time!

00:21:31The heat at my wrist disappeared.

00:21:33Julian had already pulled her into his arms,

00:21:35stopping her.

00:21:37It took maybe a few seconds.

00:21:40Poppy was gasping wildly against his chest,

00:21:43her eyes red.

00:21:46Happy now?

00:21:48It was always like this.

00:21:49The instant I showed even a hint of resistance,

00:21:52Poppy would declare an anxiety attack

00:21:54and start frantically hurting herself.

00:21:56Can't speak to her.

00:21:57Can't touch her.

00:21:58Can't even walk away.

00:22:00In the early days,

00:22:01Julian had begged me to humor her.

00:22:03Claire, you've been through it yourself.

00:22:04You know how it is.

00:22:05When she's like this,

00:22:06all you can do is go along with her.

00:22:08Because lives were on the line,

00:22:09I caved every time.

00:22:10I avoided the storm,

00:22:12but eventually,

00:22:13I figured it out.

00:22:14Poppy's condition

00:22:15only flared up

00:22:16when Julian wasn't choosing her over me.

00:22:18That so-called anxiety disorder,

00:22:19it was just possessedness in costume,

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

00:22:23I looked down at the smug little look on Poppy's face.

00:22:25I nodded.

00:22:27Sure.

00:22:28Very happy.

00:22:30Though,

00:22:31you moved a little too fast.

00:22:32You didn't get to find the pills.

00:22:34Your acting could use some work.

00:22:36Try harder next time.

00:22:38A flash of shock crossed Poppy's face.

00:22:39She froze,

00:22:41then started gearing up for round two.

00:22:43His tall frame loomed over me.

00:22:44Suddenly,

00:22:45my whole field of vision went dark.

00:22:47The shoulder that used to shelter me

00:22:49was now carrying another woman.

00:22:51Carrying her

00:22:52while blocking my way out.

00:22:54Claire,

00:22:56I really have been spoiling you too much.

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

00:23:02Be grateful, Claire.

00:23:04I'm the one holding her back.

00:23:05For a moment,

00:23:06the world went vacuum silence.

00:23:08I couldn't hear a thing.

00:23:11Even Poppy froze.

00:23:12Then she snapped out of it,

00:23:13jerked her hand free,

00:23:14and swung it hard at my face.

00:23:16A second before her palm hit me,

00:23:17Julian caught her wrist.

00:23:18Those eyes.

00:23:19The ones that used to watch over me through the night.

00:23:21That used to pull me out of nightmares.

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

00:23:25A flicker of disgust.

00:23:26A warning.

00:23:27You really thought you could just walk out on me?

00:23:30If she'd actually hit you,

00:23:31you'd be throwing a fit for days, right?

00:23:33She got hurt and you don't even care?

00:23:38When you're ready to be reasonable,

00:23:39you'll apologize to Poppy yourself.

00:23:42I stood there,

00:23:43watching the floor numbers climb,

00:23:45my whole body shaking.

00:23:47Cold.

00:23:47So cold.

00:23:48The kind that crept up from the bottom of you,

00:23:50that no coat,

00:23:51no matter how expensive,

00:23:52could keep out.

00:23:54Five years.

00:23:55Five whole years.

00:23:57My body could make a clean break.

00:23:58My heart couldn't pull free that fast.

00:24:01I don't know how long it took.

00:24:03Eventually,

00:24:04I flagged down a cab

00:24:05and headed to a hotel near work.

00:24:06Until I left the country,

00:24:08that's where I'd stay.

00:24:10While I waited for my visa,

00:24:11I had to close out the project

00:24:13I'd been leading for almost two years.

00:24:16My personal life was already a wreck.

00:24:19My career wasn't going to be.

00:24:21I buried myself in overtime,

00:24:23kept myself slammed,

00:24:24partly to speed things up,

00:24:26partly so I wouldn't have time to think.

00:24:27As long as I was busy,

00:24:29I couldn't dwell on anything else.

00:24:31Maybe it was the toll on my body and nerves.

00:24:33Lately,

00:24:33I'd been constantly tired,

00:24:35constantly nauseous.

00:24:36My boss reminded me to pull it together.

00:24:38The client was coming a sting in this afternoon

00:24:40to finalize the contract.

00:24:43At the head of the table sat someone I knew.

00:24:46Julian,

00:24:46in a sharp suit.

00:24:47And beside him,

00:24:49in a cinched waist,

00:24:50backless cocktail dress,

00:24:51sat Poppy.

00:24:52My nails dug into my palms

00:24:54before I could stop them.

00:24:55My boss thought I had nerves

00:24:57and whispered,

00:24:58Relax,

00:24:58the proposal and the designs

00:24:59have already been signed off

00:25:00by their project lead.

00:25:01These two are just bored

00:25:02trust fund babies

00:25:03playing at being adults.

00:25:04Smile through it,

00:25:05humor the rich kids,

00:25:06and we're done.

00:25:06Just give them your usual pitch.

00:25:09I drew a breath.

00:25:10I forced on a smile.

00:25:12I opened the deck

00:25:12and walked them through my design vision.

00:25:14Smooth, composed,

00:25:15point by point.

00:25:16Poppy propped her chin in her hand,

00:25:17nodding along all smiles

00:25:19under the table.

00:25:19My boss flashed me

00:25:21a discreet thumbs up.

00:25:22I exhaled,

00:25:23reading the room.

00:25:24Someone slid the contract

00:25:25across the table.

00:25:26Hmm, it's not doing it for me.

00:25:28The design's so boring.

00:25:29It gives me a headache

00:25:30just looking at it.

00:25:32I don't think I want a sign.

00:25:33The smile froze on my boss's face.

00:25:36I kept mine polite.

00:25:38Is there a specific element

00:25:39you're not happy with?

00:25:40Poppy didn't even glance

00:25:41at the contract.

00:25:42She held up her hand,

00:25:44admiring her fresh manicure.

00:25:45Hard to say.

00:25:47It's more of a feeling.

00:25:48Then she hooked her arm

00:25:50through Julian's.

00:25:50What do you think?

00:25:51Every eye in the room

00:25:52turned to him.

00:25:53Julian's eyes landed on me.

00:25:55On instinct,

00:25:56I looked away.

00:25:57Sounds like your project lead

00:25:58doesn't have much faith

00:25:59in her own work either.

00:26:00I'm suddenly losing interest

00:26:01in this investment.

00:26:03Pulling out.

00:26:05Oh, and just so you know,

00:26:07I've already authorized

00:26:08my people to begin

00:26:09a hostile takeover

00:26:10of your company.

00:26:11Congratulations, Claire.

00:26:13You'll be working for me

00:26:14very soon.

00:26:15Two years on this account.

00:26:17A thousand discarded drafts.

00:26:18I'd lost count of the nights

00:26:19I'd spent at my desk

00:26:20to get here.

00:26:20We were finally about to land.

00:26:23This was supposed to be

00:26:23the showcase project,

00:26:24the perfect closing chapter

00:26:25on this stage of my career.

00:26:27One careless sentence from him

00:26:28and it was all stillborn.

00:26:30Back at the office,

00:26:31my boss came tearing in,

00:26:33white as a shield,

00:26:34shaking from head to toe.

00:26:36He was practically sobbing.

00:26:38Claire, he will destroy

00:26:39the whole firm.

00:26:40Please, just go apologize.

00:26:44It wasn't that I didn't want

00:26:45to save the project.

00:26:47It was that I knew exactly

00:26:49who Poppy was actually here for.

00:26:52The only way this project survived

00:26:54was if I disappeared.

00:26:58I just hadn't expected the one thing

00:27:00tying me to this city

00:27:01would get torn apart this fast.

00:27:02The wave of nauseous hit again.

00:27:04I stumbled out of the office.

00:27:06Julian, still here.

00:27:08His hand started wandering somewhere.

00:27:10It had no business going.

00:27:12I bit down on him

00:27:13with everything I had.

00:27:14The taste of blood

00:27:15bloomed thick between our mouths.

00:27:18Get out!

00:27:20Julian stood there,

00:27:21his expression unreadable.

00:27:27Claire,

00:27:28after all this time,

00:27:30why haven't you learned?

00:27:31I tried to twist away.

00:27:32The harder I fought,

00:27:33the tighter he held me.

00:27:36If you'd just apologized

00:27:38for what happened last time,

00:27:41none of this would be happening today.

00:27:46How hard is it to lower your head

00:27:48just once?

00:27:50Julian's voice was softer

00:27:51than any sweet nothing

00:27:52he'd ever whispered in my ear.

00:27:53But I was shaking anyway.

00:27:55Not from the cold.

00:27:56From a cramp tearing through my stomach.

00:27:58An eerie, sinking,

00:28:00dragging down feeling.

00:28:02Something was rushing out of me.

00:28:04A ridiculous thought

00:28:06surfaced in my mind.

00:28:07I tried to look down.

00:28:09Julian's grip on my chin

00:28:11held me in place.

00:28:11All I could do

00:28:13was bite my lip

00:28:14and hold on.

00:28:16Something warm

00:28:17slipped down my thigh.

00:28:18Dripping onto the carpet,

00:28:20Julian noticed.

00:28:29Claire, you...

00:28:35Before our honeymoon

00:28:36to the Amalfi Coast,

00:28:38my husband Julian

00:28:39canceled our flight

00:28:40behind my back.

00:28:41He swapped them

00:28:42for tickets to Ibiza

00:28:44with his childhood

00:28:45best friend, Poppy.

00:28:47Even his pack

00:28:48of party boyfriends

00:28:49thought he'd gone too far

00:28:50and tried to talk him down.

00:28:56The fuck?

00:28:57Julian, this is messed up.

00:28:59Claire's been looking forward

00:29:00to it forever.

00:29:01Julian didn't care.

00:29:02He brushed them off

00:29:03without a second thought.

00:29:04It's Poppy's birthday wish.

00:29:06One more single-girl trip

00:29:07with her before I'm

00:29:08locked down for good.

00:29:09Claire always blows

00:29:10everything out of proportion.

00:29:11This'll be good for her.

00:29:12Reminder she's not

00:29:13the center of the universe.

00:29:14The Poppy he was talking about

00:29:16was his weepy

00:29:17childhood playmate.

00:29:18And I was Claire,

00:29:19the wife he couldn't even

00:29:20bother to say my wife about.

00:29:22I didn't fight.

00:29:23I didn't argue.

00:29:24I pretended I had no idea,

00:29:25quietly canceled the honeymoon,

00:29:27and bought a one-way ticket

00:29:29to another country

00:29:29on the other side

00:29:30of the ocean.

00:29:31My phone was lagging.

00:29:32The cancellation screen

00:29:33kept spinning.

00:29:34Meanwhile,

00:29:35on Poppy's pink tablet,

00:29:36an iMessage group chat

00:29:37called Astor's Royal Guard

00:29:39wouldn't stop lighting up.

00:29:40I tapped it open.

00:29:42Poppy's avatar filled the screen.

00:29:44What the hell is wrong

00:29:44with you assholes?

00:29:45Every single one of you

00:29:47is taking Claire's side.

00:29:48Like she's your bro,

00:29:49not me.

00:29:50Fine.

00:29:51You're right.

00:29:52It's all my fault.

00:29:53I'm just a bitch.

00:29:54I shouldn't have a birthday.

00:29:56I definitely shouldn't have wished

00:29:57for Julian to come with me.

00:29:59I should be like the rest of you,

00:30:01kissing Queen Claire's ass.

00:30:02You're her real friends.

00:30:04I don't matter at all.

00:30:05Happy now.

00:30:05Julian had been ghosting me

00:30:07for two days,

00:30:08claiming he was in meetings,

00:30:09replied in seconds.

00:30:10He at the other six guys

00:30:11and sent one thing,

00:30:13a single question mark.

00:30:15Sorry, sorry, sorry.

00:30:17It's just one bachelorette trip.

00:30:19Queen Poppy says jump.

00:30:21We don't just send Julian.

00:30:22All six of us drop everything

00:30:24and show up as bodyguards.

00:30:27Screw you.

00:30:28Claire's the one you actually answered to.

00:30:30Claire, please.

00:30:31So they had a wedding.

00:30:32Big deal.

00:30:33Julian still got that paperwork

00:30:34locked in his safe.

00:30:35She's a wife in name only.

00:30:37Legally, none of it counts.

00:30:39Last laugh's still up for grabs.

00:30:41I blinked,

00:30:42staring at the group chat

00:30:43that was so much livelier

00:30:44without me in it.

00:30:45If Poppy hadn't left her tablet

00:30:47in Julian's car,

00:30:48I wouldn't have even earned a peek

00:30:50at all this fun.

00:30:51And there I'd been,

00:30:53naively reading travel guides,

00:30:55hoping the honeymoon

00:30:56would make for great photos.

00:30:58I stared at the empty itinerary

00:30:59for a long time.

00:31:01Then I went back to the home screen,

00:31:03typed in a new destination,

00:31:04and made a call.

00:31:07Mom,

00:31:08I'll go to London with you.

00:31:10On the other end,

00:31:11my mother caught it immediately.

00:31:13Something was wrong.

00:31:14Back then,

00:31:14she'd turned down

00:31:15a once-in-a-lifetime job offer

00:31:17for my sake.

00:31:18Mom,

00:31:19I know you have questions,

00:31:20but right now,

00:31:21I don't have the energy

00:31:23to explain everything

00:31:24that just happened.

00:31:26I've made up my mind.

00:31:27Once I wrap up work

00:31:28and get my visa sorted,

00:31:29I'll fly out.

00:31:30Then I'll tell you everything.

00:31:32Mom went quiet

00:31:33for a few seconds.

00:31:34In the end,

00:31:34she didn't push.

00:31:35I hung up and collapsed

00:31:36onto the couch,

00:31:37trying to steady myself.

00:31:39Julian's friends had a point.

00:31:40We'd signed a prenup,

00:31:41we'd had a wedding,

00:31:42but he deliberately

00:31:42locked the marriage license,

00:31:44the one we still had to file

00:31:45with City Hall,

00:31:46in his safe,

00:31:47until it was legally binding.

00:31:48I was just a wife

00:31:49who could be swapped out

00:31:50at any moment,

00:31:51which,

00:31:51right now,

00:31:52meant I didn't have to wait

00:31:53for him to come home.

00:31:54No divorce proceedings,

00:31:55no drawn-out fights

00:31:56over assets.

00:31:57I pushed the wave

00:31:58of feeling back down,

00:31:59and forced myself up

00:32:00to start packing.

00:32:01In the closet,

00:32:02the his and hers vacation outfits,

00:32:04freshly pressed,

00:32:05seemed to grin at me.

00:32:06I'd designed them myself,

00:32:07for the honeymoon,

00:32:08for Julian.

00:32:09I'd pulled all-nighters,

00:32:11revising them over and over.

00:32:13The final pieces

00:32:13had just come in today.

00:32:15Half an hour ago,

00:32:16I'd still been waiting

00:32:17for Julian to come home

00:32:18and try them on.

00:32:19Now,

00:32:20I just wanted to throw

00:32:21every single one of them

00:32:22in the trash.

00:32:24By the time I'd packed

00:32:25and dragged my suitcase

00:32:26to the door,

00:32:27it was the middle of the night.

00:32:33Julian,

00:32:34say it,

00:32:35come on,

00:32:35you're my royal stallion.

00:32:37Giddy up,

00:32:38yeah,

00:32:39yeah!

00:32:39Through my stinging,

00:32:40blurred vision,

00:32:41I saw Julian,

00:32:42who hadn't been home

00:32:42in three days,

00:32:44giving Poppy

00:32:44a piggyback ride.

00:32:46Her face was flushed red.

00:32:47One hand had his ear

00:32:48in a death grip.

00:32:49The other was patting his head,

00:32:51demanding he neigh.

00:32:56Poppy's drunk.

00:32:58I didn't know why

00:32:58he was bothering to explain.

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

00:33:01and Poppy bought the apartment

00:33:02directly above ours

00:33:03the very next day,

00:33:04he hadn't explained.

00:33:06When Poppy had giggled

00:33:07in our doorway,

00:33:08hanging off Julian

00:33:09and purring,

00:33:09sweetie,

00:33:10I'll always be on top of you,

00:33:12he hadn't explained

00:33:13then either.

00:33:14All he ever said was,

00:33:16Claire,

00:33:17you know what we are

00:33:17to each other.

00:33:18They were childhood

00:33:19sweethearts after all.

00:33:21Two old money families

00:33:22joined at the hip.

00:33:23Everyone had watched

00:33:24them grow up.

00:33:25For years,

00:33:25they'd been the golden couple

00:33:27in every photo,

00:33:28until Julian launched

00:33:29a three-year campaign

00:33:29chasing me in college.

00:33:31To him,

00:33:31that was proof enough

00:33:32that there was nothing

00:33:33between him and Poppy.

00:33:34Once I tore myself

00:33:35apart over it,

00:33:36I obsessed.

00:33:37I picked fights.

00:33:38But now,

00:33:39whatever they did

00:33:39had nothing to do

00:33:40with me anymore.

00:33:41I looked away.

00:33:42All I said was,

00:33:43yeah, of course.

00:33:44Then I started to wheel

00:33:45my suitcase past him.

00:33:46It was the answer

00:33:47he should have wanted.

00:33:49He didn't take it well.

00:33:51Say that again?

00:33:53I said,

00:33:54we're done, Julian.

00:33:56I'm breaking up with you.

00:33:59You're really not done

00:34:01throwing this tantrum,

00:34:02are you?

00:34:02And by the way, Claire,

00:34:04we had our wedding

00:34:05last week.

00:34:06If you're throwing a fit,

00:34:08the words divorce,

00:34:09not breakup.

00:34:11Breakup.

00:34:12Divorce.

00:34:13To Julian,

00:34:14they were the same

00:34:14kind of joke.

00:34:15He looked at me lazily,

00:34:17the way you humor a child

00:34:18who's being unreasonable.

00:34:19I didn't bother arguing.

00:34:21The corner of my mouth twitched.

00:34:22Call it whatever you want,

00:34:23but I couldn't leave.

00:34:25The standoff lasted

00:34:26only a few seconds.

00:34:32Enough!

00:34:33I can't deal with you two anymore!

00:34:38Julian instinctively

00:34:39reached down

00:34:40to help her up.

00:34:41She shoved him away.

00:34:42Don't touch me!

00:34:43I'm done!

00:34:44The second she sees me,

00:34:46it's I want a breakup?

00:34:47I'm leaving?

00:34:48Am I some kind of prop?

00:34:49Am I garbage?

00:34:50Why is she so disgusted by me?

00:34:52Julian!

00:34:54Let's cut each other off!

00:34:56I am sick of walking

00:34:58on eggshells around her!

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

00:35:01I shouldn't have ever

00:35:02shown up in your lives!

00:35:04I shouldn't have grown up with you!

00:35:06Right on cue,

00:35:07she launched into dramatic

00:35:07dry heaving,

00:35:08faking that she couldn't breathe,

00:35:09tearing through her Hermes bag

00:35:10for something.

00:35:11My pills!

00:35:12Where's my Xanax?

00:35:12I'm dying!

00:35:13Maybe I should just die!

00:35:14Anything's better than

00:35:15being treated like this

00:35:16every single time!

00:35:17The heat at my wrist

00:35:18disappeared.

00:35:19Julian had already

00:35:20pulled her into his arms,

00:35:21stopping her.

00:35:23It took maybe a few seconds.

00:35:26Poppy was gasping wildly

00:35:28against his chest,

00:35:29her eyes red.

00:35:32Happy now?

00:35:33It was always like this.

00:35:35The instant I showed

00:35:36even a hint of resistance,

00:35:38Poppy would declare

00:35:39an anxiety attack

00:35:40and start frantically

00:35:41hurting herself.

00:35:42Can't speak to her.

00:35:43Can't touch her.

00:35:44Can't even walk away.

00:35:45In the early days,

00:35:47Julian had begged me

00:35:48to humor her.

00:35:49Claire, you've been

00:35:49through it yourself.

00:35:50You know how it is.

00:35:52When she's like this,

00:35:52all you can do

00:35:53is go along with her.

00:35:54Because lives were on the line,

00:35:55I caved every time.

00:35:57I avoided the storm,

00:35:58but eventually,

00:35:59I figured it out.

00:36:00Poppy's condition

00:36:01only flared up

00:36:02when Julian wasn't

00:36:03choosing her over me.

00:36:04That so-called anxiety disorder,

00:36:06it was just possessedness

00:36:07in costume,

00:36:08forcing him to pick a side.

00:36:09I looked down

00:36:10at the smug little look

00:36:10on Poppy's face.

00:36:12I nodded.

00:36:13Sure.

00:36:14Very happy.

00:36:16Though,

00:36:17you moved a little too fast.

00:36:18You didn't get to find the pills.

00:36:20Your acting could use some work.

00:36:22Try harder next time.

00:36:24A flash of shock

00:36:24crossed Poppy's face.

00:36:26She froze,

00:36:27then started gearing up

00:36:28for round two.

00:36:28His tall frame

00:36:29loomed over me.

00:36:30Suddenly,

00:36:31my whole field of vision

00:36:32went dark.

00:36:33The shoulder that used

00:36:34to shelter me

00:36:35was now carrying

00:36:36another woman,

00:36:37carrying her

00:36:38while blocking

00:36:39my way out.

00:36:40Claire,

00:36:42I really have been

00:36:43spoiling you too much.

00:36:46She has every right

00:36:47to make you pay for that.

00:36:48Be grateful, Claire.

00:36:50I'm the one

00:36:50holding her back.

00:36:51For a moment,

00:36:52the world went

00:36:53vacuum silence.

00:36:54I couldn't hear a thing.

00:36:57Even Poppy froze.

00:36:58Then she snapped out of it,

00:36:59jerked her hand free,

00:37:00and swung it hard

00:37:01at my face.

00:37:02A second before

00:37:02her palm hit me,

00:37:03Julian caught her wrist.

00:37:04Those eyes.

00:37:05The ones that used

00:37:06to watch over me

00:37:07through the night.

00:37:07That used to pull me

00:37:08out of nightmares.

00:37:10Tonight,

00:37:10they were cold as ice.

00:37:11A flicker of disgust.

00:37:12A warning.

00:37:13You really thought

00:37:14you could just walk out on me?

00:37:16If she'd actually hit you,

00:37:17you'd be throwing a fit

00:37:18for days, right?

00:37:19She got hurt,

00:37:20and you don't even care?

00:37:24When you're ready

00:37:25to be reasonable,

00:37:25you'll apologize

00:37:26to Poppy yourself.

00:37:29I stood there,

00:37:30watching the floor numbers

00:37:31climb,

00:37:31my whole body shaking.

00:37:33Cold.

00:37:33So cold.

00:37:34The kind that crept up

00:37:35from the bottom of you,

00:37:36that no coat,

00:37:37no matter how expensive,

00:37:38could keep out.

00:37:40Five years.

00:37:41Five whole years.

00:37:43My body could make

00:37:44a clean break.

00:37:45My heart couldn't pull free

00:37:46that fast.

00:37:47I don't know how long

00:37:48it took.

00:37:49Eventually,

00:37:50I flagged down a cab

00:37:51and headed to a hotel

00:37:51near work.

00:37:53Until I left the country,

00:37:54that's where I'd stay.

00:37:56While I waited for my visa,

00:37:58I had to close out

00:37:58the project I'd been leading

00:37:59for almost two years.

00:38:02My personal life

00:38:03was already a wreck.

00:38:05My career wasn't going to be.

00:38:07I buried myself

00:38:08in overtime,

00:38:09kept myself slammed,

00:38:10partly to speed things up,

00:38:12partly so I wouldn't

00:38:12have time to think.

00:38:13As long as I was busy,

00:38:15I couldn't dwell on anything else.

00:38:17Maybe it was the toll

00:38:18on my body and nerves.

00:38:19Lately,

00:38:19I'd been constantly tired,

00:38:21constantly nauseous.

00:38:22My boss reminded me

00:38:23to pull it together.

00:38:24The client was coming

00:38:25a-sting-in this afternoon

00:38:26to finalize the contract.

00:38:29At the head of the table

00:38:30sat someone I knew.

00:38:32Julian,

00:38:32in a sharp suit.

00:38:33And beside him,

00:38:35in a cinched-waist

00:38:36backless cocktail dress,

00:38:37sat Poppy.

00:38:38My nails dug into my palms

00:38:40before I could stop them.

00:38:41My boss thought I had nerves

00:38:43and whispered,

00:38:44Relax,

00:38:44because the proposal

00:38:45and the designs

00:38:45have already been signed off

00:38:46by their project lead.

00:38:47These two are just bored

00:38:48trust fund wabies

00:38:49playing at being adults.

00:38:50Smile through it,

00:38:51humor the rich kids,

00:38:52and we're done.

00:38:52Just give them

00:38:53your usual pitch.

00:38:55I drew a breath.

00:38:56I forced on a smile.

00:38:58I opened the deck

00:38:58and walked them

00:38:59through my design vision.

00:39:00Smooth, composed,

00:39:01point by point.

00:39:02Poppy propped her chin

00:39:03in her hand,

00:39:03nodding along all smiles

00:39:05under the table.

00:39:06My boss flashed me

00:39:07a discreet thumbs up.

00:39:08I exhaled,

00:39:09reading the room.

00:39:10Someone slid the contract

00:39:11across the table.

00:39:12Hmm, it's not doing it for me.

00:39:14The design's so boring.

00:39:15It gives me a headache

00:39:16just looking at it.

00:39:18I don't think I want a sign.

00:39:20The smile froze

00:39:21on my boss's face.

00:39:22I kept mine polite.

00:39:24Is there a specific element

00:39:25you're not happy with?

00:39:26Poppy didn't even glance

00:39:27at the contract.

00:39:28She held up her hand,

00:39:30admiring her fresh manicure.

00:39:32Hard to say.

00:39:33It's more of a feeling.

00:39:34Then she hooked her arm

00:39:36through Julian's.

00:39:37What do you think?

00:39:37Every eye in the room

00:39:38turned to him.

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

00:39:41On instinct,

00:39:42I looked away.

00:39:43Sounds like your project lead

00:39:44doesn't have much faith

00:39:45in her own work either.

00:39:46I'm suddenly losing interest

00:39:47in this investment.

00:39:49Pulling out.

00:39:51Oh, and just so you know,

00:39:53I've already authorized

00:39:54my people to begin

00:39:55a hostile takeover

00:39:56of your company.

00:39:57Congratulations, Claire.

00:39:59You'll be working for me

00:40:00very soon.

00:40:01Two years on this account.

00:40:03A thousand discarded drafts.

00:40:04I'd lost count of the nights

00:40:05I'd spent at my desk

00:40:06to get here.

00:40:07We were finally about to land.

00:40:09This was supposed to be

00:40:09the showcase project,

00:40:10the perfect closing chapter

00:40:11on this stage of my career.

00:40:13One careless sentence from him

00:40:14and it was all stillborn.

00:40:16Back at the office,

00:40:17my boss came tearing in,

00:40:19white as a shield,

00:40:20shaking from head to toe.

00:40:22He was practically sobbing.

00:40:24Claire, he will destroy

00:40:25the whole firm.

00:40:27Please, just go apologize.

00:40:30It wasn't that I didn't

00:40:31want to save the project.

00:40:34It was that I knew exactly

00:40:35who Poppy was actually

00:40:36here for.

00:40:38The only way

00:40:39this project survived

00:40:40was if I disappeared.

00:40:44I just hadn't expected

00:40:45the one thing tying me

00:40:46to this city

00:40:47would get torn apart

00:40:47this fast.

00:40:48The wave of nauseous

00:40:50hit again.

00:40:50I stumbled out of the office.

00:40:52Julian, still here.

00:40:54His hand started

00:40:55wandering somewhere.

00:40:57It had no business going.

00:40:58I bit down on him

00:40:59with everything I had.

00:41:00The taste of blood

00:41:01bloomed thick

00:41:02between our mouths.

00:41:04Get out!

00:41:06Julian stood there,

00:41:07his expression unreadable.

00:41:13Claire,

00:41:14after all this time,

00:41:16why haven't you learned?

00:41:16I tried to twist away.

00:41:18The harder I fought,

00:41:20the tighter he held me.

00:41:22If you'd just apologized

00:41:24for what happened last time,

00:41:27none of this

00:41:28would be happening today.

00:41:32How hard is it

00:41:33to lower your head

00:41:34just once?

00:41:36Julian's voice

00:41:36was softer

00:41:37than any sweet nothing

00:41:38he'd ever whispered

00:41:39in my ear.

00:41:39But I was shaking anyway.

00:41:41Not from the cold,

00:41:42from a cramp tearing

00:41:43through my stomach.

00:41:45An eerie,

00:41:46sinking,

00:41:46dragging down feeling.

00:41:48Something was rushing

00:41:49out of me.

00:41:50A ridiculous thought

00:41:52surfaced in my mind.

00:41:53I tried to look down.

00:41:55Julian's grip on my chin

00:41:57held me in place.

00:41:58All I could do

00:41:59was bite my lip

00:42:00and hold on.

00:42:02Something warm

00:42:03slipped down my thigh,

00:42:04dripping onto the carpet.

00:42:06Julian noticed.

00:42:15Claire, you-

00:42:21Before our honeymoon

00:42:23to the Amalfi Coast,

00:42:24my husband Julian

00:42:25canceled our flight

00:42:26behind my back.

00:42:27He swapped them

00:42:28for tickets to Ibiza

00:42:30with his childhood

00:42:31best friend, Poppy.

00:42:33Even his pack

00:42:34of party boyfriends

00:42:35thought he'd gone too far.

00:42:37And tried to talk him down.

00:42:42The fuck?

00:42:43Julian,

00:42:44this is messed up.

00:42:45Claire's been looking

00:42:46forward to it forever.

00:42:47Julian didn't care.

00:42:48He brushed them off

00:42:49without a second thought.

00:42:50It's Poppy's birthday wish.

00:42:52One more single girl trip

00:42:53with her before

00:42:54I'm locked down for good.

00:42:55Claire always blows

00:42:56everything out of proportion.

00:42:57This'll be good for her.

00:42:59Reminder she's not

00:42:59the center of the universe.

00:43:00The Poppy he was talking about

00:43:02was his weepy

00:43:03childhood playmate.

00:43:04And I was Claire.

00:43:05The wife he couldn't

00:43:06even bother to say

00:43:07my wife about.

00:43:08I didn't fight.

00:43:09I didn't argue.

00:43:10I pretended I had no idea,

00:43:11quietly canceled

00:43:12the honeymoon

00:43:13and bought a one-way ticket

00:43:15to another country

00:43:15on the other side

00:43:16of the ocean.

00:43:17My phone was lagging.

00:43:18The cancellation screen

00:43:19kept spinning.

00:43:20Meanwhile,

00:43:21on Poppy's pink tablet,

00:43:22an iMessage group chat

00:43:23called Astor's Royal Guard

00:43:25wouldn't stop lighting up.

00:43:27I tapped it open.

00:43:28Poppy's avatar

00:43:28filled the screen.

00:43:29What the hell

00:43:30is wrong with you assholes?

00:43:31Every single one of you

00:43:33is taking Claire's side.

00:43:34Like she's your bro,

00:43:35not me.

00:43:36Fine.

00:43:37You're right.

00:43:38It's all my fault.

00:43:39I'm just a bitch.

00:43:40I shouldn't have a birthday.

00:43:42I definitely shouldn't have wished

00:43:43for Julian to come with me.

00:43:45I should be like the rest of you,

00:43:47kissing Queen Claire's ass.

00:43:48You're her real friends.

00:43:50I don't matter at all.

00:43:51Happy now.

00:43:51Julian,

00:43:52who'd been ghosting me

00:43:53for two days

00:43:54claiming he was in meetings,

00:43:55replied in seconds.

00:43:56He add the other six guys

00:43:57and sent one thing,

00:43:59a single question mark.

00:44:01Sorry,

00:44:02sorry,

00:44:02sorry.

00:44:03It's just one bachelorette trip.

00:44:05Queen Poppy says jump.

00:44:07We don't just send Julian.

00:44:08All six of us drop everything

00:44:10and show up as bodyguards.

00:44:13Who are you?

00:44:14Claire's the one

00:44:14you actually answered to.

00:44:16Claire,

00:44:16please.

00:44:17So they had a wedding.

00:44:18Big deal.

00:44:19Julian still got that paperwork

00:44:20locked in his safe.

00:44:21She's a wife in name only.

00:44:23Legally,

00:44:24none of it counts.

00:44:25Last laugh's still up for grabs.

00:44:27I blinked,

00:44:28staring at the group chat

00:44:29that was so much livelier

00:44:30without me in it.

00:44:31If Poppy hadn't left her tablet

00:44:33in Julian's car,

00:44:34I wouldn't have even earned a peek

00:44:36at all this fun.

00:44:37And there I'd been,

00:44:39naively reading travel guides,

00:44:41hoping the honeymoon

00:44:42would make for great photos.

00:44:44I stared at the empty itinerary

00:44:46for a long time.

00:44:47Then I went back to the home screen,

00:44:49typed in a new destination,

00:44:51and made a call.

00:44:53Mom,

00:44:54I'll go to London with you.

00:44:56On the other end,

00:44:57my mother caught it immediately.

00:44:59Something was wrong.

00:45:00Back then,

00:45:00she'd turned down

00:45:01a once-in-a-lifetime job offer

00:45:03for my sake.

00:45:04Mom,

00:45:05I know you have questions,

00:45:06but right now,

00:45:07I don't have the energy

00:45:09to explain everything

00:45:10that just happened.

00:45:12I've made up my mind.

00:45:13Once I wrap up work

00:45:14and get my visa sorted,

00:45:15I'll fly out.

00:45:16Then I'll tell you everything.

00:45:18Mom went quiet

00:45:19for a few seconds.

00:45:20In the end,

00:45:20she didn't push.

00:45:21I hung up and collapsed

00:45:22onto the couch,

00:45:23trying to steady myself.

00:45:25Julian's friends had a point.

00:45:26We'd signed a prenup,

00:45:27we'd had a wedding,

00:45:28but he deliberately locked

00:45:29the marriage license,

00:45:30the one we still had to file

00:45:31with City Hall,

00:45:32in his safe.

00:45:33Until it was legally binding,

00:45:34I was just a wife

00:45:35who could be swapped out

00:45:36at any moment,

00:45:37which,

00:45:37right now,

00:45:38meant I didn't have to wait

00:45:39for him to come home.

00:45:40No divorce proceedings,

00:45:41no drawn-out fights

00:45:42over assets.

00:45:43I pushed the wave

00:45:44of feeling back down

00:45:45and forced myself up

00:45:46to start packing.

00:45:47In the closet,

00:45:48the his and hers

00:45:49vacation outfits,

00:45:50freshly pressed,

00:45:51seemed to grin at me.

00:45:52I'd designed them myself,

00:45:53for the honeymoon,

00:45:54for Julian.

00:45:55I'd pulled all-nighters,

00:45:57revising them over and over.

00:45:59The final pieces

00:45:59had just come in today.

00:46:01Half an hour ago,

00:46:02I'd still been waiting

00:46:03for Julian to come home

00:46:04and try them on.

00:46:05Now,

00:46:06I just wanted to throw

00:46:07every single one of them

00:46:08in the trash.

00:46:10By the time I'd packed

00:46:11and dragged my suitcase

00:46:12to the door,

00:46:13it was the middle of the night.

00:46:19Julian,

00:46:20say it,

00:46:21come on,

00:46:21you're my royal stallion.

00:46:23Giddy up,

00:46:24yeah,

00:46:25yeah.

00:46:25Through my stinging,

00:46:26blurred vision,

00:46:27I saw Julian,

00:46:28who hadn't been home

00:46:28in three days,

00:46:30giving Poppy a piggyback ride.

00:46:32Her face was flushed red.

00:46:33One hand had his ear

00:46:34in a death grip.

00:46:36The other was patting his head,

00:46:38demanding he neigh.

00:46:42Poppy's drunk.

00:46:43I didn't know why

00:46:44he was bothering to explain.

00:46:46When he'd moved in with me

00:46:47and Poppy bought the apartment

00:46:48directly above ours

00:46:49the very next day,

00:46:50he hadn't explained.

00:46:52When Poppy had giggled

00:46:53in our doorway,

00:46:54hanging off Julian

00:46:55and purring,

00:46:55sweetie,

00:46:56I'll always be on top of you,

00:46:58he hadn't explained then either.

00:47:00All he ever said was,

00:47:02Claire,

00:47:03you know what we are

00:47:04to each other.

00:47:04They were childhood sweethearts,

00:47:06after all.

00:47:07Two old money families

00:47:08joined at the hip.

00:47:09Everyone had watched them grow up.

00:47:11For years,

00:47:11they'd been the golden couple

00:47:13in every photo,

00:47:14until Julian launched

00:47:15a three-year campaign

00:47:16chasing me in college.

00:47:17To him,

00:47:17that was proof enough

00:47:18that there was nothing

00:47:19between him and Poppy.

00:47:20Once I tore myself apart over it,

00:47:22I obsessed.

00:47:23I picked fights.

00:47:24But now,

00:47:25whatever they did

00:47:25had nothing to do with me anymore.

00:47:27I looked away.

00:47:28All I said was,

00:47:29yeah,

00:47:29of course.

00:47:30Then I started to wheel

00:47:31my suitcase past him.

00:47:32It was the answer

00:47:33he should have wanted.

00:47:35He didn't take it well.

00:47:37Say that again?

00:47:39I said,

00:47:40we're done,

00:47:41Julian.

00:47:42I'm breaking up with you.

00:47:45You're really not done

00:47:47throwing this tantrum,

00:47:48are you?

00:47:48And by the way,

00:47:49Claire,

00:47:50we had our wedding last week.

00:47:52If you're throwing a fit,

00:47:54the words,

00:47:54divorce,

00:47:56not,

00:47:57breakup.

00:47:57Breakup.

00:47:58Divorce.

00:47:59To Julian,

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

00:48:01He looked at me lazily,

00:48:03the way you humor a child

00:48:04who's being unreasonable.

00:48:05I didn't bother arguing.

00:48:07The corner of my mouth twitched.

00:48:09Call it whatever you want,

00:48:10but I couldn't leave.

00:48:11The standoff lasted

00:48:12only a few seconds.

00:48:18Enough!

00:48:19I can't deal with you two anymore!

00:48:24Julian instinctively reached down

00:48:26to help her up.

00:48:27She shoved him away.

00:48:28Don't touch me!

00:48:29I'm done!

00:48:30I'm done!

00:48:31The second she sees me,

00:48:32it's I want a breakup!

00:48:33I'm leaving!

00:48:34Am I some kind of prop?

00:48:35Am I garbage?

00:48:36Why is she so disgusted by me?

00:48:39Julian!

00:48:40Let's cut each other off!

00:48:42I am sick of walking

00:48:44on eggshells around her!

00:48:46It's all my fault!

00:48:48I shouldn't have ever

00:48:48shown up in your lives!

00:48:50I shouldn't have grown up with you!

00:48:52Right on cue,

00:48:53she launched into dramatic

00:48:54dry heaving,

00:48:54baking that she couldn't breathe,

00:48:55tearing through her Hermes bag

00:48:56for something.

00:48:57My pills!

00:48:58Where's my Xanax?

00:48:59I'm dying!

00:48:59Maybe I should just die!

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

00:49:02like this every single time!

00:49:03The heat at my wrist disappeared.

00:49:05Julian had already pulled her

00:49:07into his arms,

00:49:07stopping her.

00:49:09It took maybe a few seconds.

00:49:12Poppy was gasping wildly

00:49:14against his chest,

00:49:15her eyes red.

00:49:18Happy now?

00:49:19It was always like this.

00:49:21The instant I showed

00:49:22even a hint of resistance,

00:49:24Poppy would declare

00:49:25an anxiety attack

00:49:26and start frantically

00:49:27hurting herself.

00:49:27can't speak to her,

00:49:29can't touch her,

00:49:30can't even walk away.

00:49:32In the early days,

00:49:33Julian had begged me

00:49:34to humor her.

00:49:35Claire, you've been

00:49:35through it yourself.

00:49:36You know how it is.

00:49:38When she's like this,

00:49:39all you can do

00:49:39is go along with her.

00:49:40Because lives were on the line,

00:49:41I caved every time.

00:49:43I avoided the storm,

00:49:44but eventually,

00:49:45I figured it out.

00:49:46Poppy's condition

00:49:47only flared up

00:49:48when Julian wasn't

00:49:49choosing her over me.

00:49:50That so-called

00:49:51anxiety disorder,

00:49:52it was just

00:49:52possessedness in costume,

00:49:54forcing him to pick a side.

00:49:55I looked down

00:49:56at the smug little look

00:49:56on Poppy's face.

00:49:58I nodded.

00:49:59Sure.

00:50:00Very happy.

00:50:02Though,

00:50:03you moved a little too fast.

00:50:04You didn't get to find the pills.

00:50:06Your acting could use some work.

00:50:08Try harder next time.

00:50:10A flash of shock

00:50:11crossed Poppy's face.

00:50:12She froze,

00:50:13then started gearing up

00:50:14for round two.

00:50:14His tall frame

00:50:15loomed over me.

00:50:16Suddenly,

00:50:17my whole field of vision

00:50:18went dark.

00:50:19The shoulder that used

00:50:20to shelter me

00:50:21was now carrying

00:50:22another woman.

00:50:23Carrying her

00:50:24while blocking

00:50:25my way out.

00:50:26Claire,

00:50:28I really have

00:50:29been spoiling you

00:50:30too much.

00:50:32She has every right

00:50:33to make you pay for that.

00:50:34Be grateful, Claire.

00:50:36I'm the one

00:50:36holding her back.

00:50:37For a moment,

00:50:38the world went

00:50:39vacuum silence.

00:50:40I couldn't hear a thing.

00:50:43Even Poppy froze.

00:50:44Then she snapped out of it,

00:50:46jerked her hand free,

00:50:46and swung it hard

00:50:47at my face.

00:50:48A second before

00:50:48her palm hit me,

00:50:49Julian caught her wrist.

00:50:51Those eyes.

00:50:52The ones that used

00:50:52to watch over me

00:50:53through the night,

00:50:53that used to pull me

00:50:55out of nightmares.

00:50:56Tonight they were

00:50:56cold as ice.

00:50:57A flicker of disgust.

00:50:58A warning.

00:50:59You really thought

00:51:00you could just

00:51:00walk out on me?

00:51:02If she'd actually

00:51:03hit you,

00:51:03you'd be throwing

00:51:04a fit for days,

00:51:05right?

00:51:06She got hurt

00:51:06and you don't even care?

00:51:10When you're ready

00:51:11to be reasonable,

00:51:11you'll apologize

00:51:12to Poppy yourself.

00:51:15I stood there,

00:51:16watching the floor numbers

00:51:17climb,

00:51:17my whole body shaking.

00:51:19Cold,

00:51:19so cold.

00:51:20The kind that crept up

00:51:21from the bottom of you

00:51:22that no coat,

00:51:23no matter how expensive,

00:51:24could keep out.

00:51:26Five years.

00:51:28Five whole years.

00:51:29My body could make

00:51:30a clean break.

00:51:31My heart couldn't pull free

00:51:32that fast.

00:51:34I don't know how long

00:51:34it took.

00:51:35Eventually,

00:51:36I flagged down a cab

00:51:37and headed to a hotel

00:51:37near work.

00:51:39Until I left the country,

00:51:40that's where I'd stay.

00:51:42While I waited for my visa,

00:51:44I had to close out

00:51:45the project I'd been leading

00:51:46for almost two years.

00:51:48My personal life

00:51:49was already a wreck.

00:51:51My career wasn't going to be.

00:51:53I buried myself in overtime,

00:51:55kept myself slammed,

00:51:56partly to speed things up,

00:51:58partly so I wouldn't

00:51:59have time to think.

00:51:59As long as I was busy,

00:52:01I couldn't dwell

00:52:01on anything else.

00:52:03Maybe it was the toll

00:52:04on my body and nerves.

00:52:05Lately,

00:52:05I'd been constantly tired,

00:52:07constantly nauseous.

00:52:08My boss reminded me

00:52:09to pull it together.

00:52:10The client was coming

00:52:11a-sting in this afternoon

00:52:12to finalize the contract.

00:52:15At the head of the table

00:52:16sat someone I knew.

00:52:18Julian,

00:52:18in a sharp suit,

00:52:19and beside him,

00:52:21in a cinched-waist,

00:52:22backless cocktail dress,

00:52:23sat Poppy.

00:52:24My nails dug into my palms

00:52:26before I could stop them.

00:52:28My boss thought I had nerves

00:52:29and whispered,

00:52:30Relax,

00:52:30the proposal and the designs

00:52:31have already been signed off

00:52:32by their project lead.

00:52:33These two are just bored

00:52:34trust fund grabies

00:52:35playing at being adults.

00:52:36Smile through it,

00:52:37humor the rich kids,

00:52:38and we're done.

00:52:38Just give them

00:52:39your usual pitch.

00:52:41I drew a breath,

00:52:43I forced on a smile,

00:52:44I opened the deck

00:52:44and walked them

00:52:45through my design vision.

00:52:46Smooth, composed,

00:52:47point by point.

00:52:48Poppy propped her chin

00:52:49in her hand,

00:52:49nodding along

00:52:50all smiles under the table.

00:52:52My boss flashed me

00:52:53a discreet thumbs up.

00:52:54I exhaled,

00:52:55reading the room.

00:52:56Someone slid the contract

00:52:57across the table.

00:52:58Hmm, it's not doing it for me.

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

00:53:01It gives me a headache

00:53:02just looking at it.

00:53:04I don't think I want a sign.

00:53:06The smile froze

00:53:07on my boss's face.

00:53:08I kept mine polite.

00:53:10Is there a specific element

00:53:11you're not happy with?

00:53:12Poppy didn't even glance

00:53:13at the contract.

00:53:14She held up her hand,

00:53:16admiring her fresh manicure.

00:53:18Hard to say.

00:53:19It's more of a feeling.

00:53:21Then she hooked her arm

00:53:22through Julian's.

00:53:23What do you think?

00:53:23Every eye in the room

00:53:24turned to him.

00:53:25Julian's eyes landed on me.

00:53:27On instinct,

00:53:28I looked away.

00:53:29Sounds like your project lead

00:53:30doesn't have much faith

00:53:31in her own work either.

00:53:32I'm suddenly losing interest

00:53:33in this investment.

00:53:35Pulling out.

00:53:37Oh, and just so you know,

00:53:39I've already authorized

00:53:40my people to begin

00:53:41a hostile takeover

00:53:42of your company.

00:53:43Congratulations, Claire.

00:53:45You'll be working for me

00:53:46very soon.

00:53:47Two years on this account.

00:53:49A thousand discarded drafts.

00:53:50I'd lost count of the nights

00:53:51I'd spent at my desk

00:53:52to get here.

00:53:53We were finally about to land.

00:53:55This was supposed to be

00:53:55the showcase project,

00:53:57the perfect closing chapter

00:53:58on this stage of my career.

00:53:59One careless sentence from him,

00:54:00and it was all stillborn.

00:54:01Back at the office,

00:54:03my boss came tearing in,

00:54:05white as a shield,

00:54:06shaking from head to toe.

00:54:08He was practically sobbing.

00:54:10Claire, he will destroy

00:54:11the whole firm.

00:54:13Please, just go apologize.

00:54:16It wasn't that I didn't

00:54:17want to save the project.

00:54:20It was that I knew exactly

00:54:21who Poppy was actually here for.

00:54:24The only way this project survived

00:54:26was if I disappeared.

00:54:30I just hadn't expected

00:54:31the one thing tying me

00:54:32to this city

00:54:33would get torn apart this fast.

00:54:34The wave of nauseous hit again.

00:54:36I stumbled out of the office.

00:54:38Julian, still here.

00:54:40His hand started wandering somewhere.

00:54:42It had no business going.

00:54:44I bit down on him

00:54:45with everything I had.

00:54:46The taste of blood

00:54:48bloomed thick between our mouths.

00:54:50Get out!

00:54:52Julian stood there,

00:54:53his expression unreadable.

00:54:59Claire,

00:55:00after all this time,

00:55:02why haven't you learned?

00:55:03I tried to twist away.

00:55:05The harder I fought,

00:55:06the tighter he held me.

00:55:08If you'd just apologized

00:55:10for what happened last time,

00:55:13none of this would be happening today.

00:55:18How hard is it to lower your head

00:55:21just once?

00:55:22Julian's voice was softer

00:55:23than any sweet nothing

00:55:24he'd ever whispered in my ear.

00:55:25But I was shaking anyway.

00:55:27Not from the cold.

00:55:28From a cramp

00:55:29tearing through my stomach.

00:55:31An eerie, sinking,

00:55:32dragging down feeling.

00:55:34Something was rushing out of me.

00:55:36A ridiculous thought

00:55:38surfaced in my mind.

00:55:39I tried to look down.

00:55:41Julian's grip on my chin

00:55:43held me in place.

00:55:44All I could do

00:55:45was bite my lip

00:55:46and hold on.

00:55:48Something warm

00:55:49slipped down my thigh.

00:55:50Dripping onto the carpet,

00:55:52Julian noticed.

00:56:01Claire, you-

00:56:07Before our honeymoon

00:56:09to the Amalfi Coast,

00:56:10my husband Julian

00:56:11canceled our flight

00:56:12behind my back.

00:56:13He swapped them

00:56:15for tickets to Ibiza

00:56:16with his childhood

00:56:17best friend, Poppy.

00:56:19Even his pack

00:56:20of party boyfriends

00:56:21thought he'd gone too far

00:56:22and tried to talk him down.

00:56:28What the fuck?

00:56:29Julian.

00:56:30This is messed up.

00:56:31Claire's been looking forward

00:56:32to it forever.

00:56:33Julian didn't care.

00:56:34He brushed them off

00:56:35without a second thought.

00:56:36It's Poppy's birthday wish.

00:56:38One more single girl trip

00:56:39with her before I'm

00:56:40locked down for good.

00:56:41Claire always blows

00:56:42everything out of proportion.

00:56:43This'll be good for her.

00:56:45Reminder she's not

00:56:45the center of the universe.

00:56:46The Poppy he was talking about

00:56:48was his weepy childhood playmate.

00:56:50And I was Claire,

00:56:51the wife he couldn't even bother

00:56:52to say my wife about.

00:56:54I didn't fight.

00:56:55I didn't argue.

00:56:56I pretended I had no idea,

00:56:57quietly canceled the honeymoon,

00:56:59and bought a one-way ticket

00:57:01to another country

00:57:02on the other side of the ocean.

00:57:03My phone was lagging.

00:57:04The cancellation screen

00:57:05kept spinning.

00:57:06Meanwhile,

00:57:07on Poppy's pink tablet,

00:57:08an iMessage group chat

00:57:10called Astor's Royal Guard

00:57:11wouldn't stop lighting up.

00:57:13I tapped it open.

00:57:14Poppy's avatar filled the screen.

00:57:15What the hell is wrong

00:57:16with you assholes?

00:57:18Every single one of you

00:57:19is taking Claire's side.

00:57:20Like she's your bro,

00:57:21not me.

00:57:22Fine.

00:57:23You're right.

00:57:24It's all my fault.

00:57:25I'm just a bitch.

00:57:26I shouldn't have a birthday.

00:57:28I definitely shouldn't have wished

00:57:29for Julian to come with me.

00:57:31I should be like the rest of you,

00:57:33kissing Queen Claire's ass.

00:57:34You're her real friends.

00:57:36I don't matter at all.

00:57:37Happy now.

00:57:38Julian,

00:57:38who'd been ghosting me

00:57:39for two days

00:57:40claiming he was in meetings,

00:57:41replied in seconds.

00:57:42He at the other six guys

00:57:43and sent one thing,

00:57:45a single question mark.

00:57:47Sorry,

00:57:48sorry,

00:57:48sorry.

00:57:49It's just one bachelorette trip.

00:57:51Queen Poppy says jump.

00:57:53We don't just send Julian.

00:57:54All six of us drop everything

00:57:56and show up as bodyguards.

00:57:59Who are you?

00:58:00Claire's the one

00:58:00you actually answer to.

00:58:02Claire,

00:58:02please.

00:58:03So they had a wedding.

00:58:04Big deal.

00:58:05Julian still got that paperwork

00:58:06locked in his safe.

00:58:07She's a wife

00:58:08in name only.

00:58:09Legally,

00:58:10none of it counts.

00:58:11Last laughs

00:58:12still up for grabs.

00:58:13I blinked,

00:58:14staring at the group chat

00:58:15that was so much livelier

00:58:16without me in it.

00:58:17If Poppy hadn't left

00:58:18her tablet in Julian's car,

00:58:20I wouldn't have even

00:58:21earned a peek

00:58:22at all this fun.

00:58:23And there I'd been,

00:58:25naively reading travel guides,

00:58:27hoping the honeymoon

00:58:28would make for great photos.

00:58:30I stared at the empty

00:58:31itinerary for a long time.

00:58:33Then I went back

00:58:34to the home screen,

00:58:35typed in a new destination,

00:58:36and made a call.

00:58:39Mom,

00:58:40I'll go to London with you.

00:58:42On the other end,

00:58:43my mother caught it immediately.

00:58:45Something was wrong.

00:58:46Back then,

00:58:47she'd turned down

00:58:47a once-in-a-lifetime job offer

00:58:49for my sake.

00:58:50Mom,

00:58:51I know you have questions,

00:58:53but right now,

00:58:54I don't have the energy

00:58:55to explain everything

00:58:56that just happened.

00:58:58I've made up my mind.

00:58:59Once I wrap up work

00:59:00and get my visa sorted,

00:59:02I'll fly out.

00:59:02Then I'll tell you everything.

00:59:04Mom went quiet

00:59:05for a few seconds.

00:59:06In the end,

00:59:06she didn't push.

00:59:07I hung up and collapsed

00:59:08onto the couch,

00:59:09trying to steady myself.

00:59:11Julian's friends had a point.

00:59:12We'd signed a prenup,

00:59:13we'd had a wedding,

00:59:14but he deliberately

00:59:15locked the marriage license,

00:59:16the one we still had to file

00:59:17with City Hall,

00:59:18in his safe,

00:59:19until it was legally binding.

00:59:20I was just a wife

00:59:21who could be swapped out

00:59:22at any moment,

00:59:23which,

00:59:23right now,

00:59:24meant I didn't have to wait

00:59:25for him to come home.

00:59:26No divorce proceedings,

00:59:27no drawn-out fights

00:59:28over assets.

00:59:29I pushed the wave

00:59:30of feeling back down

00:59:31and forced myself up

00:59:33to start packing.

00:59:33In the closet,

00:59:34the his-and-hers vacation outfits,

00:59:36freshly pressed,

00:59:37seemed to grin at me.

00:59:38I'd designed them myself,

00:59:39for the honeymoon,

00:59:40for Julian.

00:59:41I'd pulled all-nighters,

00:59:43revising them over and over.

00:59:45The final pieces

00:59:46had just come in today.

00:59:47Half an hour ago,

00:59:48I'd still been waiting

00:59:49for Julian to come home

00:59:50and try them on.

00:59:51Now,

00:59:52I just wanted to throw

00:59:53every single one of them

00:59:54in the trash.

00:59:56By the time I'd packed

00:59:57and dragged my suitcase

00:59:58to the door,

00:59:59it was the middle of the night.

01:00:05Julian,

01:00:06say it.

01:00:07Come on.

01:00:07You're my royal stallion.

01:00:09Giddy up.

01:00:10Yeah, yeah.

01:00:11Through my stinging,

01:00:12blurred vision,

01:00:13I saw Julian,

01:00:14who hadn't been home

01:00:15in three days,

01:00:16giving Poppy

01:00:17a piggyback ride.

01:00:18Her face was flushed red.

01:00:19One hand had his ear

01:00:21in a death grip.

01:00:22The other was patting his head,

01:00:24demanding he neigh.

01:00:28Poppy's drunk.

01:00:29I didn't know why

01:00:30he was bothering to explain.

01:00:32When he'd moved in with me

01:00:33and Poppy bought the apartment

01:00:34directly above ours

01:00:35the very next day,

01:00:36he hadn't explained.

01:00:38When Poppy had giggled

01:00:39in our doorway,

01:00:40hanging off Julian

01:00:41and purring,

01:00:42sweetie,

01:00:42I'll always be on top of you,

01:00:44he hadn't explained

01:00:45then either.

01:00:46All he ever said was,

01:00:48Claire,

01:00:49you know what we are

01:00:50to each other.

01:00:50They were childhood

01:00:51sweethearts after all.

01:00:53Two old money families

01:00:54joined at the hip.

01:00:55Everyone had watched them

01:00:56grow up.

01:00:57For years,

01:00:58they'd been the golden couple

01:00:59in every photo,

01:01:00until Julian launched

01:01:01a three-year campaign

01:01:02chasing me in college.

01:01:03To him,

01:01:04that was proof enough

01:01:05that there was nothing

01:01:05between him and Poppy.

01:01:06Once I tore myself apart

01:01:08over it,

01:01:08I obsessed.

01:01:09I picked fights.

01:01:10But now,

01:01:11whatever they did

01:01:12had nothing to do

01:01:12with me anymore.

01:01:13I looked away.

01:01:14All I said was,

01:01:15yeah,

01:01:15of course.

01:01:16Then I started to wheel

01:01:17my suitcase past him.

01:01:19It was the answer

01:01:19he should have wanted.

01:01:21He didn't take it well.

01:01:23Say that again?

01:01:25I said,

01:01:26we're done,

01:01:27Julian.

01:01:28I'm breaking up

01:01:29with you.

01:01:31You're really not done

01:01:33throwing this tantrum,

01:01:34are you?

01:01:34And by the way,

01:01:35Claire,

01:01:36we had our wedding

01:01:37last week.

01:01:38If you're throwing a fit,

01:01:40the words divorce,

01:01:42not breakup.

01:01:44Breakup.

01:01:44Divorce.

01:01:45To Julian,

01:01:46they were the same

01:01:47kind of joke.

01:01:47He looked at me lazily,

01:01:49the way you humor

01:01:50a child who's being

01:01:51unreasonable.

01:01:51I didn't bother arguing.

01:01:53The corner of my mouth

01:01:54twitched.

01:01:55Call it whatever you want,

01:01:56but I couldn't leave.

01:01:57The standoff lasted

01:01:58only a few seconds.

01:02:04Enough!

01:02:05I can't deal

01:02:06with you two anymore!

01:02:11Julian instinctively

01:02:12reached down

01:02:12to help her up.

01:02:13She shoved him away.

01:02:14Don't touch me!

01:02:15I'm done!

01:02:16I'm done!

01:02:17The second she sees me,

01:02:18it's I want a breakup!

01:02:19I'm leaving!

01:02:20Am I some kind of prop?

01:02:21Am I garbage?

01:02:22Why is she so disgusted

01:02:23by me?

01:02:25Julian!

01:02:26Let's cut each other off!

01:02:28I am sick of walking

01:02:30on eggshells around her!

01:02:32It's all my fault!

01:02:34I shouldn't have ever

01:02:34shown up in your lives!

01:02:36I shouldn't have

01:02:37grown up with you!

01:02:38Right on cue,

01:02:39she launched into

01:02:39dramatic dry heaving,

01:02:40faking that she

01:02:41couldn't breathe,

01:02:41tearing through her

01:02:42Hermes bag for something.

01:02:43My pills!

01:02:44Where's my Xanax?

01:02:45I'm dying!

01:02:45Maybe I should just die!

01:02:47Anything's better

01:02:47than being treated

01:02:48like this every single time!

01:02:49The heat at my wrist

01:02:50disappeared.

01:02:51Julian had already

01:02:52pulled her into his arms,

01:02:54stopping her.

01:02:55It took maybe

01:02:56be a few seconds.

01:02:58Poppy was gasping wildly

01:03:00against his chest,

01:03:01her eyes red.

01:03:04Happy now?

01:03:05It was always like this.

01:03:07The instant I showed

01:03:08even a hint of resistance,

01:03:10Poppy would declare

01:03:11an anxiety attack

01:03:12and start frantically

01:03:13hurting herself.

01:03:14Can't speak to her,

01:03:15can't touch her,

01:03:16can't even walk away.

01:03:18In the early days,

01:03:19Julian had begged me

01:03:20to humor her.

01:03:21Claire, you've been

01:03:21through it yourself.

01:03:22You know how it is.

01:03:23When she's like this,

01:03:25all you can do

01:03:25is go along with her.

01:03:26Because lives were

01:03:27on the line,

01:03:27I caved every time.

01:03:29I avoided the storm,

01:03:30but eventually,

01:03:31I figured it out.

01:03:32Poppy's condition

01:03:33only flared up

01:03:34when Julian wasn't

01:03:35choosing her over me.

01:03:36That so-called

01:03:37anxiety disorder,

01:03:38it was just

01:03:38possessedness in costume,

01:03:40forcing him to pick a side.

01:03:41I looked down

01:03:42at the smug little look

01:03:42on Poppy's face.

01:03:44I nodded.

01:03:45Sure.

01:03:47Very happy.

01:03:48Though,

01:03:49you moved a little

01:03:50too fast.

01:03:50You didn't get

01:03:51to find the pills.

01:03:52Your acting

01:03:53could use some work.

01:03:54Try harder next time.

01:03:56A flash of shock

01:03:57crossed Poppy's face.

01:03:58She froze,

01:03:59then started gearing up

01:04:00for round two.

01:04:01His tall frame

01:04:01loomed over me.

01:04:02Suddenly,

01:04:03my whole field of vision

01:04:04went dark.

01:04:05The shoulder that used

01:04:06to shelter me

01:04:07was now carrying

01:04:08another woman.

01:04:09Carrying her

01:04:10while blocking

01:04:11my way out.

01:04:12Claire,

01:04:14I really have been

01:04:15spoiling you too much.

01:04:18She has every right

01:04:19to make you pay for that.

01:04:21Be grateful, Claire.

01:04:22I'm the one

01:04:22holding her back.

01:04:23For a moment,

01:04:24the world went

01:04:25vacuum silence.

01:04:26I couldn't hear a thing.

01:04:29Even Poppy froze.

01:04:30Then she snapped out of it,

01:04:32jerked her hand free,

01:04:33and swung it hard

01:04:33at my face.

01:04:34A second before

01:04:35her palm hit me,

01:04:35Julian caught her wrist.

01:04:37Those eyes.

01:04:38The ones that used to

01:04:38watch over me

01:04:39through the night.

01:04:40That used to pull me

01:04:41out of nightmares.

01:04:42Tonight,

01:04:42they were cold as ice.

01:04:43A flicker of disgust.

01:04:44A warning.

01:04:45You really thought

01:04:46you could just

01:04:46walk out on me?

01:04:48If she'd actually

01:04:49hit you,

01:04:49you'd be throwing

01:04:50a fit for days,

01:04:51right?

01:04:52She got hurt

01:04:52and you don't even care?

01:04:56When you're ready

01:04:57to be reasonable,

01:04:58you'll apologize

01:04:58to Poppy yourself.

01:05:01I stood there,

01:05:02watching the floor

01:05:02numbers climb,

01:05:03my whole body shaking.

01:05:05Cold,

01:05:05so cold,

01:05:06the kind that crept up

01:05:07from the bottom of you,

01:05:08that no coat,

01:05:09no matter how expensive,

01:05:10could keep out.

01:05:12Five years.

01:05:14Five whole years.

01:05:15My body could make

01:05:16a clean break.

01:05:17My heart couldn't

01:05:17pull free that fast.

01:05:20I don't know

01:05:20how long it took.

01:05:21Eventually,

01:05:22I flagged down a cab

01:05:23and headed to a hotel

01:05:24near work.

01:05:25Until I left the country,

01:05:26that's where I'd stay.

01:05:28While I waited

01:05:29for my visa,

01:05:30I had to close out

01:05:31the project I'd been leading

01:05:32for almost two years.

01:05:34My personal life

01:05:35was already a wreck.

01:05:37My career wasn't

01:05:38going to be.

01:05:39I buried myself

01:05:40in overtime,

01:05:41kept myself slammed,

01:05:42partly to speed things up,

01:05:44partly so I wouldn't

01:05:45have time to think.

01:05:45As long as I was busy,

01:05:47I couldn't dwell

01:05:48on anything else.

01:05:49Maybe it was the toll

01:05:50on my body and nerves.

01:05:51Lately,

01:05:52I'd been constantly tired,

01:05:53constantly nauseous.

01:05:54My boss reminded me

01:05:55to pull it together.

01:05:56The client was coming

01:05:57a-sting in this afternoon

01:05:58to finalize the contract.

01:06:01At the head of the table

01:06:02sat someone I knew.

01:06:04Julian,

01:06:05in a sharp suit,

01:06:06and beside him,

01:06:07in a cinched waist,

01:06:08backless cocktail dress,

01:06:09sat Poppy.

01:06:10My nails dug into my palms

01:06:12before I could stop them.

01:06:14My boss thought I had nerves

01:06:15and whispered,

01:06:16relax,

01:06:16the proposal and the designs

01:06:18have already been signed off

01:06:19by their project lead.

01:06:20These two are just bored

01:06:20trust fund wavies

01:06:21playing at being adults.

01:06:22Smile through it,

01:06:23humor the rich kids,

01:06:24and we're done.

01:06:24Just give them your usual pitch.

01:06:28I drew a breath.

01:06:29I forced on a smile.

01:06:30I opened the deck

01:06:30and walked them

01:06:31through my design vision.

01:06:32Smooth, composed,

01:06:33point by point.

01:06:34Poppy propped her chin

01:06:35in her hand,

01:06:35nodding along all smiles

01:06:37under the table.

01:06:38My boss flashed me

01:06:39a discreet thumbs up.

01:06:40I exhaled,

01:06:41reading the room.

01:06:42Someone slid the contract

01:06:43across the table.

01:06:44Hmm, it's not doing it for me.

01:06:46The design's so boring.

01:06:47It gives me a headache

01:06:48just looking at it.

01:06:50I don't think I want a sign.

01:06:52The smile froze

01:06:53on my boss's face.

01:06:54I kept mine polite.

01:06:56Is there a specific element

01:06:57you're not happy with?

01:06:58Poppy didn't even glance

01:06:59at the contract.

01:07:00She held up her hand,

01:07:02admiring her fresh manicure.

01:07:04Hard to say.

01:07:05It's more of a feeling.

01:07:07Then she hooked her arm

01:07:08through Julian's.

01:07:09What do you think?

01:07:09Every eye in the room

01:07:10turned to him.

01:07:11Julian's eyes landed on me.

01:07:13On instinct,

01:07:14I looked away.

01:07:15Sounds like your project lead

01:07:16doesn't have much faith

01:07:17in her own work either.

01:07:18I'm suddenly losing interest

01:07:19in this investment.

01:07:21Pulling out.

01:07:23Oh, and just so you know,

01:07:25I've already authorized

01:07:26my people to begin

01:07:27a hostile takeover

01:07:28of your company.

01:07:29Congratulations, Claire.

01:07:31You'll be working for me

01:07:32very soon.

01:07:33Two years on this account.

01:07:35A thousand discarded drafts.

01:07:36I'd lost count of the nights

01:07:37I'd spent at my desk

01:07:38to get here.

01:07:39We were finally about to land.

01:07:41This was supposed to be

01:07:42the showcase project.

01:07:43The perfect closing chapter

01:07:44on this stage of my career.

01:07:45One careless sentence from him

01:07:46and it was all stillborn.

01:07:48Back at the office,

01:07:49my boss came tearing in,

01:07:51white as a shield,

01:07:52shaking from head to toe.

01:07:54He was practically sobbing.

01:07:56Claire, he will destroy

01:07:57the whole firm.

01:07:58Please, just go apologize.

01:08:02It wasn't that I didn't want

01:08:03to save the project.

01:08:06It was that I knew exactly

01:08:07who Poppy was actually here for.

01:08:10The only way this project survived

01:08:12was if I disappeared.

01:08:16I just hadn't expected the one thing

01:08:18tying me to this city

01:08:19would get torn apart this fast.

01:08:20The wave of nauseous hit again.

01:08:22I stumbled out of the office.

01:08:24Julian, still here.

01:08:26His hand started wandering somewhere.

01:08:28It had no business going.

01:08:30I bit down on him

01:08:31with everything I had.

01:08:32The taste of blood bloomed thick

01:08:34between our mouths.

01:08:36Get out!

01:08:38Julian stood there,

01:08:39his expression unreadable.

01:08:45Claire,

01:08:46after all this time,

01:08:48why haven't you learned?

01:08:49I tried to twist away.

01:08:51The harder I fought,

01:08:52the tighter he held me.

01:08:54If you'd just apologized

01:08:56for what happened last time,

01:08:59none of this would be happening today.

01:09:04How hard is it to lower your head

01:09:06just once?

01:09:08Julian's voice was softer

01:09:09than any sweet nothing

01:09:10he'd ever whispered in my ear.

01:09:11But I was shaking anyway.

01:09:13Not from the cold.

01:09:14From a cramp tearing through my stomach.

01:09:17An eerie, sinking, dragging down feeling.

01:09:20Something was rushing out of me.

01:09:22A ridiculous thought surfaced in my mind.

01:09:25I tried to look down.

01:09:27Julian's grip on my chin

01:09:29held me in place.

01:09:30All I could do was bite my lip

01:09:32and hold on.

01:09:34Something warm slipped down my thigh,

01:09:36dripping onto the carpet.

01:09:38Julian noticed.

01:09:47Claire, you...

[Dailymotion] Canceled Honeymoon Full Movie – He Called Off the Honeymoon, Never Made It Legal, and Let Her Grieve Alone. Then She Never Looked Back.

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