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00:00My name is Sophia, the biological daughter of a Hollywood best actor and a Grammy-winning diva.
00:10Logically, I should have been a princess surrounded by stars.
00:13But on the day I was born, I looked like an unevolved monkey.
00:17Even my crying sounded like a frog, croaking so much that the entire ward was disgusted.
00:24My look-obsessed parents named me Ball and kicked me away to a country farm overnight.
00:28As if I were an indelible Dane.
00:30It wasn't until 18 years later when I got accepted into Columbia University with a perfect SAT score
00:36that I finally earned the right to step into Beverly Hills.
00:38Pushing my old suitcase I stood in front of this mansion.
00:42In my hand was the Columbia acceptance letter.
00:44I had put on my cleanest clothes, even though they were washed out.
00:48Returning home for the first time in 18 years I thought this transcript could earn their equal gaze.
00:53In the living room, Richard and Isabella were gathered around their adopted daughter Vivian
00:57picking out an haute couture gown for the banquet.
00:59The atmosphere was harmonious.
01:01I walked in and my footsteps interrupted their laughter.
01:04Isabella turned her head, the smile on her face banishing instantly, replaced by undisguised disgust.
01:09I stood at the door watching this unfamiliar family of three.
01:12Mom? Dad? I'm back.
01:14You're the ball that came back from the farm?
01:17Good to see you've got enough sense to cover up that ugly face of yours.
01:21I was about to take off my cap and mask and told them I'm not ugly anymore.
01:25My mother immediately stopped me.
01:27My father just stood by without saying a word.
01:30Vivian covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
01:32I looked at the letter in my hand and put it back away.
01:35Listen carefully. We have guests tonight.
01:37Keep your mask strictly on and absolutely do not take it off.
01:41Don't you dare come out and scare people with that face of yours.
01:44And don't even think about stealing Vivian's thunder.
01:48Mommy, sister just got back from the countryside.
01:50She surely doesn't understand these rules.
01:52Where is my room?
01:57Since they don't need this thing called blood ties, I won't force it either.
02:03My tent nerves finally relaxed.
02:06Leaving that village was the right call.
02:08There, beauty was a sin.
02:10Men stared, women gossiped, and even the kids would chase after me shouting.
02:14I was sick of being gothed at like some exhibited.
02:17Once grandmother was gone, I had no reason left to stay.
02:20From the bottom of my suitcase, I pulled out an old, hand-sewn rag doll from my grandmother, Nana.
02:26Her words echoed in my mind.
02:28Sophia, no matter where you go, you are the most precious treasure.
02:33Definitely not a ball for others to kick around.
02:38Remember, live for yourself.
02:39I adjusted my mask and headed downstairs to find some food.
02:42Downstairs, the family gathered around Vivian, praising her hate haute couture gown.
02:47The sound of my footsteps coming down the stairs interrupted their laughter.
02:51Dad turned and looked at me like I was trash.
02:53What are you doing down here?
02:54Like a lingering ghost.
02:56I'm hungry.
02:57Looking for food.
02:59Eat, eat, eat.
03:00You've completely ruined my mood for fitting dresses.
03:02Listen.
03:04We have extremely honored guests tonight.
03:07Don't show your ugly face.
03:09And look at you, dressing like a beggar.
03:12You are disgracing the family.
03:14Nanny!
03:15Take her to the top attic!
03:16Bring her food there!
03:19Here, miss.
03:20This is all that's left.
03:22Mr. Richard ordered that the premium ingredients are for tonight's VIPs and Miss Vivian.
03:27You'll just have to make do.
03:28The nanny brought me two slices of stale cold toast and a glass of plain water.
03:32Rolling her eyes, she told me the premium ingredients were for the guests and Vivian.
03:36I calmly reached for it, but Vivian stepped in.
03:39Pretending to pity me, she leaned in and mocked me with the most vicious words.
03:43Oh, sister! How can you eat this?
03:47A country bumpkin like you, raised on farm scraps.
03:50Probably wouldn't even know which cutlery to use for foie gras, right?
03:59Carrying that perfunctory cold meal, I entered the dim, choking attic and locked the door behind me.
04:05Brushing the dust off the wooden table, pulled down my mask and took a bite of the hard toast.
04:09Even the hardest cold rice was easier to swallow than their hypocritical charity.
04:13Just then, my phone vibrated.
04:15It was an email from Columbia University Housing.
04:18It said they were confirming dorm availability and told me to consider moving in early.
04:23Finally, some good news.
04:27On the day of Vivian's birthday party,
04:30laughter and music drifted up from downstairs, where everyone was celebrating her.
04:36Without warning, my bedroom door was kicked open with a loud bang.
04:41Vivian stormed in with a group of impeccably dressed socialites.
04:44They didn't knock.
04:45They didn't even bother to treat this like my room.
04:49Vivian looked around, and the moment she saw me, she broke into a smile.
04:54She clearly hadn't come to invite me.
04:56She had brought her friends here just to see for themselves how pathetic the ugly sister their family kept hidden
05:02really was.
05:03The girls lingered in the doorway, whispering among themselves as their eyes swept over my worn clothes and the shabby
05:11room.
05:12This moldy smell is going to kill me.
05:15Sister, it's so pitiful hiding alone in a mouse hole.
05:19Come on, go downstairs and have a taste.
05:21Sister is just too shy.
05:23Come, help her.
05:26Don't touch me!
05:27I was forcefully shoved into the center of the magnificent hall.
05:30My worn, faded clothes were glaringly out of place among the haute couture gowns.
05:35All the guests laughed loudly, calling me a trash picker in a family disguise.
05:40Vivian handed out premium cakes like a princess, but when she reached me, she deliberately skipped me and handed it
05:45to someone else.
05:46More ridiculously, even a pet dog nearby got an expensive veggie beefcake.
05:53The whole room roared with laughter.
05:56Dressed like this, did she just come back from picking trash in some dumpster?
06:02Oh my, what a coincidence, sister.
06:05The cakes for humans are completely gone.
06:07There's none left for you.
06:09Good doggie, this is the late night snack Richard specially ordered the Michelin chef to make for you.
06:17Such low-class scum is only fit to fight dogs for both!
06:22The pet dog, having just finished its hearty meal, suddenly ran excitedly around the hall, charging straight at my feet.
06:29To avoid it, I stepped back sharply, but my foot slipped and I almost fell.
06:34In the panic, my hand accidentally caught the edge of my mask, pulling it halfway down.
06:41I finally managed to study myself when a handsome, refined man stepped toward me.
06:46William, my fiancé.
06:49The man I had never truly seen in my 18 years of life.
06:53I still held on to a sliver of hope.
06:56But what Vivian said next left me completely stunned.
06:59William, let me introduce you.
07:01This is my sister, the fiancé your family arranged for you.
07:06Why are you wearing a mask and baseball cap this late at night?
07:09Anyone who didn't know better would think you were some Papa Grotter trying to sneak in.
07:13William, you're so mean.
07:14My sister has always been ugly and insecure.
07:17If you keep teasing her like that, she'll be too scared to leave the house.
07:22Fiancé?
07:22Even if our families are determined to marry us off, I'm not desperate enough to take just anyone.
07:28My future wife should at least be someone like Vivian.
07:32Beautiful, accomplished, and from the right family.
07:35Even as my ex-fiancé humiliated me in front of everyone, I still held on to a tiny bit of
07:40hope.
07:41But I quickly realized that my parents had never intended to stand up for me.
07:46All they cared about was how to appease William and protect Vivian's image.
07:49Don't worry, William. Our families are old friends.
07:52Of course, we will marry our most outstanding and beautiful daughter to you.
07:56As for this ugly one, we'll never let her out to embarrass us.
08:02You're too kind. I'm actually very curious about what she looks like.
08:05Why not take off the mask right now and show everyone?
08:07Just in case someone here likes this type, they might just settle for it.
08:14My parents exchanged an awkward glance.
08:16It was only then that I realized they had never truly cared about what my face looked like now.
08:21All they cared about was whether I would take off my mask and embarrass them in front of their guests.
08:27The ironic part was, I used to think they looked down on me because I really had been ugly as
08:32a child.
08:33I looked at William's arrogant face, and my parents' cold indifference,
08:37and whatever hurt I had left inside me finally disappeared.
08:42I lifted my head and said coldly,
08:44Since the engagement is broken, you don't need to be curious about my face.
08:48I just got a full scholarship to Columbia.
08:50My future marriage is none of an outsider's business.
08:54Columbia?
08:55Getting into Columbia on her own from a farm? She's an absolute genius!
08:59I came home wanting to tell my parents that I'd gotten into Columbia University.
09:04I even imagined that, for once, they might actually be proud of me.
09:07But when I saw them doting on Vivian while barely giving me a second glance,
09:11I suddenly felt ridiculous for ever expecting anything from them.
09:15In this so-called family, none of my hard work meant a thing.
09:19A full scholarship to Columbia? Only top geniuses can get that!
09:23I can't believe it. Growing up on a farm and getting a perfect score? That's incredible!
09:28Hearing the guests gasp and praise me, I almost felt like I was dreaming.
09:32My parents, who had been desperate to keep me hidden just moments ago, slowly relaxed.
09:38For the first time, they realized that I wasn't embarrassing them at all.
09:41In fact, I might even be someone they could brag about.
09:44But across the room, Vivian and William looked more and more displeased, especially Vivian.
09:51She kept staring at all the attention I was getting, barely able to hide the jealousy in her eyes.
09:56Then, without warning, she walked over to me with a smile still plastered on her face,
10:01while her fingers clamped around my wrist like a vice.
10:04Sister, besides education, a girl's looks are a stepping stone.
10:07There are several top cosmetic surgeons here today.
10:10Why don't you take off your mask and let them touch you up a bit to ice the cake, okay?
10:15Seeing that I didn't become a laughing stock but instead stole the spotlight with my Columbia full scholarship,
10:20Vivian's vanity was completely pierced, and the fire of jealousy made her lose her mind entirely.
10:25I couldn't care less about her and turned towards the outdoor pool to leave.
10:28But just then, using the crowd as cover, Vivian slammed into me from behind like a madwoman.
10:32Losing my balance, I fell straight into the freezing pool.
10:37Go to hell! Let everyone see what you really look like!
10:42Oh my god! Someone fell in the water!
10:44I struggled, desperately, to keep my head above water.
10:47But in the chaos, my baseball cap quickly floated away, and the current loosened my mask.
10:52The laughter from the crowd abruptly stopped.
10:54When I looked up, I saw Vivian standing at the edge of the pool.
10:58She stood there, with her arms crossed, watching me struggle in the water, with obvious amusement.
11:02There was even the faintest smile playing on her lips.
11:05It was almost as if she had been waiting for this moment.
11:08Waiting for my disguise to finally be stripped away.
11:10And now, every eye was on me.
11:14Charles just stared at me.
11:16The shock on his face was impossible to miss.
11:19The guests around us began whispering.
11:21All of them, wondering who I really was.
11:23But I barely had time to react.
11:25Just as Charles leaned in to get a better look at me,
11:28an angry shout suddenly came from behind him.
11:32My biological parents had arrived.
11:35But the first thing they saw wasn't me.
11:38Soaked from head to toe after falling into a deep pool.
11:41They looked at Vivian.
11:43They didn't even ask what happened.
11:46They had already decided.
11:48I must have been the one who hurt her.
11:50You damn freak!
11:51What did you do to Vivian?
11:53Charles' hand froze in mid-air.
11:56And I finally understood.
11:58Even with my face exposed.
12:00Even with everyone seeing the real me.
12:03In this family, they would still choose Vivian without hesitation.
12:08The moment I heard them rushing over, my first instinct was to hide my face.
12:12I couldn't let them see me like this.
12:14Not yet.
12:15I pulled my mask back into place and climbed out of the pool on my own.
12:19Charles was still kneeling there.
12:20His hand was frozen in mid-air.
12:22He'd been that close.
12:23Just that close to seeing my entire face.
12:27Oh, my poor darling!
12:28Are you alright?
12:29Get the private doctor!
12:31Now!
12:31The first thing Isabella did was check if Vivian was hurt.
12:34As for me, the girl who had just climbed out of a deep pool, she didn't even look at me.
12:39You vicious freak!
12:41You tried to push Vivian into the pool?
12:44Get out of the Winston family!
12:46And never come back!
12:48You're a disgrace to this family.
12:50I didn't explain myself.
12:52I didn't defend myself.
12:53I simply picked up my bag and walked toward the gate and walked toward the gate.
12:56Behind me were Isabella's furious screams, Vivian's satisfied smile, and Charles' eyes following me the entire way.
13:02But none of it mattered anymore.
13:04Back in the dim attic, without even changing out of my wet clothes, I pulled out my old phone with
13:08a cracked screen and texted the Columbia counselor, Emma.
13:11Teacher, I've decided to move out. Can I move into the dorm tonight?
13:15My hand was still trembling slightly the second I hit send.
13:18Soon, the screen lit up, and Emma replied,
13:20No problem, the dorm is always open for you. I'll be waiting.
13:24Seeing this brief yet warm reply, I took a deep breath and zipped up that shabby suitcase without hesitating.
13:32Pushing that shabby old suitcase, I slowly walked along the tree-lined path of Columbia University.
13:38The early autumn sunlight pierced through the canopy.
13:40The air here was 10,000 times cleaner than in that Beverly Hills mansion reeking of money and vanity.
13:48Occasionally, well-dressed elite students passed by, casting surprised glances at me.
13:52But I didn't care at all.
13:54I stopped and looked up at the towering library building.
13:56No one will ever treat me like a ball to be kicked around again.
14:01Opening the dorm door, my new roommate, Emma, was decorating the room.
14:05Seeing me fully disguised, this passionate blonde girl froze for a moment, then excitedly recognized me as the perfect scoring
14:13scholar with a full scholarship, giving me a huge hug.
14:17Hi! You must be Sophia, the one who got the full scholarship and a perfect SAT score. I'm your roommate,
14:23Emmy.
14:23I am. Nice to meet you.
14:28Whoa! Why is it so light? You came all the way to New York and only brought this much?
14:32There are only a few books and two changes of clothes inside. I don't need anything else.
14:36How ironic. From this American girl with no blood ties, I felt a hundred times more warmth and respect than
14:44from my biological parents.
14:47I took the towel and went into the bathroom. Then, I closed the door.
14:52Finally, no one was watching me. I slowly removed my mask.
14:56And with it, I removed the disguise I'd worn for 20 years as the ugly freak.
15:05When I put my mask back on and stepped outside again, I saw the shock on Chloe's face.
15:10She had seen my face. The next second, the glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor.
15:15Looks like my new roommate needed a little time to process the real me, too.
15:20Chloe stood there, frozen, for a full minute. Then, she finally snapped out of it and started circling me in
15:25disbelief.
15:26Everyone at school thought I was some ugly girl from the countryside. But now, the way she looked at me
15:30was completely different.
15:32I heard you were ugly? Oh, I'm not saying you are. I just mean, how could you...
15:37I didn't explain. I just smiled and motioned for her to keep her voice down.
15:42My appearance wasn't what mattered to me. What mattered was something else.
15:45For the first time, I had somewhere I didn't need to wear a mask.
15:48Late that night, I went to one of the music rooms on campus. There was no one from family here.
15:53No cruel insults. No one forcing me to wear a mask.
15:57Here, I could finally be myself. Music was the one thing I never gave up.
16:01During all those years locked away in that attic, there wasn't much else I could do.
16:05So I practiced piano, vocals, over and over again, until music became the one part of my life I could
16:12control.
16:13But I had no idea. Chloe was already standing outside the door. She didn't interrupt me.
16:18She simply took out her phone and recorded my performance. Only half of my face was visible.
16:26Back at the dorm, Chloe uploaded the video to TikTok. No real name. Just one name. Muse.
16:33Early the next morning, I wasn't fully awake yet when Chloe's voice woke me up.
16:37Her phone had been buzzing all night. And when I saw the numbers on the screen, I froze too.
16:42Sofia! You have to see this!
16:44The video's views were exploding. One hundred thousand. One million. Then several million.
16:51Within hours, it crossed ten million views. The entire internet was trying to figure out who this girl called Muse
16:58really was.
16:59But with the attention came the hate. People claimed my voice was fake. Others said I hid my face because
17:05I had to be ugly in real life.
17:07I'd heard things like that too many times to count. But Chloe was furious. The angrier Chloe got, the more
17:13determined she became.
17:14Eventually, she dragged me back to the music room. She wanted me to prove them wrong. My voice was real.
17:22They said my voice was fake. That I needed auto-tune and editing to sound that good. Fine. I wouldn't
17:28use anything. No backing track. No microphone. I wouldn't even show my face. I took a deep breath. And then,
17:34I sang. No backing track. No accompaniment. Just my voice. During all those nights locked in that attic. I had
17:42no audience. No applause. No one even knew I could sing. But I practiced every single day.
17:47Because I knew that one day, I would get out. And, today, I finally had a chance to make the
17:53whole world hear me.
17:54When I finished, the room went silent for a few seconds. Chloe was practically shaking with excitement. She didn't even
18:00ask me. She posted the video immediately.
18:02The video had been up for barely 5 minutes. And the comments had completely changed. The people calling me a
18:08fraud were suddenly nowhere to be found.
18:10Meanwhile, the views kept climbing. Within hours, the video crossed 10 million views. The entire internet was looking for Muse.
18:17The mysterious girl who showed only half her face but had a world-class voice.
18:21But I had no idea. The real chaos was only beginning. Chloe's phone started flooding with messages. One label. Then
18:29another. Then dozens of major record companies. They were all looking for the same person. Muse.
18:36Sophia, you need to see this.
18:41Even Hollywood had taken notice. A-list director Marcus publicly announced that he was looking for Muse. A role in
18:47his next film. And his offer?
18:48In a single day, I went from the freak my family wanted to hide. To the mysterious singer the entire
18:53world was desperate to find.
18:55After Muse went viral, the entertainment industry went insane. The next day, 10 black luxury vans showed up outside Columbia
19:02University.
19:02Dozens of talent scouts flooded the entrance. They were all looking for the same person. Muse.
19:08I put on my mask and quietly blended into the crowd. But I didn't expect Charles to show up too.
19:13And he didn't come alone. He brought dozens of bodyguards and came in person.
19:16Who is Muse? Step forward. And Vanderbilt Entertainment will offer you a $10 million contract. And you'll become my only
19:26fiancé.
19:27He was offering a $10 million contract. And in front of the entire school, he promised to make Muse his
19:33fiancé. But standing deep in the crowd, I almost laughed.
19:36Just yesterday, he'd publicly torn up our engagement. Now he was desperately searching for a mysterious singer. Everyone went silent.
19:43No one stepped forward. Until Vivian walked out.
19:45I watched her walk away from the crowd. And suddenly, I had a bad feeling.
19:50Charles, you can stop looking. I'm Muse.
19:56She actually claimed. She was Muse. Standing in the crowd, I stared at her through my mask. And the next
20:06second, I couldn't help but laugh. She had prepared for this. That demo clearly used my recording. She had processed
20:16it and layered it with her own voice. She was trying to turn my song into hers.
20:23I knew it was yours. I knew it was you. You're the real star of the Winston family. You're my
20:30true fiancé.
20:33Charles believed her.
20:35Charles believed her. He didn't even bother to verify it. Because the voice sounded like the muse he remembered. He
20:41decided Vivian had to be the girl he'd been searching for. He took her hand. And publicly declared that she
20:49was the true pride of the Winston family.
20:53I watched them standing together. I didn't expose her. I didn't stop them. All they wanted was a muse who
21:01could bring them fame and money. If Vivian wanted that title so badly, I was more than happy to let
21:08her have it. For now, the real show was only beginning.
21:17In just one week, Vivian became Hollywood's hottest new star. A Vogue cover, luxury couture. My own parents paraded her
21:24around like she was their greatest treasure. And me, I was still the masked ugly girl everyone looked down on.
21:30But I never expected this. Just when everyone was convinced Vivian was muse, the man who actually found me showed
21:37up, Marcus. One of Hollywood's most notoriously temperamental directors.
21:42I never imagined that one day a major Hollywood director would be sitting in my dorm room. And not even
21:48on a proper chair. Just a cheap plastic one. He looked at me like I just walked out of a
21:53vault. The salary, the back end, the marketing. If I signed, he was willing to negotiate everything.
21:59Muse, if you say yes, we can negotiate everything. The salary, the back down, the marketing, whatever you want. I'll
22:06put my entire career on the line. I'll make you a star.
22:09This was the kind of opportunity most actors could only dream of. But as I looked at the contract, I
22:14felt surprisingly calm. Fame, money, applause. I'd wanted those things once.
22:21So this contract didn't mean as much to me as Marcus probably thought. It was simply a leak and I
22:26wanted to see what the world would want like.
22:29I can sign. Marcus froze for a second. He probably hadn't expected me to agree so quickly. But I had
22:35one condition.
22:36My real identity stays completely confidential. From the moment I sign, I'm used to everyone.
22:43That's it?
22:44My condition was simple. My real identity had to stay secret. From the moment I signed to everyone, I would
22:50only be new.
22:51Deal! The entire production will sign the highest level NDAs. Anyone who leaks your identity is done in Hollywood.
23:09She looked around my tiny dorm room, barely hiding her sense of superiority, as if seeing how little I had
23:15was enough to prove how successful she was.
23:17Why are you here?
23:19Wow. Nice welcome.
23:21So this is where you're living now?
23:23Looks miserable.
23:27So that wasn't the only reason she came. She came to make one thing clear. Charles was on her side
23:32now.
23:35Columbia really lets anyone in these days.
23:38Don't touch my stuff.
23:40Relax, Sophia. Your fiancé is mine now.
23:48I look down at the contract at my feet. The female supporting lead.
23:52Fifty million dollars. She threw those numbers at me like they proved she'd won.
23:56Take a good look?
23:57This is the female supporting lead contract for Marcus's new movie.
24:00Charles spent fifty million dollars to get me this role.
24:03But she had no idea the real lead of that movie was already me.
24:06I couldn't be bothered to explain. If I revealed the truth now, I'd only be ending her little performance too
24:11soon.
24:12Are you done?
24:13Not quite.
24:14I can't shake the feeling that something's off about Vivian today.
24:17She didn't come all this way just to see how I'm doing, but what exactly is she trying to find
24:21out?
24:22Is she here to see how miserable my life is, or is there something else she's after?
24:26You know what I hate about you?
24:28Even after everything, you still look at me like you're better than me.
24:32So I thought I'd come see for myself.
24:34Disappointed?
24:35I can't figure it out. She's hiding her intentions, and I have nothing to prove it.
24:41Actually, I'm starting to feel sorry for you.
24:44Don't.
24:45See? That's exactly what I mean.
24:47Anyway, I should go.
24:49Enjoy your little life here, Sophia.
24:51While it lasts.
24:54Something about her last words didn't feel right.
24:57Vivian hadn't come here just to show off.
24:59Whatever she was planning, I knew this wasn't over.
25:05Ten minutes later, I had barely reached the campus plaza when three police cars came speeding in.
25:12No explanation.
25:14No questions.
25:16I was surrounded before I even knew what was happening.
25:21Sophia!
25:22Even if mom and dad kicked you out, you can't steal a family heirloom!
25:26The second I saw her crying, I understood.
25:30Her visit to my dorm hadn't been about showing off.
25:33She had been setting me up.
25:43The necklace fell right there in front of everyone.
25:45They all saw it.
25:46And I knew.
25:48It wasn't mine.
25:50Oh my god.
25:51Is that a diamond necklace?
25:53She actually stole it?
25:55Then Charles showed up.
25:57He didn't even ask what happened.
25:59The second he saw that necklace, he had already decided I was a thief.
26:04Sophia, you're not just an ugly freak.
26:06You're a thief.
26:08Officer, don't let her bail out.
26:10I want her convicted and locked up.
26:13He even demanded, in front of everyone, that the police deny me bail.
26:18In his eyes, I wasn't even worth hearing out.
26:22But she's such an embarrassment to Columbia.
26:24I can't believe she actually stole from her own family.
26:27Everyone was calling me names.
26:29Everyone believed Vivian.
26:30But I didn't explain myself.
26:32Because I knew nothing I said would make them believe me.
26:36Charles, remember that look on your face.
26:38Because once these cuffs go on, one day, you could be on your knees, begging me to take
26:45them off, and I still won't give you a second glance.
26:48You?
26:49Keep dreaming.
26:50Put her in cuffs.
26:51The next second, cold metal snapped around my wrists.
26:56Vivian had gotten what she wanted.
26:58Or at least, she thought she had.
27:05I hadn't even been at the station for long, and my biological parents showed up with an
27:09entire team of lawyers.
27:10But they weren't there to save me.
27:12They were there to make sure I went to prison.
27:14They couldn't even be bothered to look at me.
27:16To them, their own daughter was nothing more than a liability that would hurt the family
27:20stock price.
27:21Skip the investigation.
27:22Just charge her and put her behind bars.
27:24I won't let this freak damage the Winston family's stock.
27:28From today on, she's no longer part of the Winston family.
27:32Lock her up and throw away the key.
27:34She is saying go to hell.
27:35Vivian thought she'd finally won.
27:37But she didn't realize the more confident she became, the more mistakes she was about to
27:41make.
27:41Sophia, we have the evidence and the witnesses.
27:45Sign the confession.
27:47Just sign it.
27:48Everyone thought that once I signed that confession, my life would be over.
27:51They were wrong.
27:52This was the moment I'd been waiting for.
27:54Convict me?
27:56You really think you can?
27:58I knew there was one thing they hadn't thought about.
28:00A hidden camera inside that necklace box.
28:02And everything it recorded had been backed up to the cloud.
28:05Officer, I want the cloud footage from the hidden camera inside the necklace box.
28:14Seconds later, the footage appeared on the giant screen.
28:17There was Vivian, clear as day.
28:19She was the one who planted the necklace in my bag.
28:21There was no denying it.
28:23That camera was installed so we could keep an eye on that freak.
28:26How did it record Vivian?
28:28Isabella had just admitted it herself.
28:31They installed that camera to spy on me.
28:33And this time, it became the evidence Vivian had left behind.
28:36Just moments ago, they were forcing me to sign a confession.
28:40Everyone was convinced I was the thief and the liar.
28:43But once the surveillance footage was recovered, the mood in the room began to shift.
28:47The officer stopped looking at me.
28:49And the tech officer was no longer backing their story.
28:52Instead, Charles, Richard, and Isabella were the ones starting to squirm.
28:57I didn't know what they'd seen, but I could feel it.
28:59Things were taking a very different turn.
29:01And Vivian, she seemed to realize it too.
29:04Vivian Winston, you're under arrest for filing a false report and conspiring to frame another person.
29:10One second, I was the criminal in everyone's eyes.
29:13The next, Vivian was the one fighting to keep from being taken away.
29:17Charles had nothing left to mock me about.
29:19Richard and Isabella stood frozen, watching their perfect story fall apart.
29:23And me?
29:24I slowly stood up from that interrogation chair.
29:27The handcuffs were finally off.
29:29For the first time, I was free to walk away.
29:31While Vivian was the one being dragged away.
29:37Vivian had been untouchable just moments ago.
29:39Now, she was completely panicking.
29:41She finally realized no one could save her this time.
29:44Let go of me! I'm a Winston!
29:47You can't arrest me!
29:50Mom! Help me! I don't want to go to prison!
29:54Watching them turn on each other, I couldn't help but find it ironic.
29:57They had called me the disgrace of the Winston family.
30:00But the person humiliating them now was standing right in front of them.
30:03You idiot!
30:05You've humiliated the entire Winston family!
30:08Sophia Winston.
30:09My name echoed through the station again.
30:12But this time, it no longer belonged to the family's rejected freak.
30:15It belonged to a woman who had just been proven innocent.
30:17Sophia Winston.
30:18You are officially cleared of all charges.
30:21You're free to go.
30:22The way Charles looked at me suddenly changed.
30:24Just moments ago, his eyes were full of disgust and mockery.
30:28Now, he looked at me like he'd seen something impossible.
30:30I had no idea why he was suddenly staring at me like that.
30:33Not until he pushed through the crowd and started walking toward me.
30:36In that moment, I had a feeling he'd finally remembered something.
30:40Wait.
30:43Back at the dorm, Chloe uploaded the video to TikTok.
30:46No real name.
30:48Just one name.
30:49Muse.
30:50Early the next morning, I wasn't fully awake yet when Chloe's voice woke me up.
30:54Her phone had been buzzing all night.
30:56And when I saw the numbers on the screen, I froze too.
30:59Sophia!
31:00You have to see this!
31:01The video's views were exploding.
31:03One hundred thousand.
31:05One million.
31:06Then several million.
31:07Within hours, it crossed ten million views.
31:11The entire internet was trying to figure out who this girl called Muse really was.
31:16But with the attention came the hate.
31:19People claimed my voice was fake.
31:20Others said I hid my face because I had to be ugly in real life.
31:24I'd heard things like that too many times to count.
31:26But Chloe was furious.
31:28The angrier Chloe got, the more determined she became.
31:31Eventually, she dragged me back to the music room.
31:34She wanted me to prove them wrong.
31:36My voice was real.
31:39Not long ago, he'd torn up our engagement in front of everyone and told me I wasn't worthy
31:44of the Vanderbilt name.
31:45Now, he was on his knees in front of me.
31:49Sophia.
31:50Muse.
31:50I'm sorry.
31:51Please.
31:52I hadn't forgotten.
31:53I'd grabbed my chin.
31:55How he'd humiliated me for my face.
31:57So now, I wouldn't even let him touch me.
31:59Don't touch me.
32:00Move!
32:01I've already arranged everything.
32:03You can leave now.
32:04You turned down security before because you wanted to keep your identity private.
32:08But given what happened today, I strongly recommend staying at a hotel for a while.
32:13We've already upgraded the security to the highest level.
32:16No one is going to bother you again.
32:18My biological parents finally understood.
32:21They hadn't thrown out a monster.
32:22They had thrown away the next look and the next legend.
32:25Hollywood had been made.
32:27Sophia!
32:28Sweetheart, we were wrong.
32:30Please, come home with us.
32:32The entire Winston fortune is yours.
32:36Just moments ago, they were running people.
32:38Just shut up.
32:39They were begging for the code.
32:41As they finally lost.
32:43I'm no longer the daughter.
32:44I'm trouble.
32:45Daughter?
32:47The day you sent me away to that farm and called me a monster, you stopped being my parents.
32:52Now, take your precious daughter and get out of my sight.
32:54Blood.
32:54Twenty years ago, they used blood to decide my fate.
32:58But the day they abandoned me on that farm, that relationship ended.
33:01Sophia!
33:02Don't leave!
33:04You can't take everything from me!
33:07Vivian finally understood.
33:09The identity she'd spent twenty years when death was collapsing.
33:13A single heart.
33:14And I never had to take anything from her.
33:16It had never belonged to her in the first place.
33:19The man who once thought I was too disgusting to touch was now on his knees at my feet.
33:25He thought enough money could buy my forgiveness.
33:27But if you'd have gotten one thing, money was the last thing I needed from him.
33:32Sophia, I'll give you everything.
33:34Vanderbilt Entertainment will be yours.
33:36Just give me a chance.
33:39Hundreds of cameras were pointed at me and Marcus announced it to the world.
33:43I was officially the sole lead of Muse.
33:45The girl everyone once called a monster was finally standing where everyone else had to look up.
33:49Everyone, give her some space!
33:51Sophia is officially the lead of my upcoming film, Muse.
33:54Her identity and privacy are protected under the highest level of legal confidentiality.
34:00I officially stepped into Hollywood's top studio.
34:03Without the mask and hoodie, I could finally stand under the spotlight that belonged to me.
34:07But I didn't expect Charles, that persistent stalker, to force his own way onto the set.
34:11Hit in the dark corner like a prisoner gazing at a deity.
34:14Staring at me with that sickeningly affectionate look.
34:17Cut! Perfect! Absolutely perfect!
34:19Sophia, you are a natural-born actress!
34:21Thank you, everyone. It's all thanks to Director Marcus' guidance.
34:24Sophia, you were truly beautiful enough to drive me mad.
34:27What on earth did I miss before?
34:29He thought sending a few flowers and acting pitiful could erase all the humiliation and trampling he had inflicted on
34:35me.
34:36Looking at his begging face, I only found it utterly laughable.
34:39Instead of dodging like before, I looked down on him as if he were trash.
34:43Sophia, I know you hate me, but I really want to make it up to you.
34:47Just come back to me, I'll announce our marriage, marriage immediately, and give you half.
34:53Mr. Vanderbilt, do you honestly think I still care about your petty charity now?
34:58It's not charity. I truly love you. I was blinded by that fake. Please.
35:07Charles Vanderbilt! What do you think my set is?
35:10Get the hell out or I'll call the press right now and let them see what a pathetic stalker the
35:15Vanderbilt CEO is.
35:16Throw him out, along with his trashy flowers.
35:19But he still didn't give up.
35:20When I opened the hotel room door, I found him sitting on my bed, waiting for me.
35:25A new agreement was waiting on the table.
35:27Fifty million dollars.
35:29A brand new engagement agreement.
35:31Those were the things he thought would bring me back, but he still didn't understand.
35:34I didn't need anything he had to offer.
35:36Fifty million dollars in additional funding and a new engagement agreement.
35:40Sophia, let's put the past behind us.
35:42Come back to me.
35:46I tore up the engagement agreement, and with it, I tore apart the last of his arrogance.
35:51The smile vanished from Charles' face.
35:53What replaced it was pure rage.
35:56Charles, do you really think money can buy everything?
35:59You...
35:59You couldn't buy my dignity, and you sure as hell can't buy me.
36:05He thought his family's entire fortune could shut me down.
36:08Studios canceled their deals.
36:09Sponsors pulled out.
36:10The media flooded the internet with attacks.
36:12They thought that if they cut off every path, I'd come crawling back.
36:16No studio works with her.
36:18No sponsor signs her.
36:19I want every major partner in New York to cut ties with Sophia.
36:23But Charles, she's already got millions of followers.
36:26Then take away every opportunity she has.
36:31If they wanted to cut off every path, I'd make my own.
36:35No studio.
36:36No investors.
36:38No one gets to decide whether the world gets to hear me.
36:43Sophia, we're live.
36:44Let them hear you.
36:46No filters.
36:47No playback.
36:48Just my voice.
36:50I didn't explain myself, and I didn't beg anyone for help.
36:54I did one thing.
36:55I sang.
36:56And the moment my voice filled that livestream,
36:59the so-called blacklist became a joke.
37:07You realize you just broke the internet, right?
37:10I just wanted to sing.
37:13The moment the livestream ended, I finally let out a sigh of relief.
37:17I never expected one livestream to bring all those people who had rejected me back to my door.
37:23But just when I thought I'd finally won everything back,
37:27my phone suddenly buzzed.
37:32Vivian had nowhere left to go, so tonight, she decided to make one final move.
37:39She thought I had no idea what she'd put in that wine.
37:42But she didn't know.
37:44I'd switched our glasses long before she noticed.
37:49I watched the color drain from her face.
37:52I almost laughed.
37:53She would never understand I wasn't going to fall for the same trap twice.
38:11She thought those pictures could drag me back to 20 years ago, but she'd forgotten one thing.
38:17I wasn't that girl hiding in the attic anymore.
38:23Look at her!
38:24That face isn't real!
38:27Sophia's entire image is fake!
38:29If she wanted everyone's attention on this,
38:31then I'd make sure she saw the truth for herself.
38:34Let me go!
38:35She's lying!
38:37She's always been a fraud!
38:38Because the truth wasn't going to destroy me.
38:41It was going to destroy her.
38:43The entire room went silent.
38:46Vivian wasn't a Winston by blood.
38:48She was brought in to replace me and hide the truth about my existence.
38:52And what I was about to reveal was the secret they were most desperate to keep buried.
38:57You wanted the truth?
38:59Then let's tell everyone the truth.
39:03Vivian isn't a Winston by blood.
39:05She was brought in to replace me.
39:07I finally exposed the truth I'd been forced to carry for 20 years,
39:11in front of the entire country.
39:13I didn't cry.
39:14I'd waited too long for this moment.
39:17The skin condition I was born with wasn't some genetic defect.
39:21It happened because my mother used drugs while she was pregnant with me.
39:29And instead of facing the truth, they abandoned me for 18 years.
39:34The Winston family had finally fallen from the throne they'd been so proud of.
39:39And I stood beneath the spotlight for the first time, with no one left who could make me bow.
39:48Two years had passed.
39:49I thought I'd left the Winston family behind for good.
39:52But tonight, they couldn't even get into the ceremony, yet they still wanted the cameras to believe they were my
39:58parents.
39:58Shoot your one!
40:00Over here!
40:02Honey!
40:03Your father and I are so proud of you!
40:06I didn't even need to insult them.
40:08One look was enough to remove them from my world.
40:11Over the past two years, I'd dominated the biggest awards in North America.
40:15Meanwhile, the Winston family had collapsed under Vivian's scandal.
40:19The once famous actor and actress couldn't even get seats inside the Oscars.
40:23Get them away from the carpet.
40:26Yes, ma'am.
40:30And the Oscar for Best Actress goes to...
40:34Sophia Winston.
40:37And Best Original Song goes to...
40:40Sophia Winston for Muse.
40:45Two Oscars.
40:47Best Actress.
40:48Best Original Song.
40:50I'd finally reached the place I once didn't even dare dream of.
40:56I saw Charles, too.
40:58The man who once tore up our engagement and humiliated me in public could now only stand in the shadows.
41:03And the roses in his hands had already withered.
41:06They were still waiting.
41:08Waiting for me to thank them.
41:10To call them my parents.
41:12Maybe even to use everything I'd built to save their family.
41:15But they didn't know.
41:17Every word I was about to say would be my final answer to the past.
41:21I didn't say their names because after everything they weren't worth a place in my life anymore.
41:31There was no family in my past.
41:35And there was no fiancé.
41:38The people who once tried to crush me are nothing but a part of my past.
41:45And I've already left them behind.
41:48Eighteen years ago, they threw me into the darkness.
41:52Eighteen years later, I walked out of it on my own.
41:55They once thought they could define my entire life.
41:57But now, I stood beneath the world's brightest spotlight.
42:01And they could only remain behind me.
42:03After twenty years, my comeback was finally complete.
42:08The end of the world's brightest.
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