I Flew Home Pregnant Only To See His Secret Movie Dailymotion | Leaving a Toxic Marriage to Reclaim Her Own Legacy ✨─影片 Dailymotion

ReelShort Love Shorts

👇Download the app to watch full HD episode for free: https://reelslink.com/marketing/RfNEWG 👇Click to Find More HD EPs https://www.reelshort.com/movie/i-flew-home-pregnant-only-to-see-his-secret-6aa0e4992d54042dab0172a6 🍁Notice: All videos by ReelShort Love Shorts are officially authorized. Trapped in a toxic marriage, Amelia tolerated seven years of emotional distance, but catching Trevor with another woman while pregnant is the final straw. She abandons Boston to reclaim her independence, her career, and her dignity as a top biotech scientist. Supported by her grandmother and loyal colleagues, can Amelia completely detach from her toxic past and step into a triumphant new future?

Transcript

00:00:04at 6 30 the next morning i went downstairs henry was making breakfast in the kitchen

00:00:10i didn't go in halfway there i heard oddy's voice drifting over from the other side of the kitchen

00:00:15she was talking to henry her voice wasn't loud but she was still little she didn't understand

00:00:20what lower your voice meant henry i'm not happy that mom came miss why would you be unhappy

00:00:25dad and i already promised we'd take aunt and cassidy to kid cod tomorrow if mom suddenly

00:00:30comes and insists on going with us aunt cassidy will feel so awkward miss madam is your mother

00:00:35you can't say things like that it will hurt her heart understand i know but there wasn't the

00:00:40slightest hesitation in her voice but dad and i both like aunt cassidy better can i let aunt

00:00:46cassidy be my mommy i stood at the foot of the stairs unable to move even half a step my

00:00:50daughter

00:00:50was my own flesh and blood i had spent 22 hours in the delivery room alone trevor was in europe

00:00:55that day negotiating an acquisition cole is gone i have to go to cassidy right away cole had died in

00:01:02a car accident the night before cassidy wasn't pregnant yet at the time after that night the

00:01:07two of them were never truly apart again henry said back to boston pregnant with twins just to

00:01:13confirm trevor wouldn't be home tonight today was my 31st birthday it was also our seventh wedding

00:01:18anniversary the doctor told me not to fly i flew anyway not because of love because after seven

00:01:24years i was still waiting for him to give me one reason not to leave i told the babies in

00:01:28my belly

00:01:28this is the last time after this we stopped waiting for him he thought what he'd lost was a wife

00:01:33throwing

00:01:33a tantrum tomorrow morning at nine he would find out what he'd lost was someone he had never deserved

00:01:38in his life by the time i landed at logan airport it was already past nine at night i thought

00:01:43that if

00:01:44only for the sake of these seven years he should come home tonight when i walked out of the airport

00:01:48my phone was full of birthday wishes from colleagues and old classmates there was nothing from trevor

00:01:56by the time i reached the old house on beacon hill it was almost 10 30. henry opened the door

00:02:01for me

00:02:01mrs hale you what brings you here where's trevor and oddy mr hale hasn't returned yet

00:02:07mrs upstairs playing with that box of shells

00:02:12i nodded handed him my coat and went upstairs with one hand supporting my belly

00:02:16the hallway was very quiet adi's bedroom door was half open a warm little lamp glowing inside

00:02:22i pushed the door open and went in she was wearing pink pajamas sitting cross-legged on the carpet

00:02:28focused on stringing a shell necklace my footsteps were light she looked up her eyes lighting up then

00:02:36she lowered her head again and went back to fiddling with the beads i crouched down held my belly

00:02:41pulled her into my arms and kissed her mom don't bother me i'm busy i hadn't seen her in more

00:02:47than

00:02:47two months no number of kisses would have been enough but she had already wriggled out of my arms

00:02:51is oddy making a shell necklace in one week it'll be aunt cassidy birthday this is the birthday present

00:02:59dad and i are making for aunt cassidy dad and i polished every one of these shells with tools aren't

00:03:04they pretty

00:03:08she held the necklace up in front of me that box of shells was the one i had taken her

00:03:12to collect on

00:03:13beach at big sum last year my throat tightened sharply before i could speak she added happily dad

00:03:18also ordered other custom gifts for aunt cassidy tomorrow she didn't finish i looked at the necklace

00:03:23in her hands and remembered something this time last year it had been a night just like this

00:03:26the charity gala for children's hospital trevor personally auctioned off the copy of california

00:03:32rare birds field guide i had given him for our sixth anniversary one of only three out of print

00:03:37copies the one i had found among my late father's belongings the hammer price was four hundred twenty

00:03:42thousand dollars donated to set up a trust for the child cassidy had left from cole i sat in the

00:03:47third

00:03:47row at the time smiling and applauding i thought i could endure one more year lady mommy wants to ask

00:03:56you

00:03:56something she looked up do you remember mommy's birthday she furrowed her little brows and thought

00:04:04very seriously for five seconds mommy's birthday she looked up at me and blinked as if asking for

00:04:11help mom is your birthday the one in summer

00:04:18she lowered her head again and started counting the beads mom don't talk to me you're messing up the

00:04:23order i didn't speak again i let go of the arm i had around her

00:04:32when i went downstairs henry was waiting in the living room mrs hale i called mr hale just now he

00:04:39said he

00:04:39has something to do tonight and asked you to rest first i see i answered softly after thinking for a

00:04:45moment i still called trevor the phone rang for a long time before he answered his voice was faint

00:04:51i'm busy tomorrow

00:04:54from the other end of the phone came another woman's voice soft natural as if she had been by his

00:04:59side

00:04:59all night who is it this late it was cassidy i tightened my grip on the phone trevor paused then

00:05:05said to me nothing before i could speak he hung up i sat on the sofa for a long time

00:05:12the two

00:05:13children in my belly moved i lowered my head and gently patted my stomach i said to them mommy

00:05:18understands now mommy thought seven years was long enough that one year he would remember to come

00:05:26home tonight was the last time mommy won't wait for him anymore

00:05:34at 6 30 the next morning i went downstairs henry was making breakfast in the kitchen

00:05:40i didn't go in halfway there i heard oddy's voice drifting over from the other side of the kitchen

00:05:45she was talking to henry her voice wasn't loud but she was still little she didn't understand what

00:05:50lower your voice meant henry i'm not happy that mom came miss why would you be unhappy dad and i

00:05:56already promised we'd take aunt cassidy to kid cod tomorrow if mom suddenly comes and insists on

00:06:01going with us aunt cassidy will feel so awkward miss madam is your mother you can't say things like

00:06:06that it will hurt her heart understand i know but there wasn't the slightest hesitation in her voice

00:06:12but dad and i both like aunt cassidy better can i let aunt cassidy be my mommy i skipped the

00:06:17foot of

00:06:17the stairs unable to move even half a step my daughter was my own flesh and blood i had spent

00:06:2222 hours

00:06:22in the delivery room alone trevor was in europe that day negotiating an acquisition

00:06:28cole is gone i have to go to cassidy right away cole had died in a car accident the night

00:06:32before

00:06:34cassidy wasn't pregnant yet at the time after that night the two of them were never truly apart again

00:06:40henry said nothing more i walked back to my room and closed the door i sat down by the bed

00:06:44i didn't cry

00:06:46i only lowered the hand resting on my belly i opened my phone i sent trevor a text trevor

00:06:51let's have lunch together today just the three of us ad wants mistral's lobster ravioli i'll fly

00:06:56back to san francisco this afternoon he replied about 20 minutes later got it you set the time

00:07:02looking at that got it i nearly laughed out loud seven years ago when he was pursuing me he wrote

00:07:0915

00:07:09love letters every one of them ended with yours trevor seven years later his reply to me had fewer

00:07:15words than yours plus trevor i wrote back

00:07:1912 30 mistral got it i washed up did my makeup and changed into a pale beige maternity dress

00:07:24i had picked it out myself last year trevor had never seen it once at 11 40 i drove to

00:07:28back bay

00:07:29halfway there my phone buzzed it was trevor something urgent came up at noon lunch is canceled

00:07:34next time i pulled over onto a small road beside starro drive and stared at that text for a long

00:07:38time

00:07:42if it had been before i would have immediately replied okay or when you're done should i wait

00:07:46for you i would have waited i would have sat alone at mistaro until two in the afternoon drink two

00:07:52glasses of lemon water then drive home dad is busy today it isn't easy for him but today i didn't

00:07:57reply

00:07:58i started the car again and drove toward back bay i wasn't acting out of spite i just suddenly wanted

00:08:04to take a look i wanted to see what his so-called urgent matter actually was i parked across the

00:08:09street from mistral i didn't go in right away i stood outside the glass window for about 10 seconds

00:08:15inside at the old table by the window the three of them were sitting there cassidy and adi sat close

00:08:20together on the same side adi tilted her head up telling her jokes her shoulders shaking with laughter

00:08:24cassidy fed her a piece of little cake taking a bite herself first before handing it over adi opened

00:08:28her mouth and ate it trevor sat across from them he was wearing the dark gray cashmere coat i had

00:08:34picked out for him last christmas he was smiling the kind of smile i hadn't seen in a very long

00:08:38time he placed a piece of fish on cassidy's plate then one for adi his eyes stayed on cassidy's face

00:08:44the whole time as if in the entire restaurant she was the only person left i stood outside the glass

00:08:48window carrying two unborn children in my belly his wife his childhood friend's widow his daughter

00:08:54three people at one table the seat that should have been across from him was empty i didn't go in

00:08:59i turned around and walked back to the car i started the engine the windshield wiper swept

00:09:05across the glass wiping away two drops of water it wasn't rain even i didn't know when they had

00:09:10fallen i smiled a little i said to myself amelia do you see it clearly now i see it clearly

00:09:16i drove

00:09:17away i didn't look back at mistral once when i returned to beacon hill it was 1 30 in the

00:09:21afternoon

00:09:22only henry was in the old house when he saw me he froze mrs hale aren't you at mistral mr

00:09:26hale had

00:09:27something come up henry opened in his mouth then said nothing i went upstairs and entered the study

00:09:31i opened the computer and connected to the home network on the desktop was a folder password locked

00:09:37and hidden for seven years folder amv only i opened it there were four things inside a pdf of the

00:09:44post

00:09:44up from seven years ago the version i had personally scanned and archived

00:09:52a record of every major decision trevor had made over the past seven years i had attended every

00:09:57viridian labs board meeting remotely and he didn't know a copy of delivery room footage from the day

00:10:02adeline was born proof that trevor had been absent a full set of evidence i had obtained two years ago

00:10:08showing hale trusts forged documents for cassidy's identity as cole's widow

00:10:18from that folder i pulled up the divorce agreement template it was the version zara had sent me half a

00:10:24year ago sis here in case you need it someday i won't need it she wrote back sis stop lying

00:10:33to yourself

00:10:40two o'clock this afternoon i needed it i copied article 8 of the postnip into the first page of

00:10:46the agreement word for word i attached the email dr masson had sent trevor about adeline's psychological

00:10:51evaluation to the second page i placed the photo of that table for three at mistral this morning on

00:10:57third page i had taken the photo outside the glass window with my phone i looked at it for a

00:11:04long

00:11:05time i wasn't reluctant to let go i simply added one line of caption to that photo exhibit c

00:11:13defendant dined with a third party and daughter at mistral 47 minute during which defendant did not

00:11:18contact place niff this date was planta's birthday and seventh wedding anniversary print

00:11:26sign amelia m voss not hale voss i hadn't used that surname in seven years after signing i folded

00:11:35the agreement and placed it in a craft envelope on the front of the envelope i wrote three words

00:11:40to trevor hale i placed it on the mahogany table in the foyer that table was cassidy's housewarming gift

00:11:48three years ago i went downstairs henry was arranging a bouquet in the living room when he saw me

00:11:56carrying my suitcase he froze completely mrs hale henry i pointed to the envelope for him when mr hale

00:12:05comes back please hand this to him personally i'll be returning to san francisco shortly henry's lips

00:12:09moved but no sound came out he had been the hale family's butler for 20 years he had seen everything

00:12:17seven years every time i waited until late at night and trevor never came home he was the one who

00:12:23brought me soup every time cassidy unintentionally stabbed me in this house he silently pulled me away

00:12:30at last he spoke in a low voice you won't be coming back this time i didn't answer i took

00:12:37a white

00:12:37sheet of paper from my handbag wrote several lines and handed it to him henry at 2 40 this afternoon

00:12:46mr hale miss cassidy lambert and adeline hale had lunch together at mistral i was originally scheduled

00:12:52to attend

00:12:57plaintiff was not present please sign by hand later as a witness amelia m voss after henry finished reading

00:13:03it his hand trembled he looked up at me just sign your name if this matter goes to court your

00:13:08name

00:13:09will appear on exhibit c if you don't want to sign you can tear it up i won't force you

00:13:13henry was silent for

00:13:14five seconds then he signed his name at the very bottom of the paper he wrote slowly each stroke heavy

00:13:19henry coleman the 14th of march i took the paper folded it and put it into my kelly bag henry

00:13:24mrs dr voss it was the first time he called me that thank you for these seven years

00:13:29he lowered his head i failed you by the time the car pulled out of beacon hill it was already

00:13:33three

00:13:34in the afternoon i didn't look back at that house again in the car i sent zara three messages that

00:13:39postnup can be used now i am on my way to the airport five o'clock flight to sfo charles

00:13:44will

00:13:44pick me up i'll go straight to bishop and cole after landing she replied instantly waiting for you sis

00:13:48the car entered the approach ramp to logan airport i rested my hand on my belly the two children moved

00:13:53i said to them mommy is taking you home to our real home before the plane took off the cabin

00:13:58announcement told us to turn off our phones before switching mine to airplane mode i opened

00:14:02my alarm list there were 17 alarms in total the one at the top was set for six o'clock

00:14:06every morning

00:14:07the alarm title read call addy boston time seven years no six years since addy turned one every

00:14:13morning at six whether i was in california boston new york tokyo london at a prenatal checkup in a

00:14:19meeting or just finishing overtime in the middle of the night when the alarm rang i called her

00:14:24mommy she spent more and more time in boston with trevor she answered the phone less and less

00:14:29finish breakfast go to school bye mommy loves you starting this year she stopped letting henry

00:14:34answer for her she simply stopped answering i had never deleted that alarm i told myself what if one

00:14:39day she remembered mommy what if one day she was willing to answer again i had to be online at

00:14:44that

00:14:44moment at six this morning i was on the first floor of the old beacon hill house that alarm rang

00:14:48too

00:14:52at that moment i was standing beside the foyer table placing the envelope there i stared at the

00:14:58phone screen she was upstairs she didn't hear it before seven o'clock she and henry said all of

00:15:05that in the kitchen i stared at that alarm for a long time i deleted it the plane taxied down

00:15:09the

00:15:10runway the engine noise grew louder and louder i closed my eyes i said one thing to myself you've done

00:15:17everything you needed to do i opened my eyes and took article eight of the postnote from my handbag

00:15:23the clause trevor had personally added seven years ago if either spouse commits public humiliation

00:15:28deprivation of parental rights or economic coercion the other spouse shall have the right to sole

00:15:32custody of minor children and 75 percent of marital assets

00:15:38back then the hale family's chief attorney smiled at me mrs hale this clause is absolutely in

00:15:44your favor see how much trevor protects you i was only 24 then newly pregnant with adeline

00:15:51it was my first time stepping into a century-old family like the hails and i was so nervous my

00:15:56hand

00:15:56shook when i signed i signed trevor signed too he even wrote one sentence in his own hand

00:16:03to keep my wife safe from my own family to protect my wife from being hurt by my own family

00:16:08reading that sentence again today i nearly laughed out loud he had hardly protected me at all

00:16:14but he had indeed left me a gun seven years later he walked himself right into the barrel

00:16:20seven years ago he wrote that clause because he feared the hale family would hurt me

00:16:24seven years later the person who hurt me the deepest was himself

00:16:27the hails the cabin announcement told us we could unbuckle our seatbelts

00:16:31clouds spread out beyond the wing sunlight poured in harsh and blinding

00:16:35i closed the forder i told myself amelia you don't love him anymore

00:16:42it wasn't something that happened overnight i'm in a meeting again and again he said

00:16:47she needs me again and again he said your hormones are unstable again and again he said

00:16:53cassidy has it hard he wore away what little love i had bit by bit until it turned to ash

00:16:58when the wind blew nothing was left i closed my eyes one of the two children in my belly moved

00:17:02and the other moved with them i smiled i said to them your mother is not mrs hale

00:17:09your mother's name is amelia m voss starting today

00:17:21i flew back to boston pregnant with twins just to confirm trevor wouldn't be home tonight

00:17:26today was my 31st birthday it was also our seventh wedding anniversary the doctor told me not to fly

00:17:31i flew anyway not because of love because after seven years i was still waiting for him to give

00:17:37me one reason not to leave i told the babies in my belly this is the last time after this

00:17:41we stopped

00:17:42waiting for him he thought what he'd lost was a wife throwing a tantrum tomorrow morning at nine

00:17:46he would find out what he'd lost was someone he had never deserved in his life

00:17:50by the time i landed at logan airport it was already past nine at night i thought that if only

00:17:55for

00:17:56the sake of these seven years he should come home tonight when i walked out of the airport my phone

00:18:00was full of birthday wishes from colleagues and old classmates there was nothing from trevor

00:18:07by the time i reached the old house on beacon hill it was almost 10 30. henry opened the door

00:18:12for me

00:18:12mrs hale you what brings you here where's trevor and oddy mr hale hasn't returned yet

00:18:19mrs upstairs playing with that box of shells

00:18:24i nodded handed him my coat and went upstairs with one hand supporting my belly

00:18:28the hallway was very quiet adi's bedroom door was half open a warm little lamp glowing inside

00:18:34i pushed the door open and went in she was wearing pink pajamas sitting cross-legged on the carpet

00:18:39focused on stringing a shell necklace my footsteps were light she looked up her eyes lighting up then

00:18:47she lowered her head again and went back to fiddling with the beads i crouched down held my belly

00:18:52pulled her into my arms and kissed her mom don't bother me i'm busy i hadn't seen her in more

00:18:58than

00:18:58two months no number of kisses would have been enough but she had already wriggled out of my arms

00:19:03is oddy making a shell necklace in one week it'll be aunt cassidy birthday this is the birthday present

00:19:10dad and i are making for aunt cassidy dad and i polished every one of these shells with tools aren't

00:19:15they pretty

00:19:20she held the necklace up in front of me that box of shells was the one i had taken her

00:19:23to collect

00:19:24on beach at big sum last year my throat tightened sharply before i could speak she added happily dad

00:19:29also ordered other custom gifts for aunt cassidy tomorrow she didn't finish i looked at the necklace

00:19:34in her hands and remembered something this time last year it had been a night just like this

00:19:38the charity gala for children's hospital trevor personally auctioned off the copy of california

00:19:43rare birds field guide i had given him for our sixth anniversary one of only three out of print

00:19:48copies the one i had found among my late father's belongings the hammer price was four hundred twenty

00:19:53thousand dollars donated to set up a trust for the child cassidy had left from cold i sat in the

00:19:58third

00:19:59row at the time smiling and applauding i thought i could endure one more year lady mommy wants to ask

00:20:07you

00:20:07something she looked up do you remember mommy's birthday she furrowed her little brows and thought

00:20:15very seriously for five seconds mommy's birthday she looked up at me and blinked as if asking for help

00:20:24mom is your birthday the one in summer

00:20:29she lowered her head again and started counting the beads

00:20:32mom don't talk to me you're messing up the order

00:20:35i didn't speak again i let go of the arm i had around her

00:20:43when i went downstairs henry was waiting in the living room

00:20:46mrs hale i called mr hale just now he said he has something to do tonight and asked you to

00:20:53rest first

00:20:53i see i answered softly after thinking for a moment i still called trevor the phone rang for a long

00:21:00time

00:21:00before he answered his voice was faint i'm busy tomorrow

00:21:06from the other end of the phone came another woman's voice soft natural as if she had been by his

00:21:10side all night

00:21:11who is it this late it was cassidy

00:21:13i tightened my grip on the phone trevor paused then said to me

00:21:17nothing

00:21:18before i could speak he hung up

00:21:20i sat on the sofa for a long time

00:21:23the two children in my belly moved

00:21:25i lowered my head and gently patted my stomach

00:21:27i said to them

00:21:29mommy understands now

00:21:31mommy thought seven years was long enough

00:21:34that

00:21:35one year he would remember to come home

00:21:37tonight was the last time mommy won't wait for him anymore

00:21:46at 6 30 the next morning i went downstairs

00:21:49henry was making breakfast in the kitchen

00:21:51i didn't go in

00:21:52halfway there i heard odie's voice drifting over from the other side of the kitchen

00:21:56she was talking to henry

00:21:58her voice wasn't loud but she was still little

00:22:00she didn't understand what lower your voice meant

00:22:02henry i'm not happy that mom came

00:22:04miss why would you be unhappy

00:22:06dad and i already promised we'd take aunt

00:22:08aunt cassidy to kid cod tomorrow

00:22:10if mom suddenly comes and insists on going with us

00:22:13aunt cassidy will feel so awkward

00:22:15miss

00:22:15madam is your mother

00:22:17you can't say things like that it will hurt her heart understand

00:22:20i know

00:22:21but there wasn't the slightest hesitation in her voice

00:22:23but dad and i both like aunt cassidy better

00:22:26can i let aunt cassidy be my mommy

00:22:28i skipped the foot of the stairs unable to move even half a step

00:22:31my daughter was my own flesh and blood

00:22:32i had spent 22 hours in the delivery room alone

00:22:35trevor was in europe that day negotiating an acquisition

00:22:39cole is gone

00:22:40i have to go to cassidy right away

00:22:42cole had died in a car accident the night before

00:22:45cassidy wasn't pregnant yet at the time

00:22:48after that night the two of them were never truly apart again

00:22:51henry said nothing more

00:22:52i walked back to my room and closed the door

00:22:54i sat down by the bed

00:22:56i didn't cry

00:22:57i only lowered the hand resting on my belly

00:22:59i opened my phone

00:23:01i sent trevor a text

00:23:02trevor let's have lunch together today

00:23:04just the three of us

00:23:05ad wants mistral's lobster ravioli

00:23:07i'll fly back to san francisco this afternoon

00:23:09he replied about 20 minutes later

00:23:12got it you set the time

00:23:13looking at that got it

00:23:15i nearly laughed out loud

00:23:17seven years ago

00:23:18when he was pursuing me

00:23:19he wrote 15 love letters

00:23:21every one of them ended with yours

00:23:23trevor

00:23:24seven years later

00:23:25his reply to me had fewer words than yours plus trevor

00:23:27i wrote back

00:23:3012 30 mistral

00:23:31got it

00:23:32i washed up did my makeup

00:23:33and changed into a pale beige maternity dress

00:23:35i had picked it out myself last year

00:23:37trevor had never seen it once

00:23:38at 11 40 i drove to back bay

00:23:40halfway there my phone buzzed

00:23:42it was trevor

00:23:42something urgent came up at noon

00:23:44lunch is cancelled

00:23:45next time

00:23:45i pulled over onto a small road beside staro drive

00:23:48and stared at that text for a long time

00:23:54if it had been before i would have immediately replied okay

00:23:56or when you're done should i wait for you

00:23:58i would have waited

00:24:00i would have sat alone at mistaro until two in the afternoon

00:24:03drink two glasses of lemon water

00:24:04then drive home

00:24:05dad is busy today

00:24:06it isn't easy for him

00:24:07but today i didn't reply

00:24:10i started the car again and drove toward back bay

00:24:12i wasn't acting out of spite

00:24:14i just suddenly wanted to take a look

00:24:16i wanted to see what his so-called urgent matter actually was

00:24:19i parked across the street from mistral

00:24:21i didn't go in right away

00:24:23i stood outside the glass window for about 10 seconds

00:24:26inside

00:24:26at the old table by the window

00:24:28the three of them were sitting there

00:24:30cassidy and adi sat close together on the same side

00:24:32adi tilted her head up

00:24:33telling her jokes

00:24:34her shoulders shaking with laughter

00:24:35cassidy fed her a piece of little cake

00:24:37taking a bite herself first before handing it over

00:24:39adi opened her mouth and ate it

00:24:41trevor sat across from them

00:24:43he was wearing the dark gray cashmere coat i had picked out for him last christmas

00:24:46he was smiling

00:24:47the kind of smile i hadn't seen in a very long time

00:24:49he placed a piece of fish on cassidy's plate

00:24:52then one for adi

00:24:53his eyes stayed on cassidy's face the whole time

00:24:56as if in the entire restaurant

00:24:57she was the only person left

00:24:58i stood outside the glass window

00:25:00carrying two unborn children in my belly

00:25:02his wife

00:25:03his childhood friend's widow

00:25:04his daughter

00:25:05three people at one table

00:25:07the seat that should have been across from him was empty

00:25:09i didn't go in

00:25:11i turned around and walked back to the car

00:25:13i started the engine

00:25:15the windshield wiper swept across the glass

00:25:17wiping away two drops of water

00:25:19it wasn't rain

00:25:20even i didn't know when they had fallen

00:25:22i smiled a little

00:25:23i said to myself

00:25:24amelia do you see it clearly now

00:25:26i see it clearly

00:25:28i drove away

00:25:29i didn't look back at mistral once

00:25:30when i returned to beacon hill

00:25:31it was 1 30 in the afternoon

00:25:33only henry was in the old house

00:25:34when he saw me

00:25:35he froze

00:25:36mrs hale aren't you at mistral

00:25:37mr hale had something come up

00:25:39henry opened in his mouth

00:25:40then said nothing

00:25:41i went upstairs and entered the study

00:25:43i opened the computer

00:25:44and connected to the home network

00:25:45on the desktop was a folder

00:25:47password locked

00:25:48and hidden for 7 years

00:25:49folder

00:25:50amv only

00:25:51i opened it

00:25:52there were 4 things inside

00:25:54a pdf of the postnup from 7 years ago

00:25:56the version i had personally scanned and archived

00:26:03a record of every major decision trevor had made over the past 7 years

00:26:07i had attended every viridian labs board meeting remotely

00:26:10and he didn't know

00:26:11a copy of delivery room footage from the day adeline was born proof that trevor had been absent

00:26:16a full set of evidence i had obtained 2 years ago

00:26:20showing hale trusts forged documents for cassidy's identity as cole's widow

00:26:30from that folder i pulled up the divorce agreement template

00:26:33it was the version zara had sent me half a year ago

00:26:37sis here in case you need it someday

00:26:40i won't need it

00:26:41she wrote back

00:26:43sis stop lying to yourself

00:26:51two o'clock this afternoon

00:26:53i needed it

00:26:54i copied article 8 of the postnip into the first page of the agreement

00:26:57word for word

00:26:58i attached the email dr masson had sent trevor about adeline's psychological evaluation

00:27:03to the second page

00:27:05i placed the photo of that table for three at mistral this morning on the third page

00:27:10i had taken the photo outside the glass window with my phone

00:27:14i looked at it for a long time

00:27:16i wasn't reluctant to let go

00:27:19i simply added one line of caption to that photo

00:27:22exhibit c

00:27:24defendant dined with a third party and daughter at mistral 47 minute

00:27:28during which defendant did not contact place enough

00:27:31this date was plantis birthday and seventh wedding anniversary

00:27:35print

00:27:37sign amelia m voss

00:27:39not hale

00:27:40voss

00:27:41i hadn't used that surname in seven years

00:27:44after signing i folded the agreement and placed it in a craft envelope on the front of the envelope

00:27:50i wrote three words

00:27:52to trevor hale

00:27:54i placed it on the mahogany table in the foyer

00:27:57that table was cassidy's housewarming gift three years ago

00:28:00i went downstairs

00:28:03henry was arranging a bouquet in the living room

00:28:06when he saw me carrying my suitcase he froze completely

00:28:12mrs hale

00:28:13henry i pointed to the envelope for him when mr hale comes back please hand this to him personally

00:28:18i'll be returning to san francisco shortly

00:28:20henry's lips moved but no sound came out

00:28:22he had been the hale family's butler for 20 years

00:28:25he had seen everything

00:28:28seven years

00:28:30every time i waited until late at night and trevor never came home

00:28:33he was the one who brought me soup

00:28:36every time cassidy unintentionally stabbed me in this house

00:28:39he silently pulled me away

00:28:41at last he spoke in a low voice

00:28:44you won't be coming back this time

00:28:46i didn't answer

00:28:48i took a white sheet of paper from my handbag

00:28:51wrote several lines

00:28:53and handed it to him

00:28:55henry

00:28:56at 2 40 this afternoon

00:28:58mr hale

00:28:59miss cassidy lambert

00:29:00and adeline hale

00:29:01had lunch together at mistral

00:29:02i was originally scheduled to attend

00:29:09plaintiff was not present

00:29:10please sign by hand later as a witness

00:29:12amelia m vos

00:29:13after henry finished reading it

00:29:14his hand trembled

00:29:15he looked up at me

00:29:16just sign your name

00:29:17if this matter goes to court

00:29:19your name will appear on exhibit c

00:29:21if you don't want to sign

00:29:22you can tear it up

00:29:23i won't force you

00:29:24henry was silent for five seconds

00:29:26then he signed his name

00:29:27at the very bottom of the paper

00:29:28he wrote slowly

00:29:29each stroke heavy

00:29:30henry coleman the 14th of march

00:29:32i took the paper

00:29:33folded it

00:29:34and put it into my kelly bag

00:29:35henry

00:29:35mrs dr voss

00:29:37it was the first time he called me that

00:29:39thank you for these seven years

00:29:40he lowered his head

00:29:41i failed you

00:29:42by the time the car pulled out of beacon hill

00:29:44it was already three in the afternoon

00:29:45i didn't look back at that house again

00:29:47in the car i sent zara three messages

00:29:50that postnup can be used now

00:29:51i am on my way to the airport

00:29:53five o'clock flight to sfo

00:29:54charles will pick me up

00:29:56i'll go straight to bishop and cole after landing

00:29:57she replied instantly

00:29:59waiting for you sis

00:30:00the car entered the approach ramp to logan airport

00:30:02i rested my hand on my belly

00:30:04the two children moved

00:30:05i said to them

00:30:06mommy is taking you home

00:30:07to our real home

00:30:08before the plane took off the cabin announcement told us to turn off our phones

00:30:11before switching mine to airplane mode

00:30:13i opened my alarm list

00:30:14there were 17 alarms in total

00:30:16the one at the top was set for six o'clock every morning

00:30:18the alarm title read

00:30:19call adi

00:30:20boston time

00:30:21seven years

00:30:21no six years

00:30:22since adi turned one

00:30:24every morning at six

00:30:25whether i was in california

00:30:26boston

00:30:27new york

00:30:28tokyo

00:30:28london

00:30:29at a prenatal checkup

00:30:30in a meeting

00:30:30or just finishing overtime

00:30:32in the middle of the night

00:30:33when the alarm rang

00:30:34i called her

00:30:36mommy

00:30:36she spent more and more time

00:30:37in boston with trevor

00:30:38she answered the phone

00:30:39less and less

00:30:40finish breakfast

00:30:41go to school

00:30:42bye mommy loves you

00:30:44starting this year

00:30:44she stopped letting henry answer for her

00:30:46she simply stopped answering

00:30:48i had never deleted that alarm

00:30:49i told myself

00:30:50what if one day she remembered mommy

00:30:52what if one day she was willing to answer again

00:30:54i had to be online at that moment

00:30:55at six this morning

00:30:56i was on the first floor of the old beacon hill house

00:30:59that alarm rang too

00:31:03at that moment

00:31:04i was standing beside the foyer table

00:31:06placing the envelope there

00:31:08i stared at the phone screen

00:31:10she was upstairs

00:31:13she didn't hear it

00:31:14before seven o'clock

00:31:15she and henry said all of that in the kitchen

00:31:16i stared at that alarm for a long time

00:31:19i deleted it

00:31:19the plane taxied down the runway

00:31:21the engine noise grew louder and louder

00:31:23i closed my eyes

00:31:25i said one thing to myself

00:31:27you've done everything you needed to do

00:31:31i opened my eyes

00:31:31and took article 8 of the postnote from my handbag

00:31:34the clause trevor had personally added seven years ago

00:31:36if either spouse commits public humiliation

00:31:39deprivation of parental rights

00:31:40or economic coercion

00:31:42the other spouse shall have the right to sole custody of minor children

00:31:44and 75% of marital assets

00:31:49back then the hail family's chief attorney smiled at me

00:31:52mrs. hail

00:31:53this clause is absolutely in your favor

00:31:55see how much trevor protects you

00:31:58i was only 24 then

00:32:00newly pregnant with adeline

00:32:02it was my first time stepping into a century-old family

00:32:04like the hails

00:32:06and i was so nervous my hand shook

00:32:08when i signed

00:32:09i signed

00:32:11trevor signed too

00:32:12he even wrote one sentence in his own hand

00:32:14to keep my wife safe from my own family

00:32:16to protect my wife from being hurt by my own family

00:32:20reading that sentence again today

00:32:21i nearly laughed out loud

00:32:22he had hardly protected me at all

00:32:25but he had indeed left me a gun

00:32:27seven years later

00:32:29he walked himself right into the barrel

00:32:31seven years ago

00:32:32he wrote that clause

00:32:33because he feared the hail family would hurt me

00:32:35seven years later

00:32:36the person who hurt me the deepest was himself

00:32:39the hails the cabin announcement told us we could unbuckle our seatbelts

00:32:42clouds spread out beyond the wing

00:32:44sunlight poured in harsh and blinding

00:32:47i closed the forder

00:32:48i told myself

00:32:50amelia you don't love him anymore

00:32:54it wasn't something that happened overnight

00:32:55i'm in a meeting

00:32:57again and again he said

00:32:58she needs me

00:32:59again and again he said

00:33:01your hormones are unstable

00:33:03again and again he said

00:33:04cassidy has it hard

00:33:05he wore away what little love i had

00:33:07bit by bit

00:33:07until it turned to ash

00:33:09when the wind blew

00:33:10nothing was left

00:33:11i closed my eyes

00:33:12one of the two children in my belly moved

00:33:14and the other moved with them

00:33:16i smiled

00:33:16i said to them

00:33:18your mother is not mrs hale

00:33:20your mother's name is amelia m voss

00:33:22starting today

00:33:32i flew back to boston pregnant with twins

00:33:35just to confirm trevor wouldn't be home tonight

00:33:37today was my 31st birthday

00:33:38it was also our 7th wedding anniversary

00:33:41the doctor told me not to fly

00:33:42i flew anyway

00:33:43not because of love

00:33:45because

00:33:45after 7 years

00:33:47i was still waiting for him to give me one reason

00:33:49not to leave

00:33:49i told the babies in my belly

00:33:51this is the last time

00:33:52after this

00:33:53we stopped waiting for him

00:33:54he thought what he'd lost was a wife throwing a tantrum

00:33:56tomorrow morning at 9

00:33:57he would find out

00:33:58what he'd lost was someone he had never deserved in his life

00:34:01by the time i landed at logan airport

00:34:03it was already past 9 at night

00:34:05i thought that

00:34:06if only for the sake of these 7 years

00:34:08he should come home tonight

00:34:09when i walked out of the airport

00:34:10my phone was full of birthday wishes from colleagues and old classmates

00:34:14there was nothing from trevor

00:34:19by the time i reached the old house on beacon hill

00:34:21it was almost 10 30

00:34:22henry opened the door for me

00:34:24mrs hale you

00:34:25what brings you here

00:34:27where's trevor

00:34:28and adi

00:34:29mr hale hasn't returned yet

00:34:30missus upstairs playing with that box of shells

00:34:35i nodded

00:34:36handed him my coat

00:34:37and went upstairs with one hand supporting my belly

00:34:39the hallway was very quiet

00:34:41adi's bedroom door was half open

00:34:43a warm little lamp glowing inside

00:34:45i pushed the door open and went in

00:34:47she was wearing pink pajamas

00:34:49sitting cross-legged on the carpet

00:34:51focused on stringing a shell necklace

00:34:53my footsteps were light

00:34:56she looked up

00:34:57her eyes lighting up

00:34:58then she lowered her head again

00:34:59and went back to fiddling with the beads

00:35:01i crouched down

00:35:03held my belly

00:35:04pulled her into my arms

00:35:05and kissed her

00:35:06mom don't bother me

00:35:08i'm busy

00:35:09i hadn't seen her in more than two months

00:35:10no number of kisses would have been enough

00:35:12but she had already wriggled out of my arms

00:35:14is adi making a shell necklace

00:35:17in one week

00:35:18it'll be aunt cassidy birthday

00:35:20this is the birthday present dad and i are making for aunt cassidy

00:35:23dad and i polished every one of these shells with tools

00:35:25aren't they pretty

00:35:31she held the necklace up in front of me

00:35:33that box of shells was the one i had taken her to collect on beach at big sum last year

00:35:37my throat tightened sharply

00:35:38before i could speak

00:35:39she added happily

00:35:40dad also ordered other custom gifts for aunt cassidy

00:35:43tomorrow

00:35:43she didn't finish

00:35:44i looked at the necklace in her hands and remembered something

00:35:47this time last year it had been a night just like this

00:35:49the charity gala for children's hospital

00:35:51trevor personally auctioned off the copy of california rare birds field guide

00:35:56i had given him for our sixth anniversary

00:35:58one of only three out of print copies

00:36:00the one i had found among my late father's belongings

00:36:02the hammer price was 420,000 dollars

00:36:05donated to set up a trust for the child

00:36:08cassidy had left from cold

00:36:09i sat in the third row at the time

00:36:11smiling and applauding

00:36:14i thought i could endure one more year

00:36:16lady

00:36:17mommy wants to ask you something

00:36:19she looked up

00:36:22do you remember mommy's birthday

00:36:24she furrowed her little brows and thought very seriously

00:36:28for five seconds

00:36:29mommy's birthday

00:36:31she looked up at me and blinked as if asking for help

00:36:36mom is your birthday the one in summer

00:36:40she lowered her head again and started counting the beads

00:36:43mom don't talk to me

00:36:45you're messing up the order

00:36:46i didn't speak again

00:36:48i let go of the arm i had around her

00:36:54when i went downstairs

00:36:56henry was waiting in the living room

00:36:58mrs hale

00:36:59i called mr hale just now

00:37:01he said he has something to do tonight

00:37:03and asked you to rest first

00:37:05i see

00:37:06i answered softly

00:37:07after thinking for a moment

00:37:08i still called trevor

00:37:10the phone rang for a long time before he answered

00:37:12his voice was faint

00:37:14i'm busy tomorrow

00:37:17from the other end of the phone came another woman's voice

00:37:20soft natural

00:37:20as if she had been by his side all night

00:37:22who is it this late

00:37:23it was cassidy

00:37:24i tightened my grip on the phone

00:37:26trevor paused then said to me

00:37:28nothing

00:37:30before i could speak

00:37:31he hung up

00:37:32i sat on the sofa for a long time

00:37:34the two children in my belly moved

00:37:36i lowered my head and gently patted my stomach

00:37:39i said to them

00:37:40mommy understands now

00:37:42mommy thought seven years was long enough that

00:37:46one year

00:37:47he would remember to come home

00:37:49tonight was the last time

00:37:51mommy won't wait for him anymore

00:37:57at 6 30 the next morning

00:37:58i went downstairs

00:38:00henry was making breakfast in the kitchen

00:38:02i didn't go in

00:38:03halfway there

00:38:05i heard oddy's voice drifting over

00:38:06from the other side of the kitchen

00:38:08she was talking to henry

00:38:09her voice wasn't loud

00:38:10but she was still little

00:38:11she didn't understand

00:38:12what lower your voice meant

00:38:13henry i'm not happy that mom came

00:38:15miss why would you be unhappy

00:38:18dad and i already promised

00:38:19we'd take aunt

00:38:20aunt cassidy to kate cod tomorrow

00:38:21if mom suddenly comes

00:38:23and insists on going with us

00:38:24aunt cassidy will feel so awkward

00:38:26miss

00:38:27madam is your mother

00:38:28you can't say things like that

00:38:29it will hurt her heart

00:38:30understand

00:38:31i know

00:38:32but there wasn't the slightest hesitation

00:38:34in her voice

00:38:34but dad and i both like aunt cassidy better

00:38:37can i let aunt cassidy be my mommy

00:38:39i skipped the foot of the stairs

00:38:40unable to move even half a step

00:38:42my daughter was my own flesh and blood

00:38:44i had spent 22 hours in the delivery room alone

00:38:46trevor was in europe that day

00:38:48negotiating an acquisition

00:38:51cole is gone

00:38:51i have to go to cassidy right away

00:38:53cole had died in a car accident

00:38:55the night before

00:38:57cassidy wasn't pregnant yet at the time

00:38:59after that night

00:39:00the two of them were never truly apart again

00:39:03henry said nothing more

00:39:04i walked back to my room

00:39:05and closed the door

00:39:06i sat down by the bed

00:39:07i didn't cry

00:39:08i only lowered the hand resting on my belly

00:39:11i opened my phone

00:39:12i sent trevor a text

00:39:14trevor

00:39:14let's have lunch together today

00:39:15just the three of us

00:39:16ad wants mistral's lobster ravioli

00:39:18i'll fly back to san francisco this afternoon

00:39:20he replied about 20 minutes later

00:39:23got it

00:39:24you set the time

00:39:25looking at that

00:39:25got it

00:39:26i nearly laughed out loud

00:39:28seven years ago

00:39:29when he was pursuing me

00:39:31he wrote 15 love letters

00:39:32every one of them ended with yours

00:39:34trevor

00:39:35seven years later

00:39:36his reply to me had fewer words than yours

00:39:38plus trevor

00:39:38i wrote back

00:39:4212 30 mistral

00:39:43got it

00:39:43i washed up

00:39:44did my makeup

00:39:45and changed into a pale beige maternity dress

00:39:47i had picked it out myself last year

00:39:48trevor had never seen it once

00:39:50at 11 40

00:39:50i drove to back bay

00:39:51halfway there

00:39:52my phone buzzed

00:39:53it was trevor

00:39:54something urgent came up at noon

00:39:55lunch is cancelled

00:39:56next time

00:39:57i pulled over onto a small road

00:39:58beside starro drive

00:39:59and stared at that text

00:40:00for a long time

00:40:05if it had been before

00:40:06i would have immediately replied

00:40:07okay

00:40:08or when you're done

00:40:09should i wait for you

00:40:09i would have waited

00:40:11i would have sat alone at mistaro

00:40:13until two in the afternoon

00:40:14drink two glasses of lemon water

00:40:15then drive home

00:40:16dad is busy today

00:40:17it isn't easy for him

00:40:18but today

00:40:19i didn't reply

00:40:21i started the car again

00:40:22and drove toward back bay

00:40:24i wasn't acting out of spite

00:40:25i just suddenly wanted to take a look

00:40:27i wanted to see what his so-called

00:40:29urgent matter actually was

00:40:30i parked across the street

00:40:32from mistral

00:40:32i didn't go in right away

00:40:34i stood outside the glass window

00:40:36for about 10 seconds

00:40:37inside

00:40:38at the old table by the window

00:40:39the three of them were sitting there

00:40:41cassidy and oddy sat close together

00:40:43on the same side

00:40:43oddy tilted her head up

00:40:44telling her jokes

00:40:45her shoulders shaking with laughter

00:40:47cassidy fed her a piece of little cake

00:40:48taking a bite herself first

00:40:49before handing it over

00:40:50oddy opened her mouth

00:40:51and ate it

00:40:52trevor sat across from them

00:40:54he was wearing the dark gray cashmere coat

00:40:56i had picked out for him last christmas

00:40:58he was smiling

00:40:58the kind of smile i hadn't seen in a very long time

00:41:01he placed a piece of fish on cassidy's plate

00:41:03then one for oddy

00:41:04his eyes stayed on cassidy's face the whole time

00:41:07as if in the entire restaurant

00:41:08she was the only person left

00:41:10i stood outside the glass window

00:41:11carrying two unborn children in my belly

00:41:13his wife

00:41:14his childhood friend's widow

00:41:16his daughter

00:41:17three people at one table

00:41:18the seat that should have been across from him was empty

00:41:21i didn't go in

00:41:22i turned around and walked back to the car

00:41:25i started the engine

00:41:26the windshield wiper swept across the glass

00:41:28wiping away two drops of water

00:41:30it wasn't rain

00:41:31even i didn't know when they had fallen

00:41:33i smiled a little

00:41:34i said to myself

00:41:36amelia

00:41:36do you see it clearly now

00:41:37i see it clearly

00:41:39i drove away

00:41:40i didn't look back at mistral once

00:41:42when i returned to beacon hill

00:41:43it was 1 30 in the afternoon

00:41:44only henry was in the old house

00:41:46when he saw me

00:41:46he froze

00:41:47mrs hale aren't you at mistral

00:41:48mr hale had something come up

00:41:50henry opened in his mouth

00:41:51then said nothing

00:41:52i went upstairs and entered the study

00:41:54i opened the computer

00:41:55and connected to the home network

00:41:57on the desktop was a folder

00:41:59password locked

00:42:00and hidden for 7 years

00:42:01folder

00:42:01amv only

00:42:03i opened it

00:42:03there were 4 things inside

00:42:05a pdf of the postnup

00:42:07from 7 years ago

00:42:08the version i had personally scanned

00:42:09and archived

00:42:14a record of every major decision

00:42:16trevor had made over the past 7 years

00:42:18i had attended every viridian labs

00:42:20board meeting remotely

00:42:21and he didn't know

00:42:22a copy of delivery room footage

00:42:24from the day adeline

00:42:25was born proof

00:42:26that trevor had been absent

00:42:27a full set of evidence

00:42:29i had obtained

00:42:30two years ago

00:42:31showing hale trusts

00:42:33forged documents

00:42:34for cassidy's identity

00:42:35as cole's widow

00:42:41from that folder

00:42:42i pulled up the divorce agreement template

00:42:44it was the version zara had sent me

00:42:46half a year ago

00:42:49sis here

00:42:50in case you need it someday

00:42:51i won't need it

00:42:53she wrote back

00:42:54sis stop lying to yourself

00:43:03two o'clock this afternoon

00:43:04i needed it

00:43:05i copied article 8

00:43:07of the postnip

00:43:07into the first page

00:43:08of the agreement

00:43:09word for word

00:43:10i attached the email

00:43:11dr masson had sent trevor

00:43:12about adeline's psychological evaluation

00:43:14to the second page

00:43:16i placed the photo

00:43:18of that table for three

00:43:19at mistral this morning

00:43:20on the third page

00:43:22i had taken the photo

00:43:23outside the glass window

00:43:24with my phone

00:43:25i looked at it

00:43:27for a long time

00:43:28i wasn't reluctant

00:43:29to let go

00:43:30i simply added

00:43:31one line of caption

00:43:32to that photo

00:43:33exhibit c

00:43:35defendant dined

00:43:37with a third party

00:43:37and daughter

00:43:38at mistral

00:43:3947 minute

00:43:40during which defendant

00:43:40did not contact

00:43:41placeniff

00:43:42this date

00:43:43was plantis birthday

00:43:44and seventh

00:43:45wedding anniversary

00:43:46print

00:43:48sign

00:43:49amelia m voss

00:43:50not hale

00:43:51voss

00:43:52i hadn't used

00:43:53that surname

00:43:54in seven years

00:43:55after signing

00:43:57i folded the agreement

00:43:58and placed it

00:43:59in a craft envelope

00:44:00on the front of the envelope

00:44:01i wrote three words

00:44:03to trevor hale

00:44:05i placed it on the mahogany table

00:44:07in the foyer

00:44:08that table was cassidy's

00:44:10housewarming gift

00:44:11three years ago

00:44:12i went downstairs

00:44:14henry was arranging a bouquet

00:44:16in the living room

00:44:17when he saw me

00:44:19carrying my suitcase

00:44:19he froze completely

00:44:21mrs hale

00:44:48mrs hale

00:44:51he silently pulled me away

00:44:53at last

00:44:54he spoke in a low voice

00:44:55you won't be coming back

00:44:56this time

00:44:57i didn't answer

00:44:59i took a white sheet of paper

00:45:01from my handbag

00:45:02wrote several lines

00:45:04and handed it to him

00:45:06henry

00:45:07at 2 40 this afternoon

00:45:09mr hale

00:45:10miss cassidy lambert

00:45:11and adeline hale

00:45:12had lunch together

00:45:13at mistral

00:45:14i was originally scheduled

00:45:15to attend

00:45:20plaintiff was not present

00:45:21please sign by hand

00:45:22later as a witness

00:45:23amelia m vos

00:45:24after henry finished reading it

00:45:26his hand trembled

00:45:27he looked up at me

00:45:28just sign your name

00:45:29if this matter goes to court

00:45:30your name will appear

00:45:32on exhibit c

00:45:32if you don't want to sign

00:45:34you can tear it up

00:45:34i won't force you

00:45:35henry was silent for 5 seconds

00:45:37then he signed his name

00:45:38at the very bottom of the paper

00:45:39he wrote slowly

00:45:40each stroke heavy

00:45:41henry coleman

00:45:42the 14th of march

00:45:43i took the paper

00:45:44folded it

00:45:45and put it into my kelly bag

00:45:46henry

00:45:47mrs dr voss

00:45:48it was the first time

00:45:49he called me that

00:45:50thank you for these 7 years

00:45:51he lowered his head

00:45:52i failed you

00:45:53by the time the car

00:45:54pulled out of beacon hill

00:45:55it was already 3 in the afternoon

00:45:57i didn't look back

00:45:58at that house again

00:45:59in the car

00:45:59i sent zara 3 messages

00:46:01that postnup can be used now

00:46:03i am on my way

00:46:03to the airport

00:46:045 o'clock flight to sfo

00:46:06charles will pick me up

00:46:07i'll go straight to bishop

00:46:08and cole after landing

00:46:09she replied instantly

00:46:10waiting for you sis

00:46:11the car entered the approach

00:46:12ramp to logan airport

00:46:13i rested my hand on my belly

00:46:15the two children moved

00:46:16i said to them

00:46:17mommy is taking you home

00:46:18to our real home

00:46:19before the plane took off

00:46:20the cabin announcement

00:46:21told us to turn off our phones

00:46:22before switching mine to airplane mode

00:46:24i opened my alarm list

00:46:25there were 17 alarms in total

00:46:27the one at the top was set

00:46:28for 6 o'clock every morning

00:46:29the alarm title read

00:46:30call addy

00:46:31boston time

00:46:327 years

00:46:33no

00:46:336 years

00:46:34since addy turned 1

00:46:35every morning at 6

00:46:36whether i was in california

00:46:38boston

00:46:38new york

00:46:39tokyo

00:46:39london

00:46:40at a prenatal checkup

00:46:41in a meeting

00:46:42or just finishing overtime

00:46:43in the middle of the night

00:46:44when the alarm rang

00:46:45i called her

00:46:47mommy

00:46:47she spent more and more time

00:46:49in boston with trevor

00:46:50she answered the phone

00:46:51less and less

00:46:51finish breakfast

00:46:52go to school

00:46:53bye mommy loves you

00:46:55starting this year

00:46:56she stopped letting

00:46:56henry answer for her

00:46:57she simply stopped answering

00:46:59i had never deleted

00:47:00that alarm

00:47:00i told myself

00:47:01what if one day

00:47:02she remembered mommy

00:47:03what if one day

00:47:04she was willing

00:47:04to answer again

00:47:05i had to be online

00:47:06at that moment

00:47:07at 6 this morning

00:47:08i was on the first floor

00:47:09of the old beacon hill house

00:47:10that alarm rang too

00:47:14at that moment

00:47:15i was standing beside

00:47:16the foyer table

00:47:17placing the envelope there

00:47:19i stared at the phone screen

00:47:22she was upstairs

00:47:24she didn't hear it

00:47:25before 7 o'clock

00:47:26she and henry said

00:47:27all of that in the kitchen

00:47:28i stared at that alarm

00:47:29for a long time

00:47:30i deleted it

00:47:31the plane taxied

00:47:32down the runway

00:47:32the engine noise

00:47:34grew louder and louder

00:47:35i closed my eyes

00:47:37i said one thing to myself

00:47:39you've done everything

00:47:39you needed to do

00:47:42i opened my eyes

00:47:43and took article 8

00:47:43of the postnote

00:47:44from my handbag

00:47:45the clause trevor

00:47:46had personally added

00:47:47seven years ago

00:47:48if either spouse

00:47:49commits public humiliation

00:47:51deprivation of parental rights

00:47:52or economic coercion

00:47:53the other spouse

00:47:54shall have the right

00:47:54to sole custody

00:47:55of minor children

00:47:56and 75% of marital assets

00:48:01back then

00:48:01the hale family's

00:48:02chief attorney

00:48:03smiled at me

00:48:03mrs hale

00:48:05this clause

00:48:05is absolutely

00:48:06in your favor

00:48:07see how much

00:48:08trevor protects you

00:48:10i was only 24 then

00:48:11newly pregnant

00:48:12with adeline

00:48:13it was my first time

00:48:14stepping into

00:48:15a century-old family

00:48:15like the hales

00:48:17and i was so nervous

00:48:18my hand shook

00:48:19when i signed

00:48:21i signed

00:48:22trevor signed too

00:48:23he even wrote

00:48:24one sentence

00:48:24in his own hand

00:48:25to keep my wife

00:48:26safe from my own family

00:48:27to protect my wife

00:48:29from being hurt

00:48:29by my own family

00:48:31reading that sentence

00:48:32again today

00:48:33i nearly laughed

00:48:33out loud

00:48:34he had hardly

00:48:35protected me at all

00:48:36but he had indeed

00:48:38left me a gun

00:48:39seven years later

00:48:40he walked himself

00:48:41right into the barrel

00:48:42seven years ago

00:48:43he wrote that clause

00:48:44because he feared

00:48:45the hale family

00:48:45would hurt me

00:48:47seven years later

00:48:48the person who hurt

00:48:49me the deepest

00:48:49was himself

00:48:50the hales the cabin

00:48:51announcement told us

00:48:52we could unbuckle

00:48:52our seatbelts

00:48:54clouds spread out

00:48:55beyond the wing

00:48:56sunlight poured in

00:48:57harsh and blinding

00:48:58i closed the forder

00:48:59i told myself

00:49:01amelia you don't

00:49:02love him anymore

00:49:05it wasn't something

00:49:06that happened overnight

00:49:07i'm in a meeting

00:49:08again and again

00:49:09he said

00:49:10she needs me

00:49:10again and again

00:49:12he said

00:49:12your hormones are unstable

00:49:14again and again

00:49:15he said

00:49:15castle d has it hard

00:49:16he wore away

00:49:17what little love

00:49:17i had bit by bit

00:49:19until it turned to ash

00:49:20when the wind blew

00:49:21nothing was left

00:49:22i closed my eyes

00:49:23one of the two children

00:49:24in my belly moved

00:49:25and the other moved

00:49:26with them

00:49:27i smiled

00:49:28i said to them

00:49:29your mother is not

00:49:30mrs hale

00:49:31your mother's name

00:49:32is amelia m voss

00:49:33starting today

00:49:44i flew back to boston

00:49:45pregnant with twins

00:49:46just to confirm

00:49:47trevor wouldn't be

00:49:48home tonight

00:49:48today was my

00:49:4931st birthday

00:49:50it was also our

00:49:517th wedding anniversary

00:49:52the doctor told me

00:49:53not to fly

00:49:53i flew anyway

00:49:55not because of love

00:49:56because

00:49:57after 7 years

00:49:58i was still waiting

00:49:59for him to give me

00:49:59one reason not to leave

00:50:01i told the babies

00:50:02in my belly

00:50:02this is the last time

00:50:03after this

00:50:04we stopped waiting

00:50:05for him

00:50:05he thought what he'd

00:50:06lost was a wife

00:50:06throwing a tantrum

00:50:07tomorrow morning at 9

00:50:08he would find out

00:50:10what he'd lost

00:50:10was someone he had

00:50:11never deserved in his life

00:50:13by the time i landed

00:50:14at logan airport

00:50:14it was already past 9

00:50:16at night

00:50:16i thought that

00:50:17if only for the sake

00:50:18of these 7 years

00:50:19he should come home

00:50:20tonight

00:50:20when i walked out of

00:50:21the airport

00:50:22my phone was full of

00:50:23birthday wishes from

00:50:24colleagues and old

00:50:24classmates

00:50:26there was nothing

00:50:26from trevor

00:50:30by the time i reached

00:50:31the old house on beacon

00:50:32hill it was almost

00:50:3310 30

00:50:33henry opened the door

00:50:34for me

00:50:35mrs hale you

00:50:36what brings you here

00:50:38where's trevor

00:50:39and adi

00:50:40mr hale hasn't

00:50:41returned yet

00:50:41mrs upstairs

00:50:42playing with that

00:50:43box of shells

00:50:46i nodded

00:50:47handed him my coat

00:50:48and went upstairs

00:50:49with one hand

00:50:50supporting my belly

00:50:50the hallway

00:50:51was very quiet

00:50:52adi's bedroom door

00:50:53was half open

00:50:54a warm little lamp

00:50:56glowing inside

00:50:56i pushed the door

00:50:57open and went in

00:50:58she was wearing

00:51:00pink pajamas

00:51:00sitting cross-legged

00:51:01on the carpet

00:51:02focused on stringing

00:51:03a shell necklace

00:51:05my footsteps were

00:51:06light

00:51:06she looked up

00:51:08her eyes lighting up

00:51:09then she lowered

00:51:10her head again

00:51:11and went back to

00:51:12fiddling with the

00:51:12beads

00:51:13i crouched down

00:51:14held my belly

00:51:15pulled her into

00:51:16my arms

00:51:17and kissed her

00:51:17mom don't bother me

00:51:19i'm busy

00:51:20i hadn't seen her

00:51:21in more than two

00:51:21months

00:51:22no number of

00:51:22kisses would have

00:51:23been enough

00:51:23but she had already

00:51:24wriggled out of my

00:51:25arms

00:51:25is adi making

00:51:26a shell necklace

00:51:28in one week

00:51:30it'll be aunt

00:51:30cassidy birthday

00:51:31this is the birthday

00:51:32present dad and i

00:51:33are making for

00:51:34aunt cassidy

00:51:34dad and i polished

00:51:35every one of these

00:51:36shells with tools

00:51:37aren't they pretty

00:51:42she held the

00:51:43necklace up in front

00:51:44of me

00:51:44that box of shells

00:51:45was the one i had

00:51:46taken her to collect

00:51:46on beach at big

00:51:47sum last year

00:51:48my throat tightened

00:51:49sharply

00:51:49before i could speak

00:51:51she added happily

00:51:52dad also ordered

00:51:53other custom gifts

00:51:53for aunt cassidy

00:51:54tomorrow

00:51:55she didn't finish

00:51:56i looked at the

00:51:56necklace in her hands

00:51:57and remembered

00:51:58something

00:51:58this time last year

00:51:59it had been a night

00:52:00just like this

00:52:00the charity gala

00:52:02for children's

00:52:02hospital

00:52:03trevor personally

00:52:04auctioned off the

00:52:05copy of california

00:52:06rare birds field

00:52:07guide i had given

00:52:08him for our sixth

00:52:09anniversary

00:52:09one of only three

00:52:10out of print copies

00:52:11the one i had found

00:52:12among my late

00:52:12father's belongings

00:52:13the hammer price

00:52:15was $420,000

00:52:17donated to set up

00:52:18a trust for the

00:52:18child

00:52:19cassidy had left

00:52:20from cold

00:52:20i sat in the third

00:52:21row at the time

00:52:22smiling and applauding

00:52:25i thought i could

00:52:26endure one more

00:52:27year

00:52:27lady

00:52:29mommy wants to

00:52:29ask you something

00:52:30she looked up

00:52:34do you remember

00:52:35mommy's birthday

00:52:35she furrowed her

00:52:37little brows and

00:52:37thought very seriously

00:52:39for five seconds

00:52:41mommy's birthday

00:52:42she looked up at me

00:52:43and blinked as if

00:52:44asking for help

00:52:47mom is your birthday

00:52:48the one in summer

00:52:52she lowered her head

00:52:53again and started

00:52:54counting the beads

00:52:54mom don't talk to me

00:52:56you're messing up the

00:52:57order

00:52:57i didn't speak again

00:53:00i let go of the arm

00:53:01i had around her

00:53:06when i went downstairs

00:53:07henry was waiting in

00:53:08the living room

00:53:09mrs hale

00:53:10i called mr hale just

00:53:12now

00:53:12he said he has

00:53:13something to do

00:53:14tonight and asked

00:53:15you to rest first

00:53:16is he

00:53:17i answered softly

00:53:18after thinking for a

00:53:19moment

00:53:20i still called

00:53:21trevor

00:53:21the phone rang for a

00:53:22long time before he

00:53:23answered

00:53:24his voice was faint

00:53:25i'm busy tomorrow

00:53:28from the other end of

00:53:29the phone came another

00:53:30woman's voice

00:53:31soft natural

00:53:32as if she had been by

00:53:33his side all night

00:53:34who is it this late

00:53:34it was cassidy

00:53:35i tightened my grip on

00:53:37the phone

00:53:38trevor paused then said

00:53:39to me

00:53:40nothing

00:53:40before i could speak

00:53:42he hung up

00:53:43i sat on the sofa

00:53:45for a long time

00:53:45the two children in my

00:53:47belly moved

00:53:48i lowered my head

00:53:49and gently patted my

00:53:50stomach

00:53:50i said to them

00:53:51mommy understands now

00:53:54mommy thought seven

00:53:55years was long enough

00:53:56that

00:53:57one year

00:53:58he would remember

00:53:59to come home

00:54:00tonight was the last

00:54:02time

00:54:02mommy won't wait

00:54:03for him anymore

00:54:08at 6 30 the next

00:54:09morning i went

00:54:10downstairs

00:54:11henry was making

00:54:12breakfast in the

00:54:13kitchen

00:54:14i didn't go in

00:54:15halfway there i heard

00:54:16oddy's voice drifting

00:54:17over from the other

00:54:18side of the kitchen

00:54:19she was talking to

00:54:20henry her voice

00:54:21wasn't loud but she

00:54:22was still little she

00:54:23didn't understand what

00:54:24lower your voice meant

00:54:25henry i'm not happy

00:54:26that mom came

00:54:26miss why would you be

00:54:28unhappy

00:54:29dad and i already

00:54:30promised we'd take

00:54:31aunt's capacity to

00:54:32kick cod tomorrow

00:54:33if mom suddenly comes

00:54:34and insists on going

00:54:35with us

00:54:36aunt cassidy will feel

00:54:37so awkward

00:54:37miss madam is your

00:54:39mother you can't say

00:54:40things like that it

00:54:41will hurt her heart

00:54:42understand

00:54:43i know

00:54:43but there wasn't the

00:54:44slightest hesitation in

00:54:45her voice

00:54:46but dad and i both

00:54:47like aunt cassidy better

00:54:48can i let aunt cassidy

00:54:50be my mommy

00:54:50i stood at the foot of

00:54:51the stairs unable to

00:54:52move even half a step

00:54:53my daughter was my

00:54:54own flesh and blood

00:54:55i had spent 22 hours

00:54:56in the delivery room

00:54:57alone

00:54:57trevor was in europe

00:54:59that day negotiating

00:54:59an acquisition

00:55:02cole is gone

00:55:03i have to go to

00:55:04cassidy right away

00:55:04cole had died in a

00:55:06car accident the night

00:55:06before

00:55:08cassidy wasn't pregnant

00:55:09yet at the time

00:55:10after that night the

00:55:11two of them were never

00:55:12truly apart again

00:55:14henry said nothing more

00:55:15i walked back to my

00:55:16room and closed the

00:55:17door

00:55:17i sat down by the bed

00:55:18i didn't cry

00:55:19i only lowered the

00:55:21hand resting on my

00:55:22belly

00:55:22i opened my phone

00:55:23i sent trevor a text

00:55:25trevor let's have

00:55:26lunch together today

00:55:27just the three of us

00:55:2880 wants mistral's

00:55:29lobster ravioli

00:55:29i'll fly back to

00:55:30san francisco this

00:55:31afternoon

00:55:31he replied about 20

00:55:33minutes later

00:55:34got it you set the

00:55:36time looking at that

00:55:37got it i nearly laughed

00:55:38out loud

00:55:40seven years ago when he

00:55:41was pursuing me he

00:55:42wrote 15 love letters

00:55:43every one of them

00:55:45ended with yours

00:55:45trevor

00:55:46seven years later his

00:55:48reply to me had fewer

00:55:49words than yours plus

00:55:49trevor i wrote back

00:55:5312 30 mistral got it

00:55:55i washed up did my

00:55:56makeup and changed into

00:55:57a pale beige maternity

00:55:58dress i had picked it

00:55:59out myself last year

00:56:00trevor had never seen

00:56:01it once at 11 40 i

00:56:02drove to back bay

00:56:03halfway there my phone

00:56:04buzzed it was trevor

00:56:05something urgent came

00:56:06up at noon lunch is

00:56:07canceled next time i

00:56:08pulled over onto a

00:56:09small road beside staro

00:56:10drive and stared at

00:56:11that text for a long

00:56:12time

00:56:16if it had been before i

00:56:18would have immediately

00:56:18replied okay or when

00:56:20you're done should i

00:56:20wait for you i would

00:56:21have waited i would

00:56:23have sat alone at

00:56:24mistaro until two in

00:56:25the afternoon drink two

00:56:26glasses of lemon water

00:56:27then drive home dad is

00:56:28busy today it isn't easy

00:56:29for him but today i

00:56:31didn't reply i started

00:56:33the car again and drove

00:56:34toward back bay i wasn't

00:56:36acting out of spite i just

00:56:37suddenly wanted to take a

00:56:38look i wanted to see what

00:56:40his so-called urgent matter

00:56:41actually was i parked

00:56:42across the street from

00:56:43mistral i didn't go in

00:56:45right away i stood outside

00:56:47the glass window for about

00:56:4810 seconds inside at the

00:56:50old table by the window the

00:56:51three of them were sitting

00:56:52there

00:56:52cassidy and oddie sat

00:56:53close together on the same

00:56:54side oddie tilted her

00:56:55head up telling her jokes

00:56:57her shoulders shaking with

00:56:58laughter cassidy fed her a

00:56:59piece of little cake taking

00:57:00a bite herself first before

00:57:01handing it over oddie

00:57:02opened her mouth and ate

00:57:03it trevor sat across from

00:57:04them he was wearing the

00:57:06dark gray cashmere coat i had

00:57:08picked out for him last

00:57:08christmas he was smiling the

00:57:10kind of smile i hadn't seen in

00:57:11a very long time he placed a

00:57:13piece of fish on cassidy's

00:57:14plate then one for oddie his

00:57:16eyes stayed on cassidy's face

00:57:18the whole time as if in the

00:57:19entire restaurant she was the

00:57:20only person left i stood

00:57:22outside the glass window

00:57:23carrying two unborn children

00:57:24in my belly his wife his

00:57:26childhood friend's widow his

00:57:28daughter three people at one

00:57:29table the seat that should

00:57:31have been across from him was

00:57:32empty i didn't go in i turned

00:57:34around and walked back to the

00:57:35car i started the engine the

00:57:38windshield wiper swept across

00:57:39the glass wiping away two

00:57:40drops of water it wasn't rain even

00:57:43i didn't know when they had

00:57:44fallen

00:57:45i smiled a little i said to

00:57:46myself amelia do you see it

00:57:48clearly now i see it clearly i

00:57:51drove away i didn't look back at

00:57:52mistral once when i returned to

00:57:54beacon hill it was 1 30 in the

00:57:55afternoon only henry was in the

00:57:57old house when he saw me he froze

00:57:58mrs hale aren't you at mistral

00:58:00mr hale had something come up

00:58:01henry opened in his mouth then

00:58:03said nothing i went upstairs and

00:58:05entered the study i opened the

00:58:06computer and connected to the home

00:58:08network on the desktop was a

00:58:10folder password locked and hidden

00:58:11for seven years folder amv only i

00:58:14opened it there were four things

00:58:16inside a pdf of the post up from

00:58:18seven years ago the version i had

00:58:20personally scanned and archived

00:58:25a record of every major decision

00:58:27trevor had made over the past seven

00:58:29years i had attended every viridian

00:58:31labs board meeting remotely and he

00:58:33didn't know a copy of delivery room

00:58:35footage from the day adeline was born

00:58:37proof that trevor had been absent a

00:58:39full set of evidence i had obtained two

00:58:42years ago showing hail trusts forged

00:58:44documents for cassidy's identity as

00:58:47cole's widow

00:58:52from that folder i pulled up the

00:58:54divorce agreement template it was the

00:58:56version zara had sent me half a year

00:58:58ago

00:59:00sis here in case you need it someday i

00:59:03won't need it she wrote back sis stop

00:59:06lying to yourself

00:59:14two o'clock this afternoon i needed it i

00:59:17copied article 8 of the post snip into

00:59:19the first page of the agreement word for

00:59:21word i attached the email dr masson had

00:59:23sent trevor about adeline's psychological

00:59:25evaluation to the second page i placed the

00:59:29photo of that table for three at mistral

00:59:31this morning on the third page i had taken

00:59:34the photo outside the glass window with my

00:59:36phone i looked at it for a long time i

00:59:40wasn't reluctant to let go i simply added

00:59:43one line of caption to that photo exhibit c

00:59:47defendant dined with a third party and

00:59:49daughter at mistral 47 minute during which

00:59:51defendant did not contact place niff this

00:59:54date was planta's birthday and seventh

00:59:56wedding anniversary print sign amelia m voss

01:00:02not hail voss i hadn't used that surname in

01:00:05seven years after signing i folded the

01:00:09agreement and placed it in a craft envelope

01:00:11on the front of the envelope i wrote three

01:00:14words to trevor hail i placed it on the

01:00:18mahogany table in the foyer that table was

01:00:21cassidy's housewarming gift three years ago

01:00:23i went downstairs henry was arranging a

01:00:27bouquet in the living room when he saw me

01:00:30carrying my suitcase he froze completely

01:00:34mrs hail henry i pointed to the envelope

01:00:37for him when mr hail comes back please hand

01:00:40this to him personally i'll be returning to

01:00:42san francisco shortly henry's lips moved

01:00:44but no sound came out he had been the hail

01:00:46family's butler for 20 years he had seen

01:00:48everything seven years every time i waited

01:00:54until late at night and trevor never came

01:00:55home he was the one who brought me soup

01:00:59every time cassidy unintentionally stabbed

01:01:01me in this house he silently pulled me

01:01:04away at last he spoke in a low voice

01:01:06you won't be coming back this time i didn't

01:01:09answer i took a white sheet of paper from

01:01:12my handbag wrote several lines and handed

01:01:16it to him henry at 2 40 this afternoon

01:01:20mr hail miss cassidy lambert and adeline

01:01:23hail had lunch together at mistral i was

01:01:25originally scheduled to attend

01:01:31plaintiff was not present please sign by

01:01:33hand later as a witness amelia m voss after

01:01:36henry finished reading it his hand

01:01:38trembled he looked up at me just sign your

01:01:40name if this matter goes to court your

01:01:42name will appear on exhibit c if you don't

01:01:44want to sign you can tear it up i won't

01:01:46force you henry was silent for five

01:01:48seconds then he signed his name at the

01:01:50very bottom of the paper he wrote slowly

01:01:52each stroke heavy henry coleman the 14th

01:01:54march i took the paper folded it and put

01:01:57it into my kelly bag henry mrs dr voss it

01:02:00was the first time he called me that thank

01:02:02you for these seven years he lowered his

01:02:03head i failed you by the time the car pulled

01:02:06out of beacon hill it was already three in

01:02:08the afternoon i didn't look back at that

01:02:09house again in the car i sent zara three

01:02:12messages that postnup can be used now i am

01:02:14on my way to the airport five o'clock flight

01:02:16to sfo charles will pick me up i'll go

01:02:19straight to bishop and cole after landing

01:02:20she replied instantly waiting for you sis the

01:02:23car entered the approach ramp to logan

01:02:24airport i rested my hand on my belly the

01:02:27two children moved i said to them mommy

01:02:29is taking you home to our real home before

01:02:31the plane took off the cabin announcement

01:02:32told us to turn off our phones before

01:02:34switching mine to airplane mode i opened

01:02:36my alarm list there were 17 alarms in

01:02:38total the one at the top was set for six

01:02:40o'clock every morning the alarm title

01:02:41read call addy boston time seven years no

01:02:44six years since addy turned one every

01:02:47morning at six whether i was in california

01:02:49boston new york tokyo london at a prenatal

01:02:52checkup in a meeting or just finishing

01:02:54overtime in the middle of the night when

01:02:56the alarm rang i called her mommy she

01:02:59spent more and more time in boston with

01:03:01trevor she answered the phone less and

01:03:02less finish breakfast go to school bye

01:03:05mommy loves you starting this year she

01:03:07stopped letting henry answer for her she

01:03:09simply stopped answering i had never

01:03:11deleted that alarm i told myself what if

01:03:13one day she remembered mommy what if one

01:03:15day she was willing to answer again i had

01:03:17to be online at that moment at six this

01:03:19morning i was on the first floor of the

01:03:21old beacon hill house that alarm rang too

01:03:26at that moment i was standing beside the

01:03:28foyer table placing the envelope there i

01:03:31stared at the phone screen she was

01:03:34upstairs she didn't hear it before seven

01:03:37o'clock she and henry said all of that in

01:03:39the kitchen i stared at that alarm for a

01:03:41long time i deleted it the plane taxied

01:03:43down the runway the engine noise grew

01:03:45louder and louder i closed my eyes i said

01:03:48one thing to myself you've done everything

01:03:51you needed to do

01:03:53i opened my eyes and took article eight of

01:03:55the postnote from my handbag

01:03:57the clause trevor had personally added seven

01:03:58years ago if either spouse commits public

01:04:01accumulation deprivation of parental rights

01:04:03or economic coercion the other spouse

01:04:05shall have the right to sole custody of

01:04:06minor children and 75 of marital assets

01:04:12back then the hail family's chief attorney

01:04:14smiled at me mrs hail this clause is

01:04:17absolutely in your favor see how much

01:04:19trevor protects you i was only 24 then

01:04:22newly pregnant with adeline it was my

01:04:25first time stepping into a century-old

01:04:26family like the hails and i was so

01:04:29nervous my hand shook when i signed

01:04:32i signed trevor signed too he even wrote

01:04:35one sentence in his own hand to keep my

01:04:37wife safe from my own family to protect

01:04:40my wife from being hurt by my own family

01:04:42reading that sentence again today i nearly

01:04:44laughed out loud

01:04:45he had hardly protected me at all but he

01:04:48had indeed left me a gun seven years

01:04:51later he walked himself right into the

01:04:53barrel

01:04:53seven years ago he wrote that clause

01:04:55because he feared the hail family would

01:04:57hurt me seven years later the person who

01:05:00hurt me the deepest was himself the

01:05:02hails the cabin announcement told us we

01:05:03could unbuckle our seat belts

01:05:05clouds spread out beyond the wing

01:05:07sunlight poured in harsh and blinding i

01:05:10closed the forwarder i told myself

01:05:12amelia you don't love him anymore

01:05:16it wasn't something that happened

01:05:18overnight i'm in a meeting again and

01:05:20again he said she needs me again and

01:05:23again he said your hormones are unstable

01:05:25again and again he said cassidy has it

01:05:27hard

01:05:27he wore away what little love i had bit

01:05:30by bit

01:05:30until it turned to ash when the wind blew

01:05:32nothing was left i closed my eyes one of

01:05:35the two children in my belly moved and

01:05:37the other moved with them

01:05:38i smiled i said to them your mother is

01:05:41not mrs hale

01:05:43your mother's name is amelia m voss

01:05:45starting today

01:05:55i flew back to boston pregnant with

01:05:57twins just to confirm trevor wouldn't be

01:05:59home tonight

01:05:59today was my 31st birthday it was also

01:06:02our seventh wedding anniversary the

01:06:04doctor told me not to fly

01:06:05i flew anyway not because of love because

01:06:08after seven years i was still waiting for

01:06:10him to give me one reason not to leave

01:06:12i told the babies in my belly this is the

01:06:14last time after this we stopped waiting

01:06:16for him he thought what he'd lost was a

01:06:18wife throwing a tantrum tomorrow

01:06:19morning at nine he would find out what

01:06:21he'd lost was someone he had never

01:06:23deserved in his life

01:06:23by the time i landed at logan airport it

01:06:26was already past nine at night i thought

01:06:28that if only for the sake of these seven

01:06:30years he should come home tonight when i

01:06:32walked out of the airport my phone was

01:06:34full of birthday wishes from colleagues

01:06:35and old classmates

01:06:37there was nothing from trevor

01:06:41by the time i reached the old house on

01:06:43beacon hill it was almost 10 30

01:06:44henry opened the door for me

01:06:46mrs hale you what brings you here

01:06:50where's trevor and oddy mr hale hasn't

01:06:52returned yet

01:06:53mrs upstairs playing with that box of

01:06:55shells

01:06:58i nodded handed him my coat and went

01:07:00upstairs with one hand supporting my

01:07:01belly

01:07:02the hallway was very quiet

01:07:03oddy's bedroom door was half open a

01:07:06warm little lamp glowing inside i

01:07:08pushed the door open and went in she

01:07:10was wearing pink pajamas sitting

01:07:12cross-legged on the carpet focused on

01:07:14stringing a shell necklace my footsteps

01:07:17were light

01:07:18she looked up her eyes lighting up then

01:07:21she lowered her head again and went

01:07:23back to fiddling with the beads i

01:07:24crouched down held my belly pulled her

01:07:27into my arms and kissed her mom don't

01:07:30bother me i'm busy i hadn't seen her in

01:07:32more than two months no number of kisses

01:07:34would have been enough but she had

01:07:35already wriggled out of my arms is oddy

01:07:37making a shell necklace

01:07:40in one week it'll be aunt cassidy

01:07:42birthday this is the birthday present

01:07:44dad and i are making for aunt cassidy

01:07:45dad and i polished every one of these

01:07:47shells with tools aren't they pretty

01:07:53she held the necklace up in front of me

01:07:55that box of shells was the one i had

01:07:57taken her to collect on beach at big

01:07:58sun last year

01:07:59my throat tightened sharply before i could

01:08:02speak she added happily dad also

01:08:04ordered other custom gifts for aunt cassidy

01:08:05tomorrow she didn't finish i looked at the

01:08:08necklace in her hands and remembered

01:08:09something this time last year it had been

01:08:11a night just like this the charity gala for

01:08:13children's hospital trevor personally

01:08:15auctioned off the copy of california rare

01:08:17birds field guide i had given him for our

01:08:20sixth anniversary one of only three out of

01:08:22print copies the one i had found among my

01:08:24late father's belongings the hammer price

01:08:26was four hundred twenty thousand dollars donated to set up a trust for the child cassidy had left

01:08:31from cold i sat in the third row at the time smiling and applauding

01:08:37i thought i could endure one more year

01:08:39lady mommy wants to ask you something she looked up

01:08:45do you remember mommy's birthday she furrowed her little brows and thought very seriously

01:08:50for five seconds mommy's birthday she looked up at me and blinked as if asking for help

01:08:58mom is your birthday the one in summer

01:09:03she lowered her head again and started counting the beads

01:09:06mom don't talk to me you're messing up the order

01:09:09i didn't speak again i let go of the arm i had around her

01:09:17when i went downstairs henry was waiting in the living room

01:09:20mrs hale i called mr hale just now he said he has something to do tonight and asked you to

01:09:27rest

01:09:27first i see i answered softly after thinking for a moment i still called trevor the phone rang

01:09:33for a long time before he answered his voice was faint i'm busy tomorrow

01:09:40from the other end of the phone came another woman's voice soft natural as if she had been

01:09:44by his side all night who is it this late it was cassidy i tightened my grip on the phone

01:09:49trevor paused then said to me nothing before i could speak he hung up i sat on the sofa for

01:09:56a

01:09:56long time the two children in my belly moved i lowered my head and gently patted my stomach

01:10:01i said to them mommy understands now mommy thought seven years was long enough that

01:10:09one year he would remember to come home tonight was the last time mommy won't wait for him anymore

01:10:19at 6 30 the next morning i went downstairs henry was making breakfast in the kitchen

01:10:25i didn't go in halfway there i heard odie's voice drifting over from the other side of the kitchen

01:10:30she was talking to henry her voice wasn't loud but she was still little she didn't understand what

01:10:35lower your voice meant henry i'm not happy that mom came miss why would you be unhappy

01:10:40dad and i already promised we'd take aunt cassidy to kate cod tomorrow if mom suddenly comes and

01:10:46insists on going with us aunt cassidy will feel so awkward miss madam is your mother you can't say

01:10:51things like that it will hurt her heart understand i know but there wasn't the slightest hesitation in

01:10:57her voice but dad and i both like aunt cassidy better can i let aunt cassidy be my mommy i

01:11:02sit at the

01:11:03stairs unable to move even half a step my daughter was my own flesh and blood i had spent 22

01:11:07hours in

01:11:08the delivery room alone trevor was in europe that day negotiating an acquisition cole is gone i have

01:11:15to go to cassidy right away cole had died in a car accident the night before cassidy wasn't pregnant

01:11:20yet at the time after that night the two of them were never truly apart again henry said nothing more

01:11:26i walked back to my room and closed the door i sat down by the bed i didn't cry i

01:11:32only lowered the

01:11:32hand resting on my belly i opened my phone i sent trevor a text trevor let's have lunch together

01:11:38today just the three of us ad wants mistral's lobster ravioli i'll fly back to san francisco

01:11:42this afternoon he replied about 20 minutes later got it you set the time looking at that got it i

01:11:49nearly

01:11:49laughed out loud seven years ago when he was pursuing me he wrote 15 love letters every one of them

01:11:56ended

01:11:56with yours trevor seven years later his reply to me had fewer words than yours plus trevor i wrote back

01:12:0412 30 mistral got it i washed up did my makeup and changed into a pale beige maternity dress i

01:12:10had

01:12:10picked it out myself last year trevor had never seen it once at 11 40 i drove to back bay

01:12:14halfway there

01:12:15my phone buzzed it was trevor something urgent came up at noon lunch is canceled next time i pulled over

01:12:20onto a small road beside starro drive and stared at that text for a long time

01:12:28if it had been before i would have immediately replied okay or when you're done should i wait

01:12:32for you i would have waited i would have sat alone at mistaro until two in the afternoon drink two

01:12:37glasses of lemon water then drive home dad is busy today it isn't easy for him but today i didn't

01:12:42reply

01:12:44i started the car again and drove toward back bay

01:12:46i wasn't acting out of spite i just suddenly wanted to take a look

01:12:50i wanted to see what his so-called urgent matter actually was

01:12:53i parked across the street from mistral i didn't go in right away

01:12:57i stood outside the glass window for about 10 seconds

01:12:59inside at the old table by the window the three of them were sitting there

01:13:03cassidy and oddie sat close together on the same side

01:13:06oddie tilted her head up telling her jokes her shoulders shaking with laughter

01:13:09cassidy fed her a piece of little cake taking a bite herself first before handing it over

01:13:13oddie opened her mouth and ate it trevor sat across from them

01:13:17he was wearing the dark gray cashmere coat i had picked out for him last christmas

01:13:20he was smiling the kind of smile i hadn't seen in a very long time

01:13:23he placed a piece of fish on cassidy's plate

01:13:25then one for oddie

01:13:27his eyes stayed on cassidy's face the whole time

01:13:30as if in the entire restaurant

01:13:31she was the only person left

01:13:32i stood outside the glass window carrying two unborn children in my belly

01:13:36his wife

01:13:37his childhood friend's widow

01:13:38his daughter

01:13:39three people at one table

01:13:41the seat that should have been across from him was empty

01:13:43i didn't go in

01:13:45i turned around and walked back to the car

01:13:47i started the engine

01:13:49the windshield wiper swept across the glass

01:13:51wiping away two drops of water

01:13:52it wasn't rain

01:13:54even i didn't know when they had fallen

01:13:56i smiled a little

01:13:57i said to myself

01:13:58amelia do you see it clearly now

01:14:00i see it clearly

01:14:02i drove away

01:14:02i didn't look back at mistral once

01:14:04when i returned to beacon hill it was 1 30 in the afternoon

01:14:07only henry was in the old house

01:14:08when he saw me

01:14:09he froze

01:14:10mrs hale aren't you at mistral

01:14:11mr hale had something come up

01:14:13henry opened in his mouth

01:14:14then said nothing

01:14:15i went upstairs and entered the study

01:14:17i opened the computer and connected to the home network

01:14:19on the desktop was a folder

01:14:21password locked and hidden for 7 years

01:14:23folder

01:14:24amv only

01:14:25i opened it

01:14:26there were 4 things inside

01:14:28a pdf of the postnup from 7 years ago

01:14:30the version i had personally scanned and archived

01:14:37a record of every major decision trevor had made over the past seven years

01:14:41i had attended every viridian labs board meeting remotely and he didn't know

01:14:45a copy of delivery room footage from the day adeline was born proof that trevor had been absent

01:14:50a full set of evidence i had obtained two years ago showing hail trusts forged documents for cassidy's identity as

01:14:58cole's widow

01:15:04from that folder i pulled up the divorce agreement template it was the version zara had sent me half a

01:15:09year ago

01:15:11sis here in case you need it someday

01:15:14i won't need it

01:15:15she wrote back

01:15:16sis stop lying to yourself

01:15:25two o'clock this afternoon

01:15:27i needed it

01:15:28i copied article 8 of the postnip into the first page of the agreement

01:15:31word for word

01:15:32i attached the email dr masson had sent trevor about adeline's psychological evaluation to the second page

01:15:39i placed the photo of that table for three at mistral this morning on the third page

01:15:44i had taken the photo outside the glass window with my phone

01:15:48i looked at it for a long time

01:15:50i wasn't reluctant to let go

01:15:52i simply added one line of caption to that photo

01:15:56exhibit c

01:15:58defendant dined with a third party and daughter at mistral 47 minute during which defendant did not contact placeneff

01:16:05this date was planta's birthday and seventh wedding anniversary

01:16:08print

01:16:11sign

01:16:11amelia m voss

01:16:13not hail

01:16:14voss

01:16:15i hadn't used that surname in seven years

01:16:17after signing

01:16:19i folded the agreement and placed it in a craft envelope

01:16:23on the front of the envelope

01:16:24i wrote three words

01:16:25to trevor hail

01:16:28i placed it on the mahogany table in the foyer

01:16:31that table was cassidy's housewarming gift three years ago

01:16:34i went downstairs

01:16:37henry was arranging a bouquet in the living room

01:16:40when he saw me carrying my suitcase he froze completely

01:16:45mrs hale

01:16:46henry

01:16:47i pointed to the envelope for him

01:16:49when mr hale comes back please hand this to him personally

01:16:52i'll be returning to san francisco shortly

01:16:54henry's lips moved but no sound came out

01:16:56he had been the hale family's butler for 20 years

01:16:58he had seen everything

01:17:02seven years

01:17:04every time i waited until late at night and trevor never came home

01:17:07he was the one who brought me soup

01:17:10every time cassidy unintentionally stabbed me in this house

01:17:13he silently pulled me away

01:17:15at last he spoke in a low voice

01:17:18you won't be coming back this time

01:17:19i didn't answer

01:17:22i took a white sheet of paper from my handbag

01:17:24wrote several lines

01:17:26and handed it to him

01:17:29henry

01:17:29at 2 40 this afternoon

01:17:32mr hale

01:17:33miss cassidy lambert

01:17:34and adeline hale

01:17:35had lunch together at mistral

01:17:36i was originally scheduled to attend

01:17:43plaintiff was not present

01:17:44please sign by hand later as a witness

01:17:46amelia m voss after henry finished reading it

01:17:48his hand trembled

01:17:49he looked up at me

01:17:50just sign your name

01:17:51if this matter goes to court

01:17:53your name will appear on exhibit c

01:17:55if you don't want to sign

01:17:56you can tear it up

01:17:57i won't force you

01:17:58henry was silent for five seconds

01:17:59then he signed his name

01:18:01at the very bottom of the paper

01:18:02he wrote slowly

01:18:03each stroke heavy

01:18:04henry coleman the 14th of march

01:18:06i took the paper

01:18:07folded it

01:18:07and put it into my kelly bag

01:18:09henry

01:18:09mrs dr voss

01:18:10it was the first time he called me that

01:18:12thank you for these seven years

01:18:14he lowered his head

01:18:15i failed you

01:18:16by the time the car pulled out of beacon hill

01:18:18it was already three in the afternoon

01:18:19i didn't look back at that house again

01:18:21in the car i sent zara three messages

01:18:23that postnup can be used now

01:18:25i am on my way to the airport

01:18:27five o'clock flight to sfo

01:18:28charles will pick me up

01:18:29i'll go straight to bishop and cole after landing

01:18:31she replied instantly waiting for you sis

01:18:34the car entered the approach ramp to logan airport

01:18:36i rested my hand on my belly

01:18:38the two children moved

01:18:39i said to them

01:18:39mommy is taking you home

01:18:41to our real home

01:18:41before the plane took off

01:18:43the cabin announcement told us to turn off our phones

01:18:45before switching mine to airplane mode

01:18:47i opened my alarm list

01:18:48there were 17 alarms in total

01:18:50the one at the top was set for 6 o'clock every morning

01:18:52the alarm title read

01:18:53call addy

01:18:54boston time

01:18:55seven years

01:18:55no

01:18:56six years

01:18:56since addy turned one

01:18:58every morning at six

01:18:59whether i was in california

01:19:00boston

01:19:01new york

01:19:02tokyo

01:19:02london

01:19:03at a prenatal checkup

01:19:04in a meeting

01:19:04or just finishing overtime

01:19:06in the middle of the night

01:19:07when the alarm rang

01:19:08i called her

01:19:09mommy

01:19:10she spent more and more time in boston with trevor

01:19:12she answered the phone less and less

01:19:14finish breakfast

01:19:15go to school

01:19:16bye mommy loves you

01:19:17starting this year

01:19:18she stopped letting henry answer for her

01:19:20she simply stopped answering

01:19:21i had never deleted that alarm

01:19:23i told myself

01:19:24what if one day she remembered mommy

01:19:25what if one day she was willing to answer again

01:19:27i had to be online at that moment

01:19:29at six this morning

01:19:30i was on the first floor of the old beacon hill house

01:19:33that alarm rang too

01:19:37at that moment

01:19:38i was standing beside the foyer table

01:19:40placing the envelope there

01:19:42i stared at the phone screen

01:19:44she was upstairs

01:19:47she didn't hear it

01:19:48before seven o'clock

01:19:49she and henry said all of that in the kitchen

01:19:50i stared at that alarm for a long time

01:19:52i deleted it

01:19:53the plane taxied down the runway

01:19:55the engine noise grew louder and louder

01:19:58i closed my eyes

01:19:59i said one thing to myself

01:20:01you've done everything you needed to do

01:20:04i opened my eyes

01:20:05and took article eight of the postnote from my handbag

01:20:08the clause trevor had personally added seven years ago

01:20:10if either spouse commits public humiliation

01:20:13deprivation of parental rights

01:20:14or economic coercion

01:20:15the other spouse shall have the right to sole custody of minor children

01:20:18and 75 percent of marital assets

01:20:23back then the hale family's chief attorney smiled at me

01:20:26mrs hale

01:20:27this clause is absolutely in your favor

01:20:29see how much trevor protects you

01:20:32i was only 24 then

01:20:34newly pregnant with adeline

01:20:36it was my first time stepping into a century-old family

01:20:38like the hails

01:20:40and i was so nervous

01:20:41my hand shook

01:20:42when i signed

01:20:43i signed

01:20:45trevor signed too

01:20:46he even wrote one sentence in his own hand

01:20:48to keep my wife safe from my own family

01:20:50to protect my wife from being hurt by my own family

01:20:54reading that sentence again today

01:20:55i nearly laughed out loud

01:20:56he had hardly protected me at all

01:20:59but he had indeed left me a gun

01:21:01seven years later he walked himself right into the barrel

01:21:05seven years ago

01:21:06he wrote that clause because he feared the hail family would hurt me

01:21:09seven years later

01:21:10the person who hurt me the deepest was himself

01:21:12the hails the cabin announcement told us we could unbuckle our seatbelts

01:21:16clouds spread out beyond the wing

01:21:18sunlight poured in harsh and blinding

01:21:21i closed the forder

01:21:22i told myself

01:21:24amelia you don't love him anymore

01:21:28it wasn't something that happened overnight

01:21:29i'm in a meeting

01:21:31again and again he said

01:21:32she needs me

01:21:33again and again he said

01:21:35your hormones are unstable

01:21:37again and again he said

01:21:38cassidy has it hard

01:21:39he wore away what little

01:21:40you

I Flew Home Pregnant Only To See His Secret Movie Dailymotion | Leaving a Toxic Marriage to Reclaim Her Own Legacy ✨

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