Em um mundo de poder e influência, um homem é pressionado a fazer escolhas difíceis, enquanto segredos obscuros vêm à tona. Um romance proibido e um pacto inescapável moldam o destino de todos.
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00:00Ok, eu concordo com isso.
00:29Ok, eu concordo com isso.
01:01Um documento, então o segundo, o terceiro.
01:04Como um cego de um ritual, ele escraiu seu nome onde requerido.
01:09Meu advogado rapidamente chegueu que todo o signatório era completo e me deu um short nodo.
01:14Eu abriu o drawer no nightstand,
01:17pegou o preparado e esperando a liberdade de liabilidade paper e levou a ele para ele.
01:21Ele me olhou em shock.
01:24Eu sabia que você veio procurar isso, então eu goto pronto a hora de tempo.
01:27Asher took the flimsy sheet, did not even glance at its contents,
01:31folded it hastily, and tucked it into the inner pocket of his suit jacket.
01:35Asher, I honestly never imagined you'd go this far from me, huh?
01:39Asher's body stiffened for an instant.
01:42No, Blair.
01:42You know I would hand over anything for you.
01:45He paused.
01:45If it weren't for you, no one could ever take these things from me.
01:49With that, he wasted no more time.
01:51He twisted around, pulled the door open, and walked out.
01:55My lawyer gathered the paperwork and quietly asked whether I had any further requests.
02:00I shook my head.
02:01They exited the room without a sound.
02:03Once Mia learned Asher planned to send her away, she completely lost it.
02:08For three full days, she smashed every object she could get her hands on.
02:12She climbed onto the edge of the balcony and threatened suicide.
02:16After Asher fought to drive her back inside,
02:18she swallowed an entire bottle of sleeping pills she had hidden away somewhere.
02:22Panicked out of his wits, he rushed her to the hospital to get her stomach pumped.
02:26Each outburst ended with Asher giving in.
02:29Three exhausting days had aged him ten years.
02:32Over those days, he dialed Blair's number time and again.
02:36At first, the calls went unanswered.
02:38Soon, his calls were sent straight to her cold-sounding voicemail.
02:42He texted her non-stop.
02:43Apologies, explanations, none ever got a reply.
02:47He knew Blair resented him, yet he could not spare the energy to make things right with her.
02:51Over and over, he instructed their housekeeper.
02:54Martha, prepare her finest soup following the old recipe.
02:58Deliver it to her on time every single day and make sure she drinks every drop.
03:03On the fourth morning, an unnatural hush hung over the mansion.
03:07Mia had stopped screaming and wrecking the place.
03:10She washed her face and changed into clean clothes, sitting calmly on the sofa.
03:15She looked surprisingly docile.
03:18Hardly daring to believe it, the worn-out Asher shuffled cautiously over toward her.
03:23Mia?
03:24Mia lifted her head.
03:25Her eyes welled up once more.
03:26Uncle, I'm so sorry.
03:29I've been terrible these past few days.
03:31I was just...
03:32I was so scared.
03:34I don't want to leave you.
03:36She latched onto his sleeve while big tears spilled down her cheeks.
03:39I've learned my lesson.
03:41I won't throw another fit.
03:43Please don't be mad at me.
03:44Seeing her pitiful state,
03:46the three-day-long tension coiled inside Asher finally snapped.
03:50He stroked the top of her head.
03:52I'm glad you understand.
03:54I've sorted everything out for you.
03:56It's a lovely place with professional tutors and caretakers.
04:00You won't lack for anything.
04:02Whenever your mood settles and you wish to come home,
04:04you're always welcome back.
04:06Mia nodded obediently.
04:07At last, Asher got a moment to breathe.
04:09He headed for the second floor balcony
04:11and dialed Blair's number without delay.
04:13Sorry, the number you have dialed is powered off.
04:16The robotic female voice doused his last shred of hope like icy water.
04:21Sharp unease gripped his heart.
04:24Three days had gone by.
04:25She had never acknowledged the soup he sent over,
04:28and now her phone was switched off.
04:29Had something terrible happened to her?
04:31Or had she resolved never to forgive him?
04:34His heart raced with panic,
04:36and he hurried straight for the doorway.
04:38Uncle...
04:39Mia walked out from the kitchen,
04:40holding a mug of warm milk,
04:42stepping timidly to block his path.
04:43She only wore a thin nightgown,
04:46her soft hair falling loose over her shoulders,
04:49faint tear tracks still glistening on her cheeks,
04:51looking utterly defenseless and fragile.
04:54Are you heading out?
04:55These past two days you've worn yourself ragged looking after me,
04:59haven't properly sat down for a single proper meal.
05:02Drink some milk to line your stomach before you go,
05:05otherwise your insides will ache something terrible.
05:08Asher stared at the mug,
05:09steaming gently in her hands,
05:11then glanced at Mia's face,
05:12brimming with pleading reliance.
05:15He'd raised her all these years,
05:17even after all the terrible harm she'd caused.
05:19He simply couldn't bring himself to push her away harshly.
05:22For once you're showing some thought for others.
05:24He tipped the mug back,
05:25and drained every last drop in one go.
05:28The warm liquid slid down his throat,
05:30easing the hollow gnawing in his empty stomach slightly.
05:33He handed the empty mug back to Mia,
05:36lifting a hand to rub his throbbing...
05:38I've got an urgent errand to run out.
05:39I'll be back before you know it.
05:40With that, he turned, ready to step out the door.
05:43Mia suddenly threw her arms tight around his waist from behind.
05:47Muffled, suppressed sobs seeped out.
05:50Uncle, don't leave me.
05:51Just stay home with me for one single day.
05:54Tomorrow I've got to check into the therapeutic care center,
05:57and I won't get to see you for ages after that.
05:59My heart's twisting with fruit.
06:02Only being right beside you makes me feel safe.
06:04It was as if she feared letting go would make Asher vanish entirely.
06:08That frail, helpless bearing wrapped around his feet like an invisible chain,
06:13halting his every step.
06:15He caved in the end.
06:16Alright, I won't go.
06:18I'll stay here with you all day.
06:19Now stuck at home, Asher sank onto the sofa to sit with Mia watching television.
06:23But he couldn't focus on a single second of the plot playing out on screen.
06:28His mind replayed the image over and over.
06:31Blair crumpled in a pool of blood outside the civil registry.
06:35Time and again, he pulled his phone out, ready to dial Blair's number anew.
06:38But every time he unlocked the screen, Mia noticed instantly.
06:42Either she'd immediately curl up against his arm,
06:44chattering and clinging to him to distract him.
06:47Or she'd accidentally knock his phone, flying from his grasp.
06:51Uncle, why do you keep staring at your phone?
06:53Are you still thinking about Blair?
06:55She struck me first, and yet you always take her side no matter what.
06:58I'm not taking her side.
07:00Asher replied, worn thin with exhaustion.
07:02I owe her more than I could ever repay.
07:04But you two signed the divorce papers already.
07:07I've been the one by your side for six whole years,
07:10while she only stormed off in a fit of vaguer.
07:12Sooner or later, she'll wipe you clean from her mind.
07:15Why don't you let her fade away little by little?
07:17Wouldn't it be better for just the two of us to live quietly,
07:20no one else getting in the way?
07:21Asher's head spun with tangled turmoil.
07:24All his guilt and remorse twisted into a muddled knot,
07:28seeing Asher's mind fixed solely on leaving to find Blair.
07:31She reached up, looping her arms around his neck
07:34and pressing her whole body flush against his.
07:39Her eyes glinting with a teenage girl's warped, obsessive devotion.
07:43Uncle, I haven't been a child for a long time now.
07:47Whatever Blair can give you, I'm fully capable of giving too.
07:50Her heart's no longer with you at all.
07:53Only I've waited faithfully beside you for six years straight.
07:56Her hands wandering unrestrained under the hem of his shirt.
08:00Asher stiffened from head to toe.
08:02He shoved her away hard.
08:04Mia, come to your senses!
08:05I'm your guardian elder!
08:07Blair and I still haven't fully untangled our shared past.
08:10These absurd, out-of-line thoughts of yours cannot stand.
08:13Absurd?
08:14Mia laughed through welling tears.
08:16Every single year since I was small, my whole world revolved around you.
08:19I've spent ten years dreaming of growing up to marry you.
08:22Why does Blair get to hold everything that's yours?
08:24Losing the baby was her own fault.
08:26The divorce should have cleared the path for us from the start.
08:28She lunged forward once more, locking her arms tight around his waist, pressing her cheek
08:34hard against his chest, clinging to him with every ounce of strength she had.
08:39He forced her arms apart, his voice turning icy cold.
08:43If you carry on behaving with no sense of boundaries, I'll drive you straight to the
08:46therapeutic care center this instant and leave you there.
08:48No more staying at the house.
08:50Mia flinched from his frigid tone, collapsing onto the floor, wailing uncontrollably, yet daring
08:56not to lunge at him again with inappropriate gestures, Asher couldn't bear to bicker with
09:01her any longer.
09:01He sat up wide awake the entire night in the living room, dialing Blair's number over and
09:07over, drowning in endless, irreparable regret.
09:11The screen lit up, yet Blair's line still wouldn't connect, the cold, sharp, automated
09:16voice saying her phone was a crushing wave of terror crashed over his whole body.
09:20He hadn't slept a wink all night, sat on the living room sofa waiting for dawn to break,
09:25only one thought looping in his head.
09:27He had to find Blair straight away, apologize properly, lay every single one of his wrongs
09:32out bare for her.
09:33It was barely light out.
09:35Asher ignored Mia's wailing cries as she jolted awake, ripped her hands off his sleeve
09:39where she clung tight to him, then drove straight to the hospital.
09:42The ward stood empty, the bed stripped and spotless, like no one had ever stayed there
09:47at all.
09:48Adam Blair checked out first thing this morning.
09:50She only just lost our baby.
09:52How can her body take rushing off like this?
09:54A fist seemed to clamp hard around Asher's heart, leaving him gasping for breath, suffocating
09:59with agony.
10:00He stubbornly convinced himself Blair was only throwing a petty fit.
10:03If he tracked her down and coaxed her nicely, just like every single time before, she'd soften
10:09up and forgive him eventually.
10:11Then drove out to the West Suburban Villa Estate.
10:13He stood at the front door, and every single entry passcode had been changed too.
10:18He banged wildly against the solid front door, shouted Blair's name over and over, yet the
10:23house stayed deathly quiet.
10:25He spun the car around without a second's pause and raced to the Weston family ancestral
10:29manor.
10:30By the time he arrived, it wasn't the gentle old steward who opened the door, but Eleanor
10:34Weston, no shred of warmth left in her eyes.
10:37Mom.
10:38Asher's voice cracked.
10:39Blair's inside, isn't she?
10:40Please just let me see her for a minute.
10:42Our divorce was never real.
10:43I only did it to calm Mia down.
10:45I never once meant to split from her, not deep down.
10:47Asher, don't call me mom.
10:49I don't deserve that title anymore.
10:51I've lived most of my life, and I've never heard of a divorce that's not real.
10:55All for some outsider with no blood tie to you.
10:57You drove your unborn child to its end, abandoned your wife of 20 years.
11:01That muddled, foolish mindset of yours is something you'd barely find anywhere.
11:06I know I messed up.
11:07I truly do.
11:09Just let me talk to Blair.
11:10We'll go sort out remarriage right this second.
11:13I'll never let her suffer a single unfair thing ever again for the rest of our lives.
11:18Remarry?
11:18Eleanor Weston let out a cold laugh.
11:21My daughter is now wealthy beyond measure, with countless well-bred, upstanding young men
11:26lining up to court her.
11:27Why on earth would she go back and subject herself to more misery at your hands?
11:32The words hit Asher like a sledgehammer, shattering every last shred of his false hope.
11:37All color drained from his face.
11:39He froze, unable to utter a single word.
11:42Out of respect for our family's long-standing friendship, I won't have the servants throw you out.
11:48But from this day forward, do not ever bother my daughter again.
11:53The moment you stood by and watched her bleed on the ground, yet chose to shield Mia instead,
11:59that was when you lost all right to see her.
12:01With that, Eleanor Weston did not spare him another glance.
12:04She slammed the front door shut, cutting him off completely.
12:08The last bit of strength holding Asher up deserted him.
12:11Days of mental torment, overwhelming remorse, and one blow after another crashed down on him all at once.
12:18His vision swam black. A sharp, metallic taste rose in his throat.
12:23He pitched forward and blacked out entirely.
12:27In the distance, an ambulance siren wailed closer and closer, rushing him to the hospital.
12:32Inside the living room, my mother sat beside me and asked softly,
12:36Blair, have you truly let go for good?
12:38I gently took her warm hand, my tone steady and unemotional.
12:43Mom, for six years, he kept taking sides for outsiders, over and over, leaving me hurting.
12:50I endured it all.
12:51But that day, I lay there bleeding on the floor, begging him to get me to a hospital.
12:57And he still chose to protect Mia without hesitation.
13:01That was the moment whatever feelings I had left for him died completely.
13:04Someone who doesn't even care where I live or die can never spend a lifetime by my side.
13:08Mother stroked the back of my hand, her eyes full of sorrow.
13:12My poor girl.
13:13You've suffered so much all these years.
13:16Walking away from my childhood sweetheart of more than 20 years,
13:20it would be a lie to say I felt no twinge of regret.
13:23But now that the ties were finally severed, all I felt was relief.
13:27No more suffocating pressure weighing on me.
13:30I had barely lain down to rest in my room when my assistant's call came through.
13:34Mrs. Weston, you're trending again.
13:36And PR needs to confirm how we want to handle this.
13:39I pulled up the trending topics.
13:41At the very top was hashtag Harrington Ayers ex-wife.
13:45Weston Group CEO abuses foster daughter.
13:48Mia had leaked photos of Asher's and my divorce certificate.
13:51With a viciously twisted caption,
13:54The Wicked Witch has finally been defeated by me.
13:57You're Snow White.
13:58The comment section was already a toxic mess, filled with vile speculations.
14:02So Mr. Harrington pushed for divorce because Blair Weston was cruel and abused the kid.
14:08I still remember that audio clip that went viral.
14:11Such shameless behavior.
14:12She probably cheated on Mr. Harrington ages ago.
14:15My assistant sounded frantic.
14:17Ms. Weston, this post has been shared over a million times.
14:20If we don't respond fast, Weston Group's stock price will take a direct hip-hip.
14:23I closed the trending page and asked calmly,
14:26What's the Harrington camp saying?
14:27We reached out to their PR team, but we can't get through to Asher at all.
14:31Their team says they've received no instructions on how to proceed.
14:34Don't wait for the Harringtons to respond.
14:36I'll send you the full press release in one hour.
14:38But public opinion is fully siding with Mia right now.
14:41Shouldn't we put out a short statement first to calm things down?
14:44Just do as I say.
14:45Compile every piece of evidence we've kept over these six years.
14:48It's time the whole world learns the full truth.
14:51Hanging up the call, I opened the encrypted folder on my computer labeled Asher.
14:55It was filled with photos, audio recordings,
14:57and archived surveillance footage from every corner of the villa.
15:00A full decade, I'd consoled myself time and again,
15:03telling myself Mia was just young and insecure,
15:06and that Asher was weighed down by a debt of gratitude he could not bring himself to cast aside.
15:10Yet in the end, I was the only one who bore all the malice, the grievances, and the hurt.
15:15An hour later, an exhaustive long statement was published on Weston Group's official website.
15:19There were no emotional accusations, only calm, objective facts laid out one after another,
15:25backed by complete video and audio evidence.
15:27It itemized every cruel trick Mia had played on me over those six years,
15:31throwing away my wedding ring, publicly humiliating me by splashing paint on me,
15:35slipping laxatives into my coffee, forging nude photos of me to circulate on campus,
15:40and later recording private conversations between my husband and me to smear my reputation across the internet.
15:45Attached was full surveillance footage from outside the civil affairs bureau,
15:49clearly capturing Mia shoving me hard twice, which caused me to hemorrhage and miscarry.
15:53At the end, it was explicitly stated,
15:55Blair and Asher's divorce was a voluntary decision,
15:57born from years-long accumulated conflicts, unrelated to any third party.
16:01Legal action would be filed against Mia for her false and defamatory remarks.
16:05Public opinion exploded overnight.
16:07She's just a kid who lacks security.
16:09We should be more understanding.
16:11Targeting and framing her stepmother non-stop for 10 years,
16:14starting when she was 10 years old, this is not childish ignorance.
16:17This is malice rooted deep in her bones,
16:19deliberately leaking private spousal audio online and singling out the wife by name.
16:23Her scheming is absolutely horrifying.
16:25What baffles me most is her husband.
16:27He unconditionally took the outsider's side the whole time,
16:30watching his wife get insulted and hurt without lifting a finger.
16:33It's obvious Blair finally reached her breaking point and filed for divorce.
16:37No one could endure this.
16:38Mia had threatened to harm herself,
16:39vowing she would hurt herself if Asher did not get a divorce.
16:42That was why Asher had hastily signed the divorce papers to pacify her.
16:45Mia is utterly vicious.
16:47She destroyed someone else's marriage,
16:49slandered and humiliated the wife,
16:50and Asher is completely unable to tell right from wrong.
16:53Even slapping her twice would be too lenient.
16:55Someone who intentionally injures and defames others deserves to face the law.
16:59It's hard not to suspect there is more going on between Asher and Mia.
17:03Why else would he keep sacrificing his wife for an outsider?
17:05Two days later, Asher slowly regained consciousness in a VIP hospital room.
17:10When he opened his eyes, he saw Cedric, his face livid with rage,
17:13and Clara, her eyes red and swollen, haggard all over.
17:16The butler had immediately notified the elder Harringtons,
17:19who were vacationing in Switzerland.
17:21They rushed back home overnight.
17:22They heard the butler recount the full story,
17:24and the second they landed and unlocked their phones,
17:26they saw the viral scandal dominating every trending topic.
17:30Cedric had nearly fainted from a spike in blood pressure,
17:32the moment he saw the news in the airport's VIP lounge.
17:35Seeing his son awake, Cedric could no longer hold back the fury he had suppressed for two days.
17:40He rebuked him sharply.
17:41You fool!
17:43You kept a huge thing like your divorce from Blair,
17:45hidden from the whole family.
17:46Are you trying to drive us to an early grave?
17:48Clara stepped forward with tear-streaked eyes,
17:51her voice heavy with disappointment.
17:52Asher,
17:53you and Blair grew up side by side as childhood sweethearts,
17:57bound by deep affection.
17:59How could you throw your marriage away for an outsider?
18:02Asher jolted, confused.
18:04How did you find out about the divorce?
18:05He glanced instinctively toward the butler standing by the door.
18:08The butler gave a slight shake of his head,
18:10to signal he had not breathed a word to anyone.
18:13No one needed to tell us.
18:14The whole internet knows.
18:16That girl you took in posted your divorce certificate online,
18:19publicly calling Blair an evil witch.
18:22The Harrington family's decades-long reputation
18:24has been dragged through the mud because of the two of you.
18:26He flung his phone onto the bed in front of Asher.
18:28Look for yourself!
18:29Asher's hands trembled as he unlocked the screen.
18:32Mia's post was still trending.
18:34Millions of vicious comments stung his eyes.
18:36He then pulled up Weston Group's official clarifying statement.
18:39Piece after piece of evidence landed like sharp slaps across his face.
18:43Dad, Mom,
18:43our divorce was supposed to be fake.
18:46We agreed it was only a temporary act to calm Mia.
18:49We planned to remarry once her emotions stabilized.
18:52Fake?
18:52Cedric's voice turned heavy and sorrowful from rage.
18:55Was the ten years of Blair's suffer fake?
18:57Was watching her collapse, bleeding, and lose your own child also fake?
19:02Asher parted his lips, but his throat tightened.
19:04He could not utter a single word in his defense.
19:06Cedric's tone slowly softened, weighed down by exhaustion.
19:09What makes you think Blair would still play along with this absurd charade?
19:14After you broke her heart over and over and cost you both your baby.
19:18The words cut deep like a dull blade, piercing the most vulnerable part of Asher's heart.
19:22Scenes from outside the civil affairs bureau replayed in his mind.
19:26Blair covered in blood, her gaze empty and lifeless.
19:29Looking back now, all he felt was icy terror and overwhelming regret.
19:33Dad, Mom, please go beg Blair for me.
19:37Asher struggled to sit up.
19:38His eyes read.
19:40She's just upset.
19:41I can't live without her.
19:43Where was this sense of reflection when you were hurting her?
19:46Clara's tears fell.
19:47How did I raise a son who cannot tell what truly matters?
19:52Cedric stared at his son's pale, gaunt face.
19:54For a brief moment, his heart softened and his tone eased slightly.
19:58It's far too late for remorse.
20:00Blair is stubborn.
20:02Once she makes up this mind, nothing can change it.
20:05You and Mr. Weston have been close friends for decades.
20:08Please go to the Westons and put in a good word for me.
20:11I truly know I was wrong.
20:13He tried to push himself out of bed, only to be hit by a wave of overwhelming dizziness.
20:17He fell back hard onto the hospital mattress.
20:20Cedric fell silent for a long time, then let out a deep sigh.
20:23We have already gone to the Westons to offer our apologies.
20:27Mr. Weston only said one thing.
20:29The two young people's fate has run its course.
20:32From now on, they will go their separate ways and there should be no more contact between.
20:37Focus on recovering.
20:38Cedric said before turning to leave.
20:40Your mother and I must head back to the company to reassure the shareholders.
20:43Harrington Corporee's stock price has plummeted for two days running.
20:46Meanwhile, Weston Group has not only stabilized its market position,
20:51its shares keep climbing.
20:53The hospital room door clicked shut.
20:54Dead silence filled the space.
20:56Asher stared blankly at the plain white ceiling.
20:58Six years of memories flashed before his eyes.
21:01Blair yielding and forgiving him time after time.
21:03The quiet triumphant glee on Mia's face every time one of her schemes succeeded.
21:07And he himself, blind the entire time, always siding with the person hurting his wife.
21:11Sir, the investigation you ordered has yielded full results.
21:16The butler's quiet voice cut through the stillness.
21:19Asher's voice was cold and hoarse.
21:21Speak.
21:22The butler stepped forward and laid a thick stack of documents on the bed.
21:25Vanessa, 42 years old, in good health, no official death record.
21:29She saved you during your misfortune six years ago near the border of Country X.
21:33Afterwards, she forged her own death certificate and arranged for her biological daughter,
21:39Mia, to be placed in your care.
21:42Asher's hands clenched the bedsheets so hard his knuckles turned white.
21:45Why would she fake her own death?
21:47Why go to such elaborate length?
21:49The realization that the great debt of gratitude he had carried for six years,
21:53the reason he had indulged Mia and wronged Blair again and again,
21:56was nothing but an elaborate scheme, made his chest constrict in agony.
22:00According to Vanessa's own statement, she believed Mia would have access to the best possible life
22:04with you, far better than anything she could provide.
22:07Yet she knew you would not take in a strange girl indefinitely without reason.
22:10Only the supposed debt to a deceased savior could make you tolerate Mia without limit
22:13and refuse to turn her away.
22:15The butler paused, then delivered another, even more devastating truth.
22:18Furthermore, Mia has known all along that her mother is still alive.
22:24The two of them have maintained frequent contact all these years.
22:28The standalone villa Vanessa lives in now, along with the large sums of money she spends every
22:33month, are all funds Maya slifed from Harrington Corporation and passed on to her.
22:38All those years, Vanessa filled Mia's head with the belief that the Harringtons owed them.
22:42She told Mia she must win you over completely, replace Blair, and seize everything belong to
22:47the Harrington family.
22:49Most of Mia's supposed psychological trauma, her self-harm theatrics, and hysterical outbrotes
22:53were deliberate acts, all designed to drive you and Blair apart.
22:57Vanessa knew everything about the incident at the Civil Affairs Bureau back then.
23:01Worse still, she even coached Mia beforehand.
23:04If Blair refused to back down, they'd stir up trouble to force a complete rift between
23:08you two.
23:10Enough.
23:10Asher's voice came out hoarse, cutting Harold's recounting short.
23:14Where are the mother and daughter now?
23:15They're being held under supervision at a suburban villa, waiting for your instructions, sir.
23:19Harold bowed his head and replied,
23:21Get the car ready.
23:22I'm going there at once.
23:23Asher ripped the IV needle out of the back of his hand without a second thought.
23:27A bead of blood welled up from the puncture wound, yet he felt no pain whatsoever.
23:32Upon arriving at the villa, fierce arguing echoed from the second floor guest room.
23:36Mom, everything's out in the open now.
23:38Asher knows the whole truth.
23:40What are we going to do?
23:42Mia's panicked voice trembled.
23:43So what if he knows?
23:45I saved his life once, and he'll never be able to repay that debt.
23:49Even if he finds out I faked my death, he can't cut all ties with us completely.
23:54You told me earlier that forcing them to divorce would fix everything, but now I push Blair into
23:59a miscarriage.
24:00The whole internet's calling me a vicious monster, and Asher hates me.
24:05If they call the police, we'll both go to jail.
24:09Shut your mouth!
24:10If we get taken to the station, we stick to the same story.
24:13All those extreme acts were just youthful recklessly on your part.
24:17Nothing but misunderstandings!
24:18Asher could stand no longer.
24:20He strode forward and kicked the door open hard.
24:23The two women inside spun around at the noise.
24:25Tears streaked Mia's face, while Vanessa's momentary shock quickly melted into a sorrowful,
24:31delicate facade.
24:32Vanessa stood up, deliberately mimicking the soft, weary tone she'd used six years prior.
24:37Mr. Harrington, this isn't how it looks.
24:39Let me explain properly.
24:41Asher's gaze skipped right over her and locked firmly onto Mia.
24:45This girl he'd supported lavishly and defended blindly for six years, her face now a tangled
24:50mess of fear, calculation, and an unrealistic glimmer of hope.
24:54Mia's voice shook and tears spilled effortlessly.
24:57Uncle Asher, I didn't mean it.
25:00I just love you so much.
25:02I was terrified of losing you.
25:04Slap.
25:04A sharp, resounding clock landed hard across Mia's cheek, leaving a vivid red mark instantly.
25:10You dare speak of love?
25:12Hatred and bitter self-mockery roiled deep in Asher's eyes.
25:16I've given you a life of luxury for a decade.
25:19Time and again.
25:19I compromised the woman I love just to spare your feelings.
25:24I foolishly believed you were merely a misguided child, and in the end, I'm the biggest fool
25:29alive.
25:30He turned to the woman beside him, who still clung to her fragile act, a frigid aura rolling
25:34off his body.
25:35Harold.
25:36Harold appeared in the doorway at once.
25:38Sir.
25:39Call the police immediately.
25:40File all evidence for fraud through fake death, years of orchestrated slander, and grievous
25:46bodily harm leading to a miscarriage.
25:48Hand everything over to the authorities.
25:51Let the courts decide their sentences.
25:53Mr. Harrington!
25:54Vanessa lunged forward, trying to grab his arm.
25:57If I hadn't saved your life ten years ago at the border, you'd be dead.
26:01How can you be so ungrateful?
26:03You saved my life once, and for ten years, I poured endless resources into supporting your
26:08daughter.
26:08My debt to you is long repaid.
26:10But you two had no right to spin an elaborate lie, hurting my wife endlessly and killing
26:14the child we were expecting.
26:16Asher coldly evaded her grasp and gave Harold further orders.
26:19Compile all ten years of their chat logs, bank transfer records, surveillance footage
26:23proving their harassment and assault, and submit everything to the police.
26:27Also retain the top criminal defense attorneys.
26:30I will pursue full prosecution to seek justice for my wife and the child we lost.
26:34Mia's sobs cut off abruptly, her face drained of all color.
26:37And she swayed unsteadily on her feet.
26:40Uncle Asher, you wouldn't do this to me.
26:42No matter what mistakes I made before, you always forgave me.
26:44Asher did not spare the mother and daughter another glance as he walked out of the room.
26:48Mia's hysterical screams and Vanessa's raving curses echoed behind him.
26:53But he paid them no heed at all.
26:54Back in the car, he dialed his assistant, his voice weary yet unwavering.
26:58Release a public apology under my name.
27:01Admit that I misjudged people, enabled their atrocities, and harmed Ms. Blair repeatedly.
27:06Responsibility for every misdeed.
27:08And acknowledge that I've betrayed the public's trust.
27:10Soon after, legal proceedings against Mia and Vanessa reached their conclusion.
27:15The mountain of irrefutable evidence left no room for leniency.
27:18Mia faced multiple charges.
27:20Conspiracy to commit fraud.
27:22Repeated malicious defamation.
27:23And inflicting grievous bodily harm, resulting in miscarriage.
27:27Serve a sentence in a women's prison.
27:29Behind bars, she cried out day after day.
27:31Uncle Asher, save me!
27:33I know I'm sorry you always forgave me before!
27:36As the mastermind and instigator of the entire scheme, Vanessa bore far heavier guilt and received
27:42a lengthy prison sentence.
27:44When the verdict was read in court, she flew into a wild rage, screaming insults at Asher
27:49for his ingratitude and vowing he would suffer terrible retribution, ignoring all courtroom decorum.
27:55Meanwhile, Asher's world crumbled completely.
27:57His public apology failed to salvage the Harrington family's shattered reputation, and the group's
28:02stock prices plummeted without cease.
28:04When Cedric learned Asher had signed over all his shares, real estate and cash to Blair
28:09in exchange for her dropping potential civil claims, he suffered an acute fit of rage and
28:14collapsed, rushed straight to hospital.
28:16Upon waking, Cedric brought home his illegitimate son, whom he'd raised separately for 20 years,
28:21and placed him in charge of the group's core operations.
28:24Clara fell into a crippling depression from grief, no longer able to intercede on Asher's
28:29behalf.
28:29For years afterward, Asher tried countless times to see me, showing up at my doorstep,
28:34lying in wait at the company, even chasing me across international borders.
28:38I turned him away every single time.
28:40After signing over all his assets, he lost every ounce of influence and wealth.
28:44Forced to live in a cramped, shabby apartment.
28:47Countless late nights, he dialed my number over and over, long since blocked, listening to
28:52the cold, busy tone as he whispered endless apologies and remorse.
28:56Yet he never received a single reply.
28:58Once the whole scandal died down, I set aside all domestic affairs and traveled overseas to
29:03fully oversee the Weston family's global business empire.
29:06Three years slipped by in the blink of an eye.
29:09When I returned home three years later, I brought with me a vastly expanded, highly profitable
29:14overseas portfolio and a substantial personal fortune, alongside news that sent shockwaves through
29:20the entire business circle.
29:21The Westons would enter a strategic marriage alliance with a powerful Vanderbilt family.
29:26My betrothed was Julian, the eldest son of the Vanderbilts.
29:29Everyone in elite circles knew Julian was exceptionally capable, steady, and decisive in his dealings,
29:35having steered the Vanderbilt enterprises to unprecedented prosperity.
29:39Yet he was reserved and emotionally detached, showing barely any outward feeling.
29:44Insiders privately dubbed him the unfeeling corporate machine.
29:48Julian and I had only crossed paths a handful of times at business galas before.
29:52Our conversations limited strictly to professional small talk.
29:56To each other, we were nothing more than reliable, yet aloof business partners.
30:00The high society buzzed with speculation over this engagement.
30:03Even as a divorcee, my wealth and standing made me a highly sought-after match for countless
30:08aristocratic clans.
30:10No one could fathom why I'd chosen the cold, unromantic Julian above all others.
30:14But my reasoning was crystal clear.
30:16At 33, I'd long outgrown youthful fantasies of passionate, sweeping romance.
30:21The fiery, pure love I'd once held had been worn thin and extinguished over six years of
30:27unending grievance and heartache.
30:29Now I measured every choice by one standard alone.
30:32Stability, mutual benefit, optimal outcomes.
30:34The Vanderbilts boasted deep, entrenched heritage, perfectly matched to the Westens in status,
30:40with complementary strengths across emerging industries.
30:43Julian was brilliant at his work, his private life spotless with no rumors of affairs or ambiguous
30:48entanglements.
30:49Reliable and hassle-free, a union between us would unite two powerful business dynasties,
30:54opening doors to shared resources and mutual profit.
30:58Any children we might have in the future would inherit both families' vast holdings from birth,
31:02standing far above ordinary people from the very start.
31:06On the eve of the wedding, Asher blocked my path.
31:09He wore plain, affordable slacks and a button-down shirt, gaunt and worn,
31:13every line of his face etched with desolation and regret.
31:17Blair.
31:17His voice was dry and gravelly, his eyes swimming with abject humility and unending.
31:24Congratulations.
31:24I watched him quietly, utterly unmoved.
31:28Twenty years of shared history lay behind us, all long laid to rest, incapable of stirring the
31:33slightest emotion in my heart.
31:35Beneath my calm gaze, Asher shifted awkwardly, forcing a bitter, self-deprecating smile.
31:41So brightly now.
31:42I've never deserved you, not even a little.
31:44I knew full well how harsh these past three years had been for him.
31:48Ousted from the Harrington Group's core management, his reputation destroyed, permanently estranged
31:54from his parents, yet not a shred of sympathy stirred within me.
31:58After a brief silence, I spoke slowly, my tone impartial and level, void of love or hatred alike.
32:04I am willing to personally fund a brand new company for you.
32:08I will cover all startup capital and connect you with industry resources in the initial
32:13phase, but the equity split will be 90% mine, 10% yours.
32:19I retain full authority over all major corporate decisions and ultimate ownership, while you
32:24oversee daily operations and draw a corresponding salary plus profit shares.
32:29This was no charitable handout.
32:30It was a coldly calculated, strictly conditional commercial investment.
32:35My 90% controlling stake meant that no matter how tirelessly Asher ran the business, the
32:40company would always belong to me.
32:42He would be nothing more than a highly paid executive manager.
32:46Asher froze.
32:47He had anticipated every possible reaction from me.
32:50Cold dismissal, mockery, even scorn, but never this.
32:53An offer that masqueraded as support, yet was laced with nothing but distance.
32:57He stared into my calm, unruffled eyes, and in an instant, he grasped the meaning beneath
33:02my words.
33:03A bitter, twisted smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
33:06Blair, you're still the same.
33:08I hurt you so deeply back then.
33:10You should have cut off every path for me.
33:12This arrangement of yours, it almost makes you seem too soft-hearted.
33:15I responded evenly.
33:16My way of revenge is different from what you imagined.
33:19Raising my eyes to meet his.
33:20I don't take pleasure in simply destroying someone.
33:22I'd rather have the person who once brought me endless pain and loss spend the rest of
33:26their life exhausting their abilities in time to generate continued returns for me.
33:30Compared to watching you fall into destitution, this outcome is far more cost-effective for
33:34me.
33:35Asher's face cycled through shades of pallet and flesh.
33:38These coldly calculated words humiliated him far more than any insult could have, forcing
33:43him to confront with brutal clarity that in my eyes, he now held nothing but exploitable
33:48commercial value.
33:49Not a shred of old affection remained.
33:51Yet he had nothing now.
33:53No starting capital.
33:54Only a set of business skills with nowhere to apply them.
33:57Faced with this harsh offer, he had no room to refuse.
34:00After a long silence, he gave a heavy nod.
34:02Fine.
34:03I accept.
34:05Efficiency had always been my strong suit.
34:07Within days, the framework of the new company was fully established.
34:11News of this soon reached my father.
34:12He came to me, visibly puzzled.
34:14Blair, why go to all this trouble?
34:16Asher is the past.
34:17You're about to marry Julian.
34:19Won't the Goo family take issue with this?
34:21I continued processing overseas project documents on my computer while simultaneously dialing
34:26Julian on my phone, putting it on speaker.
34:28The call connected quickly.
34:30Blair?
34:30On the other end came the faint rustle of pages being turned, devoid of excess emotion.
34:35Hello?
34:35Julian?
34:36I plan to personally fund Asher's new venture, with myself as sole shareholder.
34:40Do you have any objection to this?
34:41There was a two-second pause on the other end, only the soft sound of breathing.
34:45Then came Julian's calm, measured reply.
34:48If someone is willing to willingly generate ongoing returns for our future business and
34:52our children, I couldn't ask for more.
34:54If you ever need the Jew family's distribution channels or connections, just let me know.
34:59My father, standing nearby, was momentarily struck speechless.
35:03A faint curve lifted the corner of my mouth.
35:05I was thoroughly pleased with Julian's answer.
35:08Not for now.
35:09Thank you.
35:09I ended the call and looked at my father.
35:11See?
35:11He has no issue with it.
35:13My father shook his head with a helpless, wry smile and dropped the subject.
35:17He would need some time to adjust to the way my future husband and I approached everything,
35:21foremost with interests and mutual benefit.
35:24My wedding to Julian was grand and lavish, befitting the stature of both families, yet not
35:28ostentatious or extravagant.
35:30Only family friends and key business partners were invited.
35:33The media were kept entirely at bay.
35:36The groom, Julian, was resplendent in a custom-tailored formal suit, tall, impeccably handsome, courteous
35:41to all, flawless in his manners.
35:43Yet a faint aloofness lingered perpetually at the corners of his eyes and brows, betraying
35:48none of the fervor of a newlywed.
35:50I wore a simple, high-custom wedding gown, my makeup refined and cool, radiant with composure.
35:56My smile was appropriate.
35:57My eyes were equally tranquil, equally unruffled.
36:00The exchange of rings, the vows, the ceremonial kiss, every step was carried out with faultless
36:05precision.
36:06Our touch was light, reserved, more like the completion of a set business ritual than the
36:10passionate embrace of young lovers.
36:12Yet there was a unique harmony between us, the unspoken understanding of two mature adults.
36:17Anyone watching could see at a glance that we were meant to stand side by side.
36:22At the reception, we received guests together, occasionally murmuring to each other, our topics
36:26always revolving around the backgrounds of attendees, potential collaborations, upcoming projects.
36:32There were no lingering gazes, no intimate leaning in.
36:35Yet we were unexpectedly compatible.
36:37Married life was steady and placid, like a glass of water at just the right temperature.
36:41We settled into Julian's penthouse in the city center, spacious, minimalist, pristine,
36:46and cool as a showroom.
36:47Each of us had our own bedroom and private study, preserving ample personal space without
36:51encroaching on the other.
36:52Julian continued managing the vast Gu family conglomerate with his full attention, while
36:57I simultaneously advanced the Bai family's overseas operations and gradually took over
37:02Gu's cross-industry collaborative projects.
37:04At breakfast each day, we briefly exchanged our work schedules for the day.
37:08On evenings without social engagements, we dined together, our conversation always revolving
37:13around market conditions, project milestones, and partnership strategies.
37:17Julian, as rumored, led an impeccably clean private life.
37:20Zero scandals.
37:22In the open without a passcode, travel itineraries shared in advance, and only a long-time male
37:27assistant by his side.
37:29Never a young female secretary.
37:31On holidays and birthdays, he always sent high-end jewelry and rare artworks.
37:35Exquisite taste, undoubtedly valuable, but the gesture felt like a checklist of spousal
37:40obligations, devoid of warmth or surprise.
37:43At first, I didn't mind at all.
37:44This was precisely the marriage I had wanted.
37:47Reliable, low maintenance, a business partnership without entanglements.
37:50But as time passed, I occasionally found myself wanting to tease him.
37:54Julian, what do you-
37:55He looked up, and a faint flicker of confusion passed through his eyes, as if he didn't understand
38:00why I'd asked.
38:02I rephrased more directly.
38:03To put it bluntly, you choose to marry me purely as the optimal business alliance?
38:07After all this time together, do you have any feelings for me beyond those of a partner?
38:11Or rather, have you ever felt any attraction towards me?
38:14Julian gazed at me quietly for a moment, considering the question seriously, without evasion or
38:19pretense.
38:19After a long pause, he spoke slowly, his tone steady and clear.
38:23What exactly attraction or like feels like, I find it difficult to describe with precision.
38:30He paused, carefully choosing his words before continuing.
38:33But Blair, being with you, it's exceptionally easy for me.
38:37Easy?
38:38Yes.
38:38With you, I don't have to strain to guess your thoughts.
38:41No need to manufacture romance to please you.
38:44No endless emotional arguments to manage.
38:46We share aligned goals, think in the same logical framework, and communicate efficiently.
38:51Since we married, my life hasn't been disrupted in any way.
38:56This kind of stability and comfort, it's far more suited to a lasting marriage than fleeting
39:04passion.
39:04I was silent for a few seconds after hearing this, then slowly curled my lips into a genuine,
39:10relaxed smile.
39:11Then we're truly a perfect match.
39:12We said nothing more after that, each returning to our respective work.
39:16When the clock slowly reached ten at night, Julian closed his documents, walked over to
39:20me.
39:20I recall these are your oviation days.
39:22And without ceremony, swept me into his arms.
39:25I couldn't help but laugh softly.
39:27You're as precise as a piece of precision machinery.
39:30And Asher, he remained bound to the company I controlled.
39:33In industry reports and at business events, he would see Julian and me side by side.
39:38The apology gifts he sent year after year were invariably returned unopened by my assistant.
39:44For the rest of his days, he was trapped in the endless remorse of his own making, forever
39:49waiting for a forgiveness that would never come.
39:51The wrong love had long since left the stage.
39:55For the rest of my life, I would never give him another moment of my time.
39:58For the rest of my life, I would never give him another moment of my time.