She trusted the wrong man once, and it cost her everything.
Betrayed by her husband Adrian and left to die alone, she wakes up with a second chance. This time, Roman Howard offers her three wishes, and she already knows what not to choose. The man she once begged to love is about to learn what it feels like to lose her.
This is the full episode. Stay until the end to see how her new choices change every life around her, Adrian's included.
A story of rebirth, revenge and a woman who learns from her worst mistake. Tell us in the comments what you would have wished for.
Would you have made the same choice about Adrian the second time around? And is handing him to her stepsister smart revenge, or too gentle? Tell us below.
#FullEpisode #RebirthDrama #RevengeDrama #SecondChance #StepsisterDrama #BetrayalStory #RomanceDrama #StrongWoman #DramaSeries #EmotionalDrama
Language: English (or the language actually spoken in the video)
Category: Short Films / closest drama or entertainment option available
Tags: full episode, reborn drama, rebirth revenge, second chance drama, husband betrayal, stepsister drama, revenge romance, three wishes, reborn after death, wife revenge story, toxic husband, strong female lead, emotional drama, short drama series, romance drama
Betrayed by her husband Adrian and left to die alone, she wakes up with a second chance. This time, Roman Howard offers her three wishes, and she already knows what not to choose. The man she once begged to love is about to learn what it feels like to lose her.
This is the full episode. Stay until the end to see how her new choices change every life around her, Adrian's included.
A story of rebirth, revenge and a woman who learns from her worst mistake. Tell us in the comments what you would have wished for.
Would you have made the same choice about Adrian the second time around? And is handing him to her stepsister smart revenge, or too gentle? Tell us below.
#FullEpisode #RebirthDrama #RevengeDrama #SecondChance #StepsisterDrama #BetrayalStory #RomanceDrama #StrongWoman #DramaSeries #EmotionalDrama
Language: English (or the language actually spoken in the video)
Category: Short Films / closest drama or entertainment option available
Tags: full episode, reborn drama, rebirth revenge, second chance drama, husband betrayal, stepsister drama, revenge romance, three wishes, reborn after death, wife revenge story, toxic husband, strong female lead, emotional drama, short drama series, romance drama
Category
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FunTranscript
00:00Carnegie Hall backstage.
00:01Adrian pins me against the mirror.
00:03Cold glass against my forehead.
00:05Camilla, you deserve to die.
00:08He grabs my right hand,
00:09the one that played Carnegie Hall.
00:11Spreads my fingers flat on marble.
00:13Severs my tendons.
00:15The pain tears a scream from me.
00:18He pries my jaw open.
00:20Paws from a decanga,
00:21amber liquid reeking of bitter bilinance and acid.
00:24Swallow it.
00:26Molten lead steers my throat.
00:27No sound comes out.
00:29Adrian's boot grinds into my face.
00:32You ruined me and Chloe.
00:34From today on, you'll live in hell.
00:36Three months later, my body,
00:37covered in bedstorbs,
00:39rotted in the Howard Estate's wine cellar.
00:41When I opened my eyes again,
00:43the bitter smell of cigar smoke filled my nostrils.
00:47Camilla.
00:47He took off his glasses.
00:49Roman Howard sat behind his walnut desk,
00:51studying me.
00:53The Howard family owes you.
00:55I can grant you three wishes.
00:57I looked down.
00:58My right hand is whole again.
00:59Last life, I asked to marry Adrian
01:01and lost everything, even my life.
01:03This time, I won't choose him.
01:04I entered the lab when I was 12,
01:06but that contribution was stolen by Chloe,
01:08the Rossi family's long-lost biological daughter.
01:10I spent 10 years developing an injectable treatment
01:12that could extend Adrian's life.
01:14And my name was erased from all the documents.
01:17After Adrian recovered,
01:19old Roman called me into his stush.
01:21On the walnut desk lay a fountain pen,
01:23dripping ink, and a blank check.
01:26He took off his gold-rimmed glasses and wiped them.
01:28Adrian.
01:29It was you who saved Adrian.
01:32Name three wishes.
01:34Anything at all.
01:36I have only one wish.
01:37At the time, I sat naively on the leather sofa,
01:40my back straight, my heart beating like a caged bird.
01:42I heard my own voice trembling to marry Adrian.
01:45But what I didn't know
01:46was that he had already fallen in love with Chloe.
01:48After our wedding, he hated me.
01:50On our wedding night,
01:51he left me alone in the bridal suite
01:55and drove to Chloe's apartment.
01:57When he came back the next morning,
01:59the inside of his collar carried a perfume that wasn't mine.
02:03He hated me for tearing him and Chloe apart.
02:06He hated Grandfather Roman for using family pressure
02:09to force him into the marriage.
02:10The night before the concert.
02:12Backstage dressing room at Carnegie Hall.
02:15He pushed me against the mirror.
02:17The cold glass pressing against my forehead.
02:19Carnegie Hall backstage.
02:21Adrian pins me against the mirror.
02:23Cold glass against my forehead.
02:24Camilla, you deserve to die.
02:27He grabs my right hand.
02:29The one that played Carnegie Hall.
02:30Spreads my fingers flat on marble.
02:32Severs my tendons.
02:35The pain tears a scream from me.
02:37He pries my jaw open.
02:39Paws from a decanga.
02:41Amber liquid reeking of bitter bylining and acid.
02:44Swallow it.
02:45Molten lead steers my throat.
02:47No sound comes out.
02:49Adrian's boot grinds into my face.
02:51You ruined me and Chloe.
02:53From today on, you'll live in hell.
02:55Three months later.
02:56My body, covered in bedstores.
02:59Rotted in the Howard Estates wine cellar.
03:01Half a slice of cold bread pushed through the crack in the door each day.
03:05In the end, I died there.
03:07Three broken ribs.
03:08Internal bleeding that lasted 48 hours before my breath stopped.
03:11When I opened my eyes again.
03:14I was back on the day old Roman asked me for three wishes.
03:17This time, I put away all my delusions and said coldly.
03:22First, I want 100 million dollars.
03:25Second, I want a plane ticket out of here.
03:28Third, I want nothing more to do with Adrian.
03:30Old Roman slowly took off his gold-rimmed glasses and rubbed his brow.
03:35Camilla, the Howard family owes you more than 100 million.
03:38He paused.
03:39Are you sure?
03:40No regrets?
03:41In my past life, I was right here.
03:42Same spot.
03:43Same lamp.
03:44Same question.
03:45Knowing full well he already loved Chloe,
03:47I still pushed my last chips onto the table like a gambler.
03:50And lost everything.
03:51Down to my very life.
03:52I looked up and met his gaze.
03:54Tapped his knuckles on the desk twice.
03:56And finally sighed.
03:57I've decided.
03:58Old Roman stared at me for a long time.
04:01He opened his mouth, then closed it.
04:03After Chloe came back, the Rossi family credited all your research to her.
04:07You worked 10 years, and someone else took the credit.
04:10He leaned forward, lowering his voice with an earnestness that didn't quite belong to him.
04:15Roman Camilla, what if I tell him the truth?
04:18Clear up the whole Chloe situation.
04:20Maybe he would...
04:21No need.
04:22I cut him off.
04:23My voice soft, as if afraid to disturb something.
04:26He loves Chloe.
04:28Let them be together.
04:29Please never tell him.
04:30By the time I left the Howard house, it was pitch dark.
04:33The Upper East Side streets were strung with warm yellow street lights, just as they had been in my past
04:38life.
04:39I looked down at the envelope in my hand.
04:41Ten years of research, in exchange for a hundred million dollars in freedom.
04:46All things considered, not a bad deal.
04:48Back at the Rossi house, I could hear laughter from the living room even through the carved wooden door.
04:53I pushed it open.
04:54Adrian was lounging on the camel-colored velvet sofa, with Chloe lying across his lap.
04:59His slender fingers were pressing her temples, his touch as gentle as if handling something that might shatter at any
05:04moment.
05:05Daisy sat in the armchair across from them, holding a bone-chain teacup, a satisfied smile on her face.
05:11When she saw me, that smile, first frozen, then shattered.
05:15You're finally back.
05:17The maid's on leave.
05:19Daisy set her cup on the saucer.
05:20The whole family's waiting for you to cook.
05:22What are you standing there for?
05:24I didn't say a word.
05:25As I walked toward the kitchen, passing the seating area, Chloe suddenly sat up from Adrian's lap.
05:31She raised her hand so fast, I didn't even see it.
05:34Slap.
05:34A ringing explosion burst in my ear.
05:37Chloe looked down at me, sneering as she reminded me that the back door was where I belonged.
05:42In her eyes, I was nothing more than a dog the Rossi family kept.
05:45In my past life, I would have endured it.
05:48I would have lowered my head, swallowed the blood, and obediently walked into the kitchen.
05:52But this life, I've already died once.
05:56I slapped her back without a moment's hesitation.
05:59Chloe screamed and staggered backward, her lower back crashing into the edge of the coffee table,
06:05scenting her tumbling to the floor.
06:07Her pupils dilated, her scream turning into a muffled winner.
06:10Adrian's pupils contracted.
06:12The next second, he kicked me to the ground.
06:14The blow landed squarely in my abdomen, the force precise as if he'd measured the angle beforehand.
06:19I curled up on the floor, my stomach cramping, sour bile rising in my throat.
06:24Are you okay, Chloe?
06:26He pulled Chloe into his arms.
06:27The worry in his eyes, almost tangible enough to drip.
06:31He wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with his palm.
06:34Adrian, this bitch actually dared to hit me!
06:37Before she finished, Daisy rushed over.
06:39Her foot landed on the exact same spot.
06:42I heard myself grunt, a dull pain spreading beneath my ribs like something had cracked.
06:49Are you asking to die?
06:51Ten years.
06:52I spent them in the lab for him, growing from a girl into a woman.
06:56Truth be told, Adrian's ficlus was nothing new.
06:59On the night of his 18th birthday, he kissed me under the rose threstle in the Howard backyard.
07:05The moonlight silvered his lashes, and he said,
07:09Camillie, when I get better, I'll marry you.
07:12Later, he did get better.
07:15But he chose to marry someone else.
07:17What truly broke my heart was Daisy.
07:20She had been good to me once.
07:21So good, I mistook it, fraternal, love.
07:24She brushed my hair, stayed by my bed lied when I had a fever in the middle of the night.
07:30And always wore the cotton bracelet she'd tied on me when she brought me home from the orphanage.
07:35She'd kept it all those years.
07:37But that kindness was based on only two conditions.
07:41One, she thought I was her biological daughter.
07:44Two, Adrian liked me.
07:47After Chloe came back, everything changed.
07:49The real daughter, Ternitamari, vowed vuing.
07:52The Renziwata returned.
07:54Adrian's heart returned.
07:55And my place was reset to zero.
07:58A single tear escaped my eye.
08:00Beyond my control.
08:01It slid down my cheek and fell onto the carpet.
08:04Instantly swallowed by the dark brown wool, leaving no trace at all.
08:08Like my 18 years.
08:10I held my stomach and stood up, pressing my fingers against my ribs.
08:14Every breath came with a fine, stabbing pain.
08:17I looked up at Daisy.
08:18Mum, thank you for giving me a home once.
08:21Daisy froze.
08:22Her lips ported slightly.
08:24And the anger in her eyes seemed suddenly cut off by something.
08:28Ever since Chloe came back, she'd forbidden me from calling her Mum.
08:32Every time I did, I was punished.
08:35A slap.
08:35A riddle cane.
08:36Or made to kneel on the marble foy all night.
08:39My knees purple and black by morning.
08:42So I'd stopped calling her that long ago.
08:44This time, it was the last.
08:47I turned and walked toward the door.
08:49My legs were shaking.
08:50Every step felt like walking on broken glass.
08:54In fact, there were crystal shards embedded in my soles from when I'd knelt earlier.
08:58Now, with each step, sharp pain shot from my feet up my spine.
09:01But I couldn't stop.
09:02As I passed Adrian, he suddenly reached out and grabbed my wrist.
09:07His grip was tight.
09:08His knuckles digging into my bones, leaving five white finger marks instantly.
09:12I turned my head.
09:14The chandelier light hit him from the side.
09:16Half his face in light.
09:18Half his face in light and shadow.
09:20I'd looked at this face for thirteen years.
09:23But now, the way he looked at me was like staring at a cockroach trying to steal his happiness.
09:28I think you can just walk away.
09:29I heard my own breath tremble.
09:31At eighteen, he'd stood under that rose trusset and told me
09:34that even if one day I were no longer a Rossi daughter, his feelings for me would never change.
09:38I heard my own breath tremble.
09:40Back then, I believed him.
09:43Now, with the same mouth, he said,
09:45Mila, you went to my grandfather and begged him to make me marry you, didn't you?
09:51Chloe shouted from behind.
09:53What?! Adrian, you're going to marry her?!
09:56Of course not.
09:58He almost laughed, the curve of his mouth like an icicle piercing the air, piercing the air straight into my
10:03chest.
10:04You think just because my grandfather likes you, you can force me to marry you?
10:08Dream on.
10:09He paused and pulled Chloe closer.
10:12Let me make it clear today, I will never marry you.
10:15Once, I thought hearing those words again would still shatter my heart.
10:19That I'd curl up where he couldn't see, clutching my chest, crying until I was dehydrated, just like in my
10:25past life.
10:26But now, there was nothing in my chest. Empty.
10:28Then, I wish you both happiness.
10:30Adrian's expression flittered for a moment.
10:32A fine crack appeared in the smug mocketry in his eyes, as if he hadn't expected that reaction.
10:38But he didn't know. I'd already done all that.
10:40As I walked out of the villa, blood seeped through my shoes, leaving intermittent dark red pots on the cobblestone
10:46path behind me.
10:47My vision went black, and I collapsed by the greenery on the sidewalk.
10:52Someone called the police.
10:53The sound of an ambulance sirens grew closer from away, blue and red lights flashing over my face.
10:58I closed my eyes.
11:00I spent five days in the hospital before recovering.
11:03The day I was discharged, the sun was bright.
11:05The hospital window faced the East River, its surface shimmering like crushed silver.
11:11Nora called just as I was standing at the hospital entrance waiting for a taxi.
11:16She said her model had cancelled last minute, and she had to submit her competition piece tomorrow.
11:21Could I help by trying on the wedding dress?
11:23I thought about it and agreed.
11:26Nora's studio was tucked away in a building on the Lower East Side, converted from an old factory.
11:32It wasn't large, but it had a solid reputation in New York's independent design scene.
11:37Many celebrity red carpet gowns and private custom orders for Fashion Week came from Nora's hands.
11:42Getting a dress designed by her personally was even harder than scoring a limited edition luxury item,
11:47at least among those in the know.
11:49I changed and walked out of the fitting room.
11:51Nora was crouched on the floor, sorting through a pile of Organe.
11:55Nora's face darkened instantly.
11:57She shot Arian a cold look and said flatly that her studio didn't accept clients with pets.
12:02Adrian frowned and said they were there to order a wedding dress, name their price.
12:05But Nora ignored him, pointing directly at Chloe.
12:09That's when I realised who she meant by pet.
12:12Chloe's face turned pale, her ears flushing red.
12:15Biting her lip in embarrassment, her gaze slipped past Nora and landed on me.
12:19For a full three seconds, as if she wanted to burr a hole through me.
12:23Camilla?
12:23She laughed and leaned into Adrian, staking her claim.
12:26Do you have no self-respect?
12:28Only then did Adrian's gaze truly fall on me.
12:30The warmth in his eyes dropped to freezing point.
12:33You think this will make me marry you?
12:35He stepped closer, one step at a time.
12:37The sound of his heels striking the old wooden floor echoed through the quiet studio.
12:41Each step measuring my fear.
12:43Until he stood so close I could feel his cold breath and the world narrowed down to just him.
12:47He looked me up and down, from the pearl-trimmed neckline to the boned waist to the trailing white silk
12:52hem, as if of phrasing a substandard counterfeit.
12:54Then, before I could step back, he reached out.
12:59The white silk tore at the shoulder seam, leaving only a small rip.
13:03The sound of fabric tearing was piercingly loud in the silence, like a bone scrapping.
13:09Nora screamed and lunged forward.
13:12She grabbed a black suit jacket from a nearby rack and wrapped it around me.
13:16I stood still.
13:17The shredded skirt slipped off me and piled onto the floor.
13:19A heap of white, once whole, now fractured silk, like a dead flower.
13:24Adrian stood two steps away, looking down at me.
13:26A contemptual smile hung on his lips.
13:28Save it, Camilla. I won't marry you.
13:30Wearing a wedding dress means nothing.
13:32Stop testing my limits. You'd better pray there's no next time.
13:35Humiliation washed over me like a bucket of ice water poured from above.
13:39From my scalp down to my sews, chilling every rib along the way.
13:42My shoulders trembled, the cracked ribs aching, as if a needle was stirring inside.
13:46But I let out a laugh. You flatter yourself.
13:49The clearest thing I've ever done in my life is to stop expecting anything from you.
13:53Adrian's brow frowered. He looked at me like I was a monster that had suddenly stopped speaking human.
13:58Don't use these cheap tricks to get my attention. Disgusting.
14:02With that, he wrapped his arm around Chloe and left.
14:06Nora's eyes were red-rimmed. She looked up at me.
14:08Camilla, leave that family. From now on, I'll take care of you.
14:12I looked down at the torn wedding dress at my feet.
14:15I'm sorry, I said. I ruined your competition piece.
14:18Nora shook her head frantically. Tears finally spilled.
14:21Please, stop loving him, okay? He's not worth it.
14:24Yes, he wasn't worth it. Good thing I'd long stopped.
14:28The day before I left, I went to see Old Roman.
14:31The Howard Mansion was in the Back Bay area. A whole block of 19th century brownstones.
14:36Their north walls covered in ivy.
14:38The backyard had an entire rose garden, blooming in rotation from spring to autumn.
14:42All his late wife's favourite varieties.
14:44When I arrived, he was crouched by a cluster of Pink Eden roses.
14:48Pruning.
14:50When I was little, I often came to the Howard house to play with Adrian.
14:54One time, I saw Old Roman alone in the garden, sweating, and I volunteered to help him prune.
15:01From then on, I came every year at this time to listen to him tell stories about him and his
15:06wife.
15:07Back then, I thought Adrian and I would be like them, but in the end, I was the one deluding
15:12myself.
15:13I crouched down, took the shears from him, and trimmed the side branches of that Eden rosebush.
15:17The scent of soil mixed with fading rose fragrance, the iron shears opening and closing between my fingers.
15:21Are you sure you're leaving?
15:23Old Roman didn't look at me, his voice scattered by the autumn wind.
15:26Yes.
15:26No regrets?
15:27I snipped off a dead branch. A drop of clear sap oozed from the cut, glinting in the afternoon sun.
15:33No regrets.
15:35Footsteps suddenly sounded behind me. I had my back to the path, but I knew who it was.
15:40What are you doing here?
15:41Adrian's voice came like iron from the freezer, carrying a chill.
15:44Before I could speak, Old Roman spoke first. He didn't get up, didn't even lift his head, still trimming another
15:50shrub.
15:50Since when does Howard family need your permission? Camilla is my guest. Do you have a problem?
15:55Adrian's anger retreated instantly. His back straightened, his voice dropping an octave.
15:59Of course not, Grandfather. Then come help me with the roses.
16:02Between us sat a cluster of white roses, thorny branches forming a natural fence.
16:07The pure white petals curled at the edges, some already yellowing.
16:10Old Roman conveniently walked away. His footsteps faded, leaving only the snip of shears and the wind.
16:15Adrian turned his head and lowered his voice. His sarachasm utterly unguarded.
16:20You think this will catch my attention? Too bad. I'm not interested.
16:24I ignored him. The shears lined up with a side branch. Snip. I stood up and turned back without a
16:30word. He snissed.
16:32You think silence makes you look superior?
16:35Adrian froze behind me. He hadn't expected me to actually leave.
16:39Back in the living room, Old Roman sat on the sofa by the window, sipping tea.
16:43He waved me over and handed me a slip of paper with an address and phone number.
16:47Camilla, I found information about your biological parents. Whether you contact them is up to you.
16:53I took the paper, folded it, and put it in my coat pocket.
16:56As I left the old house, Adrian was kneeling on the cocklestone path.
17:00The clouds overhead hung low, red-grey, the air thick with the oppressive stillness before a storm.
17:05Then the rain came. Adrian knelt in the downpour, soaked through.
17:08His black hair plastered to his forehead, rain streaming down his jawline.
17:12He shouted toward Old Roman's study window.
17:14Grandfather, please agree to let me marry Chloe. She's the only one I want.
17:20I stood under an umbrella in the corridor, watching through the rain.
17:23Adrian's kneeling silhouette blurry beyond the curtain of water.
17:27Years ago, there had been another stormy summer night.
17:29I was trapped in the Rossi attic with a 104 degree fieve.
17:33Back then, Daisy was still my mother, but that day she had taken Chloe to a piano competition.
17:38No one came for me. I curled on an old mattress my throat as dry as sandpaper.
17:43It was young Adrian who climbed over the second-floor balcony and into the attic window.
17:47He was soaked through, rain dripping from his hair into my eyes.
17:51I was too feverish to see his face clearly, but I felt his coat wrap around me,
17:56carrying the warmth of rainwater and teenage body heat.
17:59He carried me on his back and ran three blocks through the storm to the nearest emergency room.
18:04I lay on his back, rain blurring my face, my fevered mind hazy.
18:08But I heard his heartbeat clearly through his soaked shirt against my chest.
18:11He was saying,
18:12Camillia, I'll protect you from now on.
18:15But later, the storms all came from him.
18:17I took a deep breath, held my umbrella, and stepped into the rain.
18:22As I passed Adrian, I didn't stop.
18:24The edge of my umbrella brushed his shoulder, sending a cascade of water over him.
18:27His shouting paused for a moment, probably expecting me to stop.
18:31I didn't.
18:31The day I left was bright and sunny.
18:34In the car, I watched the familiar streets recede through the window,
18:37and felt surprisingly little attachment.
18:39My phone rang.
18:40Daisy's name flashed on the screen.
18:42I answered.
18:43Her voice came through in that same impatient tone, hitting me like a wave.
18:46Where the hell are you?
18:47I'm at the hospital.
18:48Come here.
18:49I paused for a second.
18:50Chloe is your daughter, I said.
18:52I won't bother you anymore.
18:54From now on, Daisy's voice suddenly changed pitch on the other end.
18:58Camilla, what are you saying?
18:59I smiled.
19:00I wish us never to meet again.
19:02I hung up.
19:03The screen went dark, reflecting my own face.
19:06Calm, tearless, not even red-rimmed.
19:09The boarding announcement came over the speakers.
19:12I picked up my bag and stood.
19:14My phone rang again.
19:17Adrian's name flashed on the screen.
19:19I stared at it for three seconds.
19:20It rang a second time, the screen blindingly bright.
19:24I answered.
19:25Adrian's voice came through the receiver, unable to hide his smugness.
19:28I knelt in the rain all night yesterday, and grandfather agreed to let me marry Chloe.
19:32You tried so hard, but in the end you still couldn't marry into the Howard family.
19:34Hearing this now, your heart must be shattered, right?
19:36His tone suddenly shifted, like tossing a bone to a stray cat.
19:39Actually, considering our past feelings, I can still...
19:43Adrian, your doctor should have told you that after three years off the medication,
19:46you're basically stable, but relapses are unpredictable.
19:48Don't contact me again.
19:49I was about to hang up.
19:50He suddenly shouted from the other end.
19:52How do you know I've been off medication for three years?
19:55This...
19:55He stopped mid-sentence.
19:57His breathing grew heavier through the receiver.
19:59Once, twice, as if someone had squeezed his windpipe.
20:02When he spoke again, his voice had completely changed.
20:05The smugness was gone, replaced by something I had never heard from him before.
20:09Where are you right now?
20:10He asked, each word forced through clenched teeth.
20:13I'm coming to find you right now!
20:15I curled the corner of my mouth.
20:16Then I pressed the end button.
20:25And boarded the plane that took me away.
20:27Three years later.
20:28At the airport terminal, a TV screen above rolled breaking news.
20:33The Onker's voice came through the ceiling speakers.
20:36Recently, renowned author Leon Morrison was spotted with his beloved wife at Nice Airport.
20:41I leaned against the railing near the exit.
20:43When my phone rang, I glanced at the screen.
20:47Nora's name was jumping on it.
20:48I couldn't help smiling as I answered.
20:50Her voice burst out of the earpiece.
20:52I could picture her excitement just from her tone.
20:54She said she'd arranged a welcome dinner, bigger than I could imagine.
20:57Before she could finish, a hand reached from the side and clasped my chin.
21:01Not hard, but with an effortless intimacy.
21:03And Leon's lips were already on mine.
21:05Pressed against the corner of my mouth, his warm breath brushing my cheek.
21:08The words I'd been about to say stuck in my throat.
21:11On the phone, Nora called out a few times, urging me to hurry over.
21:14Then hung up with a click.
21:15I pushed Leon away, frowning at him.
21:17He nut, slung an arm around my shoulder.
21:19A faint smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
21:22Half an hour later, we arrived at the hotel Nora had booked.
21:24As I got out of the car with Leon, I felt oddly nervous.
21:27When we reached the private room door and I was about to push it open,
21:30the man beside me suddenly took my hand.
21:32His five fingers locked into mine, impossible to resist.
21:35I turned and glared at him.
21:36His face was calm, as if nothing had happened.
21:39Just as we were jostling each other, the door opened from inside.
21:42Camilla, I missed you so much.
21:44Nora's words died halfway.
21:46Her eyes fell first on our clasped hands.
21:48Her mouth opened and closed like a fish suddenly scooped out of water.
21:51You too?
21:52I tugged at my lip, about to explain.
21:55Camilla is my wife.
21:56Leon's voice came from above, calm and matter-of-fact.
22:00It's fine that we came together, right?
22:02Nora's mouth-mouth opened again.
22:04Then she grabbed me and pulled me into the private room,
22:07slamming the door in Leon's face.
22:09He stood in the hallway, for the first time showing a hint of bewilderment.
22:12Over the meal, Nora got the gist of Leon's and my story.
22:15From initial shock to eventual acceptance,
22:18she ended up red-eyed, pointing her fork at Leon.
22:20If you ever treat Camilla badly, I'll make your life a living hell.
22:24Leon was usually indifferent with others,
22:26but this time, he cracked a rare smile,
22:28pulled my hand from the table edge,
22:29and laced his fingers through mine.
22:31Don't worry.
22:32I worked hard to win her over.
22:33After dinner, we were about to head back.
22:36We'd come back for Nora's wedding,
22:37and to handle some family matters.
22:39As Leon and I was about to leave,
22:41I patted my bag.
22:42Wait for me in the car, I said.
22:44I left my bag inside.
22:45I turned and went back into the restaurant.
22:47After retrieving my bag from the private room,
22:50I was checking to see if anything was missing.
22:51When I suddenly collided with a solid wall of flesh,
22:54the man's chest was hard,
22:56reeking of alcohol and colonna,
22:58a mix I knew all too well.
23:00Camilla?
23:01A man's voice sounded above me.
23:03I froze.
23:04Slowly, I looked up.
23:05It was Adrian.
23:06He'd lost a lot of weight,
23:07his cheekbones more prominent,
23:08dark shadows under his eyes.
23:10His eyes were bloodshot,
23:11emotions churning like a flood about to break through a dam.
23:13He stared at me like a drowning man seeing land.
23:19Camilla.
23:19His voice trembled.
23:22How are you here?
23:23He said he'd heard Nora was getting married
23:25and thought I might come back.
23:27But I didn't really expect to run into you here.
23:29His tone was urgent, choked with sobs,
23:31tears brimming in his eyes.
23:34I thought I'd never see you again.
23:36I have things to do.
23:38No time for catching up.
23:39I turned to leave, but he caught up.
23:41His arms wrapped around me from behind,
23:43squeezing so tight it felt like he was trying to press me into his chest,
23:47his chin on top of my head,
23:48his breath hot and rapid.
23:50Camilla, please don't go.
23:52His voice poured down from above,
23:54thick with alcohol and tears.
23:55You disappeared three years ago.
23:57I looked everywhere for you.
23:58I was going crazy.
23:59Grandfather told me everything.
24:00His arms tightened,
24:01his knuckles digging into my shoulders.
24:03It was you who developed the medication for me.
24:05It was always you.
24:06He couldn't finish the rest.
24:07Instead, a single hot tear fell onto my shoulder.
24:10Through the fabric of my coat,
24:11that warmth quickly seeped in like a scorching band.
24:14His voice shook as he held me even tighter,
24:16as if afraid I'd vanish the next second.
24:18After you left, I cut ties with the Rossi family.
24:22Two years ago they went bankrupt,
24:23and Chloe finally told me how much you suffered in that house.
24:28I'm sorry.
24:29I didn't protect you.
24:31By the end, Adrian was sobbing uncontrollably.
24:33His shoulders heaved,
24:35his whole body seemed drained of strength,
24:37holding onto me just to stay upright.
24:39He might have truly repented,
24:41but it had nothing to do with me anymore.
24:43I raised my hand and pried his fingers off,
24:46one by one,
24:47just like he had done to me every single time.
24:49The moment I broke free,
24:50I stepped back two swisses.
24:52The corridor scounded light fell between us.
24:54One meter, two meters, like an unbridgeable rift.
24:57Adrian.
24:58I looked at him.
24:59His eyes red, rimmed, tears smeared across his face.
25:02I stopped caring a long time ago.
25:04I haven't loved you for a very long time.
25:06Impossible!
25:07He let out a heart-ranking cry.
25:10His eyes red.
25:10He stepped forward,
25:11then froze in place,
25:13pinned by the cold, absolute indifference in my gaze.
25:15He could see it.
25:16I wasn't just angry.
25:17Camilla.
25:18His voice dropped,
25:20carrying a humble plea.
25:21I know you're still angry.
25:22I'm willing to spend the rest of my life making amends.
25:25Just please don't leave me again.
25:27I slowly raised my left hand.
25:29The diamond ring on my ring finger glinted in the warm hallway light.
25:32Adrian's gaze locked and locked onto that ring.
25:35His pupils contracted sharply.
25:36And the life seemed to drain out of him.
25:39His mouth opened and closed without sound.
25:41After a long moment, he spoke in a barely audible voice.
25:44No.
25:45How could you marry someone else?
25:48His voice suddenly rose.
25:50You're lying to me, right?
25:51Who is that man?
25:53A familiar, crisp scent came from behind me.
25:56Citrus and cedar,
25:57Leon's signature cologne.
25:58His arms wrapped around me from behind,
26:01pulling me into his embrace,
26:02his palm resting on my waist.
26:04He lowered his head slightly,
26:05his chin brushing over my crown,
26:07then lifted it,
26:07his gaze sharp as a blade toward Adrian two meters ahead.
26:11Adrian.
26:11Long time no see.
26:13Adrian's face went pale,
26:14staring at us in disbelief.
26:16Let me introduce myself.
26:18I'm Camilla's husband.
26:20No.
26:21Adrian's lips trembled.
26:22Camilla, you're lying to me, right?
26:24You're just trying to make me jealous.
26:25I didn't want to keep arguing.
26:26I turned and kissed Leon on the cheek,
26:28then looked back at Adrian,
26:29my voice as calm as if stating the weather.
26:31We're already married.
26:32He's my husband.
26:34Adrian stumbled and lost his balance,
26:37his back hitting the corridor wall.
26:39Then he slid down the wall and slumped onto the carpet.
26:42His head hung low,
26:43shoulders shaking,
26:44muttering over and over.
26:45This can't be real.
26:48How could you marry someone else?
26:51This must be a dream.
26:52I took a deep breath,
26:53took Leon's arm and turned to leave,
26:55but we'd only taken a few steps.
26:57Camilla!
26:58Don't go!
27:00A desperate scream came from behind,
27:02then a dull thut,
27:03the sound of a body hitting the carpet hard.
27:06I turned back instinctively.
27:09Bright red blood spilled from his mouth,
27:11running down his chin and staining his collar.
27:13Adrian lay on his back,
27:15his eyes fixed on the direction I was walking away.
27:18Tears streamed down his face,
27:19his lips moving silently,
27:21mouthing my name.
27:22After Nora's wedding,
27:23Leon and I booked our return flight for a week later.
27:25That week happened to be his father's birthday,
27:27and since we hadn't been back in a while,
27:29we decided to stay a little longer.
27:30One day while Leon was out on business,
27:33I got a call from old Roman.
27:34His voice sounded much older than three years ago,
27:37like sandpaper rubbing against wood.
27:39Camilla, I know I shouldn't bother you again,
27:41but in these three years since you left,
27:43he's never taken care of himself.
27:44Stopped his meds,
27:46drinking,
27:46staying up all night.
27:48The doctors say if he keeps this up,
27:49he won't last much longer.
27:51So I'm begging you,
27:53come see Adrian,
27:54talk some sense into him.
27:56Roman's words were so earnest
27:58that I couldn't bring myself to refuse.
28:00I texted Leon and headed to the hospital.
28:03But as I reached the hospital entrance,
28:05I ran straight into Daisy,
28:07withered fingers,
28:08wearing a cheap black down jacket
28:10with frayed cuffs.
28:12The woman standing before me now
28:13had prominent cheekbones,
28:15sucking eye holes.
28:16She spotted me too.
28:17Her lips quivered,
28:18and her eyes instantly reddened.
28:20Years later,
28:21seeing her again,
28:22I felt nothing inside.
28:23When did you get back?
28:24Her voice was horsky.
28:25I'd known about the Rossi family's bankruptcy
28:27for a long time,
28:28but I hadn't expected the former socialette
28:30to look so worn down.
28:32When I didn't respond,
28:33she gave a bitter, self-backed smile.
28:35I often think,
28:37maybe this is God punishing me
28:39for I treated you back then.
28:41She paused,
28:42lowered her head,
28:43and when she looked up again,
28:44tears filled her eyes.
28:45Camilla,
28:46I've been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
28:49Stage four.
28:51I froze for a moment.
28:52Then I took a deep breath
28:53and said flatly,
28:54Your daughter is Chloe.
28:56Daisy's lips trembled.
28:57She let out a low,
28:58self-decating laugh,
28:59and tears finally spilled.
29:01You still hate me,
29:02don't you?
29:03She lowered her head again,
29:04and when she looked up,
29:05her voice was rough as sandpaper.
29:07Not long after you left,
29:08I got sick.
29:09When Chloe saw
29:10there was no money left
29:11and Adrian had cut her off,
29:12she started running around
29:13with bad people.
29:14The last I heard,
29:15she was arrested for drug use.
29:17Daisy paused.
29:18She raised a hand
29:19to wipe her tears,
29:20but let it drop mid-air,
29:21as if she didn't even have
29:22the strength to lift it.
29:23When she looked at me again,
29:25her eyes were full of tears,
29:26glistening on her pale cheeks.
29:28Camille,
29:28I know I don't deserve
29:29to be your mother anymore,
29:30but I want to say,
29:31I'm sorry.
29:32I don't expect you to forgive me.
29:34I just wanted to see you
29:35one last time before I go.
29:37Now that I have,
29:38I have no regrets.
29:39She opened her mouth
29:40as if to say more,
29:41then swallowed it.
29:42Finally,
29:43she whispered,
29:44Can I hug you?
29:45I looked at her silently.
29:46Sunlight cast soft patches
29:47on her hunched shoulders.
29:48She had once bent down
29:49to tie my shoelaces.
29:51Stayed by my bed
29:51when I had a fever at night.
29:53Once,
29:53before Chloe came back.
29:55Truly loved me.
29:55But that love was too fragile.
29:57It couldn't withstand
29:58the slightest test.
29:59I have to go.
29:59I said.
30:01Daisy finally lowered her head.
30:02Her shoulders shook violently,
30:04sobs muffled between her teeth.
30:06Only faint,
30:06broken sounds escaping
30:07through her nose.
30:08She reached out
30:09and braced herself against the wall.
30:11Her fingers curling,
30:12knuckles white.
30:13You,
30:13you still won't forgive me?
30:15She said through tears.
30:16Then she turned
30:17and walked slowly
30:18in the opposite direction
30:19from the hospital entrance.
30:20Sunlight stretched her shadow long,
30:22hunched,
30:22thin,
30:22like a withered leaf
30:23ready to be blown away by the wind.
30:25I stood there watching her walk away.
30:26My feelings were complicated.
30:27Something lodged in my chest,
30:28not quite pain,
30:29but heavy.
30:29But none of it had anything
30:30to do with me anymore.
30:32I took a breath
30:33outside Adrian's hospital room
30:36and pushed the door open.
30:37Adrian lay on his side on the bed,
30:39facing the window,
30:41motionless.
30:41Old Roman sat in a chair by the bed.
30:44When he saw me,
30:45he nodded with a sad look in his eyes.
30:47I walked over
30:48and sat on the sofa across from him.
30:50I told you not to bother me!
30:51Get out!
30:52Adrian didn't turn around,
30:53his voice low and irritable.
30:55I didn't speak.
30:56I sat on the shaft,
30:57calmly watching his fake.
30:58But then did he slowly turn his hose in.
31:00He finally recognized
31:01it was Dim Yenjin,
31:02a toony jup,
31:03like dumping the knud.
31:04He sat up abruptly,
31:05but the sudden movement
31:06pulled his IV line,
31:07the needle tugging
31:08at the back of his hand,
31:09a small bead of blood welling up.
31:11Camilla?
31:12His voice trembled.
31:13It's really you?
31:14He practically fell out of bed,
31:15barefoot on the cold tile floor.
31:17He crossed the room
31:18in three quick steps,
31:19then bent his knee,
31:20dropping to one knee before me,
31:21looking up with red-rimmed eyes.
31:23I knew it.
31:24His lips quivered.
31:25You wouldn't be that cruel to me.
31:26You and Leon,
31:27it's fake, right?
31:29You're just trying to make me jealous, right?
31:31I looked down at him.
31:32From this angle,
31:33his face tilted up,
31:34the fluorescent light revealing
31:36the fine lines at his eyes
31:37and the dark circles beneath,
31:39things that had never been there before.
31:41Leon and I have been married for over a year.
31:44It's not fake.
31:44Adrian's expression twisted in pain.
31:47His lips trembled as if wanting to speak,
31:49but holding back,
31:50finally managing only.
31:51Then why did you come to see me?
31:53Because of Grandfather Roman.
31:54I told him the truth without hesitation.
31:56He begged me sincerely.
31:57He doesn't want to watch you destroy yourself,
31:59and he doesn't want the Howard family to fall apart.
32:01I paused.
32:02Adrian,
32:03this is the last time we'll see each other.
32:06We should both move on.
32:08With that,
32:08I stood up.
32:10But Adrian fell to his knees on the cold tires.
32:13Trembling,
32:14he carefully grabbed the hem of my coat,
32:16and when he looked up,
32:17his eyes were full of desperation.
32:19Camilla.
32:19His voice broke like shattered porcelain.
32:22I know I caused you irreparable harm,
32:24so please,
32:25give me a chance to atone.
32:26I looked down at him from above.
32:29This Howard heir,
32:30who had been treated like royalty since childhood,
32:32the brightest socialite of the Upper East Skide,
32:34was now kneeling at my feet,
32:36as pathetic as an abandoned dog,
32:38as if he'd give his life just to keep me.
32:40But his repentance came far too late.
32:42I pulled my coat hem free.
32:44Not hard,
32:45but firm.
32:46Let me go,
32:46and let yourself go too.
32:47Our story ended a long time ago.
32:49If Grandfather Roman hadn't begged me,
32:51I wouldn't have wanted to see you at all.
32:53I turned to leave.
32:54Adrian suddenly stood up
32:55and grabbed a fruit knife from the table.
32:58Camilla!
32:59He pointed the knife at his own chest.
33:01If you leave,
33:02I'll die right in front of you.
33:04He stood there,
33:05eyes red, breathing fast,
33:06the fruit knife wobbling against his hospital gown.
33:08He didn't look like he was threatening me.
33:09He looked like he would really stab himself.
33:11Seeing him like this,
33:11I found it ridiculous.
33:13Adrian.
33:13I turned back to face him.
33:15Do you know why I researched medication for you
33:17for ten years and never told you about it?
33:19He froze.
33:20The knife tip trembled slightly.
33:22Because back then,
33:23I firmly believed
33:24that even if everyone else didn't love me,
33:26you would always love me.
33:27But reality slapped me hard in the face.
33:29You made me realize I was delusional,
33:31and you made me realize your love was never worth much.
33:35I looked into his eyes and said each word deliberately.
33:37Adrian, I won't forgive you,
33:39but I don't hate you either.
33:41As my words fell,
33:42Adrian's hand slowly lowered,
33:43the knife tip brushing against his hospital gown,
33:46leaving a shallow crease.
33:47He let out a low, self-debrating laugh,
33:49squeezed from deep in his throat like air from a broken bellows.
33:52Then he raised his hand again.
33:53I lost you.
33:54His voice shook.
33:55But Camilla, life without you is too painful.
33:58I can't accept it!
33:59The moment the words left his mouth,
34:01the knife tip plunged into his chest.
34:03Blood surged out almost instantly,
34:05spreading a deep crimson stain across his pale blue hospital gown.
34:08He looked up at me,
34:09and the corner of his mouth even managed to smile,
34:11bloody, pale, desperate.
34:13Camilla.
34:14His voice was faint,
34:15as if coming from far away.
34:16As long as you still feel for me,
34:19I still have a chance.
34:20He collapsed backward.
34:23His back hit the metal bed rail with a loud clang.
34:26Nurses rushed in.
34:27Old Roman sprang from his chair,
34:29screaming for doctors,
34:30the hallway filled with hurry footsteps
34:31and the harsh screech of a gurney.
34:33I stood in the room,
34:34staring at the dark red liquid spreading rapidly
34:37across the pale blue floor tiles.
34:39Aside from shock,
34:40I felt nothing else.
34:41When I left the hospital,
34:42it was already evening.
34:44A black Bentley was parked at the curb.
34:46Leon leaned against the door with his hands in his pockets,
34:50looking relaxed.
34:51I walked over quickly,
34:53and threw myself into his arms.
34:55Let's go.
34:56He said,
34:57kissing the top of my head.
34:59Back at home,
35:01Leon carried me out of the car,
35:02and threw the foyer into the living room.
35:05Home?
35:06He set me on the sofa,
35:08then crouched down to unbuckle my high heels.
35:12Camilla.
35:12He suddenly spoke,
35:13his voice lower than usual.
35:15Today I realized again how important you are to me.
35:18Every second I waited there was unbearable.
35:22Three years ago,
35:23I went abroad to study cello at the Zurich Conservatory.
35:27He burst into my life in a grand, sweeping way
35:30and steadfastly confessed his long hidden feelings for me.
35:33I hesitated at first.
35:34The wounds from my past life were too deep.
35:37Betrayal, abuse, being crushed under foot.
35:39It took me a long time to learn to trust that a man approaching me wasn't holding a knife.
35:44But day after day together,
35:45I fell in love with the man who made me feel utterly safe.
35:49Leon and I got married the very day we got together.
35:51He'd confessed to me the night before.
35:53And the next morning,
35:54he proposed with everything he owned.
35:56He said,
35:57I finally got this chance.
35:58I can't let you change your mind.
36:00Camilla,
36:01marry me.
36:04I said yes,
36:05on impulse.
36:06But that impulsive decision brought me a happiness unlike any other.
36:11Leon cherished me,
36:12loved me,
36:12and I loved him back just as much.
36:14Sometimes I lament,
36:16why hadn't I fallen for him from the very beginning?
36:18But later,
36:19I realized,
36:20isn't life just that dramatic?
36:22Less than a week later,
36:23Leon and I boarded our return flight.
36:25Just as I pulled out my boarding pass to hand to the ground staff,
36:27my phone rang.
36:28Old Roman's name flashed on the screen.
36:30I hesitated for a second,
36:32then answered.
36:33On the other end,
36:33there was already uncontrollable sobbing.
36:35Old Roman was calling Adrian's name in fragments,
36:38like calling someone who had already walked far away.
36:41Then the phone was passed to Adrian.
36:42I heard his rapid,
36:43ragged breathing,
36:44heavy, broken,
36:45like the last few gasps of a damaged bellows,
36:47and his own agonized voice,
36:49calling my name over and over.
36:51Camilla.
36:51I'm about to board.
36:52I said.
36:53The announcement was calling my seat number.
36:55His voice broke for a moment,
36:57then continued,
36:58straining with his last ounce of strength,
37:00squeezed from the deepest part of his chest.
37:02You're leaving me again.
37:03Silence.
37:04Then,
37:04no more sound from his end.
37:07Only crying remained.
37:08I hung up and put my phone back in my bag.
37:11Leon took my hand
37:12and led me down the boarding tunnel.
37:14Sunlight slanted through the porthole windows,
37:17tracing a gold line across his profile.
37:20He walked beside me,
37:22his backpack strap brushing against my arm.
37:25Warm.
37:26I only learnt later that Adrian had mustered the courage
37:29to call me only in his final moments.
37:31Old Roman told me that after Adrian stabbed himself,
37:34he seemed to change.
37:35It was as if he'd finally accepted that his life
37:37would never include me again.
37:39But barely two days later,
37:40his condition deteriorated beyond treatment.
37:42That heart,
37:43weak since childhood,
37:44had finally given out.
37:45After stopping medication,
37:47drinking heavily,
37:48and draining itself for three years,
37:50he was only 28 when he died.
37:52Adrian had been frail since birth.
37:54Without the medication I developed for him,
37:56he might never have lived to that age.
37:58After I left,
38:00he never really moved on,
38:01and his body paid the price.
38:03Living this second life,
38:04I changed the course of fate.
38:06He too received his punishment.
38:08And so,
38:09the world no longer held an Adrian.
38:11the pain.
38:11It was nice to be the right
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