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DRAMABOX
  • 2 days ago

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00:00:02My fiancé used the poorest guy at school to force me out of our engagement.
00:00:06He bet I'd dump him in three days.
00:00:07You really think a broke fake like you deserves Scarlet protecting him?
00:00:12Don't forget, you're the one who shoved her at me.
00:00:14Stop! That's enough. Stop!
00:00:18It all started the day I arrived at Ravenport.
00:00:22My dad, Frank Lane, made his fortune in real estate and investing.
00:00:26The Whitmores were old money.
00:00:28One promise between our grandparents ties me to Julian.
00:00:31Dad told me to meet him.
00:00:33If I liked him, keep seeing him.
00:00:35If I didn't, walk away and get into a good college instead of thinking about racing all day.
00:00:40But when I got off the bus, no one from the Whitford family came for me.
00:00:44Then this smiling guy walked up.
00:00:46Scarlet Lane, you're here for Julian in Class 3, right?
00:00:50I know him. I'll take you to him.
00:00:51What I didn't know then was that he was Mason Cole, Julian's favorite troublemaker.
00:00:58But brace yourself.
00:00:59The Whitmirds went with bankrupt two years ago.
00:01:02Julian even changed his name to Dodge Debt Collectors.
00:01:04Now he goes by Noah Reed.
00:01:05He's so broke, he can't even afford lunch.
00:01:08I followed Mason's gaze and saw a boy so thin his shoulder blades showed through his shirt.
00:01:12He looked like the profile in the photo, and he looked poor enough to make people look away.
00:01:16Scarlet Lane, sit next to Noah.
00:01:25Sorry, I didn't mean to.
00:01:30That half piece of bread was probably his whole lunch.
00:01:33When it hit the floor, I felt it too.
00:01:36Do you remember me?
00:01:38We used to go to my family's farm.
00:01:40You've got the wrong guy.
00:01:41He denied it too fast.
00:01:42Maybe after the bankruptcy, that past was too much to claim.
00:01:46Fine, then let's start over.
00:01:47I'm Scarlet, your fiancé.
00:01:54I didn't wait for his permission.
00:01:57I found Noah's food truck myself.
00:02:02What are you doing here?
00:02:05Noah, what is it?
00:02:07Hi, Helen.
00:02:08I'm Noah's classmate.
00:02:09A classmate?
00:02:11Want some noodles?
00:02:12Noah hardly ever brings anyone by.
00:02:14Mom, sit down.
00:02:15I've got it.
00:02:19I'm hungry.
00:02:24He wouldn't give himself one extra piece of meat, but he put the best food on that truck
00:02:29on my plate.
00:02:33You don't like it?
00:02:35No.
00:02:36It tastes like what my mom used to make.
00:02:38I just...
00:02:41I'm sorry.
00:02:42I didn't know.
00:02:44I watched him panic.
00:02:46He was so sweet.
00:02:48That beautiful, brilliant brain could handle any problem, and all he could say to me was
00:02:52sorry.
00:02:55This is the best meal I've had since I came to Ravenport.
00:02:58The Julian I remembered as a kid was proud and beautiful, like a swan.
00:03:02I figured life must have been hard on him.
00:03:05You're going to make it.
00:03:07Why?
00:03:09Because even in the mud, you never let yourself become dirty.
00:03:19Helen told me later that after closing up that night, Noah made that dish again just to remember
00:03:23what I liked.
00:03:25I thought I was the one taking care of a fiancé down on his luck.
00:03:28I didn't see that Noah was taking care of me too, with everything he had.
00:03:34You found her?
00:03:37Where is she?
00:03:46Sorry, the track's closed today.
00:03:48It's a private Whitmore family session.
00:03:51Let her in.
00:03:53We meet again.
00:03:55You race?
00:03:56A little.
00:03:58Meet me, and this place is open to you anytime.
00:04:02I grew up riding horses.
00:04:04Then I got into racing.
00:04:06Dad got worried, so he sent me for professional training, and bought me a hillside to build
00:04:11a track on.
00:04:14He was trained.
00:04:16Clean lines, fearless too.
00:04:18But I was still better.
00:04:21On the last turn, I braked late, cut in from the outside, and crossed half a car ahead.
00:04:29You were holding back on purpose?
00:04:33You were the one who assumed the girl couldn't race.
00:04:37Hey, what's your name?
00:04:40Sorry, I have to go.
00:04:47I found her.
00:04:48Pretty, right?
00:04:49She's even better on the track.
00:04:51Julian, isn't that your fiancé from the sticks?
00:04:56What did you just say?
00:04:59She thinks Noah is you now.
00:05:00She's crazy about him.
00:05:06Noah's father died owing illegal gambling debts.
00:05:11They knew Noah wasn't responsible, but they still harassed and threatened him for the money.
00:05:17You can't even come up with $5,000, but you've got money for a girlfriend?
00:05:23Don't touch her.
00:05:24She's got nothing to do with this.
00:05:37I already called the police.
00:05:38Run if you want.
00:05:40We've got your faces and your plates.
00:05:49When I got there, Noah was still bleeding, and he still put himself in front of Helen.
00:05:54That's when something in me caught fire.
00:05:57You little bitch!
00:06:01Cops will be here any second.
00:06:03Keep talking.
00:06:04It'll sound great on the recording.
00:06:11Thanks.
00:06:14That's the third time you've thanked me today.
00:06:17Why do you keep helping me?
00:06:19I almost said, because you're my fiancé.
00:06:23But when I saw his bruises, I realized, even without our family engagement, I still would have come.
00:06:29Because I was hungry.
00:06:31Somebody had to make the noodles.
00:06:37Scarlet.
00:06:39Yeah?
00:06:42The moon's that bright.
00:06:45Why is it shining on me?
00:06:47Not just you.
00:06:48It's shining on both of us.
00:06:57What I didn't know then was, the real Julian was already on his way to me.
00:07:04The next morning, I made Noah a sandwich, and tried to slip it into his desk before he got there.
00:07:14That's for no.
00:07:17You really don't remember me?
00:07:20We've only met at the racetrack, right?
00:07:22When we were six, you took me to a farm.
00:07:27We got chased by goose, and I ended up flat in the mud.
00:07:30What Julian said stopped me cold.
00:07:33The face from my childhood memories slowly lined up with Julian's profile.
00:07:38Julian Whitmore?
00:07:39That's right.
00:07:40The one you're engaged in.
00:07:43Then who is Noah?
00:07:46Noah Reed.
00:07:48A poor kid on financial aid.
00:07:50Whoever misled you had you thinking he was me.
00:07:52In that instant, everything clicked.
00:07:53The wrong address, the bankruptcy rumor, the name change excuse, and Noah choking on his words.
00:07:59He never actually said he was my fiancé.
00:08:01Scarlett, look at me.
00:08:03I'm your fiancé.
00:08:06Noah didn't ask a word.
00:08:08He lowered his eyes, walked past Julian and me, and sat back down.
00:08:13His hand brushed that old lunchbox that used to hold hard bread.
00:08:16I'll pick you up after school.
00:08:18My grandfathers wanted to meet you.
00:08:20I wanted to say something.
00:08:21But with everyone there, Noah stayed so quiet, like none of this had happened.
00:08:27Noah.
00:08:36Just as Julian told me who he really was, Noah walked in.
00:08:44He heard the whole thing, looked at me once, and went back to his seat.
00:08:52Noah didn't say a word to me for the rest of class.
00:08:55Just like when we first met.
00:08:58I couldn't take it, so I poked his arm with my pen.
00:09:06That's what happened.
00:09:08Someone lied to me, said you were Julian, and made up that whole bankruptcy and name change story.
00:09:14Yeah.
00:09:15But even if I got the wrong person, what happened between us was still real, right?
00:09:20I didn't know why I was panicking so much.
00:09:23Maybe because if Noah stopped talking to me, no one would help me with math, walk home with me, or
00:09:28bring me shrimp fried noodles from the food truck.
00:09:31You promised you'd help me with the food truck.
00:09:32You don't get to quit halfway.
00:09:37If I don't get into a good college, I'm blaming you.
00:09:44He thought about it all class.
00:09:48In the end, all he could give me was the math notebook he'd built over years.
00:09:55Red was for the easy methods.
00:09:57Blue and green were the harder theory.
00:10:00If you can't follow it, that's okay.
00:10:03I'll help you.
00:10:08Scarlet, whatever you want to do, I'll help you.
00:10:11Noah's handwriting was beautiful.
00:10:13Every page was clean, neat, and handwritten.
00:10:19Thanks.
00:10:21So we're still friends, and we're still walking to and from school together.
00:10:25Noah hesitated, then finally gave me a small nod.
00:10:30Between classes, I called Dad.
00:10:33The Whitmans hadn't gone broke.
00:10:34I just had the wrong person.
00:10:38Noah never lied to me.
00:10:40They didn't go broke?
00:10:41Good.
00:10:42Then you can stop worrying every day about whether that kid's had enough to eat.
00:10:48Dad didn't blame me.
00:10:50He just sounded disappointed.
00:10:54If the Whitmans weren't broke,
00:10:56marrying Julian into our family would be a lot harder.
00:11:06Come on.
00:11:09Noah didn't move.
00:11:10I followed his gaze to the door.
00:11:13Julian was standing there.
00:11:16Then I remembered I'd already agreed to meet Julian's grandfather.
00:11:21Let's go.
00:11:22The driver's waiting outside.
00:11:27It's okay.
00:11:29I can get back on my own.
00:11:32He said it so calmly.
00:11:35But walking away with Julian,
00:11:37I thought of a stray puppy I'd found as a kid.
00:11:40Always trailing a half to me, too scared to come close.
00:11:44I'll text you later.
00:11:46We'll go over it again tomorrow.
00:11:51The Whitmore estate was enormous.
00:11:54Henry was genuinely glad to see me.
00:11:57Victoria, Julian's mother, never cracked a smile.
00:12:00Your grandfather saved my life.
00:12:04This engagement was a promise between our families.
00:12:07But the choice is still yours.
00:12:11The Lane family has risen quickly these past few years.
00:12:14But money alone doesn't make someone fit for a family like this.
00:12:18On the way back, Julian tried to explain.
00:12:22My mom's just like that.
00:12:26Once she gets to know you, she'll like you.
00:12:29I didn't care whether she liked me.
00:12:32I hadn't even decided if I wanted to marry Julian.
00:12:36Stay away from Noah.
00:12:38His family is complicated.
00:12:42You know him?
00:12:49Just remember that.
00:12:51He wouldn't tell me why.
00:12:54He just decided for me.
00:12:58I didn't say it, but I was mad.
00:13:01After that, Julian started pursuing me openly.
00:13:04He'd wait for me at the school gate every day,
00:13:07and the flowers and gifts kept getting flashier.
00:13:10Before long, the whole school knew about our family engagement.
00:13:14These are for you.
00:13:17Thanks, but I'm allergic to pollen.
00:13:20I didn't think much of it.
00:13:22But people quickly dug up the time I mystic Noah for Julian.
00:13:26Those comments weren't meant for me.
00:13:28They saved them for when Noah walked by.
00:13:34So that's why Scarlet was so nice to him.
00:13:37She thought he was Julian.
00:13:40A poor kid on financial aid.
00:13:43Gotta live like a rich heir for a few days.
00:13:46Noah didn't argue.
00:13:48He just walked around them and kept going.
00:13:52After that, he still helped me with my homework,
00:13:55but he stopped eating with me and always found a reason to leave early.
00:14:01I knew what he was avoiding.
00:14:03So I kept sliding my notes over every day and asking every question.
00:14:09Julian's gifts covered my desk,
00:14:11but the only thing I opened was Noah's correction sheet.
00:14:17It's not that you can't do these.
00:14:19You just read too fast.
00:14:22How do you know?
00:14:25You kept missing the negatives.
00:14:28Then he just dropped his head and went back to the problem set,
00:14:31like it was nothing.
00:14:34But he'd remembered every mistake I'd made the day before.
00:14:40Scarlet,
00:14:41I booked us a table.
00:14:43I'm not done.
00:14:46Julian didn't push.
00:14:47He just stood there,
00:14:49watching Noah.
00:14:51I didn't know it then,
00:14:52but he took Noah's silence as a challenge
00:14:54and blamed him for every time I turned Julian down.
00:14:58A few days later,
00:14:59after basketball,
00:15:01Julian waited for me outside the gym.
00:15:04He figured if I showed up,
00:15:05I should have brought him water like every other girl.
00:15:09Weren't you coming to watch?
00:15:11Where's my water?
00:15:13I was just passing by.
00:15:15I never said I'd bring you water.
00:15:20I was just passing the court.
00:15:22But Julian took the fiancé thing
00:15:24as proof I should be trailing after him like everyone else.
00:15:29You've been spending a lot of time with Noah lately, haven't you?
00:15:33Yes.
00:15:34Because I want to.
00:15:37Scarlet, you've got the wrong guy.
00:15:39If it weren't for me,
00:15:41he wouldn't even have the right to talk to you.
00:15:46That was when I finally said everything I'd been holding back.
00:15:50Maybe at first,
00:15:51I thought Noah was you.
00:15:55But after that,
00:15:56it was Noah helping me study.
00:15:59Walking me home
00:16:00and eating with me.
00:16:05Not Julian.
00:16:06I know the difference.
00:16:08Julian walked out of the gym looking furious.
00:16:12I went back to find Noah,
00:16:13but his books were still at his desk,
00:16:15and he was gone.
00:16:22I searched every school building.
00:16:29By the bleachers,
00:16:31I heard two girls whispering
00:16:32that Julian had Noah take into the equipment room under the stands.
00:16:36There are no windows in there.
00:16:39Once the door shuts,
00:16:40you can't see a thing.
00:16:43We should stay out of it.
00:16:45Nothing good comes from crossing the Whitmore family.
00:16:49I took off running.
00:16:52The room had no windows,
00:16:54and Noah had barely eaten all day.
00:16:59If they locked him in there,
00:17:01he could pass out from low blood sugar any minute.
00:17:07At the door,
00:17:08I heard something slam inside.
00:17:11Then Julian's voice,
00:17:13furious.
00:17:17When I shoved the door open,
00:17:20Noah had just been punched.
00:17:21He hit the equipment rack,
00:17:23blood on his mouth,
00:17:24and Julian still had him by the shirt.
00:17:29A broke fraud
00:17:30who used a fake identity
00:17:32to get close to Scarlet
00:17:33really thinks he deserves her protecting him?
00:17:38Don't forget,
00:17:39you're the one who shoved her at me.
00:17:44That only made Julian matter.
00:17:46He raised his hand to hit Noah again.
00:17:48He raised his hand to hit Noah again.
00:17:50And I ran straight between them without thinking.
00:17:54That's enough!
00:17:55Both of you, stop!
00:17:58He knew you had the wrong guy,
00:18:00and he still took your help.
00:18:01Noah told me that on day one.
00:18:03He wasn't the one lying.
00:18:05Noah still said he was fine,
00:18:06but he was pale and shaking.
00:18:10I held him up
00:18:11and called the school infirmary
00:18:12and campus security.
00:18:15Don't make this worse.
00:18:17It'll only cause you trouble.
00:18:19Just breathe.
00:18:21I'll handle the trouble.
00:18:24A few minutes later,
00:18:26the school nurse
00:18:26and campus security arrived.
00:18:29The hallway camera caught Noah
00:18:31being called into the equipment room,
00:18:32then Julian going in after him.
00:18:35A student at the door
00:18:36got video of me rushing in.
00:18:40Scarlet,
00:18:41you're going public with this for him?
00:18:44This isn't about him.
00:18:46You got violent.
00:18:48Now you face the consequences.
00:18:50I went with Noah
00:18:51to the school infirmary.
00:18:56Even when the elevator doors closed,
00:18:58he was still clutching my sleeve
00:19:00like he thought I'd change my mind.
00:19:04The school nurse said
00:19:06it wasn't just the bruises
00:19:07on Noah's face.
00:19:09He had low blood sugar
00:19:10and a severe stress reaction.
00:19:14That's when I realized
00:19:16this wasn't the first time.
00:19:18Some rich kids at school
00:19:20had been bullying him
00:19:21for a long time.
00:19:25Last year,
00:19:26Noah helped a lost kid
00:19:28on his way to school.
00:19:30The boy's mother
00:19:31gave him a ride in her Bentley.
00:19:33And they started saying
00:19:34he was some rich woman's boy toy.
00:19:39Later,
00:19:41the boy's mother came to school
00:19:42with traffic camera footage,
00:19:44proving Noah
00:19:45had only helped her son.
00:19:49But the school never called out
00:19:50the students publicly.
00:19:53They cleared his name once
00:19:55behind closed doors
00:19:56and let the rumor spread
00:19:57through the whole school.
00:20:01Let it go this time.
00:20:03The Whitmore family
00:20:04has deep ties to the school.
00:20:06No.
00:20:08Scarlet?
00:20:10I can't change
00:20:11what they got away with before.
00:20:13But I was there this time
00:20:15and I have the evidence.
00:20:17I had Lane Family Security
00:20:18save the hallway footage,
00:20:20got the video
00:20:21another student shot,
00:20:22then took Noah
00:20:23straight to the headmaster's office.
00:20:26The school tried to pass it off
00:20:28as a student fight.
00:20:30I put the video on the table
00:20:32and told them
00:20:33if they wouldn't handle it publicly,
00:20:35Ravenfield would.
00:20:37We'll investigate immediately.
00:20:39But this involves
00:20:41the Whitmore family
00:20:41and we need time.
00:20:43Fine.
00:20:44My lawyer needs time
00:20:46to prepare too.
00:20:50Sweetheart,
00:20:51who's bothering you?
00:20:53Not me.
00:20:54My friend.
00:20:56Then we definitely aren't letting this go.
00:20:59My lawyer's on the way.
00:21:01Dad never asked who Noah was
00:21:03or told me to stay out of it.
00:21:07Ten minutes later,
00:21:08the lawyer arrived
00:21:09and the school agreed
00:21:10to save the footage,
00:21:12investigate publicly,
00:21:13and suspend Julian
00:21:14from school activities.
00:21:17When we walked out,
00:21:18I realized Noah
00:21:19couldn't hide
00:21:20the admiration
00:21:20in his eyes.
00:21:24I got a little smug
00:21:25and had to fake
00:21:26a couple coughs.
00:21:29Don't forget
00:21:30to write my statement.
00:21:32I wasn't exactly gentle
00:21:33when I stormed
00:21:34into that equipment room.
00:21:38Okay.
00:21:41After the school posted
00:21:42its investigation notice,
00:21:44it looked like
00:21:45the equipment room incident
00:21:46was over.
00:21:48Julian got suspended
00:21:49from games
00:21:50and student council
00:21:52and Noah went back to class.
00:21:54But the notice only said
00:21:55student altercation.
00:21:57It never said
00:21:58who threw the first punch
00:21:59and the rumors
00:22:01quickly shifted the blame
00:22:02back to Noah.
00:22:05They're saying
00:22:05Noah set Julian off
00:22:07on purpose
00:22:07so you'd turn on
00:22:09the Whitfor family.
00:22:11Same video,
00:22:12different story.
00:22:14Some people saw Julian
00:22:16throw the first punch.
00:22:17Others just wanted
00:22:18to prove Noah
00:22:19must have done something
00:22:20to deserve it.
00:22:23Worse,
00:22:23the school put Noah's
00:22:25scholarship review
00:22:25for next semester
00:22:26on hold
00:22:27over the disciplinary incident.
00:22:30It's nothing.
00:22:31I can find another job.
00:22:33It does matter.
00:22:35You didn't hit him back?
00:22:37So why should you be
00:22:38the one paying for his punch?
00:22:41The equipment room door opened
00:22:43but the fallout
00:22:44didn't end there.
00:22:46Julian lost a few games.
00:22:48Noah could lose his place
00:22:49at this school.
00:22:51Do you even know
00:22:52the schools put Noah
00:22:53under disciplinary review?
00:22:56I can pay his tuition.
00:23:00He wants his name cleared
00:23:02not your money.
00:23:04Julian would throw money at it
00:23:05even take the punishment
00:23:06but he still wouldn't say
00:23:08what mattered.
00:23:09He called Noah
00:23:10into the equipment room
00:23:11and threw the first punch.
00:23:18You want me to apologize
00:23:19to the whole school for him?
00:23:21No.
00:23:22I want you to take responsibility
00:23:24for what you did.
00:23:28At the scholarship hearing
00:23:29the school first asked
00:23:31why Noah was in the equipment room
00:23:33then whether he'd provoke Julian.
00:23:36Every question sounded like
00:23:38they wanted to split
00:23:39the blame 50-50.
00:23:42Julian called me over.
00:23:43I wouldn't leave Scarlet.
00:23:45So he hit me.
00:23:48I didn't hit back.
00:23:50Do you have any proof?
00:23:55The hallway camera only showed
00:23:56that Noah and Julian
00:23:57went in one after the other.
00:23:59The student video
00:24:00started halfway through.
00:24:02The only thing that showed
00:24:03how it began
00:24:04was the phone recording
00:24:05Noah secretly started
00:24:06when he realized Julian
00:24:08was up to something.
00:24:10Stay away from Scarlet
00:24:11and I'll cover all your expenses.
00:24:19She's not yours to buy.
00:24:22The recording proved
00:24:23Noah didn't provoke him
00:24:24or throw the first punch.
00:24:26The committee cleared
00:24:27his disciplinary record
00:24:28and his scholarship
00:24:29was renewed automatically.
00:24:33Walking out of the hearing room
00:24:34Julian finally admitted
00:24:36he threw the first punch.
00:24:39But he wasn't apologizing to Noah.
00:24:41He just didn't want
00:24:42to disappoint me again.
00:24:45The scholarship's safe.
00:24:46This ends here.
00:24:51To you,
00:24:52it was just a few games.
00:24:54For Noah,
00:24:55it was almost his whole future.
00:24:58What makes you think
00:24:59you get to say it's over?
00:25:05Noah still had a habit
00:25:06of backing down
00:25:07the second he got a little back.
00:25:10I didn't push him
00:25:11to go after more.
00:25:13I just reminded him
00:25:15this wasn't a favor.
00:25:16It was already his.
00:25:22Thanks.
00:25:24That's four times.
00:25:25Say it again.
00:25:26And you owe me
00:25:27a whole math packet.
00:25:30Only then was the
00:25:31equipment room incident
00:25:32really over.
00:25:35But the disciplinary action
00:25:37didn't make Julian back off.
00:25:39He saw Noah staying by my side
00:25:41as a competition
00:25:42he still hadn't won.
00:25:49Once Noah got his scholarship back
00:25:51he went straight back
00:25:52to studying
00:25:53like the hearing
00:25:54was already behind him.
00:25:57Julian came at me
00:25:58another way.
00:25:59Flowers every day,
00:26:00saved seats,
00:26:02a driver.
00:26:05He made such a show of it
00:26:06the whole school
00:26:07was waiting for me
00:26:08to take him back.
00:26:12He missed the negative again.
00:26:15Those gifts were blocking the light.
00:26:17That's not my fault.
00:26:19I sent every gift back.
00:26:21Julian never asked
00:26:22what I needed.
00:26:23To him,
00:26:24every no just meant
00:26:25try harder.
00:26:30That correction sheet
00:26:32matters more than all this?
00:26:33At least it's something
00:26:35I actually need.
00:26:37He finally learned
00:26:38that expensive
00:26:39isn't the same as thoughtful.
00:26:41But he still believed
00:26:42if he found something
00:26:43Noah couldn't give me,
00:26:44I'd change my mind.
00:26:48That gala would decide
00:26:49next year's scholarship funding.
00:26:51The school foundation gala
00:26:53is this weekend.
00:26:55You'll attend
00:26:56as my fiancée.
00:26:58I'll be there.
00:27:00Just not as your accessory.
00:27:03And be the first time
00:27:04both families
00:27:04saw the three of us
00:27:05together in public.
00:27:09Julian thought
00:27:09our family engagement
00:27:10would lock me in place.
00:27:12He was wrong.
00:27:16The school put me beside Julian
00:27:18for the foundation gala.
00:27:20Victoria was staging
00:27:21the photos,
00:27:22hoping one shot
00:27:23would bury the equipment
00:27:24room scandal
00:27:24and make our engagement
00:27:26look solid.
00:27:27Don't be difficult tonight.
00:27:30Our family's reputation
00:27:31matters more than
00:27:32some school drama.
00:27:34Noah almost lost
00:27:35his scholarship.
00:27:36That's not
00:27:37some little incident.
00:27:45You don't have to do this
00:27:47for me.
00:27:52I'm not doing it for you.
00:27:55I just wasn't going to sit
00:27:56where I don't belong.
00:27:58I never held Noah's hand
00:28:00and I wasn't trying
00:28:01to provoke Julian.
00:28:02I left the fiancée card
00:28:03on the empty chair
00:28:04so everyone could see
00:28:05that engagement
00:28:06can't show up
00:28:07in my place.
00:28:10Later in the gala,
00:28:11Noah received
00:28:12the annual academic award
00:28:13as the top student
00:28:14in the school.
00:28:16He didn't talk about
00:28:17how hard it had been.
00:28:19He only thanked
00:28:20the school for giving
00:28:21ordinary students
00:28:22a chance to keep going.
00:28:28This scholarship
00:28:29isn't special treatment.
00:28:32It's time I don't have
00:28:33to give up on my future.
00:28:35For once,
00:28:36the whole room
00:28:37was silent.
00:28:39Julian had
00:28:40every advantage.
00:28:43Noah earned his way
00:28:45back with one scholarship
00:28:46they couldn't take
00:28:46from him.
00:28:48After Noah got
00:28:49his award,
00:28:50Victoria never brought
00:28:51up the seating again.
00:28:54She called us
00:28:55into a side room.
00:28:56Helen's treatment records
00:28:57were on the table
00:28:58along with a full funding
00:29:00plan from the
00:29:00Whitmore Foundation.
00:29:05The Whitmore family
00:29:07can arrange
00:29:07the best doctors
00:29:08and cover
00:29:09every medical expense.
00:29:11What's the catch?
00:29:14You're smart, Noah.
00:29:15Stay away from Scarlet.
00:29:20And don't let what
00:29:21happened in the
00:29:21equipment room
00:29:22hurt Julian again.
00:29:26She dressed it up
00:29:27as help,
00:29:28but she put a price
00:29:29on Noah's mother's
00:29:30treatment and my choice.
00:29:32Julian stood there
00:29:33and did not stop it.
00:29:36This solves
00:29:36his real problem.
00:29:38No.
00:29:39The real problem
00:29:40is that you think
00:29:40money lets you decide
00:29:41other people's lives.
00:29:46I won't trade
00:29:46my mother's treatment
00:29:47for Scarlet.
00:29:49He turned it down
00:29:50like it cost him nothing.
00:29:53I knew better.
00:29:56Helen's last checkup
00:29:57was bad
00:29:58and a better doctor
00:29:59might have bought
00:30:00her more time.
00:30:07If there were no
00:30:08strings attached
00:30:08that treatment
00:30:09could really help.
00:30:12We can find
00:30:13another legitimate
00:30:13program.
00:30:15Not everyone
00:30:16has as many options
00:30:17as you do.
00:30:18Then he walked
00:30:19away alone.
00:30:20It wasn't blame.
00:30:23It was the first
00:30:24time reality
00:30:25stood between us.
00:30:27I could turn
00:30:28down that money.
00:30:30He had to ask
00:30:31if it could
00:30:31save his mother.
00:30:33I wasn't about
00:30:34to let Noah
00:30:35take the Whitmore's
00:30:36deal and I wasn't
00:30:37going to solve it
00:30:38by throwing
00:30:39Lane money around.
00:30:42I took Helen's
00:30:43records to the
00:30:44hospital social worker
00:30:45and found a
00:30:46charitable treatment
00:30:47program with no
00:30:49personal strings
00:30:49attached.
00:30:51If it's approved
00:30:52it'll cover
00:30:53most of the cost.
00:30:59Scarlet, thank you.
00:31:00Just keep
00:31:01tutoring me.
00:31:02Call it even.
00:31:05I played it
00:31:05down on purpose.
00:31:07Noah can't stand
00:31:08feeling like a
00:31:08charity case.
00:31:11But once we
00:31:12left the hospital
00:31:13he wrote every
00:31:14expense in his
00:31:15notebook and said
00:31:16he'd pay it all
00:31:17back someday.
00:31:24You'd really go
00:31:25that far instead
00:31:25of using the
00:31:26Whitmore family's
00:31:26pull?
00:31:29Help is supposed
00:31:30to lift people
00:31:31up, not drive
00:31:32them away.
00:31:34You're only good
00:31:35to Noah because
00:31:35you pity him.
00:31:39He changed
00:31:40tactics.
00:31:41Since he
00:31:42couldn't say no
00:31:43wasn't enough
00:31:43he called it
00:31:44pity.
00:31:45He was wrong.
00:31:47Scarlet doesn't
00:31:48owe me anything
00:31:50and I didn't
00:31:51use my mom to
00:31:52keep her with
00:31:52me.
00:31:56In that
00:31:57moment Noah
00:31:58wasn't someone
00:31:59I had to
00:31:59protect.
00:32:00He pushed
00:32:01back against
00:32:02the class
00:32:02line Julian
00:32:03had drawn.
00:32:04Julian thought
00:32:05reality would
00:32:06bring me back
00:32:07but this
00:32:07time Noah
00:32:09didn't bow
00:32:09his head
00:32:11and I wasn't
00:32:12moved by
00:32:12money.
00:32:14Once things
00:32:14settled down
00:32:15Julian came
00:32:16back to school
00:32:16like nothing
00:32:17had happened.
00:32:18He'd even
00:32:19say hi to
00:32:19me.
00:32:25I was
00:32:26waiting for
00:32:26the right
00:32:26moment to
00:32:27end the
00:32:27engagement.
00:32:30Then a
00:32:30friend studying
00:32:31abroad sent
00:32:32me a video
00:32:32from a bar.
00:32:36The guy in
00:32:36the video was
00:32:37Mason.
00:32:38Drunk in
00:32:39some bar
00:32:39overseas laughing
00:32:40about the whole
00:32:41thing with his
00:32:41friends.
00:32:43Julian didn't
00:32:43want that
00:32:44small town
00:32:44fiance
00:32:46pointing her
00:32:46to Noah
00:32:51and tell
00:32:51her the
00:32:51Whitmore
00:32:52family was
00:32:52broke.
00:32:54We even
00:32:54bet she'd
00:32:55dump him
00:32:55in three
00:32:55days.
00:32:56So the
00:32:57wrong address,
00:32:58the bankruptcy
00:32:58rumor,
00:32:59even the
00:33:00name change
00:33:00story,
00:33:01none of it
00:33:02was a coincidence.
00:33:03Best part
00:33:04is he fell
00:33:05for the
00:33:05fiance he'd
00:33:06never even
00:33:06met.
00:33:08Now he's
00:33:09chasing her
00:33:09and he shipped
00:33:10me overseas to
00:33:11stay out of
00:33:11sight.
00:33:13When I saw
00:33:14the truth,
00:33:14I wasn't
00:33:15hurt.
00:33:15I was
00:33:16relieved.
00:33:17Thank God
00:33:17the first
00:33:18person I
00:33:18met that
00:33:19day was
00:33:19Noah.
00:33:20I sent
00:33:21my dad
00:33:21the original
00:33:21video and
00:33:22told him
00:33:22it wasn't
00:33:22a
00:33:23misunderstanding.
00:33:23It was
00:33:24a setup
00:33:24from the
00:33:25start.
00:33:25He asked
00:33:25if I still
00:33:26wanted the
00:33:26engagement.
00:33:27I said
00:33:27no and
00:33:28he flew to
00:33:28Ravenport
00:33:28that afternoon.
00:33:30What is
00:33:30it?
00:33:31He put
00:33:31his pen
00:33:31down and
00:33:32looked at
00:33:32me.
00:33:33After
00:33:33a few
00:33:33days
00:33:33together,
00:33:34he'd
00:33:34filled
00:33:34out a
00:33:34little
00:33:34and
00:33:35he
00:33:35wasn't
00:33:35as
00:33:35pale as
00:33:35before.
00:33:36I'd
00:33:36done
00:33:41engagement.
00:33:43Dad
00:33:43wasn't
00:33:44there to
00:33:44push my
00:33:44engagement
00:33:45to Julian.
00:33:46He came
00:33:46to end
00:33:47it himself.
00:33:49Our
00:33:50families were
00:33:50never close,
00:33:51but that
00:33:52engagement had
00:33:53dragged on
00:33:53for years.
00:33:56Dad
00:33:56brought a
00:33:56lawyer and
00:33:57put the
00:33:58equipment room
00:33:58video and
00:33:59Mason's
00:33:59bar footie
00:34:00on the
00:34:00table.
00:34:03Henry
00:34:03didn't defend
00:34:04his grandson.
00:34:05He agreed
00:34:05to end the
00:34:06engagement on
00:34:06the spot.
00:34:08Victoria
00:34:08never liked
00:34:09me, so
00:34:09she didn't
00:34:10object.
00:34:10It was
00:34:11over faster
00:34:11than anyone
00:34:12expected.
00:34:14The Whitmore
00:34:15family wronged
00:34:16Scarlet.
00:34:17Bottom
00:34:17line, the
00:34:18engagement ends
00:34:19here.
00:34:19After this,
00:34:20they go their
00:34:21separate ways.
00:34:25By the
00:34:25time Julian
00:34:26found out,
00:34:26it was already
00:34:27over.
00:34:29I heard he
00:34:30raced home and
00:34:30caught Dad on
00:34:31his way out.
00:34:32For the
00:34:33first time in
00:34:33his life,
00:34:34he begged.
00:34:36Mr. Lane,
00:34:37give me one
00:34:38more chance.
00:34:40a chance.
00:34:43When you
00:34:43looked down
00:34:44on my
00:34:44daughter, did
00:34:45you show
00:34:45her any
00:34:45respect?
00:34:49Yes, at
00:34:49first.
00:34:52But later, I
00:34:53really did
00:34:54love her.
00:34:57So because
00:34:57you didn't
00:34:58like her, that
00:34:59gave you the
00:34:59right to
00:34:59humiliate her?
00:35:01That's who
00:35:01you are.
00:35:02Julian was
00:35:02ready to
00:35:03kneel and
00:35:03beg Dad for
00:35:04another chance,
00:35:05even a short
00:35:05one.
00:35:06But the
00:35:06Whitmills
00:35:06couldn't stand
00:35:07it.
00:35:08They hauled
00:35:08him away.
00:35:10The day the
00:35:11engagement was
00:35:11called off, I
00:35:12didn't go to
00:35:12the Whitmore
00:35:13house.
00:35:15Dad said if
00:35:16I'd never
00:35:16chosen it, I
00:35:18didn't need to
00:35:18sit there and
00:35:18be judged
00:35:19again.
00:35:21He filled
00:35:21me in later.
00:35:22I just
00:35:23remember finding
00:35:24him still
00:35:24mad, pacing
00:35:26with his
00:35:26hands behind
00:35:26his back.
00:35:28What kind
00:35:29of fool
00:35:29passes on
00:35:30my girl?
00:35:31Let him
00:35:31regret it.
00:35:33he was
00:35:34still mad.
00:35:35Then he
00:35:36saw Noah
00:35:36beside me
00:35:37and his
00:35:38eyes went
00:35:38wide.
00:35:40Noah
00:35:41actually took
00:35:41half a step
00:35:42back.
00:35:45So you're
00:35:45the one who's
00:35:46been tutoring
00:35:46her every
00:35:46day?
00:35:48Yes,
00:35:49Mr. Lane.
00:35:50Tutoring
00:35:51her?
00:35:51Then why
00:35:52were you
00:35:52standing so
00:35:53close?
00:35:54I almost
00:35:55laughed, so
00:35:56I pulled
00:35:57Noah back
00:35:57to my
00:35:57side.
00:35:59Dad, he's
00:36:00the reason I
00:36:00might actually
00:36:01get into
00:36:01college.
00:36:02Don't
00:36:02scare out
00:36:03my tutor.
00:36:05Somehow, it
00:36:06all ended a
00:36:07lot more
00:36:07easily than I
00:36:08expected.
00:36:10Three days
00:36:11later, Julian
00:36:12broke out
00:36:12after his
00:36:13family locked
00:36:14him up and
00:36:14stopped me
00:36:15outside the
00:36:15school building.
00:36:18His hair
00:36:19was a mess,
00:36:20and he'd
00:36:21never looked
00:36:21so pale.
00:36:26Noah stood
00:36:27off to the
00:36:27side with
00:36:28his books.
00:36:29He didn't
00:36:30come over
00:36:30or speak
00:36:31for me.
00:36:32He just
00:36:33waited for
00:36:34me to
00:36:34handle it
00:36:34myself.
00:36:36Do you
00:36:37really like
00:36:37Noah?
00:36:44What does
00:36:45any of this
00:36:45have to do
00:36:45with you
00:36:46now?
00:36:47Julian
00:36:47didn't
00:36:48answer.
00:36:49He just
00:36:49listed what
00:36:50he had.
00:36:51Family,
00:36:51grades,
00:36:52a future.
00:36:53In his
00:36:54mind,
00:36:55Noah didn't
00:36:55measure up
00:36:55in any
00:36:56way.
00:37:01He doesn't
00:37:01even know
00:37:02what one
00:37:02of your
00:37:02bags cost.
00:37:04What do
00:37:05you see
00:37:05in him?
00:37:07The
00:37:07Whitmers in
00:37:08the lanes
00:37:08are from
00:37:09the same
00:37:09world.
00:37:11We always
00:37:11have been.
00:37:13The longer
00:37:13I listened,
00:37:14the clearer
00:37:15it got.
00:37:17He wasn't
00:37:17here because
00:37:18of that punch
00:37:18in the
00:37:19equipment room
00:37:19or the
00:37:20whole lie.
00:37:22He just
00:37:23wanted to
00:37:23prove ending
00:37:24our engagement
00:37:25was a mistake.
00:37:27I thought
00:37:28you'd at
00:37:28least start
00:37:29with an
00:37:29apology.
00:37:33It was
00:37:34a misunderstanding.
00:37:36I never
00:37:37meant to
00:37:37hurt you.
00:37:39He said
00:37:40it so
00:37:41easily,
00:37:42like calling
00:37:42the lie
00:37:43a misunderstanding
00:37:44and the
00:37:44violence a
00:37:45moment of
00:37:45impulse could
00:37:46erase all
00:37:47of it.
00:37:48So getting
00:37:49Mason to
00:37:50lie to
00:37:50me was
00:37:50a
00:37:50misunderstanding
00:37:51too?
00:37:53I just
00:37:53wanted you
00:37:54to call
00:37:54off the
00:37:54engagement.
00:37:57I didn't
00:37:57know it
00:37:57would end
00:37:58like this.
00:37:59That was
00:38:00when I
00:38:00finally got
00:38:01it.
00:38:02He didn't
00:38:02regret what
00:38:03he'd done.
00:38:04He regretted
00:38:05that it
00:38:05hadn't played
00:38:06out the
00:38:06way he
00:38:06planned.
00:38:09Then listen
00:38:10carefully.
00:38:11This is
00:38:12why I'll
00:38:13never choose
00:38:13you.
00:38:17Julian
00:38:17thought Noah
00:38:18couldn't buy
00:38:18me the
00:38:19things I
00:38:19like or
00:38:20give me
00:38:20the Whitmore
00:38:21name.
00:38:22But that
00:38:22was never
00:38:23why I'd
00:38:23choose
00:38:23someone.
00:38:25I have
00:38:26money.
00:38:26A lot
00:38:27of it.
00:38:27If I
00:38:28want a
00:38:28bag,
00:38:29I can
00:38:29buy it
00:38:29myself.
00:38:31I told
00:38:32him if
00:38:32the Lane
00:38:32family ever
00:38:33lost
00:38:33everything,
00:38:34I'd just
00:38:34buy cheaper
00:38:34things.
00:38:36I'm not
00:38:37marrying
00:38:37someone just
00:38:37because he
00:38:38can afford
00:38:38luxury.
00:38:41But Noah
00:38:42has nothing
00:38:42right now.
00:38:43I like
00:38:44Noah.
00:38:45Whatever
00:38:45he gives
00:38:46me,
00:38:46I'll
00:38:46love it.
00:38:48I
00:38:48wasn't
00:38:48even
00:38:49that
00:38:49upset
00:38:49about
00:38:49the
00:38:49lie.
00:38:53It
00:38:53only
00:38:54cost
00:38:54me a
00:38:54few
00:38:54days,
00:38:55and it
00:38:55led me
00:38:56to
00:38:56Noah.
00:38:57What I
00:38:58couldn't
00:38:58accept was
00:38:59Julian
00:38:59treating
00:38:59people
00:39:00like toys
00:39:00and still
00:39:01refusing to
00:39:01sincerely
00:39:02apologize.
00:39:03You only
00:39:04lied to
00:39:04me once.
00:39:06But looking
00:39:07down on
00:39:07people and
00:39:07making them
00:39:08your joke?
00:39:09That wasn't
00:39:10a one-time
00:39:10thing.
00:39:12Julian,
00:39:13I'm not
00:39:13comparing you
00:39:13to Noah.
00:39:14I just
00:39:15don't like
00:39:15the kind
00:39:15of person
00:39:16you are.
00:39:19I walked
00:39:19past him
00:39:20and went
00:39:20to Noah.
00:39:22He didn't
00:39:23ask what
00:39:23we'd
00:39:23said.
00:39:25He just
00:39:26handed me
00:39:26the math
00:39:27notebook I'd
00:39:27left in
00:39:28the classroom.
00:39:32You done?
00:39:33Yeah.
00:39:34Let's go
00:39:34home.
00:39:35After that,
00:39:36Julian stopped
00:39:37pushing the
00:39:37engagement.
00:39:38He always
00:39:39had a
00:39:39different
00:39:39girl with
00:39:40him.
00:39:41And when
00:39:41we crossed
00:39:42paths,
00:39:42he acted
00:39:43like none
00:39:43of it
00:39:44mattered.
00:39:49Later,
00:39:49I heard
00:39:50he went
00:39:50overseas for
00:39:51college after
00:39:51graduation.
00:39:54Not much
00:39:54changed for
00:39:55Noah and
00:39:55me after
00:39:56the engagement
00:39:56ended.
00:39:58The next
00:39:59day,
00:39:59he was
00:40:00still
00:40:00checking
00:40:00my
00:40:00mistakes
00:40:01and I
00:40:02was still
00:40:03sliding
00:40:03lunch onto
00:40:04his desk.
00:40:08Once
00:40:09senior year
00:40:09started,
00:40:10Noah mapped
00:40:11out my
00:40:11whole college
00:40:11plan.
00:40:14He handled
00:40:14math himself,
00:40:15split everything
00:40:16else up by
00:40:17week,
00:40:17and even
00:40:18set my
00:40:18daily slack
00:40:19off limit.
00:40:20Only 30
00:40:21minutes a day?
00:40:22That's
00:40:22seatmate abuse.
00:40:23That includes
00:40:24all the time
00:40:24you spend
00:40:24zoning out
00:40:25and hunting
00:40:25for snacks.
00:40:26Total,
00:40:2690 minutes.
00:40:29I wanted
00:40:29to argue,
00:40:30but he
00:40:30even knew
00:40:31how many
00:40:31times I
00:40:31spaced out
00:40:32in class.
00:40:33So I
00:40:33bribed him
00:40:34with half
00:40:34my snacks
00:40:35to cut
00:40:35two pages
00:40:36off that
00:40:36night's
00:40:36homework.
00:40:41Noah had
00:40:41class all
00:40:42day,
00:40:43then took
00:40:43care of
00:40:43Helen and
00:40:44Lily,
00:40:45then worked
00:40:46the Reed
00:40:46family food
00:40:47truck.
00:40:49No matter
00:40:49how late
00:40:50it got,
00:40:51he always
00:40:51answered the
00:40:52problems I
00:40:53sent.
00:40:54Sometimes
00:40:55he'd even
00:40:55add a
00:40:56note telling
00:40:56me to
00:40:56go to
00:40:57bed.
00:41:01By then,
00:41:02helping him
00:41:03didn't feel
00:41:04like taking
00:41:04care of
00:41:04some fallen
00:41:05fiancé
00:41:05anymore.
00:41:08When the
00:41:09food truck
00:41:09needed
00:41:09supplies,
00:41:10I called
00:41:11vendors.
00:41:12When Helen
00:41:12had a
00:41:13hospital
00:41:13follow-up,
00:41:14I got
00:41:14the car
00:41:15arranged.
00:41:16If Noah
00:41:16skipped
00:41:17meals,
00:41:17Lily and
00:41:18I made
00:41:18sure he
00:41:18ate.
00:41:19Neither
00:41:20of us
00:41:20ever said
00:41:20we were
00:41:21together,
00:41:22but Noah
00:41:22was in
00:41:23my future,
00:41:23and little
00:41:24by little,
00:41:25I was
00:41:25in his
00:41:26too.
00:41:27Noah
00:41:28never used
00:41:28to ask
00:41:29anyone for
00:41:29help.
00:41:30Now he
00:41:30lets you
00:41:31help him.
00:41:32Mom.
00:41:35When
00:41:35Helen
00:41:35teased
00:41:36him,
00:41:36Noah's
00:41:37ears
00:41:37went red.
00:41:39I kept
00:41:39my head
00:41:40down and
00:41:40ate my
00:41:40noodles
00:41:41like I
00:41:41didn't
00:41:41notice,
00:41:42but inside,
00:41:43I was
00:41:43happier
00:41:43than if
00:41:44I'd
00:41:44aced
00:41:44the
00:41:44whole
00:41:44test.
00:41:46Once
00:41:46application
00:41:47season
00:41:47started,
00:41:48the
00:41:48counselor
00:41:49told Noah
00:41:49to aim
00:41:50for MIT.
00:41:52He
00:41:52had the
00:41:53grades
00:41:53and
00:41:53competition
00:41:54record.
00:41:54The
00:41:55problem
00:41:55was
00:41:55money.
00:42:00He
00:42:00worried
00:42:01a
00:42:01scholarship
00:42:01wouldn't
00:42:02cover
00:42:02Helen's
00:42:02treatment
00:42:03and
00:42:03Lily's
00:42:03expenses.
00:42:05With
00:42:05your
00:42:06record,
00:42:06not
00:42:07applying
00:42:07would
00:42:07be
00:42:07a
00:42:07waste.
00:42:08The
00:42:09school
00:42:09and
00:42:10the
00:42:10foundation
00:42:10both
00:42:11have
00:42:11funding
00:42:11programs.
00:42:12I
00:42:13need
00:42:13to
00:42:13think
00:42:13about
00:42:13it.
00:42:14Noah
00:42:14walked
00:42:15out
00:42:15without
00:42:15taking
00:42:16the
00:42:16packet.
00:42:18While
00:42:19he
00:42:19was
00:42:19in
00:42:19class,
00:42:19I
00:42:20slipped
00:42:20the
00:42:20MIT
00:42:21guide
00:42:21into
00:42:21his
00:42:21math
00:42:22notebook.
00:42:27You
00:42:28handle
00:42:28the
00:42:28application.
00:42:30We'll
00:42:30figure out
00:42:31the money
00:42:31together.
00:42:34Scarlett,
00:42:35I can't
00:42:35let you
00:42:35carry all
00:42:36of this.
00:42:37Then when
00:42:38you're a
00:42:38famous scientist,
00:42:39you can
00:42:39pay me
00:42:39back.
00:42:41He
00:42:41couldn't argue
00:42:42with me,
00:42:42so he
00:42:43took the
00:42:43packet.
00:42:44For the
00:42:45next month,
00:42:45we worked
00:42:46on
00:42:46transcripts,
00:42:47recommendation
00:42:48letters,
00:42:48and scholarship
00:42:49applications
00:42:50together.
00:42:51Noah
00:42:52edited
00:42:52my
00:42:53essays.
00:42:57And
00:42:58every time
00:42:59he wanted
00:42:59to quit,
00:43:00I pushed
00:43:00the laptop
00:43:01right back
00:43:01in front
00:43:02of him.
00:43:03That
00:43:04spring,
00:43:04our
00:43:05acceptance
00:43:05emails
00:43:05came the
00:43:06same
00:43:06day.
00:43:08Noah
00:43:09got into
00:43:09MIT
00:43:10with a full
00:43:10scholarship.
00:43:13I got
00:43:13into
00:43:14Boston
00:43:14University
00:43:14too.
00:43:16All
00:43:17those
00:43:17red,
00:43:17blue,
00:43:18and green
00:43:18notes of
00:43:18his
00:43:19finally
00:43:19paid
00:43:19off.
00:43:21Same
00:43:22city.
00:43:23You're
00:43:23not
00:43:23getting
00:43:23rid
00:43:24of
00:43:24me
00:43:24now.
00:43:26I
00:43:27wasn't
00:43:27trying
00:43:27to.
00:43:29When
00:43:30the news
00:43:30got home,
00:43:31dad rented
00:43:32the biggest
00:43:33ballroom in
00:43:33town and
00:43:34told everyone
00:43:35his daughter
00:43:36got into
00:43:36a top
00:43:36school
00:43:37on her
00:43:37own.
00:43:40But the
00:43:41second anyone
00:43:41praised Noah,
00:43:43he'd go
00:43:44cold and
00:43:45remind them
00:43:45he was
00:43:46just my
00:43:46tutor.
00:43:48It was
00:43:49after that
00:43:49party that
00:43:50Helen let
00:43:50something slip.
00:43:52Noah had
00:43:53never planned
00:43:54to finish
00:43:54high school.
00:43:57A few
00:43:58days before
00:43:58you transferred
00:43:59in,
00:44:00he'd already
00:44:01filled out
00:44:01the withdrawal
00:44:02form.
00:44:06That's
00:44:06when I
00:44:06realized
00:44:07when I
00:44:08met
00:44:08Noah,
00:44:09he wasn't
00:44:10just uncertain
00:44:11about the
00:44:11future.
00:44:12He'd
00:44:13already
00:44:13given up
00:44:14on it.
00:44:16After
00:44:16the
00:44:16dinner,
00:44:17I pulled
00:44:18Noah back
00:44:18to the
00:44:18Reed family
00:44:19food truck
00:44:19and asked
00:44:20about the
00:44:21leave of
00:44:21absence
00:44:21form.
00:44:23He was
00:44:24quiet for
00:44:24a long
00:44:25time,
00:44:26then admitted
00:44:26Helen was
00:44:27right.
00:44:28Mom's
00:44:29treatment got
00:44:29more expensive
00:44:30again.
00:44:31Lily needed
00:44:32someone with
00:44:32her.
00:44:33Staying
00:44:34in school
00:44:34didn't help
00:44:35my family.
00:44:38before I
00:44:39transferred
00:44:39in,
00:44:40he worked
00:44:40three jobs
00:44:41and still
00:44:42studied past
00:44:42midnight.
00:44:44Being number
00:44:45one didn't
00:44:46pay the
00:44:46bills,
00:44:46so school
00:44:47started feeling
00:44:48like a luxury
00:44:49he couldn't
00:44:49afford.
00:44:51Then why
00:44:52didn't you
00:44:52turn it in?
00:44:53You came.
00:44:55He said I
00:44:56kept him
00:44:56putting it
00:44:56off till
00:44:57tomorrow.
00:44:58I handled
00:44:59Helen's
00:45:00follow-ups
00:45:00and took
00:45:01over Lily's
00:45:01tutoring.
00:45:03By the
00:45:04time he
00:45:04realized it,
00:45:05the form
00:45:05had missed
00:45:06the deadline
00:45:06in his
00:45:07drawer.
00:45:08You kept
00:45:09saying tomorrow,
00:45:11so I
00:45:11thought one
00:45:13more day
00:45:13was okay.
00:45:16I only
00:45:16wanted to
00:45:17make sure my
00:45:17pathetic seat
00:45:18mate got a
00:45:18decent meal.
00:45:22I didn't
00:45:22realize I was
00:45:23also saving
00:45:23the tomorrows
00:45:24he'd almost
00:45:24given up on.
00:45:26One day
00:45:27at a time.
00:45:32the no
00:45:33more giving
00:45:33up in
00:45:34secret.
00:45:35Whatever it
00:45:36is, you
00:45:37tell me
00:45:37first.
00:45:39Okay.
00:45:40That includes
00:45:41dropping out,
00:45:42disappearing,
00:45:42and skipping
00:45:43meals.
00:45:45Okay.
00:45:48Noah meant
00:45:49it when he
00:45:49said yes.
00:45:50I didn't
00:45:51tell him my
00:45:51heart started
00:45:52racing the
00:45:52second he
00:45:53said,
00:45:53you came.
00:45:55The summer
00:45:56after graduation,
00:45:57I was at
00:45:58the reeds
00:45:59most of
00:45:59the time.
00:46:01Helen needed
00:46:02regular
00:46:02dialysis,
00:46:04Noah was
00:46:04getting ready
00:46:04for college,
00:46:06and I
00:46:06handled Lily
00:46:07and the
00:46:07hospital bills.
00:46:09The reed
00:46:10house was
00:46:11tiny.
00:46:12Once all
00:46:12four of us
00:46:13sat down,
00:46:14we had to
00:46:15make room
00:46:15just to
00:46:15turn around.
00:46:18But Helen
00:46:18could make
00:46:19the simplest
00:46:19food taste
00:46:20like my
00:46:21mother's
00:46:21cooking.
00:46:22And little
00:46:23by little,
00:46:24I came to
00:46:25love it
00:46:25there.
00:46:29when you
00:46:29first came,
00:46:30Noah kept
00:46:31asking what
00:46:32to make
00:46:32the next
00:46:32day,
00:46:33so you
00:46:34wouldn't
00:46:34go hungry.
00:46:37Mom,
00:46:38the doctor
00:46:38said not
00:46:39to talk
00:46:39so much.
00:46:40The doctor
00:46:41said less
00:46:41salt,
00:46:42not less
00:46:43roasting you.
00:46:48Helen told me
00:46:49Noah barely
00:46:50talked about
00:46:50school or
00:46:51the future.
00:46:53after he
00:46:54met me,
00:46:55he started
00:46:55learning what
00:46:56I like to
00:46:56eat,
00:46:57looking up
00:46:58colleges,
00:47:03even setting
00:47:04aside breakfast
00:47:04after the
00:47:05food truck
00:47:06closed.
00:47:08Noah never
00:47:09told me any
00:47:10of that.
00:47:12He hides
00:47:13what he feels
00:47:13in the smallest
00:47:14things.
00:47:16If you don't
00:47:16look closely,
00:47:18you'd think
00:47:19nothing happened
00:47:19at all.
00:47:21That summer,
00:47:22Helen's tests
00:47:23were finally
00:47:23stable.
00:47:27As we
00:47:27walked out
00:47:28of the
00:47:28hospital,
00:47:29Noah asked
00:47:30if we could
00:47:31take a photo
00:47:31before school
00:47:32started.
00:47:41Helen was
00:47:42still pale
00:47:43in the
00:47:43photo,
00:47:44but she
00:47:44was smiling.
00:47:47I didn't
00:47:48know it
00:47:48then,
00:47:49but it
00:47:49would be
00:47:50the last
00:47:50full picture
00:47:51of all
00:47:51four of
00:47:52us.
00:47:54I was
00:47:55just telling
00:47:55Noah to
00:47:56smile
00:47:56naturally.
00:47:58I had
00:47:58no idea
00:47:59the next
00:47:59time the
00:48:00hospital
00:48:00called
00:48:00would be
00:48:02two years
00:48:02later.
00:48:06That fall,
00:48:07Noah and
00:48:07I went
00:48:08to Boston.
00:48:10He started
00:48:11physics at
00:48:12MIT,
00:48:13and I went
00:48:14to Boston
00:48:14University.
00:48:17Our schools
00:48:18were across
00:48:18the Charles
00:48:19River,
00:48:19less than
00:48:20half an
00:48:20hour apart
00:48:21by subway.
00:48:23Noah got
00:48:24busier with
00:48:24classes and
00:48:25lab work,
00:48:26and I was
00:48:27diving into
00:48:27business,
00:48:28finance,
00:48:28and management.
00:48:33But we
00:48:33kept our
00:48:34high school
00:48:34routine.
00:48:35When I
00:48:36got stuck,
00:48:37I went
00:48:37to him.
00:48:39When he
00:48:40forgot to
00:48:40eat,
00:48:41I went
00:48:42after him.
00:48:44Noah,
00:48:45you skipped
00:48:46dinner again.
00:48:49The lab
00:48:50ran 20
00:48:50minutes over.
00:48:52Excuse,
00:48:53refutist.
00:48:54Finish your
00:48:55soup.
00:48:56When we
00:48:57first got to
00:48:57college,
00:48:58Noah still
00:48:59wasn't used
00:48:59to letting
00:48:59anyone take
00:49:00care of
00:49:00him.
00:49:02Every time
00:49:02I brought
00:49:03him food,
00:49:04he'd send
00:49:04back every
00:49:05cent.
00:49:07So I
00:49:08had him
00:49:08keep tooting
00:49:08me,
00:49:09and I
00:49:09took the
00:49:10meal money
00:49:10out of
00:49:10his
00:49:10tooting
00:49:11fee.
00:49:13You only
00:49:14asked me
00:49:14two questions
00:49:15this week.
00:49:18Then it's
00:49:19an advance
00:49:19for next
00:49:19week.
00:49:22He knew
00:49:23I was
00:49:23making it
00:49:23up,
00:49:24and he
00:49:24took it
00:49:25anyway.
00:49:27from high
00:49:27school to
00:49:28college,
00:49:28we never
00:49:29put a
00:49:29name on
00:49:30what we
00:49:30were.
00:49:31We just
00:49:31kept showing
00:49:32up in
00:49:32each other's
00:49:33days,
00:49:33more and
00:49:34more naturally.
00:49:37It was the
00:49:37winter of
00:49:38sophomore year.
00:49:40Like always,
00:49:41I went to
00:49:41pick Noah up
00:49:42at the
00:49:42lab.
00:49:43The second
00:49:44he walked
00:49:44out,
00:49:45his phone
00:49:46rang.
00:49:47It was
00:49:47Ravenport
00:49:47Hospital.
00:49:53I'm
00:49:54Helen Reed's
00:49:54son.
00:49:55The doctor
00:49:56said Helen
00:49:56had suddenly
00:49:57gotten worse
00:49:57and told the
00:49:58family to
00:49:58come back
00:49:59fast.
00:50:00Noah just
00:50:01stood there
00:50:01in the
00:50:01snow,
00:50:02clutching
00:50:03his phone,
00:50:03unable to
00:50:04speak.
00:50:12I'm
00:50:13going with
00:50:13you.
00:50:15He
00:50:16didn't tell
00:50:16me not
00:50:16to bother
00:50:17like he
00:50:17always used
00:50:18to.
00:50:20He just
00:50:20gave me a
00:50:21small nod.
00:50:27By the
00:50:27time we
00:50:27got back
00:50:28to Ravenport
00:50:28that night,
00:50:30Helen was
00:50:30already in
00:50:31the ICU.
00:50:33The doctor
00:50:34said her
00:50:34kidneys were
00:50:35failing,
00:50:35along with
00:50:36her other
00:50:36organs.
00:50:38There was
00:50:38very little
00:50:39treatment left.
00:50:41Noah stayed
00:50:42by Helen's
00:50:42side through
00:50:43her last
00:50:43few days.
00:50:45He fixed
00:50:46her hair,
00:50:46read her
00:50:47Lily's
00:50:48letters,
00:50:48and told her
00:50:49every little
00:50:50thing that
00:50:50happened at
00:50:51school.
00:50:52Noah, don't
00:50:53spend your
00:50:54whole life
00:50:54taking care
00:50:55of us.
00:50:56You need
00:50:57a life of
00:50:58your own.
00:50:59I won't.
00:51:00You'll see me
00:51:01graduate.
00:51:03Noah was
00:51:04still smiling
00:51:04when he said
00:51:05that.
00:51:06But Helen
00:51:07never got to
00:51:08see him
00:51:08graduate.
00:51:08wait.
00:51:10She slipped
00:51:11away quietly
00:51:12at dawn
00:51:12that winter
00:51:13in our
00:51:14sophomore year.
00:51:16After the
00:51:17funeral,
00:51:17everyone
00:51:18slowly left.
00:51:19Lily went
00:51:20back to
00:51:20school.
00:51:22Noah sat
00:51:23by the keys
00:51:23to his
00:51:24mom's food
00:51:24truck,
00:51:25from sunrise
00:51:26to sundown.
00:51:28I didn't
00:51:29know how to
00:51:29comfort him,
00:51:30so I stayed.
00:51:33I put away
00:51:34Helen's meds
00:51:35and clothes,
00:51:36packed Lily
00:51:36up for
00:51:37school,
00:51:37and re-weeded
00:51:38dinner when
00:51:39it went cold.
00:51:43Scarlett,
00:51:44you don't
00:51:44have to stay
00:51:44with me.
00:51:45I know,
00:51:47but I want
00:51:48to.
00:51:51That night,
00:51:52Noah finally
00:51:52cried on my
00:51:53shoulder.
00:51:54He stopped
00:51:55saying he'd
00:51:55just be a
00:51:56burden,
00:51:56and he
00:51:57didn't shut
00:51:57me out.
00:51:59After Helen
00:52:00died,
00:52:00Noah lost
00:52:01his mom.
00:52:05I went
00:52:06back to
00:52:06Boston for
00:52:06classes and
00:52:07my internship
00:52:08at Lane
00:52:08Company.
00:52:11Noah stayed
00:52:12in Ravenport
00:52:12to sort out
00:52:13Lily's
00:52:13guardianship
00:52:13and Helen's
00:52:14things.
00:52:17I didn't
00:52:17push Noah to
00:52:18come back or
00:52:19decide for him
00:52:19where Lily
00:52:19should go.
00:52:21A week later,
00:52:22he sent me an
00:52:23unsigned leave
00:52:23request from
00:52:24MIT.
00:52:24He said he
00:52:25might stay
00:52:25in Ravenport.
00:52:34The day
00:52:35after I got
00:52:36Noah's leave
00:52:36of absent
00:52:37form,
00:52:38I went
00:52:38back to
00:52:39the Reed
00:52:39house.
00:52:40He'd put it
00:52:41next to
00:52:41Lily's
00:52:42guardianship
00:52:42papers.
00:52:44He was
00:52:45planning to
00:52:45stay in
00:52:46Ravenport
00:52:46until she
00:52:47turned 18.
00:52:50School can
00:52:51wait.
00:52:52Lily needs
00:52:52family right
00:52:53now.
00:52:54I understood
00:52:55why he was
00:52:55doing it.
00:53:01But I
00:53:02wasn't about
00:53:02to let him
00:53:03decide the
00:53:03next few
00:53:04years in
00:53:04the worst
00:53:04days of
00:53:05his life.
00:53:07I didn't
00:53:08tear up
00:53:08the form.
00:53:09I just
00:53:10had the
00:53:10school and
00:53:11the social
00:53:11worker lay
00:53:12out every
00:53:12option.
00:53:14You can
00:53:15take the
00:53:15leave or
00:53:16bring Lily
00:53:17to Boston.
00:53:18Read
00:53:18everything
00:53:19first,
00:53:20then decide.
00:53:21Noah,
00:53:22I want
00:53:23to go
00:53:23with you.
00:53:24Mom
00:53:25wouldn't
00:53:25want us
00:53:26both
00:53:26stuck
00:53:26here.
00:53:30Noah
00:53:30asked Lily
00:53:31three times
00:53:32to make
00:53:32sure she
00:53:33wasn't just
00:53:34saying it
00:53:34for him.
00:53:36Then he
00:53:36put the
00:53:37leave of
00:53:37absent
00:53:37form away.
00:53:39In the
00:53:39end, he
00:53:40cut back
00:53:41his course
00:53:41load, got
00:53:42a campus
00:53:43job, and
00:53:44brought Lily
00:53:44to Boston.
00:53:47He didn't
00:53:48come back
00:53:48for me, or
00:53:50pretend the
00:53:50grief was
00:53:50over.
00:53:55For the
00:53:55first time, he
00:53:57stopped calling
00:53:57surrender
00:53:58responsibility.
00:54:00I want to
00:54:00stay in
00:54:01school, and
00:54:02I'll take
00:54:03care of
00:54:03Lily.
00:54:05Welcome
00:54:05back.
00:54:07Helen's
00:54:08death brought
00:54:09us closer,
00:54:11but it also
00:54:12made Noah
00:54:12afraid again,
00:54:14afraid he'd
00:54:15only drag me
00:54:15down.
00:54:18We came
00:54:19back to
00:54:19Boston
00:54:20together, but
00:54:21we were still
00:54:21somewhere between
00:54:22friends, and
00:54:23more than
00:54:23that.
00:54:25Over the
00:54:26next few
00:54:26months, Noah
00:54:27split himself
00:54:27three ways.
00:54:29School, work,
00:54:30and Lily.
00:54:31I got one
00:54:32library hour a
00:54:33week.
00:54:34He still fixed
00:54:35my assignments,
00:54:36but he stopped
00:54:37letting me wait
00:54:37for him after
00:54:38class.
00:54:40You're
00:54:40leaving early
00:54:41again?
00:54:43The diner
00:54:44called me in.
00:54:45You've got a
00:54:46presentation
00:54:46tomorrow.
00:54:46Go home
00:54:47early.
00:54:49Noah, are
00:54:50you busy, or
00:54:51are you avoiding
00:54:52me?
00:54:54He finally
00:54:55said it.
00:54:56After Helen
00:54:57died, he was
00:54:58even more afraid
00:54:59to promise me a
00:54:59future.
00:55:02He was scared
00:55:03that if life fell
00:55:04apart again, I'd
00:55:05put my life on
00:55:06hold to clean up
00:55:07his mess.
00:55:12You've already
00:55:13done enough.
00:55:15What I do is
00:55:16my choice.
00:55:18You don't get to
00:55:18push me out of
00:55:19your life just
00:55:20because you're
00:55:20afraid of owning
00:55:21me.
00:55:26I didn't make
00:55:27him answer that
00:55:27night.
00:55:28I just said,
00:55:30if you want to
00:55:31be friends, say
00:55:32it.
00:55:34But if you're
00:55:35scared, don't
00:55:36call it looking
00:55:37out for me.
00:55:39I don't want to
00:55:40be just friends.
00:55:42Then what do
00:55:43you want?
00:55:46First, stop
00:55:47running from you.
00:55:49Then really try to
00:55:50win you over.
00:55:52It wasn't romantic,
00:55:53but it was Noah.
00:55:55He didn't promise
00:55:56he'd never feel
00:55:56insecure again.
00:55:58Just that next time
00:55:59he wanted to run,
00:55:59he'd tell me first.
00:56:05Ethan from the
00:56:06business school
00:56:06invited me to an
00:56:07entrepreneurship
00:56:08gala.
00:56:10Noah got stuck
00:56:11in the lab,
00:56:12so I texted him
00:56:13the time and
00:56:14address and
00:56:14went anyway.
00:56:17Want to grab
00:56:17dinner after this?
00:56:19No work talk.
00:56:22Thanks, but
00:56:23I'm waiting for
00:56:23someone.
00:56:25Before, if he saw
00:56:26me with someone
00:56:27else, he'd just
00:56:27slip away.
00:56:29That night, he
00:56:31came straight to
00:56:31me.
00:56:32No guessing games.
00:56:34Just sorry I'm
00:56:35late.
00:56:37Sorry.
00:56:38The experiment ran
00:56:3940 minutes over.
00:56:40Your punishment is
00:56:41driving me home.
00:56:45That guy likes you.
00:56:47I know.
00:56:48Do you?
00:56:51He was quiet
00:56:52for a long time.
00:56:56Then he finally
00:56:57said what he'd
00:56:57been holding back
00:56:58since high school.
00:56:59In his notebook,
00:57:00over breakfast,
00:57:02and in every moment
00:57:03he waited for me.
00:57:05Scarlett,
00:57:06I like you.
00:57:08I have ever since
00:57:09you shoved that
00:57:10sandwich into my
00:57:10desk.
00:57:12Then you're a few
00:57:13years late.
00:57:16I'll make up for it.
00:57:17I'll say.
00:57:22The kiss was soft,
00:57:23but his heart was
00:57:25racing.
00:57:26I never wanted
00:57:27someone I had to
00:57:28save.
00:57:31I wanted someone
00:57:32who'd come back
00:57:32scared,
00:57:33and still choose me
00:57:35after all he'd
00:57:36lost.
00:57:37A few years later,
00:57:39Noah graduated
00:57:39first in his class,
00:57:41and got into
00:57:41MIT's theoretical
00:57:42physics PhD program.
00:57:44I finished at
00:57:45Boston University
00:57:46and joined Lane
00:57:47Company's Boston
00:57:48office.
00:57:49One second,
00:57:50Dad was praising
00:57:51Noah.
00:57:51The next,
00:57:52he saw him
00:57:53fixing my cap,
00:57:53and his face
00:57:54fell.
00:57:55You graduated.
00:57:56Good.
00:57:57Focus on your
00:57:58research,
00:57:58and keep your hands
00:57:59off my daughter.
00:58:01Yes,
00:58:01Mr. Lane.
00:58:02Dad,
00:58:03he's my boyfriend
00:58:04now.
00:58:06Dad took Noah
00:58:07aside.
00:58:08He didn't ask when
00:58:09he'd have money.
00:58:10He asked how he could
00:58:11promise my life
00:58:12wouldn't end up
00:58:13revolving around his
00:58:14struggles.
00:58:15I can't promise life
00:58:16won't be hard,
00:58:18but I'll respect
00:58:18Scarlett's choices,
00:58:20and I won't decide for
00:58:21her again in the name
00:58:22of protecting her.
00:58:23She doesn't need
00:58:24anyone to take care
00:58:25of her.
00:58:26I know.
00:58:27And she doesn't need
00:58:28anyone cutting her
00:58:29future smaller either.
00:58:30That finally got to
00:58:32what Dad was really
00:58:32worried about.
00:58:33He didn't say yes,
00:58:34he just tossed Noah
00:58:35the keys and told him
00:58:36to get me home safe.
00:58:38We'd made it past
00:58:39graduation and my dad.
00:58:43What came next
00:58:44was harder.
00:58:46Once I joined
00:58:47Lane Company,
00:58:48everyone was waiting
00:58:49to prove.
00:58:51I only got that seat
00:58:52because I'm a Lane.
00:58:55Dad didn't hand
00:58:56me the company.
00:58:59He made me start
00:59:00as a regular
00:59:01project manager.
00:59:03Even then,
00:59:04the board called
00:59:05my first solo pitch
00:59:06the boss's daughter
00:59:08playing business.
00:59:10The research incubator
00:59:12building takes too
00:59:13long to pay off.
00:59:14Real estate isn't
00:59:15charity.
00:59:16This isn't charity.
00:59:19Lab space locks in
00:59:20university tech transfer.
00:59:22That's what gives the
00:59:23housing and retail side
00:59:25long-term value.
00:59:27I didn't hide behind
00:59:29my father or trade
00:59:30on Noah's dream.
00:59:31I answered every
00:59:32objection with demand,
00:59:34university interest,
00:59:35and a 10-year
00:59:36cash flow model.
00:59:39The proposal passes.
00:59:41If it loses money,
00:59:42that's on you.
00:59:44Then the profits
00:59:45are mine too.
00:59:46It was late
00:59:47when the meeting ended.
00:59:51I didn't tell Noah
00:59:53I was one vote
00:59:53from losing.
00:59:56I just said
00:59:56I wanted to see him.
00:59:59He got in,
01:00:00handed me a hot coffee,
01:00:02and asked if someone
01:00:03had said something nasty.
01:00:06How'd you know?
01:00:08You drive slower
01:00:09when you're mad.
01:00:11He didn't tell me
01:00:11how to run the company
01:00:12or curse out
01:00:13the board for me.
01:00:17He just listened,
01:00:18then reminded me
01:00:19the final vote
01:00:20still counted today.
01:00:21They questioned you,
01:00:22but they voted yes.
01:00:25So?
01:00:27So you won.
01:00:29I just proved
01:00:30I wasn't riding
01:00:31on my dad's name.
01:00:33Now Noah was up
01:00:34against the same thing.
01:00:35If his research
01:00:35took Lane Company money,
01:00:37would people say
01:00:38he only got there
01:00:38because of me?
01:00:41Noah's project
01:00:42got turned down
01:00:42twice by commercial funds.
01:00:45So I asked
01:00:46the Innovation Park
01:00:47to review it.
01:00:49He read the letter
01:00:50of intent,
01:00:51and we had
01:00:52our first real fight.
01:00:56If this gets approved
01:00:57because I'm your boyfriend,
01:00:58that's not fair
01:00:58to the other researchers.
01:01:02If you won't even apply
01:01:03because you're my boyfriend,
01:01:04that's not fair
01:01:05to your team either.
01:01:08He was scared
01:01:09people would say
01:01:10he only got ahead
01:01:10because of some rich girl.
01:01:13I hated that he'd
01:01:14give up a fair shot
01:01:15just to avoid that.
01:01:19We weren't fighting
01:01:20about money.
01:01:21We were fighting
01:01:22about how long
01:01:23the past
01:01:23still gets to control us.
01:01:27Nobody decides
01:01:28this directly.
01:01:32Anonymize the project
01:01:33and send it
01:01:33to the independent
01:01:34review committee
01:01:35for blind review.
01:01:37I stepped out
01:01:38of the review.
01:01:40Noah wouldn't get around
01:01:41a single rule
01:01:42because of us.
01:01:46If the project
01:01:47wasn't good enough,
01:01:48it wouldn't get
01:01:49one dollar.
01:01:53During the blind review,
01:01:55no one on the committee
01:01:56knew who the applicant was.
01:02:00real support as adults
01:02:02isn't one person
01:02:03saving the other
01:02:04over and over.
01:02:05It's being able to fight,
01:02:07reset the rules,
01:02:08and still let both of us
01:02:10keep our dignity.
01:02:12I'm sorry.
01:02:15I thought refusing help
01:02:16meant I was independent.
01:02:18And I shouldn't have assumed
01:02:20my way was best.
01:02:23When the project
01:02:24officially launched,
01:02:26the alumni forum
01:02:27dragged up old posts
01:02:28about Noah getting help
01:02:29in high school again.
01:02:32This time,
01:02:33they didn't just
01:02:34come for him.
01:02:36They started attacking
01:02:37Lane Company's
01:02:38investment decision too.
01:02:44The press turned
01:02:45a blind reviewed investment
01:02:46into a romance scandal.
01:02:49The board told me
01:02:50to pause the project
01:02:51and Noah offered
01:02:53to step back
01:02:53so he wouldn't
01:02:54hurt the company.
01:02:57Miss Lane,
01:02:58are you using
01:02:59shareholder money
01:02:59to support your partner?
01:03:02If it wasn't worth
01:03:03funding,
01:03:04that would be abuse.
01:03:05If it passed
01:03:06independent review
01:03:07and holds up
01:03:08to public scrutiny,
01:03:09it's an investment.
01:03:10I didn't defend
01:03:11this project
01:03:12with feelings.
01:03:13I released the review ID,
01:03:15budget milestones,
01:03:16and third-party
01:03:17oversight.
01:03:19Then the review chair
01:03:20confirmed no one
01:03:21knew Noah's identity.
01:03:23The Reed Project
01:03:24ranked first
01:03:24in both technical value
01:03:26and long-term potential.
01:03:30If the project
01:03:31misses its benchmarks,
01:03:32my team and I
01:03:33accept that funding ends.
01:03:36Our relationship
01:03:37doesn't change the standard.
01:03:39Back in high school,
01:03:41rumors made him
01:03:42stay silent.
01:03:44This time,
01:03:45he stood behind
01:03:46his own name
01:03:47and accepted
01:03:48the outcome.
01:03:55It passed.
01:03:59That result killed
01:04:01every love investment
01:04:01headline.
01:04:02It also landed
01:04:04the Innovation Park
01:04:05its first international
01:04:06research partnership.
01:04:09can we finally say
01:04:10that money meant
01:04:10something?
01:04:12Not enough.
01:04:13Say that after
01:04:14you win the award.
01:04:17I was kidding.
01:04:18The next day,
01:04:19the International Awards
01:04:21Committee
01:04:21sent a nomination email
01:04:22and Lane Company's
01:04:23pre-IPO vote
01:04:24was set for the same month.
01:04:29Before the awards,
01:04:30we went back to
01:04:31Raven Pared
01:04:31for an alumni event.
01:04:33Julian stood beside
01:04:34Henry,
01:04:35his face giving
01:04:36nothing away.
01:04:37But when he saw
01:04:38Noah's nominee badge,
01:04:40his eyes flicked aside.
01:04:45Congratulations.
01:04:46You really did it.
01:04:47Thanks.
01:04:49Julian didn't ask
01:04:50what Noah had
01:04:51that he didn't.
01:04:52He didn't bring up
01:04:53the family engagement.
01:04:55He just handed Noah
01:04:56an apology
01:04:57he'd never sent.
01:05:01What happened
01:05:02in the equipment room
01:05:03was on me.
01:05:05You don't have
01:05:05to forgive me.
01:05:08I can't forgive you
01:05:09for what you did
01:05:10to me back then.
01:05:12But I'll take
01:05:13the apology.
01:05:15The apology came
01:05:16too late
01:05:17to change anything.
01:05:18But for the first time,
01:05:20Julian admitted
01:05:21Noah didn't take
01:05:22anything from him.
01:05:23He lost Scarlet
01:05:25because he made
01:05:26the wrong choice.
01:05:28If there hadn't
01:05:29been a lie between us,
01:05:31would this have
01:05:32ended differently?
01:05:37Maybe we'd have
01:05:38met politely
01:05:39and ended the engagement
01:05:40the same way.
01:05:44you wouldn't have
01:05:45chosen me.
01:05:46I might not have
01:05:47chosen you either.
01:05:50He was quiet
01:05:50for a moment.
01:05:51Then he finally
01:05:52stepped back.
01:05:54Not out of pride.
01:05:56Not waiting for me
01:05:57to turn around.
01:05:59He'd accepted
01:06:00that our lives
01:06:00had already gone
01:06:01different ways.
01:06:05Goodbye, Scarlet.
01:06:10The day Noah got
01:06:11the international award,
01:06:13Lane Company had its
01:06:14biggest pre-IPO vote.
01:06:16Then the meeting
01:06:17got moved up
01:06:17and I missed my flight.
01:06:20If I leave now,
01:06:21I might still make it
01:06:22in time for your award.
01:06:23Stay and vote.
01:06:25Your future matters
01:06:26as much as my trophy.
01:06:28In high school,
01:06:30Noah always put himself
01:06:31last.
01:06:32Now he loves me
01:06:33differently.
01:06:34No sacrifice needed.
01:06:35Just trust that one
01:06:37missed moment
01:06:37won't break us.
01:06:38This year's top
01:06:40theoretical physics award
01:06:41goes to Noah Reed.
01:06:44Put Noah on first.
01:06:46Dad, we're not
01:06:48married yet.
01:06:49Soon enough.
01:06:51In the same minute,
01:06:53Noah got his trophy
01:06:55and I signed my name.
01:06:59Neither of us gave up
01:07:00and neither of us
01:07:02celebrated alone.
01:07:03Who do you want
01:07:04to thank most?
01:07:08The love of my life,
01:07:09Scarlet Lane.
01:07:11On the screen,
01:07:13he became that boy again.
01:07:14the one by the window
01:07:15eating hard bread.
01:07:19He said I opened a door
01:07:20for him when he
01:07:21couldn't see tomorrow.
01:07:24She was never just
01:07:25the one who brought
01:07:26me into the light.
01:07:28She has her own path.
01:07:31I'm lucky I get
01:07:32to walk beside her.
01:07:38The motion passes.
01:07:40Meeting adjourned.
01:07:43I'm going home to wait
01:07:44for my scientist.
01:07:54Noah flew back
01:07:55to Boston overnight.
01:07:57No press,
01:07:57no fireworks,
01:07:58no big production.
01:07:59Just the shrimp fried
01:08:00noodles he made himself
01:08:01and a ring he saved
01:08:02for a long time to buy.
01:08:03It wasn't the most
01:08:04expensive ring,
01:08:05but I took my time
01:08:06choosing it.
01:08:07I love it.
01:08:08Scarlet,
01:08:09will you marry me?
01:08:11Yes.
01:08:13My dad talked tough
01:08:14his whole life.
01:08:15I'm only saying
01:08:16yes for now.
01:08:18Dad,
01:08:18you already called him
01:08:19your daughter's husband
01:08:19on the live stream,
01:08:20but in the end,
01:08:21he still gave me
01:08:22to the boy he used
01:08:23to say would blow
01:08:23away in a stiff breeze.
01:08:27Henry brought back
01:08:28the watch my grandfather
01:08:29gave away years ago,
01:08:30along with the Whitmore
01:08:31family's long-overdue
01:08:32apology.
01:08:33Julian didn't come.
01:08:34He just sent his blessing
01:08:35through his grandfather.
01:08:37Thank you for not
01:08:38treating me like
01:08:38some mistake.
01:08:39Thank you for dragging
01:08:40this terrible math student
01:08:41across the finish line.
01:08:43I got the fiancé wrong,
01:08:45but not the man.
01:08:46The name was fake,
01:08:47the lie was fake,
01:08:48but Noah's notebook,
01:08:50those late night noodles,
01:08:51the respect he gave me,
01:08:52and the choices we made
01:08:53together,
01:08:54that was all real.
01:08:59This is it?
01:09:00The big victory dinner
01:09:01for an award-winning
01:09:02professor?
01:09:04We've got a lifetime.
01:09:05We can add to it
01:09:06as we go.
01:09:09Meeting her was like
01:09:10finding light in the dark.
01:09:12And loving Noah
01:09:13taught me this.
01:09:15Love isn't rescue,
01:09:16possession,
01:09:17or sacrifice.
01:09:19It's two whole people
01:09:20choosing each other
01:09:21again and again.