1
- 4 days ago
Cheating Husband's fake his death, I built a beautiful career.
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00:00I found out I'd won the NYCDDC design competition the same day I heard my husband, Evan, was dead.
00:06Claire.
00:06Mayor Dawson came to me.
00:08You absolutely could head to New York and build a career.
00:12But Evan's mom has heart trouble.
00:15She can't stay all alone out on the farm.
00:17In my past life, after so much hesitation, I stayed.
00:21I didn't find out Evan was still alive until his mother, Margaret, died years later.
00:26He'd run off to New York with Vivian, Dawson's daughter.
00:30They built a happy life there and even had two kids.
00:33So this life, I registered my husband as dead.
00:37If he wanted to play dead, I'd make it legal.
00:41How could this be?
00:42He was totally fine when he left.
00:45How is he just...
00:48God!
00:49I was sobbing so hard, I could hardly hold myself up.
00:52Dawson sighed and patted my shoulder.
00:55Claire, I know this is awful.
00:57I'm so sorry about Evan's accident.
01:00Try to hold on.
01:01The neighbors will help arrange the funeral.
01:03I want to see him one last time.
01:05Dawson handed me an urn with tears in his eyes.
01:08The body's already been cremated.
01:10This is all that's left of him.
01:15Margaret nearly fainted.
01:17She beat her chest, calling Evan's name over and over.
01:21Then she grabbed my hand, choking on sobs.
01:26Claire, Evan's gone.
01:29Don't fuss over a sick old woman like me.
01:31You won that huge award and you've got your shot with NYC DDC.
01:37Head to New York and live your own life.
01:40Claire, I know this is an amazing opportunity, but Margaret's got severe heart trouble.
01:45If you leave too, what if she has an attack?
01:48I lowered my head and wiped my eyes.
01:51Inside, I was seething.
01:53In my past life, that was the line that broke me.
01:57That was what made me give up everything to stay in this town and take care of Margaret.
02:02Margaret, the neighbors all called me one in a million, a devoted woman.
02:07Margaret kept saying she was a burden, which only made me try harder to prove her wrong.
02:13I thought I was honoring Evan, honoring the life we were meant to have.
02:17I worked the farm day and night to save up for Margaret's surgery.
02:22I wore myself to the bone.
02:24Then Margaret died.
02:26And Evan showed up, glowing with health.
02:30Vivian hung on his arm.
02:31Their two children at their sides.
02:34That was when I learned.
02:36He'd faked his own death to run off with Vivian.
02:39Margaret had been in on it.
02:41And Vivian?
02:42She'd stolen my winning design.
02:44She built her entire career off it, earning a reputation as a rising architect.
02:50But I never even got the chance to make them pay.
02:53I collapsed from exhaustion and died before I could.
02:57Once I was gone, Evan reclaimed the house.
03:00He seized the farm I'd built with my hands and spent every last cent of my savings.
03:05Then, by some mercy, I woke up again.
03:09This time, every single one of them would pay.
03:12Margaret was still wailing.
03:14Dawson was waiting for my answer.
03:17I lifted my head.
03:18I understand.
03:20I can't leave Margaret, either.
03:23Let's hold Evan's funeral first.
03:25I want him to rest in peace.
03:27They left to round up the neighbors.
03:29I grabbed the cremation certificate and drove straight to vital records.
03:34Hi.
03:35My husband passed away.
03:37I'd like to register his death.
03:39The moment the stamp came down, I finally smiled.
03:42You wanted to play dead, you bastard?
03:44This time, I'll make it legal.
03:51When I got back from vital records, the yard had already been set up.
03:55Evan's urn sat in the middle of the lawn with a photo of him taped to it.
04:00A bunch of daisies had been placed beside it.
04:02The neighbors kept glancing at the urn, looking awkward.
04:06Greenwood was an old-fashioned southern town.
04:09Most people here held a wake over the body first, then buried the dead.
04:14In my past life, I'd wondered, too.
04:17Why had Evan's accident happened so suddenly?
04:20And why had he been cremated so fast?
04:23Cremation had been Evan's last wish.
04:26He didn't want us seeing what the crash had done to his body.
04:30He didn't want to hurt us anymore.
04:33Back then, I cried even harder.
04:35I thought Evan was so noble and thoughtful.
04:38Now the memory only made me sick.
04:41Margaret had helped spin the fake death lie
04:43so her son could run off with Vivian and start over in New York.
04:47Claire, where did you go? Come help.
04:50Margaret grabbed my hand.
04:52I want Evan buried in the Carter family plot.
04:55I want him to rest as soon as possible.
04:58I nodded and went along with the funeral arrangements.
05:01After the short memorial, I held the urn in both hands and cried all the way to the cemetery.
05:07Then I buried his ashes, myself.
05:10Half the town came.
05:12Every last one of them believed Evan was dead.
05:15After the funeral, an insurance adjuster came by.
05:19Evan had taken out an accidental death policy.
05:22Margaret was the beneficiary.
05:23The payout would go straight into her bank account.
05:27In my past life, I pitied the old woman for losing her son.
05:31I never demanded a single dollar from her.
05:34And what did she do?
05:36She kept asking me for money.
05:38She said she couldn't stop her medication and always complained to the neighbors that she
05:42couldn't afford surgery.
05:44Later, I found out she had never used that money for treatment at all.
05:48She sent the insurance payout to Evan.
05:51And every dollar I gave her got wired to New York.
05:54For her, I gave up my place at NYCDDC.
05:58And Vivian used my design to get into the project team.
06:02Evan used her connection to slide into that same project.
06:06They lived such comfortable lives.
06:08While I remained trapped on that farm.
06:11Living like a fool.
06:13My fingers shook thinking about it.
06:15A whole life ruined by one lie.
06:18I'd worked myself to death.
06:20Not this time.
06:22After the funeral, Margaret tucked her bank card away in her room.
06:26And I already had a plan.
06:32The next morning, I went to the county clerk.
06:35I filed for living assistance.
06:37I also asked that the farm, the house, and everything under Evan's name be transferred to me.
06:44Dawson's face went dark.
06:46Just like I expected.
06:48Evan was off with Vivian.
06:50He would never let me walk away with his property.
06:53Cue the waterworks.
06:56Dawson, Evan's gone.
06:57It's just me and Margaret now.
06:59If the farm and house aren't under my name, what happens after Margaret dies?
07:04What if the rest of the Carter family throws me out?
07:08Evan was our only income.
07:10Now he's dead.
07:12If I don't apply for assistance, how are Margaret and I supposed to survive?
07:17Claire, stop crying.
07:20We have to take Margaret's wishes into account.
07:25I'll help you apply for the assistance, but I can't guarantee it'll be approved.
07:29That was when Margaret came rushing in.
07:31I didn't give her a chance to speak.
07:34Mom, from now on, I'm your daughter.
07:39If you agree to transfer the farm and house to me, I'll take care of you for the rest of
07:44your life.
07:45Margaret's face darkened.
07:47She yanked her arm away.
07:49The Carter farm doesn't go to outsiders.
07:53Outsiders?
07:56I'm Evan's legal heir.
08:00I'm still young.
08:02If you won't do this, I'll leave for New York and live my own life.
08:12Margaret and Dawson exchanged a look.
08:14In my past life, I could never understand why Evan hadn't just divorced me.
08:19Now I did.
08:21A divorce would have exposed his cheating.
08:23It would have meant splitting property with me.
08:26And once I was gone, no one would stay behind to care for Margaret and the farm.
08:31Most importantly, his mistress was about to walk into NYCDDC using my stolen design.
08:38He was banking on her to get him in too.
08:41As long as I stayed trapped in Greenwood, he could live well in New York.
08:46Margaret's face was cold.
08:48The farm and the house are not going to you.
08:51Evan's sister Laura is still alive.
08:55I'm still alive.
08:57Why should I hand anything over to you?
08:59I looked at her and said flatly,
09:02Then you can go live with Laura.
09:04Mom, if you won't give me anything to hold on to, that's not fair.
09:08Margaret only had two children, Evan and Laura.
09:11But she had always favored her son and treated Laura badly.
09:16After Laura got married, she never came back to Greenwood.
09:19Margaret was old, sick.
09:21She couldn't live alone.
09:23And the only person left to rely on was me.
09:32Let me think about it.
09:33Margaret looked annoyed.
09:35The farm and the house belong to the Carter family.
09:37If I just hand it over, I'd be betraying Evan, Evan's father's wishes.
09:41Mom, the living have to survive.
09:44You can take your time thinking about it.
09:47I already lost Evan.
09:49I'm not losing my future too.
09:51If you won't do this, I'm leaving for New York tomorrow.
09:54Dawson jumped in.
09:55Claire, even if Evan is gone, Margaret is still your mother-in-law.
10:00Walking out on her wouldn't look right.
10:03And the design project you applied for is already getting underway.
10:07It's too late for you to go to New York anyway.
10:10I let out a sigh.
10:12Dawson, I hear you.
10:14But I have no income.
10:16What exactly am I supposed to do without money?
10:19If Margaret needs care, you can help her find a home aid.
10:23Or you can call Laura.
10:26Dawson's face soured.
10:27He knew I wasn't the same Claire he used to push around.
10:31Margaret stared at me for a long moment.
10:34Then, through gritted teeth, she said,
10:36Go home first.
10:39Dawson and I need to talk.
10:41Back at the farm, I went straight into Margaret's room.
10:44She kept her bank card in a box inside the nightstand.
10:47I'd watched exactly where she put it.
10:49I took the card, dropped in another one from the same bank,
10:54and set everything back exactly how it had been.
10:58Margaret came home late that night.
11:00Her face was dark the second she stepped inside.
11:03Then she saw the empty kitchen and snapped,
11:06Why didn't you make dinner?
11:12I looked at her with red-rimmed eyes.
11:14I'm too heartbroken to eat, Margaret.
11:17Evan just died.
11:19How could you still have an appetite?
11:22She choked on that for a second,
11:23then forced out a dry laugh.
11:27The living still have to live.
11:29I just want us to keep going,
11:31so Evan can rest easy.
11:34Then she paused.
11:36As for the house and the farm,
11:38I talked it over with Dawson.
11:41It isn't easy for you to stay here and take care of me.
11:45I'll agree to the transfer.
11:47We'll handle the paperwork tomorrow.
11:49I smiled.
11:51Once the transfer was done,
11:52it would be final.
11:54No one would be able to take it back.
11:57The next day,
11:58the moment the signatures were done
12:00and the house and farm were legally mine,
12:02I nearly stopped breathing.
12:05This time,
12:06Evan would have nowhere to go back to.
12:08He wanted to live it up in New York
12:10and keep the farm as a fallback?
12:12Not a chance.
12:14Margaret looked sick over it.
12:16She didn't come home with me.
12:18She left directly from the office.
12:20I knew exactly where she was going.
12:23To the bank.
12:24She was going to try to wire money to Evan.
12:27That night,
12:28just as I was about to fall asleep,
12:30my bedroom door was kicked open.
12:33Margaret stood in the doorway,
12:34shaking with rage,
12:35pointing at me.
12:37You.
12:39You registered Evan as dead?
12:46I woke up fully at once.
12:48Oh, she-
12:49Then nodded like I didn't understand the problem.
12:51Yeah, Mom.
12:53He's dead.
12:55Of course I registered it.
12:56And I need it for the assistance application
12:58and to handle the estate transfer.
13:01Margaret clutched at her chest,
13:03breathing hard.
13:04Why did you do that without asking me?
13:07If anyone should have filed it,
13:09it should have been me!
13:10I stared at her in confusion.
13:13You're a little bit old
13:14to handle all that paperwork, Margaret.
13:16I'm Evan's wife.
13:17Why wouldn't I?
13:19And he was already cremated.
13:21Registering the death
13:22was the normal next step.
13:24Then I let out a tired sigh.
13:28Okay, Mom.
13:29I know it's been hard for you
13:30with Evan gone.
13:31But it's done.
13:33Go to bed.
13:36She glared at me,
13:38lips trembling.
13:39But she couldn't say a word.
13:41She turned and went back to her room.
13:43I knew she must have gone to the bank today
13:46to transfer money to Evan.
13:47But Evan's death had been registered.
13:50In the bank system,
13:51he was already listed as dead.
13:54So of course that transfer wouldn't go through.
13:56If he wanted to work in New York,
13:58rent an apartment,
14:00build any life there at all,
14:02he'd have to fix his identity problem first.
14:05And to fix it,
14:06he'd have to come back in person
14:08and admit he had never died.
14:09At that point,
14:11how exactly was he going to explain it?
14:14A man who had been cremated and buried
14:16suddenly showing up alive?
14:22A few minutes later,
14:23I heard Margaret sobbing in the next room.
14:26Lying there in the dark,
14:27I couldn't help smiling.
14:29Playing dead was easy?
14:31Living as a dead man?
14:33That's the hard part.
14:35For the next few days,
14:37Margaret kept running into town.
14:39She came home looking worse each time.
14:41Whenever I asked what she'd been doing,
14:44she refused to answer.
14:46I knew she was looking for a way
14:47to restore Evan's identity,
14:49but it was useless.
14:51Nothing would change
14:52unless Evan showed up in person.
14:54And the second he came back,
14:56everyone in Greenwood would know
14:58he had never been dead at all.
15:00Once that happened,
15:01not only was he finished,
15:03Dawson,
15:03who signed the cremation certificate,
15:06was finished too.
15:11I wasn't sitting still either.
15:13I stopped doing farm work.
15:15I stopped washing Margaret's clothes.
15:17I stopped cooking.
15:19All I did was pack my things
15:20and get ready for New York.
15:22In my last life,
15:23I lost 20 years in this town.
15:26This time,
15:27I was not sacrificing myself for anyone.
15:30Margaret grew more and more disgusted
15:32with me by the day.
15:33She wore that sour expression all the time,
15:36muttering that I was lazy,
15:38that Evan had barely died,
15:40and I was already neglecting my duties.
15:43The assistance application
15:44still hadn't gone through.
15:46Dawson kept telling me
15:47there were lots of applications
15:49and that I needed to wait.
15:51I didn't wait.
15:52I sold everything in the house
15:54that would sell.
15:55Evan's old pickup,
15:57the television in the living room,
15:59unused tools,
16:00furniture,
16:02anything that had value.
16:04I sold all of it
16:05to the pawn shop in town.
16:11When Margaret came home
16:12and found the place half empty,
16:13Claire, have you lost your mind?
16:17Are you planning to empty out
16:20this whole house?
16:22She ran straight to the front porch,
16:24dropped to the ground,
16:25and started screaming.
16:26Come look!
16:27Everyone, come look!
16:29Evan's barely gone,
16:30and she's selling off the house!
16:33She's gonna leave me
16:34with nothing to live on!
16:36The neighbors came fast.
16:38Margaret cried harder.
16:40She won't work the farm,
16:42she won't cook,
16:43and now she's selling off the house!
16:47I'm a sick old woman!
16:48How am I supposed to live?
16:55She even registered Evan's death
16:57behind my back!
16:59How could she be so heartless?
17:03She might as well kill me
17:05and be done with it!
17:06I sat down on the steps
17:08and started crying, too.
17:11Evan is gone.
17:13How am I supposed to run the farm
17:15by myself?
17:17The assistant still hasn't come through,
17:19and Margaret keeps saying
17:20she needs treatment.
17:21If I don't sell things,
17:22we'll starve!
17:24And registering at Evan's death
17:26is only standard procedure.
17:28When someone dies,
17:30that's what you have to do.
17:31Margaret glared at me,
17:32her face ugly with rage.
17:34I turned to the neighbors
17:36with tear-filled eyes.
17:37And Evan's insurance paid out
17:39all went to Margaret,
17:40but she won't use it
17:41for treatment, food,
17:43or the farm.
17:44What else was I supposed to do?
17:46Insurance!
17:47Margaret!
17:47I'm only trying to make sure
17:49we can keep living!
17:55The neighbors looked between us,
17:57and it was clear
17:58who they thought
17:59made more sense.
18:00One said,
18:01Claire's got a point.
18:04Evan's insurance payout
18:05was a good amount.
18:06You should at least
18:07use it to get through this.
18:10We've all seen
18:10how Claire's treated you
18:12over the years.
18:13She's willing to stay
18:14and take care of you.
18:16That's more than most would do!
18:18Color flooded,
18:19then drained from Margaret's face.
18:22Of course she didn't want
18:23to hand over any money.
18:25All she could do
18:26was keep crying.
18:28Insurance money?
18:30That's for my treatment!
18:32She's not my blood.
18:33How do I know
18:34she'll really take care of me?
18:36And she didn't even tell me
18:38before registering Evan's death.
18:39She has no respect
18:41for me at all!
18:42I cried louder.
18:42I'm giving up my whole life
18:44to take care of you!
18:46And you still treat me
18:48like an outsider!
18:52I told you already,
18:54if I wanted to apply
18:55for assistance,
18:56I had to register
18:56and it made me a death.
18:57Why?
18:59Unless Evan isn't really dead?
19:00That made everyone go still.
19:03Then all the neighbors
19:04turned to look at Margaret.
19:10Margaret's face changed,
19:11but she kept wailing.
19:12Of course!
19:13I wish my son wasn't dead!
19:16Otherwise,
19:16how could I just let you
19:17walk all over me like this?
19:20Then hand over
19:20the insurance money.
19:22I shot back.
19:23From now on,
19:23I'll manage it.
19:24You're not earning anything,
19:26so everything falls on me.
19:29I need money
19:30to buy livestock
19:31we can actually raise.
19:33But Margaret didn't
19:34have that money anymore.
19:35The last time she went out
19:37to transfer money,
19:37she found out Evan
19:39had been legally
19:40registered as dead.
19:41And by then,
19:43the bank card
19:43was already gone.
19:45Maybe it had already
19:46been mailed off to Evan.
19:48The neighbors kept urging
19:49her to hand it over.
19:51Someone said,
19:52It's just the two of you now.
19:54It makes sense for Claire
19:55to manage the money,
19:56buy seeds,
19:57purchase livestock,
19:58and keep some steady
19:59income coming in.
20:04Margaret stammered
20:05and said nothing.
20:06So I started crying again.
20:08Everyone can see it.
20:09Margaret is guarding
20:11that money from me.
20:12Like I'm a thief.
20:14I haven't laid eyes
20:15on that payout once.
20:16The household money
20:17is almost gone.
20:18Even now,
20:19she won't trust me
20:20with a penny.
20:21What choice do I have
20:23but to sell things?
20:24The neighbors all
20:25looked at me
20:26sympathetically
20:27and kept telling Margaret
20:28to turn the money over.
20:30Margaret realized
20:31she wasn't going to win.
20:32So she clutched her chest,
20:34rolled on the ground
20:35and started screaming
20:36that her heart hurt,
20:37that I was trying
20:39to kill her.
20:40The neighbors gave up
20:41and went home,
20:42shaking their heads.
20:43The moment they were all gone,
20:45I crossed my arms
20:47and leaned against the doorway,
20:48watching Margaret calmly.
20:50No audience.
20:52No more performance.
20:53She climbed right off the ground
20:55and glared at me.
21:01Evan's dead.
21:02And this is how you treat me?
21:03Happy now?
21:04You snake.
21:06I smiled faintly.
21:07Is that so?
21:08Is he really dead?
21:10What do you mean?
21:12Margaret staggered back
21:13two steps.
21:15I didn't answer.
21:16I just turned
21:17and walked back inside.
21:19The NYCDDC project
21:21had already launched,
21:22so it was too late
21:23for me to step in now.
21:25But Vivian taking my place?
21:27That wasn't over.
21:29I wasn't going to let her
21:30walk away with it.
21:32The next morning,
21:33I got on a plane to New York
21:35with the money from the sale
21:36and my design portfolio.
21:37In my last life,
21:39when Evan showed up again,
21:41Vivian had told me
21:42everything herself.
21:44Vivian had smugly thanked me
21:45for looking after her lover's mother
21:47and bragged about the fancy apartment
21:49they occupied
21:49close to the NYCDDC office.
21:56If she hadn't shown off,
21:58I'd never have known
21:59where to find them.
22:00So I rented a small room
22:01near the office building.
22:03Every day,
22:04I sat in the coffee shop
22:05across the street
22:06and waited for Vivian to show up.
22:08On the third evening,
22:09I finally saw her.
22:11She looked nothing like
22:13the Vivian from Greenwood.
22:14She was wearing a white suit,
22:16holding rolled up design drawings,
22:18and walking out of the building
22:19like she belonged there.
22:20Coworkers smiled and greeted her
22:22as they passed.
22:23See you tomorrow, Vivian.
22:24She smiled back at them
22:25like those designs
22:26were really hers.
22:27That giraffe looked good.
22:31I appreciate it.
22:32I stared at her,
22:33fingers curling tighter and tighter
22:35around my cup.
22:37That was supposed to be my life,
22:39my work,
22:40my job.
22:42I threw on a hat and a scarf
22:44and followed her.
22:46Vivian had barely reached the corner
22:47when Evan came up carrying groceries.
22:54I followed them from a distance
22:55and ended up outside
22:56an apartment building
22:57not far from my place.
22:59I memorized the address
23:01and waited until they went upstairs
23:03before getting closer.
23:05When I reached the door,
23:06I heard the shouting inside.
23:08Vivian's voice was high and sharp.
23:10You keep telling me to wait!
23:12I can wait!
23:13But the NYC DCC
23:14won't wait for you!
23:15You still can't fix your identity!
23:17How are you supposed
23:17to get into the project?!
23:19You want our kid
23:20to be born to a father
23:22with no job?!
23:23Evan lowered his voice
23:24and tried to soothe her.
23:27Vivian, just give me
23:28a little more time.
23:29Your dad said he'd help me.
23:32I don't know what got into Claire.
23:34Why would she actually
23:35register my death?
23:40Hearing how gentle he sounded
23:41made me feel sick.
23:43When he was with me,
23:44he had always been cold.
23:46I had never once
23:47heard him speak like that.
23:49And a baby?
23:51He hadn't even been
23:52dead that long.
23:53So they'd been sneaking around
23:55a lot longer than I'd thought.
23:57Something crashed.
23:58Your mother said
23:59she'd send us money!
24:01The card she mailed us
24:02has nothing on it!
24:04We can't even admit
24:06that mom's wife!
24:08Evan snapped back.
24:09That's impossible!
24:11Mom wouldn't lie to me.
24:14She'll figure something out.
24:15If I'd known
24:16it would go like this,
24:17you should have
24:18just divorced Claire!
24:21You just had to
24:22fake your death.
24:23And now look at you.
24:25No identity,
24:26no job,
24:27no money.
24:27My dad never approved of you.
24:29If I hadn't gotten pregnant,
24:30he wouldn't have let me
24:31come with you at all.
24:36Evan was quiet
24:38for a while.
24:39Then he said
24:40through clenched teeth,
24:41You think I didn't
24:42want a divorce?
24:43If I divorced Claire,
24:46she would have taken
24:47half the farm
24:48and the house.
24:50And what if she came
24:51to NYCDDC afterward?
24:53Relax.
24:54I'll call back tomorrow.
24:55Dawson can write up something
24:56and we'll reverse
24:57the death registration.
24:59Listening to them
25:00tear into each other
25:01was a small,
25:02dark satisfaction.
25:04Good.
25:05So filing him as dead
25:06had changed everything.
25:08And hearing that he still
25:10hadn't gotten into
25:12NYCDDC
25:12made me breathe easier.
25:14A bastard like Evan
25:15didn't deserve a good life.
25:17Let's see how much love
25:19is left when there's
25:19no money
25:20and no future.
25:25The next day,
25:26I waited outside the office
25:27building again.
25:28When Vivian came out
25:30after work,
25:30I walked straight up to her.
25:32Vivian?
25:33What are you doing here?
25:35The second she saw me,
25:36her face went white.
25:38She turned to leave,
25:39but I stepped in front of her.
25:41I glanced at the building
25:42behind her,
25:43then down at the drawings
25:44in her hand.
25:45You work here?
25:46I don't...
25:47She blurted out,
25:48already panicking.
25:50Then one of her co-workers
25:51walked out of the building
25:52and called,
25:53See you tomorrow, Vivian.
25:55That shut her up.
25:57I smiled at her.
25:58How did you get into NYCDDC?
26:02Vivian's face went pale.
26:04She opened her mouth,
26:05but nothing came out right.
26:07Of course not.
26:09What was she supposed to say?
26:10That she got the job
26:12by using my design
26:13and taking my place?
26:15I stepped closer.
26:17Did you know Evan was dead?
26:20Is that so?
26:21I had no idea.
26:22Claire, I'm sorry.
26:27I didn't say a word.
26:28I just kept staring at her.
26:31She was guilty enough
26:32that she finally cracked.
26:34I have to go.
26:35She muttered,
26:36then turned and ran.
26:38I watched her leave
26:39and almost laughed.
26:41She couldn't even stand
26:42in front of me
26:43without panicking.
26:44How exactly had she ever thought
26:46she could take my life
26:47and keep it?
26:48For the next two days,
26:50I showed up every time
26:51she got off work.
26:53By the third day,
26:54Vivian finally lost it.
27:00What do you want from me?
27:02I had just taken a step toward her
27:04when a hand came from behind
27:06and yanked my arm hard.
27:08He pulled me back so hard
27:10I nearly lost my footing.
27:12Don't touch my wife.
27:20He pulled Vivian behind him
27:22and stared at me,
27:23cold.
27:24But the second he really saw me,
27:26he froze.
27:28It's you.
27:29He said,
27:29voice shaking.
27:30I looked straight at him
27:31and cried out loud enough
27:32for everyone around us to hear.
27:34Evan?
27:35Aren't you dead?
27:37Evan's face paled instantly.
27:40He grabbed Vivian's hand
27:41and tried to walk away.
27:43You've got the wrong person.
27:46It was rush hour.
27:47Employees were leaving the building.
27:49People were everywhere.
27:51I didn't stop him.
27:52I dropped to my knees,
27:54grabbed his leg,
27:55and burst into tears.
27:57Evan Dawson told me
27:59you were dead.
27:59You were dead.
28:04Then why are you here?
28:07Why are you calling Vivian your wife?
28:11If you didn't want me,
28:13you could have divorced me.
28:14Why did you tell such a big lie?
28:17This time,
28:17my tears were real.
28:19I wasn't pretending.
28:20I was crying for the woman
28:22I'd been in my past life.
28:24For the love she gave to a man
28:26who had only ever used me.
28:28Evan shook me off hard.
28:29I don't know you,
28:31you crazy woman.
28:32How could you say
28:34you don't know me?
28:38Dawson told me
28:39you died in a car crash.
28:41I buried your ashes myself.
28:44And now you're standing here alive.
28:51Did you fake your death
28:52just so you could be with Vivian?
28:54Is she pregnant?
28:55How could you do this to me?
28:58Vivian covered the small curve
28:59of her belly,
29:00her face going white.
29:02More and more people
29:04began gathering around.
29:06It didn't matter where you were.
29:07People loved a scandal.
29:09And this one was happening
29:11right in front of NYCDDC staff.
29:14Evan still hadn't managed
29:16to get officially hired,
29:17but he'd been around the office plenty.
29:19And everyone knew him
29:20as Vivian's husband.
29:22I pulled my marriage certificate
29:23from my bag and held it high
29:25for everyone to see.
29:27We've been married for three years!
29:34He is my husband!
29:37But that's disgusting.
29:39He faked his death
29:40so I'd stay in Greenwood
29:41taking care of his mother
29:42while he moved to New York
29:44and shacked up
29:44with another woman!
29:46People were surrounding us
29:47from every side.
29:48Evan couldn't leave
29:49even if he wanted to.
29:51He glared at me
29:52with murder in his eyes.
29:54I don't know you.
29:56This is slander.
29:58The marriage certificate
29:59is right here.
30:01Why are you still lying?
30:04Vivian,
30:04we grew up in the same town.
30:07How could you steal my husband?
30:11You wrecked my marriage!
30:17What am I supposed to do now?
30:19I kept crying and pushing.
30:22Vivian covered her ears
30:23and shook her head.
30:25No.
30:25No, that's not true.
30:27Don't listen to her!
30:29I don't know this woman!
30:30She's lying!
30:31Evan tried to shield Vivian
30:32and pushed through the crowd.
30:34People blocked him.
30:35We want an explanation.
30:39Then I pulled out
30:40the death registration
30:41and held that up too.
30:43I really thought you were dead.
30:45I registered your death myself.
30:47And here you are,
30:48alive and well.
30:50Why couldn't you just
30:51tell me the truth?
30:52Someone in the crowd muttered.
30:53So that's why he couldn't
30:54complete his hiring paperwork.
30:55He kept saying there was
30:56some problem with his records.
31:00He kept saying there was
31:02some problem with his records.
31:04Another voice came from the back.
31:06So he faked his death
31:07to dodge the cheating scandal?
31:09He got rid of his wife
31:10and kept his reputation
31:11intact too.
31:12That's disgusting.
31:13The murmurs swept
31:14through the crowd.
31:16Evan's face darkened
31:17until it looked almost black.
31:19He stared at me
31:20like he wanted
31:21to tear me apart.
31:22Then the commotion
31:23brought the police.
31:24All three of us
31:26were taken in.
31:27At the station,
31:28I told the whole story.
31:30I didn't mention
31:31my past life.
31:32I said,
31:34I want to report
31:35that she stole my design work
31:36and took my position
31:37at NYCDDC.
31:42And her father,
31:43who's the mayor of our town,
31:45helped my husband
31:46fake his death
31:46by issuing fraudulent
31:47cremation paperwork.
31:49I hope all of it
31:50gets investigated properly.
31:52The officer's expressions
31:53got worse
31:54the longer I talked.
31:56Evan and Vivian
31:57looked like they wanted
31:57to strangle me
31:58on the spot.
32:00The second we stepped
32:01out of the station,
32:02they lunged toward me.
32:03I let out a cold laugh
32:05and glanced at Vivian's
32:07slightly rounded belly.
32:08Do some good for once.
32:11Don't make your kid
32:12pay for your sins
32:12before it's even born.
32:13If it weren't for you,
32:14we wouldn't be in this mess!
32:16Evan snarled.
32:17I should never have
32:18married you!
32:20Vivian was glaring
32:21at me with hatred.
32:26I smiled.
32:28You're right.
32:30You should have
32:31divorced me.
32:33But instead,
32:34you faked your death,
32:35trapped me on that farm
32:37to take care of your mother,
32:38and let Vivian steal
32:39my design and my job.
32:42And now that it's
32:42all blown up,
32:44whose fault is that?
32:47I walked away
32:48without looking back,
32:49left the two of them
32:50standing there
32:51like a pair of stray dogs.
32:53Things moved fast
32:54after that.
32:56Dawson was investigated
32:57and suspended.
32:58It turned out
32:59the fake cremation paperwork
33:01was just the beginning.
33:02He'd also taken bribes,
33:04abused his office,
33:10and embezzled town funds.
33:12Eight years.
33:14The people at the town hospital
33:16and the cremation service
33:18who had helped him
33:18were suspended
33:19and investigated too.
33:21Vivian was fired
33:22from NYCDDC
33:24for stealing my design.
33:26She went home crying.
33:28When I got back
33:29to Greenwood,
33:29Evan and Margaret
33:30were already waiting
33:31for me outside the farm.
33:33The second Margaret saw me,
33:35she grabbed at my clothes.
33:36Was it you?
33:38Did you steal
33:39the insurance money?
33:41How come there was
33:42no money left
33:43on the card
33:44I sent to Evan?
33:45Slapped her hand away
33:46and gave a cold laugh.
33:48How would I know?
33:50Maybe you spent
33:51the money yourself.
33:55Evan glared at me.
33:59Claire,
33:59did you really
34:00have to go this far?
34:03Did you?
34:08You abandoned
34:09your own mother
34:09and ran to New York
34:10with Vivian.
34:13If I hadn't seen it
34:14with my own eyes,
34:15how much longer
34:16were you planning
34:16to keep lying to me?
34:19And Vivian stole my design.
34:21Don't pretend
34:21you had nothing
34:22to do with that.
34:25You wanted to step
34:26all over me
34:27and live well?
34:28Dream on.
34:31And now Dawson's
34:32out of a job
34:33and in prison.
34:35Honestly,
34:35that part feels
34:36pretty great.
34:41Margaret dropped
34:42down in front
34:42of the house
34:43and started crying again.
34:44With me!
34:45She called me a curse,
34:46said I had ruined
34:47her son.
34:49Evan reached for me,
34:50but I stepped back.
34:51I walked into
34:52the tool shed,
34:53came back out
34:54with a long-handled
34:55shovel and swung
34:56it lightly in front
34:57of me.
35:00This house
35:00and this farm
35:01are in my name now.
35:04If you don't leave,
35:06I'm calling the police.
35:08This is Carter property.
35:09I'll take it back.
35:10Then hire a lawyer.
35:12But don't forget,
35:13you're legally dead.
35:15That line wiped
35:16the color right out
35:17of his face.
35:18Then he grabbed
35:19Margaret and left.
35:24I didn't give them
35:25a second chance.
35:26I took the title papers
35:28to the county clerk
35:28and had the property
35:29records checked again.
35:31Everything was legal.
35:33Everything was airtight.
35:34Whatever Evan tried,
35:35it wasn't going to matter.
35:37Margaret and Evan
35:38kept causing scenes
35:39outside the farm
35:40for a few days.
35:41When they realized
35:42it wasn't working,
35:43they had no choice
35:44but to leave.
35:45They went to Vivian's family,
35:47hoping she'd take them in.
35:49She wouldn't even
35:50let them through the door.
35:51Her reputation
35:52in Greenwood
35:53was ruined too.
35:55Everyone looked down
35:56on a woman who cheated
35:57and stole someone else's work.
35:59Even her mother blamed her.
36:02If you hadn't insisted
36:03on running off with Evan,
36:05Dawson never would have
36:06ended up like this!
36:12Haven't you done
36:13enough damage to me?
36:14My job is gone
36:15and my father is in prison.
36:17I'm getting rid of the baby
36:19this week!
36:21After that,
36:22never come looking
36:23for me again!
36:24I had no intention
36:25of staying in Greenwood,
36:26but I definitely wasn't
36:27leaving the farm open
36:28in case Evan or Margaret
36:30ever crawled back.
36:31After thinking it through,
36:32I let Mason use the farm.
36:34Mason had old history
36:36with the Carters.
36:37He was tall,
36:38strong,
36:39and not the kind of man
36:40anyone pushed around.
36:42I didn't charge him rent.
36:44I only gave him
36:45one condition.
36:46If Evan or Margaret
36:47ever come back,
36:48don't ever let them inside.
36:50Mason gave a short laugh.
36:52Don't worry.
36:53If they show up,
36:54I've got ways
36:54of making them leave.
36:59Not long after that,
37:01the head of design
37:01at NYCDDC
37:03came to see me.
37:04She handed me a contract.
37:08Claire,
37:09I'm very sorry
37:10we didn't realize sooner
37:11that Vivian took your place.
37:14That design was always yours.
37:16So was this job.
37:18My fingers trembled
37:20around the contract.
37:21In my last life,
37:22I gave it up for Margaret.
37:24Vivian built a whole career on it
37:26and became a celebrated architect.
37:29This time,
37:30it finally came back to me.
37:32When I entered NYCDDC,
37:35I started from the bottom,
37:37revising blueprints,
37:38visiting job sites,
37:40sitting in meetings
37:41with contractors.
37:42I didn't feel wronged at all.
37:47In my last life,
37:49Vivian had stolen my chance
37:51to even walk into that building.
37:53This time,
37:54I stood there on my own feet.
37:55And every step felt steady.
37:58I knew the next few years
38:00would bring a wave
38:01of renovation projects
38:02across New York.
38:03Old warehouses,
38:05aging apartment buildings,
38:07small storefronts.
38:09Everything would be
38:10torn down and remade.
38:12I started taking on
38:13design work in my off hours.
38:15Some people wanted
38:16old houses remodeled.
38:18Some wanted coffee shops
38:20or studio apartments designed.
38:21Some wanted to turn
38:23old warehouses
38:24into workspaces.
38:26With my design skills
38:27and everything I remembered
38:29from my last life,
38:30I slowly saved up
38:31my first sum of money.
38:33Later,
38:34I rented a small studio space
38:36of my own.
38:37I called it Claire Design.
38:39I specialized in old houses
38:41and commercial spaces,
38:43places nobody else
38:44wanted to touch.
38:46I turned them into places
38:47worth living in again,
38:49just like my life.
38:55A few years later,
38:57Mason had saved enough money
38:58to buy the farm.
39:00I agreed.
39:01For me,
39:02Greenwood had become
39:03nothing more than a past
39:05I never wanted to return to.
39:07After the paperwork was done,
39:09Mason bought me
39:10a cup of coffee.
39:11While we talked,
39:12he brought up Evan.
39:14He never managed
39:15to get his identity back.
39:17Reversing a death registration
39:18isn't simple,
39:20especially not when the man
39:21faked his death
39:21to cheat on his wife.
39:24No lawyer wanted
39:25to touch his case.
39:26He had no money
39:27and nowhere to go.
39:28So he and Margaret
39:29left Greenwood
39:30and drifted from one
39:31construction site to another
39:32doing under-the-table labor.
39:35The places were filthy.
39:37Sometimes they barely ate.
39:40Margaret didn't last long.
39:43I heard Evan couldn't even
39:44afford to bury her.
39:45A charity had to help
39:46with the cremation.
39:47He never even got her a grave.
39:49He just carried the ashes around.
39:51Mason let out a slow breath.
39:53He lost all his fight
39:54after that.
39:55Eventually,
39:55he turned into a homeless bum,
39:57begging from place to place.
40:00Then he mentioned Vivian.
40:02She left town too.
40:08Once word got around
40:09that she stole
40:10someone else's design,
40:11no company wanted her.
40:12I heard she ended up
40:13marrying some old bachelor,
40:14and things went bad
40:15for her after that.
40:17Once,
40:17she came back
40:18with three kids,
40:18but her own family
40:20had already been ruined
40:20because of her.
40:22So they chased her off
40:23with a broom.
40:24Mason shook his head.
40:25Who would have thought
40:25they'd end up like that?
40:26I lifted my coffee
40:28and took a slow sip.
40:29People who do evil
40:31eventually answer for it.
40:32This is what they had coming.
40:34I never remarried.
40:36After living through two lives,
40:37I finally understood something.
40:40Before you love anyone else,
40:42you have to know
40:43how to love yourself.
40:44I had money.
40:45I had a career.
40:47I had time.
40:49And I had the freedom
40:50to choose what to do
40:51with my life.
40:53Once,
40:53I thought I'd lost my husband
40:55and my future
40:56along with him.
40:57Later,
40:58I realized
40:59I'd only lost a liar.
41:01What I got in return
41:02was the chance
41:03to live all over again.