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Transcript
00:00:01In college, I was the fattest girl on campus.
00:00:04I was also the richest.
00:00:07Roman DeLocco was the poorest boy in our class.
00:00:10Visibly broke.
00:00:11Visibly beautiful.
00:00:13I wanted him, so I made him an offer.
00:00:16If Roman became my boyfriend, I would pay for his grandfather's surgery.
00:00:21He said yes.
00:00:25For four years, the entire campus laughed at him.
00:00:31Let's break up.
00:00:35When I said goodbye, he was cold.
00:00:37Not a single word to make me stay.
00:00:44Five years.
00:00:46Fake names.
00:00:47New cities.
00:00:48Kitchen jobs.
00:00:49Warehouse jobs.
00:00:50Anything that paid cash.
00:00:51The girl who once weighed 210 pounds dropped 70 of them,
00:00:54and Roman had become the youngest Don this city had ever seen.
00:00:57The straight-A student everyone expected to cure cancer or win a prize had become.
00:01:01The man even the police were afraid to name.
00:01:03I never thought I'd see him again.
00:01:05Least of all like this.
00:01:06New girl.
00:01:07Fruit platter to the VIP room.
00:01:09Eight men in suits around a table.
00:01:11Cigar smoke.
00:01:12And Roman at the head of it.
00:01:14Broader.
00:01:15Harder.
00:01:16Nothing left of the boy I knew except the face.
00:01:19My heart nearly stopped.
00:01:23If he recognized me, what would a man like this do to the woman who had ruined him?
00:01:27But I'd lost 70 pounds and every trace of who I used to be.
00:01:30I set the platter down.
00:01:31Head low.
00:01:32Hands steady.
00:01:34I turned to leave.
00:01:35The pomegranate.
00:01:36Seated.
00:01:38That voice was nothing I recognized.
00:01:40Deeper.
00:01:41Colder.
00:01:42But my body knew it before my mind did.
00:01:46I turned my back to him and picked up the pomegranate.
00:01:49Split it open.
00:01:50Started picking the seeds out one by one.
00:01:52My hands were shaking.
00:01:54I squeezed the fruit harder to keep them still.
00:01:56A long time ago, Roman used to do this for me.
00:01:59Campus dining hall.
00:02:00He'd split a pomegranate in half and pick out every seed with those long, careful fingers.
00:02:04Red juice staining his hands while I talked too loud about nothing.
00:02:08You look like you just murdered someone.
00:02:10Back then I thought it meant he loved me.
00:02:12Later I realized he did everything I asked because he couldn't afford to say no.
00:02:16Behind me, the men were drinking.
00:02:18Voices loose.
00:02:19Someone brought up old stories.
00:02:21I heard that Don had a girlfriend back in college.
00:02:22My fingers slipped.
00:02:23A seed bounced off the plate.
00:02:25Roman said nothing.
00:02:27Four years, right?
00:02:28Must have been something serious.
00:02:29Then a woman's voice.
00:02:31Smooth.
00:02:32Amused.
00:02:32Serious isn't the word I'd use.
00:02:35Stella Fontaine.
00:02:36Model.
00:02:37Old money family.
00:02:38Always at Roman's side.
00:02:41We went to the same school.
00:02:43She was the prettiest girl in our year.
00:02:46That girl was, how do I put this, not exactly someone you'd picture Roman with.
00:02:52Stella laughed softly.
00:02:53She had to pay him to stay.
00:02:55Literally.
00:02:56It's a miracle Roman doesn't hate her.
00:02:57The table laughed.
00:02:59My hand clenched around the pomegranate.
00:03:02Seeds burst under my grip.
00:03:04Red juice ran down my fingers, across the white plate, onto the tablecloth.
00:03:08What the hell?
00:03:09She ruined the entire platter.
00:03:10I'm sorry.
00:03:11I'll get a fresh one.
00:03:12I grabbed the plate and turned for the door.
00:03:15Stop.
00:03:16Roman's voice.
00:03:18One word.
00:03:19The whole room went quiet.
00:03:21Turn around.
00:03:28Turn around.
00:03:30My body turned to stone.
00:03:31One second.
00:03:33Two.
00:03:33But if I turned around, he'd see my face, and it would all be over.
00:03:37Are you deaf?
00:03:38The Don told you to turn around.
00:03:39Do it.
00:03:40Stella's voice cut across the room.
00:03:42I turned.
00:03:43Slowly.
00:03:45Stella's eyes swept over me.
00:03:47Her brow creased.
00:03:48You look a little like...
00:03:50The club manager rushed in.
00:03:51Don DeLuca, I'm so sorry.
00:03:52She's new.
00:03:53Still training.
00:03:53I'll deal with this immediately.
00:03:54He grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the door.
00:03:56Move.
00:03:57Now.
00:04:01I stumbled out of the VIP room on legs that barely held me.
00:04:05Listen to me.
00:04:06The man at the head of that table controls half the city.
00:04:09You do not make him ask twice.
00:04:11You do not spill anything.
00:04:12You do not even look at him wrong.
00:04:14I understand.
00:04:15I'm sorry.
00:04:16That room is off limits for you from now on.
00:04:18Don't go near it again.
00:04:27I pressed my back against the wall and stared at my hands.
00:04:30Pomegranate juice was drying between my fingers.
00:04:32Dark red.
00:04:33Almost black.
00:04:34If there's anyone on this planet who has already made Roman DeLuca ask twice, it's me.
00:04:37I made him say yes to a girl he never chose.
00:04:40I made him endure four years of humiliation and silence.
00:04:43The club manager told me not to get on his bad side.
00:04:46I've been on his bad side since the day I bought him.
00:04:52Freshman year.
00:04:53September.
00:04:54Roman DeLuca was standing at the edge of the orientation crowd in a hoodie so faded it was nearly see
00:04:58-throughed.
00:04:59Visibly broke.
00:05:00Visibly beautiful.
00:05:01I was in a red dress that cost $4,000.
00:05:04210 pounds.
00:05:06Heels that made the floor shake and a voice loud enough to carry across the courtyard.
00:05:09I liked his voice.
00:05:11Low.
00:05:11Cool.
00:05:12Precise.
00:05:13I liked that he never showed off or pretended to be someone he wasn't.
00:05:17One week later, I cornered him after class.
00:05:20Blocked his path, arms wide open.
00:05:23Roman DeLuca, I like you.
00:05:25Go out with me.
00:05:27I'm rich so we can split my allowance.
00:05:29Or I'll pay for kiss.
00:05:30Your call.
00:05:30Obviously.
00:05:31No.
00:05:32He ducked under my arm and walked away.
00:05:34But I'd never lost at anything in my life.
00:05:36The more he refused, the harder I pushed.
00:05:39Until his grandfather collapsed.
00:05:41I see you.
00:05:43A bill bigger than anything Roman would ever earn.
00:05:46I paid it without blinking.
00:05:48Roman finally gave in.
00:05:50I can't pay you back.
00:05:51I don't want you to.
00:05:52Then what do you want?
00:05:53I greened.
00:05:54You know what I want?
00:05:56Yes.
00:05:57He lowered his head and said yes.
00:06:00I thought I'd saved him.
00:06:01It took me years to understand that I got him, but I also broke him.
00:06:04After we got together, Roman still worked every job he could find.
00:06:07He barely touched my money.
00:06:08But the rumors got worse.
00:06:09People said he'd sold himself.
00:06:11The nicknames got uglier.
00:06:13The looks got meaner.
00:06:14I squeezed his hand and told him,
00:06:16Ignore them.
00:06:16They're just jealous.
00:06:19I never once climbed down from my ivory tower to see that Roman was fighting alone.
00:06:23Senior year, my family went bankrupt.
00:06:28I didn't tell him.
00:06:32I just called him out and said, let's break up.
00:06:35Why?
00:06:37I'm bored.
00:06:41Okay.
00:06:42And that was it.
00:06:43I told myself he was probably relieved.
00:06:46Finally free.
00:06:48I snapped my SIM card, deleted every account, and disappeared.
00:06:53Five years later, I'd lost so much weight that even the Detcheglers barely recognized me.
00:06:58Three months ago, I came back.
00:07:02I never imagined he'd end up in this world.
00:07:04He used to carry spiders outside instead of killing them.
00:07:06And now he was a blood-slipped Don.
00:07:08And Stella Fontaine was a better match for him than I ever was.
00:07:11I pressed my hand against my chest and swallowed the ache.
00:07:17Closing time.
00:07:182 a.m.
00:07:20I was the last one out.
00:07:21Two and aunt.
00:07:22The other staff had already gone.
00:07:23Lights off.
00:07:24Elevator shut down.
00:07:25I jabbed the button over and over, hoping it would come back to life.
00:07:27Call the night guard.
00:07:29Roman's voice.
00:07:30Right.
00:07:31Behind.
00:07:31Me.
00:07:35In college, I was the fattest girl on campus.
00:07:37I was also the richest.
00:07:40Roman DeLocco was the poorest boy in our class.
00:07:43Visibly broke.
00:07:45Visibly beautiful.
00:07:46I wanted him, so I made him an offer.
00:07:50If Roman became my boyfriend, I would pay for his grandfather's surgery.
00:07:55He said yes.
00:07:59For four years, the entire campus laughed at him.
00:08:04Let's break up.
00:08:08When I said goodbye, he was cold.
00:08:11Not a single word to make me stay.
00:08:18Five years.
00:08:19Fake names.
00:08:21New cities.
00:08:22Kitchen jobs.
00:08:23Warehouse jobs.
00:08:23Anything that paid cash.
00:08:25The girl who once weighed 210 pounds dropped 70 of them, and Roman had become the youngest
00:08:29Don this city had ever seen.
00:08:31The straight-A student everyone expected to cure cancer or win a prize had become...
00:08:35The man even the police were afraid to name.
00:08:37I never thought I'd see him again.
00:08:39Least of all like this.
00:08:40New girl.
00:08:40Fruit platter to the VIP room.
00:08:43Eight men in suits around a table.
00:08:45Cigar smoke.
00:08:46And Roman at the head of it.
00:08:48Broader.
00:08:49Harder.
00:08:50Nothing left of the boy I knew except the face.
00:08:53My heart nearly stopped.
00:08:56If he recognized me, what would a man like this do to the woman who had ruined him?
00:09:00But I'd lost 70 pounds and every trace of who I used to be.
00:09:04I set the platter down.
00:09:05Head low.
00:09:06Hands steady.
00:09:07I turned to leave.
00:09:09The pomegranate.
00:09:10Seated.
00:09:12That voice was nothing I recognized.
00:09:14Deeper.
00:09:15Colder.
00:09:16But my body knew it before my mind did.
00:09:20I turned my back to him and picked up the pomegranate.
00:09:22Split it open.
00:09:24Started picking the seeds out one by one.
00:09:26My hands were shaking.
00:09:27I squeezed the fruit harder to keep them still.
00:09:30A long time ago, Roman used to do this for me.
00:09:33Campus dining hall.
00:09:34He'd split a pomegranate in half and pick out every seed with those long, careful fingers.
00:09:38Red juice staining his hands while I talked too loud about nothing.
00:09:42You look like you just murdered someone.
00:09:44Back then I thought it meant he loved me.
00:09:46Later I realized he did everything I asked because he couldn't afford to say no.
00:09:50Behind me, the men were drinking.
00:09:52Voices loose.
00:09:53Someone brought up old stories.
00:09:55I heard that Don had a girlfriend back in college.
00:09:56My fingers slipped.
00:09:57A seed bounced off the plate.
00:09:59Roman said nothing.
00:10:00Four years, right?
00:10:02Must have been something serious.
00:10:03Then a woman's voice.
00:10:05Smooth.
00:10:06Amused.
00:10:06Serious isn't the word I'd use.
00:10:09Stella Fontaine.
00:10:10Model.
00:10:10Old money family.
00:10:12Always at Roman's side.
00:10:15We went to the same school.
00:10:17She was the prettiest girl in our year.
00:10:20That girl was, how do I put this, not exactly someone you'd picture Roman with.
00:10:25Stella laughed softly.
00:10:27She had to pay him to stay.
00:10:29Literally.
00:10:29It's a miracle Roman doesn't hate her.
00:10:31The table laughed.
00:10:33My hand clenched around the pomegranate.
00:10:36Seeds burst under my grip.
00:10:38Red juice ran down my fingers, across the white plate, onto the tablecloth.
00:10:42What the hell?
00:10:43She ruined the entire platter.
00:10:44I'm sorry.
00:10:45I'll get a fresh one.
00:10:46I grabbed the plate and turned for the door.
00:10:48Stop.
00:10:50Roman's voice.
00:10:51One word.
00:10:52The whole room went quiet.
00:10:55Turn around.
00:11:02Turn around.
00:11:03My body turned to stone.
00:11:05One second.
00:11:06Two.
00:11:07But if I turned around, he'd see my face, and it would all be over.
00:11:10Are you deaf?
00:11:11The Don told you to turn around.
00:11:13Do it.
00:11:14Stella's voice cut across the room.
00:11:16I turned.
00:11:17Slowly.
00:11:19Stella's eyes swept over me.
00:11:20Her brow creased.
00:11:22You look a little like...
00:11:23The club manager rushed in.
00:11:25Don DeLuca, I'm so sorry.
00:11:26She's new.
00:11:26Still training.
00:11:27I'll deal with this immediately.
00:11:28He grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the door.
00:11:30Move.
00:11:30Now.
00:11:35I stumbled out of the VIP room on legs that barely held me.
00:11:38Listen to me.
00:11:39The man at the head of that table controls half the city.
00:11:43You do not make him ask twice.
00:11:44You do not spill anything.
00:11:46You do not even look at him wrong.
00:11:48I understand.
00:11:49I'm sorry.
00:11:50That room is off limits for you from now on.
00:11:52Don't go near it again.
00:12:00I pressed my back against the wall and stared at my hands.
00:12:04Pomegranate juice was drying between my fingers.
00:12:06Dark red.
00:12:06Almost black.
00:12:07If there's anyone on this planet who has already made Roman DeLuca ask twice, it's me.
00:12:11I made him say yes to a girl he never chose.
00:12:13I made him endure four years of humiliation and silence.
00:12:17The club manager told me not to get on his bad side.
00:12:20I've been on his bad side since the day I bought him.
00:12:25Freshman year.
00:12:26September.
00:12:27Roman DeLuca was standing at the edge of the orientation crowd in a hoodie so faded it was
00:12:31nearly see-throughed.
00:12:33Visibly broke.
00:12:34Visibly beautiful.
00:12:35I was in a red dress that cost $4,000.
00:12:38210 pounds.
00:12:39Heels that made the floor shake and a voice loud enough to carry across the courtyard.
00:12:43I liked his voice.
00:12:44Low.
00:12:45Cool.
00:12:46Precise.
00:12:47I liked that he never showed off or pretended to be someone he wasn't.
00:12:51One week later, I cornered him after class.
00:12:54Blocked his path, arms wide open.
00:12:57Roman DeLuca, I like you.
00:12:59Go out with me.
00:13:01I'm rich so we can split my allowance.
00:13:02Or I'll pay for kiss.
00:13:04Your call.
00:13:04Obviously.
00:13:05No.
00:13:05He ducked under my arm and walked away.
00:13:07But I'd never lost it anything in my life.
00:13:10The more he refused, the harder I pushed.
00:13:13Until his grandfather collapsed.
00:13:15I see you.
00:13:17A bill bigger than anything Roman would ever earn.
00:13:19I paid it without blinking.
00:13:21Roman finally gave in.
00:13:24I can't pay you back.
00:13:25I don't want you to.
00:13:26Then what do you want?
00:13:27I greened.
00:13:28You know what I want?
00:13:30Yes.
00:13:31He lowered his head and said yes.
00:13:34I thought I'd saved him.
00:13:35It took me years to understand that I got him, but I also broke him.
00:13:38After we got together, Roman still worked every job he could find.
00:13:40He barely touched my money.
00:13:42But the rumors got worse.
00:13:43People said he'd sold himself.
00:13:45The nicknames got uglier.
00:13:47The looks got meaner.
00:13:48I squeezed his hand and told him,
00:13:49Ignore them.
00:13:50They're just jealous.
00:13:52I never once climbed down from my ivory tower to see that Roman was fighting alone.
00:13:57Senior year, my family went bankrupt.
00:14:02I didn't tell him.
00:14:06I just called him out and said,
00:14:07Let's break up.
00:14:09Why?
00:14:10I'm bored.
00:14:14Okay.
00:14:16And that was it.
00:14:17I told myself he was probably relieved.
00:14:19Finally free.
00:14:21I snapped my SIM card,
00:14:23deleted every account,
00:14:25and disappeared.
00:14:27Five years later,
00:14:28I'd lost so much weight that even the Detcheglers barely recognized me.
00:14:32Three months ago,
00:14:33I came back.
00:14:35I never imagined he'd end up in this world.
00:14:38He used to carry spiders outside instead of killing them.
00:14:40And now he was a blood-slipped Don.
00:14:42And Stella Fontaine was a better match for him than I ever was.
00:14:45I pressed my hand against my chest and swallowed the ache.
00:14:51Closing time.
00:14:522 a.m.
00:14:53I was the last one out.
00:14:552 an ant.
00:14:55The other staff had already gone.
00:14:57Lights off.
00:14:58Elevator shut down.
00:14:59I jabbed the button over and over,
00:15:00hoping it would come back to life.
00:15:01Call the night guard.
00:15:02Roman's voice.
00:15:04Right.
00:15:04Behind.
00:15:05Me.
00:15:08In college,
00:15:09I was the fattest girl on campus.
00:15:11I was also the richest.
00:15:14Roman DeLacco was the poorest boy in our class.
00:15:17Visibly broke.
00:15:19Visibly beautiful.
00:15:20I wanted him,
00:15:21so I made him an offer.
00:15:24If Roman became my boyfriend,
00:15:26I would pay for his grandfather's surgery.
00:15:29He said yes.
00:15:33For four years,
00:15:34the entire campus laughed at him.
00:15:38Let's break up.
00:15:40Let's break up.
00:15:42When I said goodbye,
00:15:44he was cold.
00:15:45Not a single word to make me stay.
00:15:52Five years.
00:15:53Fake names.
00:15:55New cities.
00:15:56Kitchen jobs.
00:15:56Warehouse jobs.
00:15:57Anything that paid cash.
00:15:58The girl who once weighed 210 pounds
00:16:00dropped 70 of them,
00:16:01and Roman had become the youngest Don
00:16:03this city had ever seen.
00:16:04The straight-A student
00:16:05everyone expected to cure cancer
00:16:07or win a prize had become...
00:16:08The man even the police were afraid to name.
00:16:10I never thought I'd see him again,
00:16:12least of all like this.
00:16:14New girl.
00:16:14Fruit platter to the VIP room.
00:16:17Eight men in suits around a table.
00:16:18Cigar smoke.
00:16:20And Roman at the head of it.
00:16:22Broader.
00:16:23Harder.
00:16:24Nothing left of the boy I knew
00:16:25except the face.
00:16:27My heart nearly stopped.
00:16:30If he recognized me,
00:16:32what would a man like this do
00:16:33to the woman who had ruined him?
00:16:34But I'd lost 70 pounds
00:16:35and every trace of who I used to be.
00:16:37I set the platter down,
00:16:39head low,
00:16:40hands steady.
00:16:41I turned to leave.
00:16:42The pomegranate.
00:16:44Seeded.
00:16:46That voice was nothing I recognized.
00:16:48Deeper.
00:16:49Colder.
00:16:50But my body knew it
00:16:51before my mind did.
00:16:53I turned my back to him
00:16:55and picked up the pomegranate.
00:16:56Split it open.
00:16:57Started picking the seeds out
00:16:59one by one.
00:17:00My hands were shaking.
00:17:01I squeezed the fruit harder
00:17:02to keep them still.
00:17:04A long time ago,
00:17:05Roman used to do this for me.
00:17:06Campus dining hall.
00:17:08He'd split a pomegranate in half
00:17:09and pick out every seed
00:17:10with those long,
00:17:11careful fingers.
00:17:12Red juice staining his hands
00:17:13while I talked too loud
00:17:14about nothing.
00:17:16You look like you just
00:17:17murdered someone.
00:17:18Back then I thought
00:17:18it meant he loved me.
00:17:20Later I realized
00:17:21he did everything I asked
00:17:22because he couldn't
00:17:22afford to say no.
00:17:24Behind me,
00:17:24the men were drinking.
00:17:26Voices loose.
00:17:27Someone brought up old stories.
00:17:28I heard that Don had a girlfriend
00:17:29back in college.
00:17:30My fingers slipped.
00:17:31A seed bounced off the plate.
00:17:33Roman said nothing.
00:17:34Four years, right?
00:17:35Must have been something serious.
00:17:37Then a woman's voice.
00:17:38Smooth.
00:17:39Amused.
00:17:40Serious isn't the word I'd use.
00:17:42Stella Fontained.
00:17:44Model.
00:17:44Old money family.
00:17:45Always at Roman's side.
00:17:48We went to the same school.
00:17:50She was the prettiest girl
00:17:52in our year.
00:17:53That girl was,
00:17:55how do I put this,
00:17:56not exactly someone
00:17:57you'd picture Roman with.
00:17:59Stella laughed softly.
00:18:01She had to pay him to stay.
00:18:02Literally.
00:18:03It's a miracle Roman
00:18:04doesn't hate her.
00:18:05The table laughed.
00:18:07My hand clenched
00:18:08around the pomegranate.
00:18:10Seeds burst under my grip.
00:18:12Red juice ran down my fingers,
00:18:13across the white plate,
00:18:15onto the tablecloth.
00:18:16What the hell?
00:18:17She ruined the entire platter.
00:18:18I'm sorry.
00:18:19I'll get a fresh one.
00:18:20I grabbed the plate
00:18:21and turned for the door.
00:18:22Stop.
00:18:24Roman's voice.
00:18:25One word.
00:18:26The whole room went quiet.
00:18:28Turn around.
00:18:36Turn around.
00:18:37My body turned to stone.
00:18:39One second.
00:18:40Two.
00:18:41But if I turned around,
00:18:42he'd see my face
00:18:43and it would all be over.
00:18:44Are you death?
00:18:45The Don told you to turn around.
00:18:47Do it.
00:18:47Stella's voice cut across the room.
00:18:49I turned.
00:18:50Slowly.
00:18:53Stella's eyes swept over me.
00:18:54Her brow creased.
00:18:56You look a little like...
00:18:57The club manager rushed in.
00:18:59Don DeLuca.
00:18:59I'm so sorry.
00:19:00She's new.
00:19:00Still training.
00:19:01I'll deal with this immediately.
00:19:02He grabbed my arm
00:19:03and yanked me toward the door.
00:19:04Move.
00:19:04Now.
00:19:09I stumbled out of the VIP room
00:19:11on legs that barely held me.
00:19:12Listen to me.
00:19:13The man at the head of that table
00:19:15controls half the city.
00:19:16You do not make him ask twice.
00:19:18You do not spill anything.
00:19:20You do not even look at him wrong.
00:19:22I understand.
00:19:23I'm sorry.
00:19:24That room is off limits for you from now on.
00:19:25Don't go near it again.
00:19:34I pressed my back against the wall
00:19:36and stared at my hands.
00:19:38Pomegranate juice was drying between my fingers.
00:19:40Dark red.
00:19:40Almost black.
00:19:41If there's anyone on this planet
00:19:42who has already made Roman DeLuca ask twice,
00:19:44it's me.
00:19:45I made him say yes to a girl he never chose.
00:19:47I made him endure four years of humiliation and silence.
00:19:51The club manager told me not to get on his bad side.
00:19:54I've been on his bad side since the day I bought him.
00:19:59Freshman year.
00:20:00September.
00:20:01Roman DeLuca was standing at the edge of the orientation crowd
00:20:04in a hoodie so faded it was nearly see-throughed.
00:20:07Visibly broke.
00:20:08Visibly beautiful.
00:20:09I was in a red dress that cost $4,000.
00:20:12210 pounds.
00:20:13Heels that made the floor shake
00:20:14and a voice loud enough to carry across the courtyard.
00:20:17I liked his voice.
00:20:18Low.
00:20:19Cool.
00:20:20Precise.
00:20:21I liked that he never showed off
00:20:22or pretended to be someone he wasn't.
00:20:25One week later, I cornered him after class.
00:20:28Blocked his path.
00:20:29Arms wide open.
00:20:31Roman DeLuca, I like you.
00:20:33Go out with me.
00:20:35I'm rich so we can split my allowance.
00:20:36Or I'll pay per kiss.
00:20:37Your call.
00:20:38Obviously.
00:20:39No.
00:20:39He ducked under my arm and walked away.
00:20:41But I'd never lost at anything in my life.
00:20:43The more he refused, the harder I pushed.
00:20:47Until his grandfather collapsed.
00:20:49I see you.
00:20:51A bill bigger than anything Roman would ever earn.
00:20:53I paid it without blinking.
00:20:55Roman finally gave in.
00:20:57I can't pay you back.
00:20:59I don't want you to.
00:21:00Then what do you want?
00:21:01I greened.
00:21:01You know what I want?
00:21:04Yes.
00:21:05He lowered his head and said yes.
00:21:07I thought I'd saved him.
00:21:09It took me years to understand that I got him,
00:21:10but I also broke him.
00:21:12After we got together, Roman still worked every job he could find.
00:21:14He barely touched my money.
00:21:15But the rumors got worse.
00:21:17People said he'd sold himself.
00:21:19The nicknames got uglier.
00:21:20The looks got meaner.
00:21:22I squeezed his hand and told him,
00:21:23Ignore them.
00:21:24They're just jealous.
00:21:26I never once climbed down from my ivory tower to see that Roman was fighting alone.
00:21:31Senior year, my family went bankrupt.
00:21:36I didn't tell him.
00:21:39I just called him out and said,
00:21:41Let's break up.
00:21:43Why?
00:21:44I'm bored.
00:21:48Okay.
00:21:49And that was it.
00:21:51I told myself he was probably relieved.
00:21:53Finally free.
00:21:55I snapped my SIM card,
00:21:57deleted every account,
00:21:58and disappeared.
00:22:00Five years later,
00:22:02I'd lost so much weight that even the debt chugglers barely recognized me.
00:22:06Three months ago,
00:22:07I came back.
00:22:09I never imagined he'd end up in this world.
00:22:11He used to carry spiders outside instead of killing them.
00:22:14And now he was a blood-slipped Don.
00:22:16And Stella Fontaine was a better match for him than I ever was.
00:22:18I pressed my hand against my chest and swallowed the ache.
00:22:25Closing time.
00:22:262 a.m.
00:22:27I was the last one out.
00:22:292 an ant.
00:22:29The other staff had already gone.
00:22:31Lights off.
00:22:31Elevator shut down.
00:22:32I jabbed the button over and over,
00:22:34hoping it would come back to life.
00:22:35Call the night guard.
00:22:36Roman's voice.
00:22:37Right.
00:22:38Behind.
00:22:39Me.
00:22:42In college,
00:22:43I was the fattest girl on campus.
00:22:45I was also the richest.
00:22:48Roman DeLocco was the poorest boy in our class.
00:22:51Visibly broke.
00:22:52Visibly beautiful.
00:22:54I wanted him,
00:22:55so I made him an offer.
00:22:58If Roman became my boyfriend,
00:23:00I would pay for his grandfather's surgery.
00:23:02He said yes.
00:23:07For four years,
00:23:08the entire campus laughed at him.
00:23:12Let's break up.
00:23:16When I said goodbye,
00:23:17he was cold.
00:23:19Not a single word to make me stay.
00:23:25Five years.
00:23:27Fake names.
00:23:28New cities.
00:23:29Kitchen jobs.
00:23:30Warehouse jobs.
00:23:31Anything that paid cash.
00:23:32The girl who once weighed 210 pounds dropped 70 of them,
00:23:35and Roman had become the youngest Don this city had ever seen.
00:23:38The straight-A student everyone expected to cure cancer or win a prize had become.
00:23:42The man even the police were afraid to name.
00:23:45I never thought I'd see him again.
00:23:46Least of all like this.
00:23:47New girl.
00:23:48Fruit platter to the VIP room.
00:23:50Eight men in suits around a table.
00:23:52Cigar smoke.
00:23:54And Roman at the head of it.
00:23:55Broader.
00:23:56Harder.
00:23:58Nothing left of the boy I knew except the face.
00:24:01My heart nearly stopped.
00:24:04If he recognized me,
00:24:05what would a man like this do to the woman who had ruined him?
00:24:08But I'd lost 70 pounds and every trace of who I used to be.
00:24:11I set the platter down.
00:24:13Head low.
00:24:14Hands steady.
00:24:15I turned to leave.
00:24:16The pomegranate.
00:24:17Seated.
00:24:19That voice was nothing I recognized.
00:24:22Deeper.
00:24:23Colder.
00:24:24But my body knew it before my mind did.
00:24:27I turned my back to him and picked up the pomegranate.
00:24:30Split it open.
00:24:31Started picking the seeds out one by one.
00:24:33My hands were shaking.
00:24:35I squeezed the fruit harder to keep them still.
00:24:37A long time ago, Roman used to do this for me.
00:24:40Campus dining hall.
00:24:41He'd split a pomegranate in half and pick out every seed with those long, careful fingers.
00:24:46Red juice staining his hands while I talked too loud about nothing.
00:24:49You look like you just murdered someone.
00:24:51Back then I thought it meant he loved me.
00:24:53Later I realized he did everything I asked because he couldn't afford to say no.
00:24:58Behind me, the men were drinking.
00:24:59Voices loose.
00:25:00Someone brought up old stories.
00:25:02I heard that Don had a girlfriend back in college.
00:25:04My fingers slipped.
00:25:05A seed bounced off the plate.
00:25:07Roman said nothing.
00:25:08Four years, right?
00:25:09Must have been something serious.
00:25:11Then a woman's voice.
00:25:12Smooth.
00:25:13Amused.
00:25:14Serious isn't the word I'd use.
00:25:16Stella Fontaine.
00:25:17Model.
00:25:18Old money family.
00:25:19Always at Roman's side.
00:25:22We went to the same school.
00:25:24She was the prettiest girl in our year.
00:25:27That girl was, how do I put this, not exactly someone you'd picture Roman with.
00:25:33Stella laughed softly.
00:25:35She had to pay him to stay.
00:25:36Literally.
00:25:37It's a miracle Roman doesn't hate her.
00:25:39The table laughed.
00:25:40My hand clenched around the pomegranate.
00:25:43Seeds burst under my grip.
00:25:45Red juice ran down my fingers, across the white plate, onto the tablecloth.
00:25:49What the hell?
00:25:50She ruined the entire platter.
00:25:52I'm sorry.
00:25:53I'll get a fresh one.
00:25:54I grabbed the plate and turned for the door.
00:25:56Stop.
00:25:58Roman's voice.
00:25:59One word.
00:26:00The whole room went quiet.
00:26:02Turn around.
00:26:10Turn around.
00:26:11My body turned to stone.
00:26:13One second.
00:26:14Two.
00:26:14Two.
00:26:14But if I turned around, he'd see my face, and it would all be over.
00:26:18Are you deaf?
00:26:19The Don told you to turn around.
00:26:20Do it.
00:26:21Stella's voice cut across the room.
00:26:23I turned.
00:26:24Slowly.
00:26:26Stella's eyes swept over me.
00:26:28Her brow creased.
00:26:29You look a little like...
00:26:31The club manager rushed in.
00:26:32Don DeLuca, I'm so sorry.
00:26:33She's new.
00:26:34Still training.
00:26:34I'll deal with this immediately.
00:26:35He grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the door.
00:26:37Move.
00:26:38Now.
00:26:43I stumbled out of the VIP room on legs that barely held me.
00:26:46Listen to me.
00:26:47The man at the head of that table controls half the city.
00:26:50You do not make him ask twice.
00:26:52You do not spill anything.
00:26:53You do not even look at him wrong.
00:26:56I understand.
00:26:56I'm sorry.
00:26:57That room is off limits for you from now on.
00:26:59Don't go near it again.
00:27:08I pressed my back against the wall and stared at my hands.
00:27:11Pomegranate juice was drying between my fingers.
00:27:13Dark red.
00:27:14Almost black.
00:27:15If there's anyone on this planet who has already made Roman DeLuca ask twice, it's me.
00:27:18I made him say yes to a girl he never chose.
00:27:21I made him endure four years of humiliation and silence.
00:27:25The club manager told me not to get on his bad side.
00:27:28I've been on his bad side since the day I bought him.
00:27:33Freshman year.
00:27:34September.
00:27:35Roman DeLuca was standing at the edge of the orientation crowd in a hoodie so faded
00:27:39it was nearly see-throughed.
00:27:40Visibly broke.
00:27:41Visibly beautiful.
00:27:43I was in a red dress that cost $4,000.
00:27:46210 pounds.
00:27:47Heels that made the floor shake and a voice loud enough to carry across the courtyard.
00:27:50I liked his voice.
00:27:52Low.
00:27:53Cool.
00:27:54Precise.
00:27:54I liked that he never showed off or pretended to be someone he wasn't.
00:27:58One week later, I cornered him after class.
00:28:01Blocked his path, arms wide open.
00:28:04Roman DeLuca, I like you.
00:28:06Go out with me.
00:28:08I'm rich so we can split my allowance.
00:28:10Or I'll pay per kiss.
00:28:11Your call.
00:28:12Obviously.
00:28:12No.
00:28:13He ducked under my arm and walked away.
00:28:15But I'd never lost at anything in my life.
00:28:17The more he refused, the harder I pushed.
00:28:21Until his grandfather collapsed.
00:28:22I see you.
00:28:24A bill bigger than anything Roman would ever earn.
00:28:27I paid it without blinking.
00:28:29Roman finally gave in.
00:28:31I can't pay you back.
00:28:32I don't want you to.
00:28:33Then what do you want?
00:28:34I greened.
00:28:35You know what I want?
00:28:38Yes.
00:28:39He lowered his head and said yes.
00:28:41I thought I'd saved him.
00:28:43It took me years to understand that I got him, but I also broke him.
00:28:45After we got together, Roman still worked every job he could find.
00:28:48He barely touched my money.
00:28:49But the rumors got worse.
00:28:50People said he'd sold himself.
00:28:52The nicknames got uglier.
00:28:54The looks got meaner.
00:28:55I squeezed his hand and told him,
00:28:57Ignore them.
00:28:58They're just jealous.
00:29:00I never once climbed down from my ivory tower to see that Roman was fighting alone.
00:29:05Senior year, my family went bankrupt.
00:29:10I didn't tell him.
00:29:13I just called him out and said,
00:29:15Let's break up.
00:29:16Why?
00:29:18I'm bored.
00:29:22Okay.
00:29:23And that was it.
00:29:24I told myself he was probably relieved.
00:29:27Finally free.
00:29:29I snapped my SIM card,
00:29:31deleted every account,
00:29:32and disappeared.
00:29:34Five years later,
00:29:35I'd lost so much weight that even the debt chugglers barely recognized me.
00:29:40Three months ago,
00:29:41I came back.
00:29:43I never imagined he'd end up in this world.
00:29:45He used to carry spiders outside instead of killing them,
00:29:48and now he was a blood-slipped Don.
00:29:50And Stella Fontaine was a better match for him than I ever was.
00:29:52I pressed my hand against my chest and swallowed the ache.
00:29:58Closing time.
00:29:592 a.m.
00:30:01I was the last one out.
00:30:022 and ant.
00:30:03The other staff had already gone.
00:30:04Lights off.
00:30:05Elevator shut down.
00:30:06I jabbed the button over and over,
00:30:08hoping it would come back to life.
00:30:09Call the night guard.
00:30:10Roman's voice.
00:30:11Right.
00:30:12Behind.
00:30:13Me.
00:30:16In college,
00:30:17I was the fattest girl on campus.
00:30:19I was also the richest.
00:30:22Roman DeLocco was the poorest boy in our class.
00:30:25Visibly broke.
00:30:26Visibly beautiful.
00:30:28I wanted him,
00:30:29so I made him an offer.
00:30:32If Roman became my boyfriend,
00:30:33I would pay for his grandfather's surgery.
00:30:36He said yes.
00:30:40For four years,
00:30:42the entire campus laughed at him.
00:30:46Let's break up.
00:30:50When I said goodbye,
00:30:51he was cold.
00:30:52Not a single word to make me stay.
00:30:59Five years.
00:31:01Fake names.
00:31:02New cities.
00:31:03Kitchen jobs.
00:31:04Warehouse jobs.
00:31:05Anything that paid cash.
00:31:06The girl who once weighed 210 pounds
00:31:08dropped 70 of them,
00:31:09and Roman had become
00:31:10the youngest Don this city had ever seen.
00:31:12The straight-A student
00:31:13everyone expected to cure cancer
00:31:14or win a prize had become
00:31:16the man even the police were afraid to name.
00:31:18I never thought I'd see him again,
00:31:20least of all like this.
00:31:21New girl.
00:31:22Fruit platter to the VIP room.
00:31:24Eight men in suits around a table.
00:31:26Cigar smoke.
00:31:27And Roman at the head of it.
00:31:29Broader.
00:31:30Harder.
00:31:31Nothing left of the boy I knew
00:31:33except the face.
00:31:34My heart nearly stopped.
00:31:38If he recognized me,
00:31:39what would a man like this do
00:31:40to the woman who had ruined him?
00:31:42But I'd lost 70 pounds
00:31:43and every trace of who I used to be.
00:31:45I set the platter down,
00:31:47head low,
00:31:47hands steady.
00:31:49I turned to leave.
00:31:50The pomegranate.
00:31:51Seated.
00:31:53That voice was nothing I recognized.
00:31:55Deeper.
00:31:56Colder.
00:31:57But my body knew it before my mind did.
00:32:01I turned my back to him and picked up the pomegranate.
00:32:04Split it open.
00:32:05Started picking the seeds out one by one.
00:32:07My hands were shaking.
00:32:09I squeezed the fruit harder to keep them still.
00:32:11A long time ago,
00:32:12Roman used to do this for me.
00:32:14Campus dining hall.
00:32:15He'd split a pomegranate in half
00:32:17and pick out every seed with those long,
00:32:18careful fingers.
00:32:19Red juice staining his hands
00:32:21while I talked too loud about nothing.
00:32:23You look like you just murdered someone.
00:32:25Back then I thought it meant he loved me.
00:32:27Later I realized he did everything I asked
00:32:29because he couldn't afford to say no.
00:32:31Behind me, the men were drinking,
00:32:33voices loose.
00:32:34Someone brought up old stories.
00:32:36I heard that Don had a girlfriend back in college.
00:32:37My fingers slipped.
00:32:38A seed bounced off the plate.
00:32:40Roman said nothing.
00:32:42Four years, right?
00:32:43Must have been something serious.
00:32:44Then a woman's voice.
00:32:46Smooth, amused.
00:32:48Serious isn't the word I'd use.
00:32:50Stella Fontained.
00:32:51Model, old money family,
00:32:53always at Roman's side.
00:32:56We went to the same school.
00:32:58She was the prettiest girl in our year.
00:33:01That girl was, how do I put this,
00:33:04not exactly someone you'd picture Roman with.
00:33:07Stella laughed softly.
00:33:08She had to pay him to stay.
00:33:10Literally.
00:33:11It's a miracle Roman doesn't hate her.
00:33:12The table laughed.
00:33:14My hand clenched around the pomegranate.
00:33:17Seeds burst under my grip.
00:33:19Red juice ran down my fingers,
00:33:21across the white plate,
00:33:22onto the tablecloth.
00:33:23What the hell?
00:33:24She ruined the entire platter.
00:33:26I'm sorry, I'll get a fresh one.
00:33:27I grabbed the plate and turned for the door.
00:33:30Stop.
00:33:32Roman's voice.
00:33:33One word.
00:33:34The whole room went quiet.
00:33:36Turn around.
00:33:43Turn around.
00:33:45My body turned to stone.
00:33:47One second.
00:33:48Two.
00:33:48But if I turned around,
00:33:49he'd see my face,
00:33:50and it would all be over.
00:33:52Are you deaf?
00:33:53The Don told you to turn around.
00:33:54Do it.
00:33:55Stella's voice cut across the room.
00:33:57I turned.
00:33:58Slowly.
00:34:00Stella's eyes swept over me.
00:34:02Her brow creased.
00:34:03You look a little like...
00:34:05The club manager rushed in.
00:34:06Don DeLuca, I'm so sorry.
00:34:07She's new.
00:34:08Still training.
00:34:08I'll deal with this immediately.
00:34:09He grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the door.
00:34:11Move.
00:34:11Now.
00:34:16I stumbled out of the VIP room on legs that barely held me.
00:34:20Listen to me.
00:34:21The man at the head of that table controls half the city.
00:34:24You do not make him ask twice.
00:34:26You do not spill anything.
00:34:27You do not even look at him wrong.
00:34:29I understand.
00:34:30I'm sorry.
00:34:31That room is off limits for you from now on.
00:34:33Don't go near it again.
00:34:42I pressed my back against the wall and stared at my hands.
00:34:45Pomegranate juice was drying between my fingers.
00:34:47Dark red.
00:34:48Almost black.
00:34:49If there's anyone on this planet who has already made Roman DeLuca ask twice, it's me.
00:34:52I made him say yes to a girl he never chose.
00:34:55I made him endure four years of humiliation and silence.
00:34:58The club manager told me not to get on his bad side.
00:35:01I've been on his bad side since the day I bought him.
00:35:07Freshman year.
00:35:08September.
00:35:09Roman DeLuca was standing at the edge of the orientation crowd in a hoodie so faded it was nearly see
00:35:13-throughed.
00:35:14Visibly broke.
00:35:15Visibly beautiful.
00:35:16I was in a red dress that cost $4,000.
00:35:19210 pounds.
00:35:21Heels that made the floor shake and a voice loud enough to carry across the courtyard.
00:35:24I liked his voice.
00:35:26Low.
00:35:27Cool.
00:35:27Precise.
00:35:28I liked that he never showed off or pretended to be someone he wasn't.
00:35:32One week later, I cornered him after class.
00:35:35Blocked his path, arms wide open.
00:35:38Roman DeLuca, I like you.
00:35:40Go out with me.
00:35:42I'm rich so we can split my allowance.
00:35:44Or I'll pay for kiss.
00:35:45Your call.
00:35:45Obviously.
00:35:46No.
00:35:47He ducked under my arm and walked away.
00:35:49But I'd never lost at anything in my life.
00:35:51The more he refused, the harder I pushed.
00:35:54Until his grandfather collapsed.
00:35:56I see you.
00:35:58A bill bigger than anything Roman would ever earn.
00:36:01I paid it without blinking.
00:36:03Roman finally gave in.
00:36:05I can't pay you back.
00:36:06I don't want you to.
00:36:07Then what do you want?
00:36:08I greened.
00:36:09You know what I want?
00:36:11Yes.
00:36:12He lowered his head and said yes.
00:36:15I thought I'd saved him.
00:36:16It took me years to understand that I got him, but I also broke him.
00:36:19After we got together, Roman still worked every job he could find.
00:36:22He barely touched my money.
00:36:23But the rumors got worse.
00:36:24People said he'd sold himself.
00:36:26The nicknames got uglier.
00:36:28The looks got meaner.
00:36:29I squeezed his hand and told him,
00:36:31Ignore them.
00:36:31They're just jealous.
00:36:34I never once climbed down from my ivory tower to see that Roman was fighting alone.
00:36:39Senior year, my family went bankrupt.
00:36:43I didn't tell him.
00:36:47I just called him out and said,
00:36:49Let's break up.
00:36:50Why?
00:36:52I'm bored.
00:36:56Okay.
00:36:57And that was it.
00:36:58I told myself he was probably relieved.
00:37:01Finally free.
00:37:03I snapped my SIM card, deleted every account, and disappeared.
00:37:08Five years later, I'd lost so much weight that even the Detcheglers barely recognized me.
00:37:13Three months ago, I came back.
00:37:17I never imagined he'd end up in this world.
00:37:19He used to carry spiders outside instead of killing them.
00:37:22And now he was a blood-slipped Don.
00:37:23And Stella Fontaine was a better match for him than I ever was.
00:37:26I pressed my hand against my chest and swallowed the ache.
00:37:32Closing time.
00:37:332 a.m.
00:37:35I was the last one out.
00:37:362 an ant.
00:37:37The other staff had already gone.
00:37:38Lights off.
00:37:39Elevator shut down.
00:37:40I jabbed the button over and over, hoping it would come back to life.
00:37:42Call the night guard.
00:37:44Roman's voice.
00:37:45Right.
00:37:46Behind.
00:37:46Me.
00:37:50In college, I was the fattest girl on campus.
00:37:52I was also the richest.
00:37:55Roman DeLocco was the poorest boy in our class.
00:37:59Visibly broke.
00:38:00Visibly beautiful.
00:38:01I wanted him, so I made him an offer.
00:38:05If Roman became my boyfriend, I would pay for his grandfather's surgery.
00:38:10He said yes.
00:38:14For four years, the entire campus laughed at him.
00:38:19Let's break up.
00:38:23When I said goodbye, he was cold.
00:38:26Not a single word to make me stay.
00:38:33Five years.
00:38:34Fake names.
00:38:36New cities.
00:38:37Kitchen jobs.
00:38:38Warehouse jobs.
00:38:38Anything that paid cash.
00:38:40The girl who once weighed 210 pounds dropped 70 of them.
00:38:43And Roman had become the youngest Don this city had ever seen.
00:38:46The straight-A student everyone expected to cure cancer or win a prize had become...
00:38:50The man even the police were afraid to name.
00:38:52I never thought I'd see him again.
00:38:54Least of all like this.
00:38:55New girl.
00:38:55Fruit platter to the VIP room.
00:38:58Eight men in suits around a table.
00:39:00Cigar smoke.
00:39:01And Roman at the head of it.
00:39:03Broader.
00:39:04Harder.
00:39:05Nothing left of the boy I knew except the face.
00:39:08My heart nearly stopped.
00:39:11If he recognized me, what would a man like this do to the woman who had ruined him?
00:39:15But I'd lost 70 pounds and every trace of who I used to be.
00:39:19I set the platter down.
00:39:20Head low.
00:39:21Hands steady.
00:39:22I turned to leave.
00:39:24The pomegranate.
00:39:25Seeded.
00:39:27That voice was nothing I recognized.
00:39:29Deeper.
00:39:30Colder.
00:39:31But my body knew it before my mind did.
00:39:35I turned my back to him and picked up the pomegranate.
00:39:38Split it open.
00:39:39Started picking the seeds out one by one.
00:39:41My hands were shaking.
00:39:42I squeezed the fruit harder to keep them still.
00:39:45A long time ago, Roman used to do this for me.
00:39:48Campus dining hall.
00:39:49He'd split a pomegranate in half and pick out every seed with those long seeds.
00:39:52Long, careful fingers.
00:39:53Red juice staining his hands while I talked too loud about nothing.
00:39:57You look like you just murdered someone.
00:39:59Back then I thought it meant he loved me.
00:40:01Later I realized he did everything I asked because he couldn't afford to say no.
00:40:05Behind me, the men were drinking.
00:40:07Voices loose.
00:40:08Someone brought up old stories.
00:40:10I heard that Don had a girlfriend back in college.
00:40:11My fingers slipped.
00:40:12A seed bounced off the plate.
00:40:14Roman said nothing.
00:40:16Four years, right?
00:40:17Must have been something serious.
00:40:18Then a woman's voice.
00:40:20Smooth.
00:40:21Amused.
00:40:21Serious isn't the word I'd use.
00:40:24Stella Fontaine.
00:40:25Model.
00:40:26Old money family.
00:40:27Always at Roman's side.
00:40:30We went to the same school.
00:40:32She was the prettiest girl in our year.
00:40:35That girl was...
00:40:36How do I put this?
00:40:37Not exactly someone you'd picture Roman with.
00:40:41Stella laughed softly.
00:40:42She had to pay him to stay.
00:40:44Literally.
00:40:44It's a miracle Roman doesn't hate her.
00:40:46The table laughed.
00:40:48My hand clenched around the pomegranate.
00:40:51Seeds burst under my grip.
00:40:53Red juice ran down my fingers, across the white plate, onto the tablecloth.
00:40:57What the hell?
00:40:58She ruined the entire platter.
00:40:59I'm sorry.
00:41:00I'll get a fresh one.
00:41:01I grabbed the plate and turned for the door.
00:41:03Stop.
00:41:05Roman's voice.
00:41:06One word.
00:41:08The whole room went quiet.
00:41:10Turn around.
00:41:17Turn around.
00:41:19My body turned to stone.
00:41:20One second.
00:41:21Two.
00:41:22But if I turned around, he'd see my face, and it would all be over.
00:41:25Are you deaf?
00:41:26The dawn told you to turn around.
00:41:28Do it.
00:41:29Stella's voice cut across the room.
00:41:31I turned.
00:41:32Slowly.
00:41:34Stella's eyes swept over me.
00:41:35Her brow creased.
00:41:37You look a little like...
00:41:39The club manager rushed in.
00:41:40Don DeLuca, I'm so sorry.
00:41:41She's new.
00:41:41Still training.
00:41:42I'll deal with this immediately.
00:41:43He grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the door.
00:41:45Move.
00:41:45Now.
00:41:50I stumbled out of the VIP room on legs that barely held me.
00:41:53Listen to me.
00:41:55The man at the head of that table controls half the city.
00:41:58You do not make him ask twice.
00:42:00You do not spill anything.
00:42:01You do not even look at him wrong.
00:42:03I understand.
00:42:04I'm sorry.
00:42:05That room is off limits for you from now on.
00:42:07Don't go near it again.
00:42:15I pressed my back against the wall and stared at my hands.
00:42:19Pomegranate juice was drying between my fingers.
00:42:21Dark red, almost black.
00:42:22If there's anyone on this planet who has already made Roman DeLuca ask twice, it's me.
00:42:26I made him say yes to a girl he never chose.
00:42:29I made him endure four years of humiliation and silence.
00:42:32The club manager told me not to get on his bad side.
00:42:35I've been on his bad side since the day I bought him.
00:42:40Freshman year.
00:42:41September.
00:42:42Roman DeLuca was standing at the edge of the orientation crowd in a hoodie so faded it was
00:42:47nearly see-throughed.
00:42:48Visibly broke.
00:42:49Visibly beautiful.
00:42:50I was in a red dress that cost $4,000, 210 pounds, heels that made the floor shake, and
00:42:56a voice loud enough to carry across the courtyard.
00:42:58I liked his voice.
00:43:00Low, cool, precise.
00:43:02I liked that he never showed off or pretended to be someone he wasn't.
00:43:06One week later, I cornered him after class.
00:43:09Blocked his path, arms wide open.
00:43:12Roman DeLuca, I like you.
00:43:14Go out with me.
00:43:16I'm rich so we can split my allowance.
00:43:18Or I'll pay per kiss.
00:43:19Your call.
00:43:19Obviously.
00:43:20No.
00:43:21He ducked under my arm and walked away.
00:43:23But I'd never lost at anything in my life.
00:43:25The more he refused, the harder I pushed.
00:43:28Until his grandfather collapsed.
00:43:30I see you.
00:43:32A bill bigger than anything Roman would ever earn.
00:43:35I paid it without blinking.
00:43:36Roman finally gave in.
00:43:39I can't pay you back.
00:43:40I don't want you to.
00:43:41Then what do you want?
00:43:42I greened.
00:43:43You know what I want?
00:43:45Yes.
00:43:46He lowered his head and said yes.
00:43:49I thought I'd saved him.
00:43:50It took me years to understand that I got him, but I also broke him.
00:43:53After we got together, Roman still worked every job he could find.
00:43:56He barely touched my money.
00:43:57But the rumors got worse.
00:43:58People said he'd sold himself.
00:44:00The nicknames got uglier.
00:44:02The looks got meaner.
00:44:03I squeezed his hand and told him,
00:44:05Ignore them.
00:44:05They're just jealous.
00:44:07I never once climbed down from my ivory tower to see that Roman was fighting alone.
00:44:12Senior year, my family went bankrupt.
00:44:17I didn't tell him.
00:44:21I just called him out and said, let's break up.
00:44:24Why?
00:44:25I'm bored.
00:44:29Okay.
00:44:31And that was it.
00:44:32I told myself he was probably relieved.
00:44:34Finally free.
00:44:37I snapped my SIM card, deleted every account, and disappeared.
00:44:42Five years later, I'd lost so much weight that even the debt chugglers barely recognized me.
00:44:47Three months ago, I came back.
00:44:50I never imagined he'd end up in this world.
00:44:53He used to carry spiders outside instead of killing them, and now he was a blood-slipped Don.
00:44:57And Stella Fontaine was a better match for him than I ever was.
00:45:00I pressed my hand against my chest and swallowed the ache.
00:45:06Closing time.
00:45:072 a.m.
00:45:08I was the last one out.
00:45:10Two and aunt.
00:45:11The other staff had already gone.
00:45:12Lights off.
00:45:13Elevator shut down.
00:45:14I jabbed the button over and over, hoping it would come back to life.
00:45:16Call the night guard.
00:45:17Roman's voice.
00:45:19Right.
00:45:19Behind.
00:45:20Me.
00:45:23In college, I was the fattest girl on campus.
00:45:26I was also the richest.
00:45:29Roman DeLocco was the poorest boy in our class.
00:45:32Visibly broke.
00:45:34Visibly beautiful.
00:45:35I wanted him, so I made him an offer.
00:45:39If Roman became my boyfriend, I would pay for his grandfather's surgery.
00:45:44He said yes.
00:45:48For four years, the entire campus laughed at him.
00:45:53Let's break up.
00:45:55Let's break up.
00:45:57When I said goodbye, he was cold.
00:46:00Not a single word to make me stay.
00:46:07Five years.
00:46:08Fake names.
00:46:10New cities.
00:46:11Kitchen jobs.
00:46:11Warehouse jobs.
00:46:12Anything that paid cash.
00:46:13The girl who once weighed 210 pounds dropped 70 of them.
00:46:16And Roman had become the youngest Don this city had ever seen.
00:46:19The straight-A student everyone expected to cure cancer or win a prize had become...
00:46:23The man, even the police, were afraid of me.
00:46:26I never thought I'd see him again.
00:46:27Least of all like this.
00:46:29New girl.
00:46:29Fruit platter to the VIP room.
00:46:32Eight men in suits around a table.
00:46:34Cigar smoke.
00:46:35And Roman at the head of it.
00:46:37Broader.
00:46:38Harder.
00:46:39Nothing left of the boy I knew except the face.
00:46:42My heart nearly stopped.
00:46:45If he recognized me, what would a man like this do to the woman who had ruined him?
00:46:49But I'd lost 70 pounds and every trace of who I used to be.
00:46:53I set the platter down.
00:46:54Head low.
00:46:55Hands steady.
00:46:56I turned to leave.
00:46:57The pomegranate.
00:46:59Seated.
00:47:01That voice was nothing I recognized.
00:47:03Deeper.
00:47:04Colder.
00:47:05But my body knew it before my mind did.
00:47:09I turned my back to him and picked up the pomegranate.
00:47:11Split it open.
00:47:13Started picking the seeds out one by one.
00:47:15My hands were shaking.
00:47:16I squeezed the fruit harder to keep them still.
00:47:19A long time ago, Roman used to do this for me.
00:47:21Campus dining hall.
00:47:23He'd split a pomegranate in half and pick out every seed with those long, careful fingers.
00:47:27Red juice staining his hands while I talked too loud about nothing.
00:47:31You look like you just murdered someone.
00:47:33Back then I thought it meant he loved me.
00:47:35Later I realized he did everything I asked because he couldn't afford to say no.
00:47:39Behind me, the men were drinking.
00:47:41Voices loose.
00:47:42Someone brought up old stories.
00:47:43I heard that Don had a girlfriend back in college.
00:47:45My fingers slipped.
00:47:46A seed bounced off the plate.
00:47:48Roman said nothing.
00:47:49Four years, right?
00:47:50Must have been something serious.
00:47:52Then a woman's voice.
00:47:54Smooth.
00:47:54Amused.
00:47:55Serious isn't the word I'd use.
00:47:57Stella Fontaine.
00:47:58Model.
00:47:59Old money family.
00:48:00Always at Roman's side.
00:48:03We went to the same school.
00:48:05She was the prettiest girl in our year.
00:48:08That girl was, how do I put this, not exactly someone you'd picture Roman with.
00:48:14Stella laughed softly.
00:48:16She had to pay him to stay.
00:48:17Literally.
00:48:18It's a miracle Roman doesn't hate her.
00:48:20The table laughed.
00:48:22My hand clenched around the pomegranate.
00:48:25Seeds burst under my grip.
00:48:27Red juice ran down my fingers, across the white plate, onto the tablecloth.
00:48:31What the hell?
00:48:32She ruined the entire platter.
00:48:33I'm sorry.
00:48:34I'll get a fresh one.
00:48:35I grabbed the plate and turned for the door.
00:48:37Stop.
00:48:39Roman's voice.
00:48:40One word.
00:48:41The whole room went quiet.
00:48:43Turn around.
00:48:51Turn around.
00:48:52My body turned to stone.
00:48:54One second.
00:48:55Two.
00:48:56But if I turned around, he'd see my face, and it would all be over.
00:48:59Are you deaf?
00:49:00The Don told you to turn around.
00:49:02Do it.
00:49:02Stella's voice cut across the room.
00:49:04I turned.
00:49:06Slowly.
00:49:08Stella's eyes swept over me.
00:49:09Her brow creased.
00:49:11You look a little like...
00:49:12The club manager rushed in.
00:49:14Don DeLuca, I'm so sorry.
00:49:15She's new.
00:49:15Still training.
00:49:16I'll deal with this immediately.
00:49:17He grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the door.
00:49:19Move.
00:49:19Now.
00:49:24I stumbled out of the VIP room on legs that barely held me.
00:49:27Listen to me.
00:49:28The man at the head of that table controls half the city.
00:49:31You do not make him ask twice.
00:49:33You do not spill anything.
00:49:35You do not even look at him wrong.
00:49:37I understand.
00:49:38I'm sorry.
00:49:39That room is off limits for you from now on.
00:49:41Don't go near it again.
00:49:49I pressed my back against the wall and stared at my hands.
00:49:53Pomegranate juice was drying between my fingers.
00:49:55Dark red.
00:49:55Almost black.
00:49:56If there's anyone on this planet who has already made Roman DeLuca ask twice, it's me.
00:50:00I made him say yes to a girl he never chose.
00:50:02I made him endure four years of humiliation and silence.
00:50:06The club manager told me not to get on his bad side.
00:50:09I've been on his bad side since the day I bought him.
00:50:14Freshman year.
00:50:15September.
00:50:16Roman DeLuca was standing at the edge of the orientation crowd in a hoodie so faded it was
00:50:20nearly see-throughed.
00:50:22Visibly broke.
00:50:23Visibly beautiful.
00:50:24I was in a red dress that cost $4,000.
00:50:27210 pounds, heels that made the floor shake and a voice loud enough to carry across the courtyard.
00:50:32I liked his voice.
00:50:33Low.
00:50:34Cool.
00:50:35Precise.
00:50:36I liked that he never showed off or pretended to be someone he wasn't.
00:50:40One week later, I cornered him after class.
00:50:43Blocked his path, arms wide open.
00:50:46Roman DeLuca, I like you.
00:50:48Go out with me.
00:50:50I'm rich so we can split my allowance.
00:50:51Or I'll pay per kiss.
00:50:52Your call.
00:50:53Obviously.
00:50:54No.
00:50:54He ducked under my arm and walked away.
00:50:56But I'd never lost at anything in my life.
00:50:58The more he refused, the harder I pushed.
00:51:02Until his grandfather collapsed.
00:51:04I see you.
00:51:06A bill bigger than anything Roman would ever earn.
00:51:08I paid it without blinking.
00:51:10Roman finally gave in.
00:51:12I can't pay you back.
00:51:14I don't want you to.
00:51:15Then what do you want?
00:51:16I greened.
00:51:17You know what I want?
00:51:19Yes.
00:51:20He lowered his head and said yes.
00:51:22I thought I'd saved him.
00:51:24It took me years to understand that I got him, but I also broke him.
00:51:27After we got together, Roman still worked every job he could find.
00:51:29He barely touched my money.
00:51:30But the rumors got worse.
00:51:32People said he'd sold himself.
00:51:33The nicknames got uglier.
00:51:35The looks got meaner.
00:51:37I squeezed his hand and told him,
00:51:38Ignore them.
00:51:39They're just jealous.
00:51:41I never once climbed down from my ivory tower to see that Roman was fighting alone.
00:51:46Senior year, my family went bankrupt.
00:51:51I didn't tell him.
00:51:54I just called him out and said,
00:51:56Let's break up.
00:51:58Why?
00:51:59I'm bored.
00:52:03Okay.
00:52:04And that was it.
00:52:06I told myself he was probably relieved.
00:52:08Finally free.
00:52:10I snapped my SIM card,
00:52:12deleted every account,
00:52:14and disappeared.
00:52:15Five years later,
00:52:17I'd lost so much weight that even the debt chugglers barely recognized me.
00:52:21Three months ago, I came back.
00:52:24I never imagined he'd end up in this world.
00:52:26He used to carry spiders outside instead of killing them.
00:52:29And now he was a blood-slipped Don.
00:52:31And Stella Fontaine was a better match for him than I ever was.
00:52:34I pressed my hand against my chest and swallowed the ache.
00:52:40Closing time.
00:52:412 a.m.
00:52:42I was the last one out.
00:52:442 an ant.
00:52:44The other staff had already gone.
00:52:46Lights off.
00:52:46Elevator shut down.
00:52:47I jabbed the button over and over,
00:52:49hoping it would come back to life.
00:52:50Call the night guard.
00:52:51Roman's voice.
00:52:52Right.
00:52:53Behind.
00:52:54Me.
00:52:57In college, I was the fattest girl on campus.
00:53:00I was also the richest.
00:53:03Roman DeLocco was the poorest boy in our class.
00:53:06Visibly broke.
00:53:08Visibly beautiful.
00:53:09I wanted him, so I made him an offer.
00:53:13If Roman became my boyfriend, I would pay for his grandfather's surgery.
00:53:18He said yes.
00:53:22For four years, the entire campus laughed at him.
00:53:27Let's break up.
00:53:31When I said goodbye, he was cold.
00:53:34Not a single word to make me stay.
00:53:40Five years.
00:53:42Fake names.
00:53:43New cities.
00:53:44Kitchen jobs.
00:53:45Warehouse jobs.
00:53:46Anything that paid cash.
00:53:47The girl who once weighed 210 pounds dropped 70 of them.
00:53:50And Roman had become the youngest Don this city had ever seen.
00:53:53The straight-A student everyone expected to cure cancer or win a prize had become...
00:53:57The man, even the police, were afraid to name.
00:54:00I never thought I'd see him again.
00:54:01Least of all like this.
00:54:02New girl.
00:54:03Fruit platter to the VIP room.
00:54:05Eight men in suits around a table.
00:54:07Cigar smoke.
00:54:09And Roman at the head of it.
00:54:10Broader.
00:54:11Harder.
00:54:13Nothing left of the boy I knew except the face.
00:54:16My heart nearly stopped.
00:54:19If he recognized me, what would a man like this do to the woman who had ruined him?
00:54:23But I'd lost 70 pounds and every trace of who I used to be.
00:54:26I set the platter down.
00:54:28Head low.
00:54:29Hands steady.
00:54:30I turned to leave.
00:54:31The pomegranate.
00:54:32Seated.
00:54:34That voice was nothing I recognized.
00:54:37Deeper.
00:54:38Colder.
00:54:39But my body knew it before my mind did.
00:54:42I turned my back to him and picked up the pomegranate.
00:54:45Split it open.
00:54:46Started picking the seeds out one by one.
00:54:48My hands were shaking.
00:54:50I squeezed the fruit harder to keep them still.
00:54:52A long time ago, Roman used to do this for me.
00:54:55Campus dining hall.
00:54:56He'd split a pomegranate in half and pick out every seed with those long, careful fingers.
00:55:00Red juice staining his hands while I talked too loud about nothing.
00:55:05You look like you just murdered someone.
00:55:06Back then I thought it meant he loved me.
00:55:09Later I realized he did everything I asked because he couldn't afford to say no.
00:55:13Behind me, the men were drinking.
00:55:14Voices loose.
00:55:16Someone brought up old stories.
00:55:17I heard that Don had a girlfriend back in college.
00:55:19My fingers slipped.
00:55:20A seed bounced off the plate.
00:55:22Roman said nothing.
00:55:23Four years, right?
00:55:24Must have been something serious.
00:55:26Then a woman's voice.
00:55:27Smooth.
00:55:28Amused.
00:55:29Serious isn't the word I'd use.
00:55:31Stella Fontaine.
00:55:32Model.
00:55:33Old money family.
00:55:34Always at Roman's side.
00:55:37We went to the same school.
00:55:39She was the prettiest girl in our year.
00:55:42That girl was, how do I put this, not exactly someone you'd picture Roman with.
00:55:48Stella laughed softly.
00:55:50She had to pay him to stay.
00:55:51Literally.
00:55:52It's a miracle Roman doesn't hate her.
00:55:54The table laughed.
00:55:55My hand clenched around the pomegranate.
00:55:58Seeds burst under my grip.
00:56:00Red juice ran down my fingers, across the white plate, onto the tablecloth.
00:56:05What the hell?
00:56:05She ruined the entire platter.
00:56:07I'm sorry.
00:56:08I'll get a fresh one.
00:56:09I grabbed the plate and turned for the door.
00:56:11Stop.
00:56:13Roman's voice.
00:56:14One word.
00:56:15The whole room went quiet.
00:56:17Turn around.
00:56:24Turn around.
00:56:26My body turned to stone.
00:56:28One second.
00:56:29Two.
00:56:30But if I turned around, he'd see my face, and it would all be over.
00:56:33Are you deaf?
00:56:34The Don told you to turn around.
00:56:36Do it.
00:56:36Stella's voice cut across the room.
00:56:38I turned.
00:56:39Slowly.
00:56:41Stella's eyes swept over me.
00:56:43Her brow creased.
00:56:45You look a little like...
00:56:46The club manager rushed in.
00:56:47Don DeLuca, I'm so sorry.
00:56:49She's new.
00:56:49Still training.
00:56:49I'll deal with this immediately.
00:56:50He grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the door.
00:56:53Move.
00:56:53Now.
00:56:58I stumbled out of the VIP room on legs that barely held me.
00:57:01Listen to me.
00:57:02The man at the head of that table controls half the city.
00:57:05You do not make him ask twice.
00:57:07You do not spill anything.
00:57:09You do not even look at him wrong.
00:57:11I understand.
00:57:12I'm sorry.
00:57:12That room is off limits for you from now on.
00:57:14Don't go near it again.
00:57:23I pressed my back against the wall and stared at my hands.
00:57:26Pomegranate juice was drying between my fingers.
00:57:28Dark red.
00:57:29Almost black.
00:57:30If there's anyone on this planet who has already made Roman DeLuca ask twice, it's me.
00:57:33I made him say yes to a girl he never chose.
00:57:36I made him endure four years of humiliation and silence.
00:57:40The club manager told me not to get on his bad side.
00:57:43I've been on his bad side since the day I bought him.
00:57:48Freshman year.
00:57:49September.
00:57:50Roman DeLuca was standing at the edge of the orientation crowd in a hoodie so faded it was
00:57:54nearly see-throughed.
00:57:55Visibly broke.
00:57:56Visibly beautiful.
00:57:58I was in a red dress that cost $4,000.
00:58:01210 pounds, heels that made the floor shake and a voice loud enough to carry across the courtyard.
00:58:06I liked his voice.
00:58:07Low.
00:58:08Cool.
00:58:09Precise.
00:58:10I liked that he never showed off or pretended to be someone he wasn't.
00:58:14One week later, I cornered him after class.
00:58:17Blocked his path, arms wide open.
00:58:19Roman DeLuca, I like you.
00:58:22Go out with me.
00:58:23I'm rich so we can split my allowance.
00:58:25Or I'll pay per kiss.
00:58:26Your call.
00:58:27Obviously.
00:58:27No.
00:58:28He ducked under my arm and walked away.
00:58:30But I'd never lost at anything in my life.
00:58:32The more he refused, the harder I pushed.
00:58:36Until his grandfather collapsed.
00:58:38I see you.
00:58:39A bill bigger than anything Roman would ever earn.
00:58:42I paid it without blinking.
00:58:44Roman finally gave in.
00:58:46I can't pay you back.
00:58:47I don't want you to.
00:58:48Then what do you want?
00:58:49I greened.
00:58:51You know what I want?
00:58:53Yes.
00:58:54He lowered his head and said yes.
00:58:56I thought I'd saved him.
00:58:58It took me years to understand that I got him, but I also broke him.
00:59:00After we got together, Roman still worked every job he could find.
00:59:03He barely touched my money.
00:59:04But the rumors got worse.
00:59:05People said he'd sold himself.
00:59:07The nicknames got uglier.
00:59:09The looks got meaner.
00:59:11I squeezed his hand and told him,
00:59:12Ignore them.
00:59:13They're just jealous.
00:59:15I never once climbed down from my ivory tower to see that Roman was fighting alone.
00:59:20Senior year, my family went bankrupt.
00:59:25I didn't tell him.
00:59:28I just called him out and said,
00:59:30Let's break up.
00:59:31Why?
00:59:33I'm bored.
00:59:37Okay.
00:59:38And that was it.
00:59:40I told myself he was probably relieved.
00:59:42Finally free.
00:59:44I snapped my SIM card,
00:59:46deleted every account,
00:59:47and disappeared.
00:59:49Five years later,
00:59:50I'd lost so much weight that even the debt chugglers barely recognized me.
00:59:55Three months ago,
00:59:56I came back.
00:59:58I never imagined he'd end up in this world.
01:00:00He used to carry spiders outside instead of killing them,
01:00:03and now he was a blood-slipped Don.
01:00:05And Stella Fontaine was a better match for him than I ever was.
01:00:07I pressed my hand against my chest and swallowed the ache.
01:00:13Closing time.
01:00:142 a.m.
01:00:16I was the last one out.
01:00:172 and Ant.
01:00:18The other staff had already gone.
01:00:19Lights off.
01:00:20Elevator shut down.
01:00:21I jabbed the button over and over,
01:00:23hoping it would come back to life.
01:00:24Call the night guard.
01:00:25Roman's voice.
01:00:26Right.
01:00:27Behind.
01:00:28Me.
01:00:282 a.m.
01:00:302 a.m.

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