- 22 hours ago
I Fell for Her Boyfriend Online New
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🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00In my third year as the young Mrs. Lackey, her family told her to win over her arranged marriage match.
00:09She shoved her Instagram at me and made me chat with him in her place.
00:14If you screw this up, you're dead.
00:19So I gritted my teeth and racked my brain every day for all kinds of sweet nothings.
00:26I chatted with Chase Merritt like this for three months, and he grew more and more proactive.
00:37Until one day, he messaged my own account, asking me to help pass a gift along to the young Miss.
00:44I replied on reflex, okay, thanks babe.
00:48The other end went silent.
00:51By the time I was actually awake, I remembered his message.
00:56I opened my phone to check where he'd left the gift, went back to the thread, clicked in, clicked out,
01:04did it three more times, hands unsteady, like the answer was going to change.
01:10It didn't.
01:11I'd replied from my personal account, already past the delete window.
01:17After my message, Chase hadn't responded the way he usually did.
01:22No warmth, no patience, just a question mark.
01:26I ran through every possible excuse, discarded most of them, finally landed on the one that might actually hold.
01:37Sorry, wrong chat.
01:40Meant to send that to a friend.
01:42I'll grab the gift now.
01:45Chase didn't push it, just replied, okay, thanks.
01:49I exhaled, switched to Vivian's account.
01:53His messages there had a completely different tone.
01:57Babe, I'm on my way back.
01:59Can we talk about making things official when I get back?
02:03The breath I just let out got stuck in my throat all over again.
02:09I started working for Vivian Ashford freshman year.
02:13Her family paid me to manage her online presence.
02:17Captions, comment sections, dating app conversations.
02:22I needed the money for grandma's medical bills.
02:25It was that simple.
02:27Three months ago, Vivian's mother started pushing her toward Chase Merritt.
02:33Their families had known each other for years.
02:36Mrs. Ashford had made it clear the connection mattered.
02:41Vivian was told to make him like her.
02:44Chase was traveling.
02:46Vivian messaged him herself for three days from a backup account.
02:51He didn't bite.
02:52Vivian had never had someone just not respond to her.
02:57It clearly didn't sit right.
03:02The account wasn't her main one anyway.
03:05So she shoved the log in at me.
03:09Screw this up and you're done.
03:12I took the phone.
03:14Kept my job.
03:15Started every morning the same way.
03:18Lying in bed.
03:19Scrolling Chase's grid.
03:21Thinking about what angle to try.
03:24Slowly, his replies got longer.
03:27He started responding within minutes.
03:29He started asking questions back.
03:32Three months passed.
03:34Now Chase was coming back to talk about next steps.
03:39This was almost over.
03:42One way or another.
03:45I put together a document that afternoon.
03:48Every preference I picked up on.
03:51Food allergies.
03:52What made him go quiet.
03:54What made him actually respond.
03:57Then I went downstairs.
03:59Grabbed the gift.
04:00And walked over to Vivian's apartment.
04:03She was on the couch.
04:04A few other gift boxes stacked beside her.
04:10Inside was a small, limited edition Jelly Cat Bunny.
04:16The London collaboration drop.
04:18Long sold out.
04:20That's it?
04:21A stuffed animal?
04:23I mentioned liking rabbits at some point.
04:27So he sent that.
04:30You deal with it.
04:32Next time tell him I'm into jewelry.
04:34Diamonds.
04:35Got it?
04:36Okay.
04:37He's coming back soon.
04:39About the account?
04:40Maybe it's better if you handle it yourself from here.
04:43Her DMs.
04:44Packed.
04:45Scrolling.
04:46Suitors.
04:47Plural.
04:48I've got enough going on.
04:49You keep handling Chase.
04:53Look through this before you see him.
04:56It matters.
04:58Yeah, yeah.
05:00You worry too much.
05:06I put together a document that afternoon.
05:09Every preference I'd picked up on.
05:12Food allergies.
05:13What made him go quiet.
05:15What made him actually respond.
05:18Then I went downstairs, grabbed the gift, and walked over to Vivian's apartment.
05:24She was on the couch.
05:25A few other gift boxes stacked beside her.
05:32Inside was a small, limited edition Jelly Cat Bunny.
05:37The London collaboration drop.
05:40Long sold out.
05:42That's it?
05:43A stuffed animal?
05:45I mentioned liking rabbits at some point.
05:48So he sent that.
05:52You deal with it.
05:53Next time tell him I'm into jewelry.
05:56Diamonds.
05:57Got it?
05:58Okay.
05:59He's coming back soon.
06:00About the account?
06:01Maybe it's better if you handle it yourself from here.
06:04Her DMs.
06:06Packed.
06:07Scrolling.
06:08Suitors.
06:09Plural.
06:09I've got enough going on.
06:11You keep handling Chase.
06:15Look through this before you see him.
06:17It matters.
06:20Yeah, yeah.
06:21You worry too much.
06:28A few days later, Chase was back.
06:31Vivian brought me along to his welcome back dinner.
06:35I carried her bag.
06:36We were almost at the door when her phone rang.
06:39She waved me inside and stepped aside to take the call.
06:43I pushed the door open.
06:46Before I could see anything, someone took the bag from my hand.
06:50A second later, fingers closed around mine.
06:56You wore the bag I gave you?
06:59Good girl.
07:02I'd heard that voice through a phone for three months.
07:06Hearing it in the same room was different.
07:11He registered what he was seeing.
07:14Stepped back.
07:15Let go.
07:16He muttered something under his breath.
07:18Sorry.
07:19Wrong person.
07:21Vivian appeared in the doorway.
07:24Why are you just standing there?
07:28Chase's expression reset.
07:30Waiting for you.
07:35Vivian folded into the group quickly.
07:38She was good at that.
07:40I sat next to her and didn't say much.
07:43Nobody looked at me.
07:44That was fine.
07:48The table went quiet.
07:51My stomach dropped.
07:53Vivian hadn't read a word of that document.
07:57Chase was allergic to shellfish.
08:02I'd bolded it.
08:04I'd put it in red.
08:07Chase's jaw tightened.
08:09He's allergic to shrimp.
08:13Vivian pivoted without missing a beat.
08:16Ate the shrimp herself.
08:19I know you can't have shrimp.
08:21I just wanted you to smell it.
08:24He laughed.
08:26Crisis handled.
08:28After dinner, someone suggested truth or dare.
08:33Pass me my bag.
08:35His elbow caught mine.
08:38Everything scattered.
08:40Including the jelly cat bunny.
08:42Which landed in the light like it had been waiting for exactly the wrong moment.
08:51Why do you have that?
08:57Six explanations in two seconds.
09:00Holding it for Vivian.
09:01Bought one just like it.
09:03Found it somewhere.
09:04None of them were going to land.
09:06The truth was, I liked it.
09:09When Vivian threw it at me, I'd stood there a while before putting it carefully in my bag.
09:15I'd grabbed the wrong bag tonight.
09:18I didn't get to say anything.
09:20Vivian beat me to it.
09:22Leah!
09:23Did you take that from me?
09:26I've done so much for you.
09:29You knew how much that meant to me.
09:32Why would you-
09:33Every head in the room turned.
09:36Isn't she Vivian's assistant?
09:39That's bold.
09:41She stole something Chase gave his girlfriend.
09:45I started to say no.
09:48No.
09:50Say one more word and you're done.
09:53Keep your mouth shut and I'll send you $50,000.
09:57The denial died in my throat.
10:00$50,000.
10:02Grandma's next several months of medication.
10:06The surgery I couldn't afford to lose.
10:09I heard myself say it.
10:11Voice flat.
10:15I took it.
10:18I'm sorry.
10:21It's okay.
10:23I know things have been hard for you.
10:30Don't be too hard on her.
10:32Chase didn't say anything.
10:35But I felt him look at me.
10:39Vivian's so understanding.
10:41Let's just move on.
10:42It's Chase's night.
10:43Five minutes later, truth or dare resumed.
10:46Chase's turn to hand one out.
10:48He looked at me.
10:49Let the silence stretch.
10:52Dare.
10:53Feed someone a pretzel stick.
10:56Hands behind your back.
10:57The room went still.
10:59Nobody volunteered.
11:04Brady stood up.
11:06He looked at me in a way that made my skin crawl.
11:09I'll do it.
11:11He held one end of the pretzel stick between his teeth and tilted his chin up.
11:17My hands were shaking.
11:18I was about to pull back.
11:21Okay, that's enough.
11:25Chase lifted an eyebrow.
11:27The game moved on.
11:30After, I drove Vivian home without a word.
11:34She transferred the $50,000 before she walked inside.
11:37A few days to clear.
11:41I sat in my car staring at the pending notification.
11:46Tomorrow, I could buy actual groceries.
11:49Something good.
11:51Grandma had been eating the same things for weeks.
12:00The backup account.
12:02Chase, he didn't know anything.
12:09He held one end of the pretzel stick between his teeth
12:13and tilted his chin up.
12:15My hands were shaking.
12:16I was about to pull back.
12:19Okay, that's enough.
12:23Chase lifted an eyebrow.
12:25The game moved on.
12:28After, I drove Vivian home without a word.
12:32She transferred the $50,000 before she walked inside.
12:36A few days to clear.
12:39I sat in my car, staring at the pending notification.
12:44Tomorrow, I could buy actual groceries.
12:47Something good.
12:49Grandma had been eating the same things for weeks.
12:58The backup account.
13:00Chase, he didn't know anything.
13:07The next morning, I picked up a shift at the campus bakery.
13:11Grandma's surgery was still six figures short.
13:15Vivian's money helped, but it wasn't close.
13:18Around noon, Brady walked in.
13:20I rang him up.
13:22$12.50?
13:25With that face, why are you working a register?
13:29Come work for me instead.
13:33There's a camera right there.
13:35Let go or I'm calling campus security.
13:37He held tighter.
13:39Whatever Vivian is paying you, I'll double it.
13:43The second he hesitated, I grabbed a pen off the counter and pressed the tip into his hand.
13:50He let go.
13:51I went for the kitchen.
13:53He came after me, swearing.
13:55He almost had my arm when someone else entered the frame.
13:59I heard Brady hit the floor before I reacted.
14:03Chase stood over him.
14:04Looking down like he was mildly inconvenienced, he sent Brady out.
14:09The bakery got very quiet.
14:12Don't read into it.
14:13Vivian likes having you around.
14:15You end up with Brady, she gets upset.
14:19I know.
14:22My co-workers showed up to take over my shift.
14:25I grabbed my bag and tried to leave.
14:28Chase fell into step beside me.
14:30I'm heading to see Vivian anyway.
14:32I'll drop you.
14:33I'd seen Chase before, long before any of this.
14:37Freshman year of high school.
14:39The day my parents split up and neither of them wanted to take me with them.
14:44They dropped me off near a strip of shops downtown and drove away.
14:49$50 I owed the school by the next morning.
14:53A fee for class materials.
14:55I'd be the only one who didn't have it.
14:58I walked the whole block asking if anyone needed help.
15:02Every place said no.
15:04I was too young.
15:05The last door shut in my face.
15:08We're not hiring minors.
15:09Move along.
15:11How much do you need?
15:17$50.
15:18Chase was maybe 16.
15:21That kind of ease that comes from never having worried about money.
15:25One second.
15:27Ran to the convenience store next door.
15:30Broke it into two 50s.
15:32Came back and returned one.
15:39You didn't have to do that.
15:42I'll pay you back.
15:43What's your name?
15:45Chase.
15:46That was it.
15:47He left.
15:48I didn't know his last name.
15:51Didn't know anything about him.
15:52I just kept that name somewhere quiet and moved on.
15:56Three months ago, Vivian sent me a photo.
16:00I stared at it for a long time.
16:02Now I finally knew.
16:05We stood outside the bakery without talking.
16:08Chase was waiting for his driver.
16:10Head down on his phone.
16:12A notification came through on my second phone.
16:15The backup account.
16:17Chase had posted in the close friends thread and followed it with a DM.
16:22You good?
16:23Why aren't you responding?
16:29He waited.
16:30Typed again.
16:31Nothing back.
16:33Then a video call request through the app.
16:41I didn't know his last name.
16:43Didn't know anything about him.
16:45I just kept that name somewhere quiet and moved on.
16:49Three months ago, Vivian sent me a photo.
16:53I stared at it for a long time.
16:55Now I finally knew.
16:57We stood outside the bakery without talking.
17:01Chase was waiting for his driver.
17:03Head down on his phone.
17:05A notification came through on my second phone.
17:08The backup account.
17:09Chase had posted in the close friends thread and followed it with a DM.
17:14You good?
17:16Why aren't you responding?
17:22He waited.
17:23Typed again.
17:24Nothing back.
17:25Then a video call request through the app.
17:34I turned away fast.
17:36I unzipped my bag just enough to decline the call from the inside.
17:44Who are you texting?
17:54My personal phone.
17:57An active call.
18:00Hello.
18:02You still there, honey?
18:04Is there something you need?
18:09Nothing.
18:10Car's here.
18:11Let's go.
18:22Too much coincidence.
18:24All of it.
18:25In the car, he was on his phone.
18:27I kept my personal phone face down.
18:30The second phone buzzed twice in my pocket.
18:34Two more DMs.
18:36He glanced over.
18:37I angled my head toward the window.
18:39He waited for a response that didn't come.
18:42Typed again.
18:43A third buzz.
18:45Longer.
18:46A voice note.
18:47I pressed my hand against my pocket to muffle it.
18:52Your bag's buzzing.
18:55It's nothing.
18:59He looked at me for a moment.
19:01Then his driver pulled up to Vivienne's building.
19:05And Chase got out without another word.
19:07I sat in the back seat.
19:09Both phones in my lap.
19:11Staring at the ceiling.
19:13Things continued.
19:14Vivienne kept passing me the login.
19:16I kept managing it.
19:18I hadn't expected Chase to be like this.
19:22Cold from the outside.
19:24Unreachable.
19:25But on the account, he was different.
19:28He posted in the close friends thread at odd hours.
19:31Sent voice notes when he had something real to say.
19:34Remembered details I'd mentioned weeks earlier.
19:38And brought them back without warning.
19:40When he asked to meet up, I'd text Vivienne.
19:44And she'd either go or make an excuse.
19:47Then, one Saturday, she wouldn't go.
19:51I'm busy.
19:52There's this guy in a band I've been talking to.
19:54He has a show tonight.
19:55Tell Chase I have something going on.
19:57I made up an excuse.
19:59Chase wasn't happy.
20:01He let it go.
20:02Saturday came and went.
20:04My phone rang.
20:05Vivienne.
20:06Leah Chase showed up.
20:08He saw me.
20:10With the other guy.
20:12He won't answer my texts.
20:14He won't pick up.
20:16My mother still hasn't secured the Merrick connection.
20:19You've fixed this before.
20:21You can fix it again.
20:24Fix it how?
20:30Grandma's surgery is coming up, right?
20:33The out-of-pocket costs.
20:35Help me sort this out and I'll cover the rest.
20:38Whatever insurance doesn't pick up.
20:41All of it.
20:43All of it?
20:45All of it.
20:51Chase was not easy to bring back.
20:54Three days of carefully chosen posts.
20:58Long voice notes.
20:59Soft ones.
21:00Nothing landed.
21:02Then, finally, cut it off with him completely.
21:05I told him it was done.
21:07He went quiet again.
21:08I thought about it for two days.
21:11Then, I decided to make something.
21:13I bought yarn and a crochet hook.
21:16Followed a tutorial.
21:18And stayed up two nights.
21:20A small rabbit.
21:22Lopsided ears.
21:23Front paws pressed together like it was apologizing.
21:27I took it to Chase's apartment building.
21:32Why are you here?
21:34Vivienne thought a gesture might help.
21:38She made this for you.
21:40He took it.
21:42Looked at it for a long moment.
21:45Clearly handmade by someone who had never done this before.
21:53Then, he caught me watching and the look disappeared.
21:57It's ugly.
21:58It's not.
21:58She sent someone who can't even sell the apology.
22:05Tell Viviana a stuffed animal isn't going to cut it.
22:09He went back inside.
22:11I waited until the door closed.
22:13Got out my phone flashlight.
22:16Found the rabbit in the dark.
22:18Dusted it off.
22:19Two nights of work.
22:21The yarn wasn't free.
22:24I sat on the front step with it in my lap.
22:27Ten minutes later, the door opened again.
22:30Chase came back out.
22:32Flashlight on.
22:33Scanning the bushes.
22:34The beams swung over and landed on me.
22:38He stopped.
22:39Then, he caught me watching and the look disappeared.
22:43It's ugly.
22:44It's not.
22:45She sent someone who can't even sell the apology.
22:52Tell Viviana a stuffed animal isn't going to cut it.
22:56He went back inside.
22:57I waited until the door closed.
23:00Got out my phone flashlight.
23:02Found the rabbit in the dark.
23:04Dusted it off.
23:06Two nights of work.
23:07The yarn wasn't free.
23:10I sat on the front step with it in my lap.
23:14Ten minutes later, the door opened again.
23:17Chase came back out.
23:18Flashlight on.
23:19Scanning the bushes.
23:21The beams swung over and landed on me.
23:24He stopped.
23:39Are you looking for this?
23:41He didn't answer right away.
23:45He just looked at me in a way I couldn't read.
23:50Long enough that I started to feel stupid.
23:52Standing there with a lopsided rabbit extended towards someone who'd already told me it was ugly.
24:04You're the assistant.
24:06Stay in your lane.
24:08He walked back inside.
24:11I stood there a few more seconds.
24:13Cold air on my face.
24:15Rabbit gone.
24:17No better plan than before.
24:19But he'd come back out.
24:21I didn't know what to do with that.
24:25Chase still hadn't fully come around.
24:28But he was responding.
24:30Not often.
24:31Just enough.
24:32I picked up a night cleaning shift at a bar near campus.
24:35Better pay than the bakery.
24:39I'd been out in the cold too much.
24:41I could feel it in my chest.
24:44That night at the bar,
24:45my head was starting to drift.
24:48My supervisor called across the room.
24:50Leah.
24:52Back booth in the bottle service section.
24:55Someone broke a bottle.
24:57Go clean it up.
25:00I grabbed my kit and went.
25:13My drink was on the edge of the table.
25:16I'd brought it from the staff area.
25:27I didn't remember finishing it.
25:30I looked at the glass.
25:32Empty.
25:33Something made me stop moving.
25:35I looked around the booth.
25:40Brady stepped out from the back.
25:42Three guys with him.
25:44My phone was gone before I could reach for it.
25:49You stabbed me with a pen, Leah.
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