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مشاهدة مسلسل ثمن فقدانها مترجم كامل جميع الحلقات مجاناً
#Shorts
#Short_Drama
#Shorts
#Short_Drama
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Short filmTranscript
00:00On the day of my husband Lucas's 30th birthday, I prepared a huge surprise for him.
00:05But what he gave me in return was a loyalty test that cost my child's life.
00:10This is not the first time that Natalie, the woman who's become a forbidden love to Lucas,
00:15has used such despicable means to test my loyalty.
00:18Only this time, I sacrificed the child in my womb who had yet to take a single glance at the
00:24world.
00:25The moment I lost my child, the clock struck zero.
00:28And sure enough, I received a call from Lucas.
00:31Have you lost your mind? They are just a few small-time thugs.
00:35You clearly can beat them, so why didn't you resist?
00:37Natalie went a bit overboard with this test.
00:39But she's just being temperamental.
00:41You didn't have to refuse to fight back just because you're mad at her.
00:44It's a good thing she's kind-hearted and held back a bit, stopping these people in time.
00:48Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
00:51I listened to Natalie's sweet, teasing voice on the phone, begging him to go out for drinks.
00:56And my heart shattered into pieces.
01:00He had no idea I could no longer fight anyone.
01:03Half a year ago, Natalie poisoned him with a deadly, incurable toxin.
01:08I risked my life to save him, dragging him back from the brink of death.
01:13But my body was completely ruined, all my strength gone forever.
01:17Now, I don't even have the strength to protect my own child.
01:21If this is my fate, I don't accept it.
01:29I was awakened by a strong sense of suffocation.
01:32Suddenly opening my eyes, I saw Natalie with a ferocious expression, gripping my neck tightly,
01:38while Lucas stood by the bedside, watching coldly, without any intention of stopping her.
01:49Lucas, look at her!
01:50I told you she was just faking being dizzy, and you didn't believe me!
01:55She even scratched me!
01:56Natalie flung herself into Lucas' arms, wailing and pretending to be a victim.
02:01Lucas lowered his head to carefully examine the faint red scratch mark on Natalie's hand.
02:07His face immediately darkened, and his eyes gathered storm clouds, completely ignoring me, who was curled up on the side.
02:15Elena, have you had enough?
02:17Even if you're throwing a fit, there should be a limit.
02:19You're just faking sick to get my attention, aren't you?
02:22I can ignore the text you sent.
02:24I can let the fake sickness go.
02:26But you not only fainted, you just scratched Natalie.
02:29Every word from Lucas was like a poisoned knife, piercing deeply into my heart.
02:35Not long ago, there was a fresh and beating little life inside.
02:40And now, the father of that child was forcing me to apologize to the murderer who had killed his child.
02:46No need. Let's get a divorce.
02:51Enough! Stop joking around. My patience is limited.
02:54Apologize to Natalie immediately.
02:56Looking at the man I have loved for a full decade, I am utterly disappointed.
03:01I want revenge.
03:04Again with those words, apologize to Natalie.
03:09Ever since Natalie returned to the country, I'm sorry, had become my daily bread.
03:15I remember when Natalie arranged for gang members to kidnap Lucas.
03:20To save him, I took seven bullets.
03:23After we escaped, Lucas held my bloodied body, his eyes red with panic.
03:29But once my condition stabilized, he said helplessly,
03:33I've told Natalie countless times that you truly love me.
03:37But she wouldn't believe it.
03:39She insisted on Beltmore test your eye.
03:42But she was just looking out for me.
03:44She's been spoiled since childhood and never knows when to stop.
03:48Don't hold it against her.
03:50Also, Natalie faints at the sight of blood.
03:53Your blood scared her.
03:54Remember to apologize to her when you're discharged.
03:57Then there was a time Natalie staged a car accident that broke my leg and left me with eight drunk
04:05men.
04:06I fought desperately with my broken leg, even breaking my nails in the struggle.
04:12Looking at those disgusting faces, I helplessly cried out Lucas's name for the first time.
04:19Just as a bottle shattered against my head, Lucas finally appeared and kicked the drunk man away.
04:34But not only was I left with a permanent leg disability that ached like ants snoring at my bones every
04:41rainy day,
04:42I also developed severe PTSD, spending months in a mental haze.
04:48Lucas held me tenderly, repeatedly comforting me.
04:54Natalie insisted on making a bet with me about testing you.
04:58To measure your loyalty to me.
05:01She said only if you maintained your virtue and would rather die than submit could you prove you love me.
05:08You know I've always lost a sense of security.
05:10I had people standing nearby, thinking nothing serious could happen so I let her have her way.
05:15But Natalie was exhausted too.
05:17When she came to see you two days ago, you pushed her down and she sprayed her bank.
05:21Once you stay, we'll go apologize to her.
05:24After each test, they would bring in professional teams.
05:28To provide me with psychological counseling and suggestion in the name of love.
05:33And day after day of psychological counseling and suggestion made me repeatedly say I'm sorry for those ridiculous reasons.
05:42People become desensitized to psychological counseling and suggestion when it happens too often.
05:51So this time, I wanted to try a different approach.
05:55I struggled to sit up straight.
05:57You're very welcome.
06:01As Natalie approached me, I grabbed the water glass from the table, hurled it at her.
06:07Natalie didn't panic, but revealed a triumphant smile.
06:11She deliberately fell against me while a folding knife slipped silently from her sleeve.
06:15Before I could react, the cold blade had already pierced my abdomen.
06:25Excruciating pain instantly swept through my entire body.
06:29The glass shattered on the floor as she pretended to be pushed down by me.
06:33It hurts so much!
06:34Doctor!
06:35Get a doctor quickly!
06:36The composure on Lucas' face completely shattered, revealing panic I'd never seen before.
06:44Don't be afraid, Natalie.
06:46The doctor will be here soon.
06:48His heart and eyes were completely filled with Natalie.
06:52He looked up and glared at me with eyes full of anger, his voice full of reproach.
06:57Elena, have I been too good to you, spotlighting you to the point of lawlessness?
07:03The abdominal wound suffered a second trauma, and the intense pain made me curl up instantly.
07:09Blood poured through my fingers as my vision turned blood red.
07:13Lucas watched me, convulsing in pain on the ground.
07:16His brow furrowed tightly.
07:19Yes!
07:20He turned and rushed to Natalie, without hesitation.
07:24Watching his retreating figure, my world plunged into darkness.
07:29When I opened my eyes again, my phone showed unread messages.
07:33I opened it to see a single sentence.
08:05Today's incident won't end like this.
08:06When I walked for him recently, my vision went black, and I could barely stand.
08:11I rushed out of the hospital despite attempts to stop me.
08:14Your injuries haven't healed yet!
08:15My hands still trembling uncontrollably.
08:17Just as I was about to call Lucas to demand answers, I heard whispered conversations around me.
08:23She looks so clean and harmless, but I never expected her to be such a person.
08:26A woman who's been violated by thugs.
08:28How does she still have the nerve to show her face?
08:31She probably deserved it.
08:32Must be promiscuous herself.
08:33I looked up in confusion to see the large screen on the plaza across from the hospital,
08:38brazenly displaying a video of me being torn apart and violated by thugs in that alley.
08:45Those unspeakable ceilings were magnified, infinitely, exposed in broad daylight.
08:51Instantly, I felt the world spinning, my ears buzzing.
08:56A sharp thinking suddenly sounded as an out-of-control sports car charged straight at me,
09:01though I barely dodged it.
09:03Are you blind?
09:04If you want to die, don't block my way.
09:06Damn it!
09:06Obviously not a decent woman!
09:08I stumbled and fell.
09:09Half my body instantly scraped raw.
09:11I pretended not to hear the whispers around me.
09:14Struggled to get up, and another motorcycle barreled straight towards me,
09:18knocking me to the ground again.
09:20I fell back to the original spot, my abdominal wound instantly bursting open.
09:25Miss Natalie wanted me to ask you, how did it feel to be put on public display?
09:30Oh, and your dog.
09:31Nice fur texture.
09:33Just not very durable.
09:34Only then did I finally see his face clearly.
09:37It was the lead thug from that day in the alley.
09:39My whole body shook violently.
09:43Elena, what on earth have you done?
09:46The companies were suddenly investigated.
09:48All partners with group funding simultaneously.
09:50And the capital chain is completely broken.
09:53The family business is finished.
09:55Bankrupt.
09:55Was it you?
09:56Did you make Lucas unhappy?
09:57You need to go beg him.
09:58Go apologize quickly.
10:05When I stumbled back to the mansion, indecent sounds were coming from the master bedroom.
10:11The door was ajar, and Natalie and Lucas' figures were entwined on the messy bed.
10:16At this moment, I couldn't care about anything else.
10:19I picked open the door and rushed straight at Natalie, grabbing her away from Lucas.
10:25Where's Charlie?
10:26Oh my.
10:27Your wife isn't even jealous seeing us like this.
10:29She probably doesn't love you anymore, and only cares about that dog.
10:32Looks like she failed this test too.
10:34Lucas frowned and pushed me away.
10:35Elena, what are you going crazy about now?
10:42When you're wrong, you must be punished.
10:45I've been too lenient with you all these years, but I didn't expect them to be so rough.
10:49I'll call a good doctor to look at you later.
10:53I'm asking you, where is Charlie?
10:56Dead.
10:57A beast that bit Natalie deserved to be put down.
11:00This statement completely shattered my last bit of sanity.
11:03Tell me why!
11:04Why are you doing this?
11:05Just then, Natalie suddenly rushed over.
11:08During the struggle, how about this?
11:10She pretended to fall down the stairs, letting out a piercing scream.
11:18Lucas's expression changed dramatically, and that very he had his men bind me and bring me before Natalie,
11:23I was forcibly pressed to the ground, kneeling before Natalie.
11:27He kept comforting the woman.
11:29Don't be angry anymore.
11:30I brought her here so you can get your revenge.
11:33Lucas, you can't treat me like this.
11:35Natalie has a kind heart and she won't do anything excessive.
11:39When you do wrong, you must be punished.
11:41This is for your own good.
11:42After he left, that woman just shoved a lump of meat at me.
11:46Try some.
11:46This is your precious Charlie.
11:48In that instant, I seemed to hear Charlie's dying whimpers.
11:52After countless burning slaps across my face, I was finally forced to swallow that piece of bloody meat.
11:58My stomach was churning violently.
12:01I collapsed on the floor and threw up non-stop.
12:04What did you do to her?
12:05Nothing much.
12:06I just wanted to help you test her one more time before I leave.
12:09But the test results show that in her heart, you're far less important than that dog.
12:14Looks like she failed the test again.
12:16So I win again.
12:17Remember to prepare my reward.
12:19Hearing this, the trace of concern that had just gathered on Lucas' face was instantly replaced by fury.
12:26My wife is sick and she doesn't love me as much as before.
12:29Use maximum intensity treatment this time.
12:32Don't worry, she's strong.
12:33Nothing will happen to her.
12:36No, please, no, Lucas.
12:38Let me go.
12:38Don't hand me over to them.
12:40Please, Lucas.
12:41Get well soon.
12:42I'll come get you tomorrow.
12:44Natalie will be sent abroad again in a couple day.
12:47After she leaves, we'll try for a baby proper.
12:49Electric shocks, whipping, drugs, and endless sleep deprivation during another round of torture.
12:55The toxicity I had absorbed six months ago while detoxifying Lucas finally erupted.
13:02The bone-deep, heart-piercing agony made it impossible for me to endure any longer.
13:07When Lucas came to pick me up, I had just dragged my numb body to the rooftop.
13:12I looked at Lucas in the distance with dead eyes.
13:16Then, without hesitation, threw myself down in front of him.
13:20Elena!
13:23Lucas was supported by others.
13:25Barely managing not to collapse.
13:28Elena, don't joke with me.
13:31Get up quick.
13:32Elena, don't scare me.
13:33He reached out to push me, but withdrew his hand before touching me, not even daring to touch me.
13:39Lucas couldn't understand.
13:41It was just psychological treatment.
13:43How could I choose to end my life?
13:45Hundreds of times before had gone fine.
13:47Why this time?
13:49Quickly!
13:50Get me the best medical team, now!
13:52Immediately!
13:55He stayed right by the door, not moving an inch.
13:58When Natalie called, he stared at her name, flashing on the screen.
14:01For the first time, he didn't pick up at once.
14:04He hesitated for a second, before hitting answer.
14:08Lucas, why haven't you come back yet?
14:10My ankle hurts so much.
14:12Your wife pushed me down the stairs yesterday, and I sprained it.
14:15But you haven't even asked about me.
14:17Elena jumped off a building.
14:19Elena jumped off a building.
14:20Why are you worried about her?
14:22Maybe she just didn't want to accept treatment anymore.
14:24She doesn't want to love you anymore, so she's acting pitiful for compassion.
14:28For the first time, Lucas felt that Natalie's voice was so grating, he hung up the phone without saying a
14:34word.
14:34He even refused the food that Natalie sent over.
14:37At dawn, my condition finally stabilized, but I was still unconscious.
14:42The doctor came out with test reports, each statement making Lucas' face paler.
14:48We found unknown toxins in the patient's body.
14:51Results show she's been suffering for six months.
14:54She has severe lacerations on her body.
14:57We found multiple people's DNA.
14:59The wounds were caused by repeated violence.
15:02Additionally, the patient has a serious, predominantly penetrating wound that is infected and festering.
15:07The injury occurred within the last three days.
15:09She also recently suffered a violent miscarriage with severe uterine damage.
15:13According to genetic testing of uterine remnants, the child was yours, approximately three months along.
15:23What?
15:24What did you say?
15:28The second Lucas heard the full extent of my injuries from the doctors, all the hidden poison, the brutal violence,
15:35the irreversible damage to my body, he snapped.
15:38He stood there in the cold hospital hallway, his face twisted with rage and disbelief, and roared at his waiting
15:44subordinates at the top of his lungs.
15:49He was completely blind with fury, on the edge of losing his mind, replaying the same two questions over and
15:57over in his head.
15:58How could this happen?
16:00How could he have let this happen to me, his wife?
16:04His first thought immediately jumped to the so-called professional psychological team that had treated me more than 300 times
16:12at Natalie's request.
16:13He convinced himself it had to be them, that they were the ones who'd hurt me, refusing to even consider
16:20the one person who'd been pulling all the strings all along.
16:23He couldn't fathom that Natalie, the woman he'd defended endlessly, was capable of such evil.
16:29Without wasting a single minute, he ordered his men to pull up the full surveillance footage from the day those
16:35fake caregivers dragged my broken body away.
16:38He sat alone in a quiet hospital room, watching that footage frame by agonizing frame.
16:46He saw me convulsing violently under electric shocks, my body too weak to fight back.
16:51He saw the raw, fresh, whip marks, covering my skin, proof of the torture I'd endured.
16:58He stared, at my empty, lifeless eyes, after they injected me, with mind-numbing drugs.
17:06And he heard my broken, hoarse voice, screaming his name over and over, helpless and broken, begging for him to
17:14save me.
17:15Elena, he whispered my name softly, his voice cracking, feeling like his heart was being sliced into tiny pieces, so
17:23painful he could barely breathe.
17:25For months, Natalie had sworn to him up and down, that this so-called treatment, was meant to make me
17:32love him more, to fix our broken marriage.
17:35She'd insisted the team was highly professional, that they would never lay a hand on me, and Lucas, had believed,
17:41every, single, word.
17:43He still refused to believe she was behind my suffering, even as the footage played out in front of him.
17:50His loyalty to her, was rooted in guilt.
17:53They were childhood friends, once engaged, and they'd made a promise before she moved abroad, that he'd marry her, if
18:00he was single when she returned.
18:04When she came back to find me his wife, that guilt consumed him, and he trusted her without a single
18:10question.
18:11Determined to get answers, Lucas had every single member of that fake team locked up, and decided to interrogate them
18:18himself.
18:19He slammed his fist on the interrogation table, his voice cold and threatening, as he shouted,
18:25Speak! Who ordered you to treat Elena this way? Where is the real team?
18:31Under his brutal, unrelenting questioning, the team broke immediately, too scared to keep lying.
18:38They spilled the whole terrible truth, their voices shaking with fear.
18:43It was Miss Natalie! She ordered us to torture her to death under the viage of treatment, said to make
18:52her wish she were dead.
18:53That confession, hit Lucas, like a freight train, slamming into him, with full force.
19:00It collapsed to the floor, right then and there, the world spinning around him so fast, he thought he'd pass
19:06out.
19:07The second doubt, crept into his mind about Natalie.
19:10All the repressed panic and guilt, came flooding in at once.
19:14He thought of every unanswered question,
19:16What about my lost baby?
19:18What about the stab wound in my abdomen?
19:22What about all the times I'd begged him to see the truth?
19:25To believe me about Natalie's cruelty?
19:28Only for him to call me a liar, and accuse me of being jealous?
19:32He forced himself to pull himself together, pushing through the crippling despair,
19:36and sent his men out to investigate every single detail.
19:40He split them into two groups, half to stand guard outside my ICU room 24-7s, to make sure no
19:48one else hurt me,
19:49and the other half, to dig up every piece of evidence, every surveillance clip, every trace of what Natalie had
19:55done.
19:55It wasn't long before they made a gut-wrenching discovery.
19:59My coat, the one I'd worn on his birthday, the night I was attacked, tucked in the pocket, was a
20:06positive pregnancy test.
20:07The date on that tiny stick was his 30th birthday, the exact day I'd planned to tell him I was
20:12pregnant,
20:13the surprise I'd spent weeks preparing for him.
20:16In that moment, everything clicked into place for Lucas.
20:19The excitement in my voice that night, the secret I'd been holding on to.
20:23Our child.
20:25The child.
20:27Howard.
20:28He whispered, clutching that small piece of paper tightly, as hot tears fell one by one onto it, soaking the
20:36ink.
20:38Moments later, his men rushed back with every surveillance video they could find.
20:43Footage that laid bare every single crime.
20:47He watched the night I was dragged into that rainy alley.
20:50Watched our three-month-old baby slip away from me in the mud and blood.
20:53Watched the life drain from my eyes as I lay there helpless.
20:57He watched Natalie stab me in the hospital.
20:59Heard her cruel, malicious words as she framed me for attacking her.
21:03He replayed the night six months prior, when Natalie poisoned him as a twisted loyalty test.
21:09And watched me risk my own life to save him.
21:12Destroying my own health in the process.
21:15And finally, he saw himself over 300 loyalty tests.
21:19300 times I loved him unconditionally.
21:22300 times.
21:24I gave everything for him.
21:25And he threw it all away.
21:27He fell for a sick, twisted lie.
21:30Fueled by his own pathetic need for security.
21:33And his guilt over Natalie.
21:35A woman who never loved him at all.
21:37I told him the truth countless times.
21:40And every single time, he dismissed me as jealous.
21:44As a liar.
21:45As someone targeting, innocent, Natalie.
21:49Every word out of her mouth was a carefully crafted trap.
21:53And he'd walked right into it.
21:55Leading me straight to hell.
21:56He ground out her name through gritted teeth.
21:59His voice filled with a hatred he'd never known before.
22:02Natalie.
22:03Lucas didn't waste a single second tracking Natalie down.
22:08And when he found her, she was sitting casually on her sofa, painting her nails.
22:13Acting as if nothing had happened.
22:15As if she hadn't ruined my life.
22:17And killed our unborn baby.
22:20She was calm.
22:21Even smug.
22:23Completely convinced Lucas would still take her side.
22:26Like he always had.
22:27When he confronted her, hysterical with pain and rage, she didn't deny a single thing.
22:34She just smiled sweetly.
22:36Set down her nail polish.
22:38And said,
22:41I did this for your own good.
22:43I wanted her to love you more.
22:44She stood up.
22:45And wrapped her arms around his waist.
22:48Speaking in that soft, childish tone they'd used as kids.
22:54Don't you know what kind of person I am?
22:56When have I ever harmed you?
23:00Lucas's voice trembled with unbearable pain as he replied,
23:04The doctor said,
23:07Elena might never wake up.
23:09Natalie didn't even flinch.
23:11She just traced slow circles on his back.
23:14Casual.
23:15And cold.
23:16Isn't it better if she doesn't wake up?
23:18After all, she jumped herself.
23:20No one forced her.
23:21Besides, you still have me, don't you?
23:27She leaned up to kiss him.
23:29But Lucas shoved her away with all his strength.
23:32Sending her falling hard to the floor.
23:34His eyes were ice cold.
23:36No guilt.
23:37No hesitation left.
23:39As he stared her down.
23:41Elena will definitely wake up.
23:45And I never had romantic feelings for you.
23:50The only person I've loved is Elena.
23:53Natalie just laughed.
23:55Still confident that he'd never hurt her.
23:57After years of him indulning her every whim, she was dead wrong.
24:02That night, Lucas ordered his men to drag her kicking and screaming into a dark, isolated basement.
24:09She screamed his name over and over.
24:12Lucas, you can't treat me like this.
24:16I did all of this because I love you.
24:19But Lucas just stood outside the door, watching her coldly, his voice sharp and threatening.
24:25You'd better pray Elena wakes up soon.
24:28If anything happens to her, I'll make you wish you were dead.
24:31But Natalie's family was wealthy and powerful.
24:34And they tracked her down and rescued her overnight.
24:39A high-speed chase erupted through the dark city streets.
24:42And in the chaos, Lucas jerked the steering wheel hard.
24:46Crashing his car head-on into the vehicle carrying Natalie and her rescuers.
24:50The crash was devastating.
24:53Natalie lost both legs permanently.
24:56Suffered severe brain damage that left her mentally impaired.
24:59And her own family discarded her like a broken, useless object.
25:06Abandoning her without a second thought.
25:09Lucas was badly injured in the crash too.
25:12Covered in cuts and bruises.
25:14But he refused any medical treatment.
25:16Ignoring his own pain to avenge me.
25:19He tracked down the group of thugs who'd attacked me in the alley.
25:22Who were packing to flee the country.
25:24To escape punishment.
25:26They fell to their knees.
25:27Begging.
25:28And crying.
25:29Please spare us.
25:30It was all Natalie's orders.
25:33Lucas stared at them with a completely blank expression.
25:37No mercy in his eyes.
25:38And gave a single cold order.
25:42Break their limbs and throw them in the river.
25:45Their screams echoed along the riverbank.
25:48Before they sank into the water.
25:50One by one.
25:51After dealing with everyone who'd hurt me.
25:54Lucas bailed out my mother's failing company.
25:57Pouring in millions to save it from total ruin.
26:00Fixing the damage Natalie had caused to my family.
26:03Exhausted and broken.
26:05He returned to the hospital.
26:07And sat by my ICU bed.
26:09Holding my cold, limp hand in his.
26:11His voice was choked with tears and regret.
26:14His voice was choked with tears and regret.
26:15As he spoke to my unconscious body.
26:17Elena, I've avenged you.
26:20When will you wake up?
26:23We can have another baby.
26:25I'll never put you through those stupid tests again.
26:27I know I was wrong.
26:29I'm so sorry.
26:30But his apologies were too little.
26:32Far too late.
26:34Lucas kept a constant vigil outside my ICU room.
26:37Day and night.
26:39Refusing to eat.
26:40Or sleep.
26:42His once sharp, bright eyes.
26:44Were bloodshot.
26:45And hollow.
26:46Fixed only on my pail.
26:48Still face through the glass window.
26:50Clinging to the tiny hope that I'd wake up.
26:53A full month passed.
26:55And every treatment failed to rouse me.
26:57Until the lead doctor pulled Lucas aside.
27:00His face solemn.
27:01And said the words he'd been dreading more than anything.
27:06We'll do everything we can, but...
27:12She may become permanently vigilative.
27:15No!
27:18Those words shattered the last of Lucas's hope.
27:21He clutched his chest.
27:23A sharp pain shooting through him.
27:25Before he spat up a mouthful of blood.
27:27And collapsed unconscious to the floor.
27:29When he passed out.
27:31He was flooded with dreams of our past.
27:33Our wedding day.
27:34Me in my white dress smiling at him with all the love in my eyes.
27:38All the times I risked my life for him.
27:41Never knowing it was all a twisted test.
27:44The day we adopted Charlie from the animal shelter.
27:47After years of painful, failed IVF treatments.
27:51Left me unable to conceive easily.
27:54We'd promised to be a family of three forever.
27:56And those warm memories flashed by.
27:59Until they froze on the ultrasound image of our lost three month old baby.
28:03In the dream.
28:04The tiny embryo reached for him.
28:06Only to dissolve into a pool of blood.
28:09Lucas woke up screaming.
28:11Numb with grief and regret.
28:13Drowning in guilt so heavy he could barely move.
28:15He didn't even have the courage to step into the ICU and look at me.
28:21He collapsed to his knees in the hallway.
28:23I'm sorry Elena.
28:27As long as you're willing to wake up.
28:29I'll do anything.
28:31Even die.
28:36Mr. Lucas!
28:37Just then.
28:39The ICU door burst open.
28:41And a nurse ran out.
28:43Breathless and frantic.
28:46Lucas.
28:47Your wife.
28:49She.
28:49When I finally blinked my eyes open.
28:52The harsh fluorescent lights of the ICU.
28:54Didn't sting like I'd expected them to.
28:57For the first time.
28:58In six months.
29:00I didn't feel the heavy.
29:01Burning ache of the poison in my bones.
29:04Didn't feel the sharp pull of the stab wound in my abdomen.
29:08Didn't feel the hollow.
29:10Throbbing grief of losing my baby.
29:12Weighing down my chest.
29:14The hereditary gift.
29:16That ran in my family's bloodline.
29:17The same one.
29:18That had let me save Lucas's life.
29:21All those months ago.
29:22Had finally flushed.
29:24Every last trace of the toxin.
29:26From my body.
29:27The world class medical team.
29:29Lucas had thrown at me.
29:30Had stitched my physical wounds closed.
29:32But the second I felt strong enough.
29:34To swing my legs over the side of that hospital bed.
29:37I knew there was only one thing left to do.
29:40Leave.
29:42The second I was steady enough to stand on my own toothache.
29:46I didn't hesitate for a single heartbeat.
29:49I slipped out of the scratchy hospital gown.
29:52And into the plain, clean clothes.
29:55My family had snuck in for me while I slept.
29:58Leaving every trace of the life I'd had with Lucas behind.
30:01In that cold, sterile room.
30:03I didn't leave a scribbled note for him on the nightstand.
30:07Didn't pause to look at the wilting flowers he'd piled up by the door.
30:11Didn't wait around for him to burst through the doors.
30:14With his tearful, meaningless apologies.
30:17I'd heard enough of his I'm sorries.
30:20Over the last six months.
30:22Enough of his empty promises to do better.
30:24I wasn't going to give him another chance to break me all over again.
30:28I walked out of that hospital room.
30:31And I never looked back.
30:33When Lucas stumbled into that hospital room an hour later.
30:36His eyes still bloodshot.
30:38From weeks of sleepless nights.
30:41His hands shaking.
30:42With the fragile.
30:43Desperate hope that the nurse's news meant we could finally fix what he'd broken.
30:48He practically threw the door open.
30:52He was ready to fall to his knees.
30:54And beg for my forgiveness.
30:56Only to freeze dead in the doorway.
30:58The bed was neatly made.
31:00The monitors were turned off.
31:02The room was silent.
31:03And empty.
31:04The only thing left was a single, unsigned sheet of paper.
31:09Folded crisply.
31:10On the white pillow.
31:12Where I'd laid unconscious.
31:13For a month.
31:14He crossed the room in two shaky steps.
31:17Grabbed the paper.
31:19And unfolded it.
31:20Only to find one short, sharp, unwavering sentence.
31:25Staring back at him.
31:26Between us.
31:27There is no more connection.
31:30No room for argument.
31:32No room for begging.
31:34No room for his regret.
31:36It was over.
31:37And he knew it the second he read those words.
31:40For years after that, Lucas hunted for me like a man possessed.
31:44He poured every last dollar of his billion dollar fortune into the search.
31:49Hired the best private investigators in the world.
31:52Put up billboards in every major city across the globe.
31:56Scoured every small town.
31:58Every remote village.
31:59Every corner of the earth looking for me.
32:03But it was all completely useless.
32:08My family and I had vanished.
32:10Without a single trace.
32:12Wiping every digital footprint.
32:14Every paper record.
32:15Every link to the life I'd once lived with him.
32:18He never knew the truth about my family's legacy.
32:22The secret we'd guarded for generations.
32:24Along with our hereditary gift to neutralize any poison.
32:29We'd also mastered an ancient art of concealment.
32:33One that let us disappear completely if we chose to.
32:36If I didn't want to be found.
32:39He could spend every last day of his life searching.
32:42And he'd never catch even a glimpse of me.
32:44Even years later.
32:46The giant digital screens in the heart of the city he'd once ruled.
32:50Still played his tearful.
32:52Broken confessions.
32:53On a 2-4.
32:55Hour loop.
32:56I'd see clips of it online sometimes.
32:58Strangers.
32:59Sharing the video of the broken billionaire.
33:02Begging for his wife to come home.
33:04His voice cracking.
33:05As he sobbed into the camera.
33:07Everyone who hurt you has paid the price except me.
33:11Please come back and punish me yourself.
33:27I saw one of those clips once.
33:29By chance.
33:30On a tiny cafe TV screen.
33:32In a quiet little town halfway across the world.
33:36A place where no one knew my name.
33:38No one knew my story.
33:39And as I stared.
33:41At his gaunt.
33:42Broken face.
33:43On that screen.
33:45I felt absolutely nothing.
33:47No flicker of anger.
33:48No twinge of sadness.
33:50No leftover spark.
33:51Of the love.
33:52I'd once felt for him.
33:54It was like watching a total stranger on the screen.
33:57In that moment.
33:58I knew I was truly.
34:00Completely free of him.
34:01Free of the pain.
34:03Free of the tests.
34:04Free of the life he'd forced me into.
34:06Without the anchor of the only person he'd ever truly loved.
34:10Lucas fell apart completely.
34:12His once mighty business empire crumbled around him.
34:16His stocks plummeted.
34:17His long time partners bailed one by one.
34:19And the company he'd spent his whole life building.
34:22Collapsed into total bankruptcy.
34:26And then.
34:27The law finally caught up to him.
34:30The cold hard evidence.
34:32Of what he'd done to those thugs.
34:34Ordering his men to break their limbs.
34:36And drown them in the river.
34:38Was dug up.
34:39Irrefutable.
34:40And damning.
34:41He was arrested.
34:43Put on public trial.
34:45And ultimately sentenced to death.
34:47For murder.
34:47On the day of his execution.
34:49He sat strapped to the chair.
34:51His eyes fixed unblinkingly.
34:53On the metal door to the room.
34:55Right up.
34:56Until the very end.
34:57He clung to that last tiny.
35:00Desperate.
35:01Foolish hope.
35:02That I'd walk through that door.
35:04That I'd give him.
35:05One last look.
35:06One last chance.
35:07To say he was sorry.
35:09But I never did.
35:10I wasn't there.
35:11I never would be.
35:13As the cold barrel of the gun.
35:14Was pressed to the back of his head.
35:17The woman he'd destroyed.
35:18Never came.
35:20When it became clear I wasn't going to show up.
35:23All the color drained from his face.
35:25Leaving it ashen.
35:26And empty.
35:27He forced a bitter.
35:29Broken smile.
35:30The last sound he made.
35:32A quiet.
35:33Trembling whisper.
35:35Meant only for me.
35:36Even though I wasn't there to hear it.
35:42You won't even look at me one last time.
35:46The gunshot rang out a split second later.
35:49Loud and final.
35:51Echoing through the small.
35:52In that instant.
35:55All the love.
35:56All the hate.
35:57All the years of pain and regret and tragedy vanished into thin air.
36:03Our twisted, tragic story ended there.
36:06Once and four.
36:07I didn't hear that gunshot.
36:10I didn't read about his death in the papers.
36:13Didn't watch the news coverage of his execution.
36:16I was halfway across the world.
36:19Standing on a quiet beach.
36:20Watching the sun rise over the ocean.
36:23Painting the sky soft pink.
36:25And brilliant gold.
36:27I turned toward that warm.
36:29Rising sun.
36:31And took a steady step forward.
36:33Leaving every last trace.
36:35Of that old life.
36:37Behind me.
36:38No more brutal loyalty tests.
36:40No more endless pain.
36:42No more giving pieces of myself away to a man who didn't deserve them.
36:46From that day on.
36:48I.
36:49Elena.
36:50Belong only to myself.
36:52My life is mine to live.
36:54My heart is mine to guard.
36:56My future.
36:57Is mine to build.
36:59And I wouldn't have it.
37:00Any other way.
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