- 22 hours ago
My Husband Married Her New 🔝
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Back in New York, my first surgery was on a young woman with a myomectomy.
00:03She was still whining to her boyfriend on the phone while signing the consent form.
00:07It's literally a minor procedure.
00:09Did you really have to drop a $100 million deal and fly back from London for this?
00:16And stop buying me bags and jewelry. I seriously have no room left.
00:20She handed me the form. My eyes landed on the emergency contact line.
00:24Ethan Hayes, same name as my boyfriend. I smiled politely.
00:28What a coincidence.
00:30Doctor, are all men named Ethan this love brain?
00:33I swear he did this to me.
00:35He has energy all day. A lot.
00:37And he's a total clinger. Stage 5. Period.
00:40I just wanted a few quiet days, but he found out and flew back anyway.
00:45I froze. I almost said my Ethan wasn't like that.
00:47My Ethan was composed. Polished. Married to work.
00:51An untouchable tech elite with a cold, almost untouchable restraint.
00:55She held up her phone and showed me her love-brained boyfriend.
00:57My heart stopped. On the screen was my boyfriend of three years.
01:02But my Ethan was never clingy. Never the lovesick type.
01:05Even at our most intimate, he always held something back.
01:09Not now.
01:11Okay, Dr. Reed. All signed. Anything else you need from me?
01:13I held on to a professional smile.
01:15I still need your allergy history before we can finalize the surgical plan and date.
01:18Oh, no. I left my file at home after my premarital checkup.
01:22Looks like we'll have to push the surgery back again.
01:24I raised my head, holding back the bitter tears surging in my sockets.
01:28You're married?
01:29You look barely out of college.
01:32Yep.
01:35We got married on May 9 last year.
01:37You have no idea how scared he was I'd run.
01:39I was still at Columbia University. I hadn't even graduated yet.
01:42He rushed me to sign the papers, like I'd marry someone else if he waited another second.
01:46Back in college, he bought a place right by campus to look after me.
01:50He's so clingy, it's suffocating.
01:51She flicked her wrist, looking mock annoyed.
01:54Under the desk, my hand wouldn't stop trembling.
01:57May 9.
01:58The day my mother died.
01:59I'll never forget that date.
02:01That day, I called him over and over.
02:03Just wanted to tell him how shattered I was.
02:05How badly I needed him there.
02:07Even just one hug.
02:09What I got instead was a cold text.
02:11Clara, I'm sorry.
02:13The company's at a critical stage right now.
02:15I really can't get away.
02:17Don't worry.
02:18Once things calm down, I'll make time to visit your mom's grave.
02:23So he wasn't too busy.
02:24He was busy marrying someone else.
02:26Doctor?
02:27Dr. Reed?
02:29So, should I go home and get the file?
02:32I'll come with you.
02:34Wouldn't that be too much trouble?
02:35Not at all.
02:36The sooner we do the surgery, the better.
02:37Delaying it won't be good for your health.
02:39We went downstairs together and got into her car.
02:41It was a custom-modified Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
02:44Luxury everywhere, but with soft, girly touches in every detail.
02:48She kept talking throughout the entire drive.
02:50She told me about the Caribbean islands they'd visited.
02:52The Michelin-starred restaurants they'd gone to.
02:54And the first night they crossed the line.
02:56Her smile was sweet.
02:58And unbearable.
02:59I stared out the window as the city blurred by,
03:02thinking about the future Ethan and I used to plan together.
03:04Then the car stopped in front of a luxury high-rise.
03:07Sutton Tower.
03:08One of the most exclusive buildings in New York.
03:10We used to say that after we got married, we'd buy the penthouse there.
03:13Turns out, before I ever got a wedding,
03:15someone else became the lady of the house.
03:17The second I stepped inside the apartment, I froze.
03:20The interior layout.
03:21The design style.
03:22Every single detail.
03:23It was exactly like the floor plans I had once sent Ethan.
03:26This place is gorgeous.
03:28I thought maybe we simply had similar tastes.
03:30Did you design it?
03:31She handed me a glass of water and left.
03:33Really?
03:33Thanks.
03:34But Ethan designed it.
03:35He said he based it entirely on what I like.
03:38Guess he knows me pretty well.
03:41Look, he even added that little ledge next to the toilet so I could put my phone there.
03:45I went still.
03:46That ledge was my idea.
03:50That ledge was my idea.
03:52One winter night, I was curled up in our tiny rental with takeout and my tablet,
03:56sketching out our future home.
03:57I pointed at the screen and walked him through every little idea I had.
04:01I thought he was listening because he was building our future.
04:04Turned out, I designed someone else's love nest.
04:06Tiffany dragged me around to show me her castle.
04:08Another woman was living in the home I had designed.
04:11It felt like swallowing a fistful of broken glass.
04:14We reached the second floor just as a door swung open and a white poodle bolted straight
04:18into Tiffany's arms.
04:19Why are you always this excited to see mommy?
04:21You sweet thing.
04:22Then the dog turned and ran straight at me.
04:25Its tail went wild.
04:26It rubbed its head against my leg and leapt up at me.
04:29My whole body locked up.
04:30The fur.
04:31The way it moved.
04:33Dr. Reed, wow.
04:35Casper really likes you.
04:36At this rate, he likes you more than me.
04:38My throat tightened.
04:40His name is Casper?
04:41Yeah.
04:42He's five.
04:43I've only had him for two years, though.
04:46Ethan got him from a friend.
04:48He said he didn't want me getting lonely at home.
04:52So he found a sweet, gentle dog to keep me company.
04:55Of course it felt familiar.
04:57My grandmother gave me that dog before she died.
04:59I raised him for three years.
05:00Then one day he vanished.
05:02I thought I had lost him.
05:04I cried for a week straight.
05:05Ethan held me while I fell apart and said,
05:07Don't cry, Clara.
05:08I'll always be with you.
05:09He wasn't lost after all.
05:11Ethan had given him away.
05:12Just a gift to please his new girlfriend.
05:15Tiffany pushed open the bedroom door and started looking for her medical records.
05:18But my eyes got stuck on something mounted to the wall.
05:20A handwritten weekly schedule.
05:22It was Ethan's handwriting.
05:23Clean.
05:24Sharp.
05:25Monday through Sunday.
05:26What is this?
05:27Oh, that's Ethan's daily checklist.
05:30I'm kind of a clean freak.
05:32And I don't like strangers in the house.
05:34So I have him handle all the chores.
05:36I stood there.
05:37A chill running through me.
05:41When Ethan and I lived together, we had a cleaner.
05:43Sometimes I couldn't even stand looking at the mess.
05:45So I washed his shirts and socks myself.
05:47Now he was happily doing all of it for someone else.
05:50Found it.
05:52Doctor, is this the one?
05:53I opened it numbly.
05:55Every signature line for spouse or family contact said the same name.
05:58Ethan Hayes.
05:59I knew his handwriting better than my own.
06:02No problem.
06:03I'll let you know the surgery date.
06:06Doctor.
06:08Don't rush off.
06:09It looks like it's about to rain and it's almost dinner time.
06:11Weirdly enough, I feel like we really clicked.
06:14Stay and eat with us.
06:15Ethan makes an amazing beef wemington.
06:17We were together for years and that man barely stepped into a kitchen.
06:20Before I could refuse, she had already pushed me onto the couch.
06:24Then she called him.
06:25Ethan?
06:26Where are you?
06:27Hurry home and cook.
06:28The voice on the other end was familiar and completely foreign.
06:32Gone was the cold distance I knew.
06:33In its place was warm, indulgent affection.
06:36My little troublemaker, I was waiting outside the hospital with a bouquet of roses for you and you just slipped
06:41away without a word.
06:42A bouquet of roses.
06:44We'd been together five years and he'd never once bought me roses.
06:47The only time any roses came was on my birthday.
06:50His assistant had picked them up on his behalf because he'd completely forgotten the day.
06:53Stop wasting money on flowers, Queenie.
06:56Just get home.
06:57We have a guest and she's dying to see what you can do in the kitchen.
07:01He laughed.
07:02A full, open laugh I had never heard in my life.
07:04Ha!
07:05Okay.
07:10I sat there on the couch, barely breathing.
07:13My nails dug into my palm until the pain turned sharp.
07:17Those roses.
07:18Picking her up at the hospital himself.
07:20Calling her a little troublemaker.
07:23Laughing like that.
07:24None of that was ever mine.
07:26I couldn't even picture the Ethan I knew in an apron.
07:28Standing in a kitchen.
07:30I was still casting around for an excuse to leave when lightning split the skies.
07:34A second later came the low roll of thunder.
07:37I covered my ears on instinct.
07:39But the violent crash I braced for never came.
07:41Doctor?
07:43Are you scared of thunder too?
07:44I nodded.
07:46It wasn't fear so much as trauma-driven terror.
07:48You're fine in this apartment.
07:50Honestly, even if a bomb went off outside the door, you wouldn't hear a thing.
07:54When Ethan found out I'm scared of thunder, he had the whole place upgraded.
07:57Top tier sound.
08:00I just stood there.
08:02And the way I'd covered my ears seconds earlier felt pathetic.
08:05When I was a kid, I survived a major car accident and a thunderstorm.
08:09After that, heavy rain and loud thunder always triggered me.
08:12I shake, break out in cold sweats, and want to curl into a ball.
08:16I once texted Ethan about it.
08:17He just laughed it off.
08:19Come on, Clara.
08:20It's not that bad.
08:21You just miss me, don't you?
08:22Baby, I'm about to jump into an international meeting.
08:25Get some sleep.
08:25Good night.
08:26That was it.
08:27On those stormy nights, I wrapped myself in blankets and shivered through it alone.
08:31Sweat is soaking the pillow.
08:33Biting my hand so I wouldn't cry out.
08:35So no.
08:36He did believe me.
08:37He just didn't care.
08:38Because I wasn't the one he cared about.
08:41Dazed, I reached for the glass in the coffee table.
08:43My hand slipped.
08:44Water spilled onto a stack of papers nearby.
08:47A title flashed across the page.
08:49Accident Investigation Report.
08:53I grabbed tissues.
08:54Flustered.
08:55Trying to wipe it off.
08:56It's okay.
08:57Really.
08:58It's just an old file.
08:59Totally useless now.
09:01But my hand froze.
09:03I knew that report format instantly.
09:05You were in a car accident too?
09:06Not me.
09:07My cousin.
09:08A few years ago, he drove drunk and hit a woman.
09:10It was serious.
09:11Honestly, I thought it should go through the courts.
09:13It was drunk driving.
09:14But they wouldn't stop bothering me.
09:15So I mentioned it to Ethan.
09:17I have no idea what he did.
09:18But somehow he made the whole thing disappear.
09:20Can I see that report?
09:22Sure.
09:22She handed it over without a second thought.
09:24My eyes went straight to the victim's name.
09:26My mother.
09:28Printed in black and white.
09:29Everything pierced through me at once.
09:31The time.
09:32The location.
09:33The cause.
09:34It all matched.
09:35But the conclusion set a minor collision?
09:38No.
09:39My mother wasn't sideswired.
09:40She was knocked to the ground.
09:42The driver panicked, backed up, and ran over her again.
09:45Her neck was broken, and she died on the spot.
09:48That year, I went half insane trying to appeal that disgusting report.
09:52I begged anyone who would listen.
09:54Every door I knocked on was slammed in my face.
09:56Someone splashed red paint across our front door.
09:58My elderly father got threatening phone calls and became too scared to leave the house.
10:02Ethan held me as I completely fell apart, saying the same thing over and over.
10:06We can't fight them.
10:06This world is darker than you think.
10:08I knelt in front of my mother's grave and apologized again and again.
10:10I'm sorry, Mom.
10:11To keep my father safe, I backed off.
10:13But I secretly kept every piece of evidence I had left.
10:16I told myself one day the truth would come back into the light.
10:19I just never imagined the man behind it was the man I loved for five years.
10:25My face went pale.
10:27I recorded every word while Tiffany talked.
10:29My fingers were shaking as I sent the audio and the photos to the old attorney who had
10:32worked on my mother's case.
10:34Would it finally be enough to expose the cover-up and uncover the truth?
10:37I took a deep breath and pushed it all down.
10:39Then I went and sat on the couch.
10:41A second later, the front door unlocked.
10:43Ethan walked in carrying a massive bouquet of red roses.
10:46He didn't see me in the corner.
10:48He went straight to Tiffany and pressed a tender kiss to her lips.
10:51She smiled and gave his chest a light push.
10:53Okay, okay.
10:55Look at you.
10:56Desperate much?
10:58We have a guest.
10:59Put that down.
11:01And go show off your cooking.
11:05The bouquet hit the floor.
11:07For one second, the whole world went silent.
11:09I stood up slowly.
11:11Ethan.
11:13When did you get married?
11:16I never got invited to the wedding.
11:20Tiffany's face went blank.
11:21Her eyes moved between us.
11:23Dr. Reed?
11:25How do you know my husband?
11:27Ethan kept his head down, refusing to meet her eyes.
11:29The air in the room turned suffocating.
11:31The Ethan Hales you were talking about
11:33is the same one I've been talking about, isn't it?
11:36I said nothing.
11:37I didn't need to.
11:38You'd better explain this.
11:41Right now.
11:42Baby, listen to me.
11:43That was in the past.
11:45Yes, we had a relationship, but it ended a long time ago.
11:48The person I love now is you.
11:50You're my wife.
11:51Before I saw him standing there, part of me still wanted to believe there was some explanation,
11:55some huge misunderstanding.
11:57But watching him erase our years together like they meant nothing?
12:00That didn't hurt.
12:01It numbed me.
12:02I just felt stupid.
12:04I loved a man like that for five years.
12:06I had talked about ending my overseas training early before, coming back to New York, living
12:10with him, planning our wedding.
12:12I was 28.
12:14Everyone around me was settling down.
12:16He always gave me the same answer.
12:18Baby, I can't be the reason you give up your career and your dreams.
12:21Now I thought back to all the signs, calls that suddenly went dead, an extra place sitting
12:26at dinner, a pink towel in his bathroom.
12:29Every detail had been screaming the truth.
12:31I just kept letting his sweet words blind me.
12:35I just showed Tiffany the last few texts between Ethan and me.
12:39The final one was from that morning.
12:41I love you, baby.
12:42Tiffany snapped.
12:44Ethan hailed you bastard!
12:46I'm divorcing you!
12:49It was the first time I had ever seen Ethan explode at me.
12:52Why did you come here?
12:54You're destroying everything I've built.
12:57I never asked you to marry me in all these years.
13:00Haven't you gotten the hint?
13:01I have a family now.
13:03Tiffany is a good woman.
13:05Why did you have to show up?
13:07Why did you have to take it this far?
13:08Listening to him twist everything like that, like I was the one at fault.
13:12My face went cold.
13:13You forgot something.
13:15His eyes started darting away.
13:17My mother was run over and killed because of a deliberate cutoff.
13:21I took one more step.
13:22My voice came out cold as ice.
13:24So tell me why you helped them fake the evidence.
13:27You met my mother.
13:29She loved you.
13:30She practically treated you like a son.
13:34The second he saw the copy of the accident report in my hand,
13:37the last of his mask fell apart.
13:41That day, it was Tiffany's uncle.
13:45A state legislator.
13:47He personally came to me.
13:50I had no choice.
13:53When I love someone, I do everything for her.
13:55Tiffany is clean, genuine, and kind.
13:57She deserved everything I did for her.
13:59He stood there praising another woman to my face.
14:01I laughed until I cried.
14:03At 23, I gave that man everything.
14:05I pulled another document from my bag.
14:07A copy of Tiffany's medical file.
14:09I threw it in front of him.
14:11Uterine wall thinning caused by repeated physical inflammation.
14:14Chronic.
14:14That's impossible.
14:17How could Tiffany?
14:18Ethan, your judgment is embarrassingly bad.
14:21And as for my mother, I'm not done with that.
14:24Expect to hear from my lawyer.
14:25I didn't let him say another word.
14:26I turned around and called a car.
14:28On the ride, my dad called.
14:30His voice was older now, but still warm.
14:33Clara, what time are you getting off today?
14:35The second I heard him, my throat tightened.
14:38There was silence for a few seconds.
14:40Like he already knew something had happened.
14:42Come home, sweetheart.
14:43Your mom may be gone, but I'll always be here for you.
14:46I nodded hard.
14:47If I could go back five years, I'd wish for one thing only.
14:50That I had never met Ethan Hayes.
14:53The next day, I met with attorney Goldman.
14:56Years ago, the key evidence in my mother's case had been buried under Ethan's money and connections.
15:01Now, with the recording and the new evidence I found, the case finally had a chance.
15:06Goldman held the documents with both hands.
15:09Clara, trust me.
15:10This time, justice is not slipping away.
15:13And with hard evidence on our side, Ethan couldn't bury it again, no matter how powerful he thought he was.
15:19Maybe he had started to see Tiffany for who she really was, too.
15:23I heard that when her legislator uncle came asking for help again, Ethan threw him out.
15:29Then, the divorce between Ethan and Tiffany turned into a public spectacle.
15:34Neither of them tried to save it.
15:36Both were convinced the other had betrayed them.
15:39Through all of that, Ethan started texting me.
15:41Clara, I know I made unforgivable mistakes, but now I realize you were always the right person for me.
15:48Can we give each other one more chance?
15:50If you come back, we can get married immediately.
15:54I read those messages and felt nothing but disgust.
15:57I didn't reply.
15:59I blocked him.
16:01Deleted him.
16:02Done.
16:03After dealing with that mess, I decided to take a long vacation.
16:06Even if I had cut him off in my head, Dad fully supported it.
16:11Marriage can wait.
16:12Don't force it.
16:13And if the right man never shows up, it's fine.
16:16Your dad will take care of you for the rest of his life.
16:21With my father's blessing, I left.
16:23My first stop was Paris.
16:25The city people call the capital of romance.
16:27I thought solo travel might feel lonely, but it didn't.
16:31Once I settled into the rhythm of it, being alone felt peaceful.
16:36I did what I wanted.
16:37I met interesting people, too.
16:39We didn't talk about the past.
16:40We just lived in the moment.
16:42Then one day, attorney Goldman called with the verdict.
16:45My mother's case had been reopened.
16:47We won.
16:48And all I could think was, Mom, you finally got justice.
16:52That night, I stood by the Seine with a glass in my hand.
16:55For the first time in years, I felt completely relaxed.
16:59One afternoon in Le Marais, I lost my wallet and my phone.
17:05I checked every pocket, my palms sweating.
17:09Then a handsome man appeared in front of me.
17:11Vous avez besoin d'aide?
17:12Flustered, I blurted out,
17:14I lost my wallet.
17:15I don't know what to do.
17:17You're American?
17:18That familiar accent hits me harder than I expected.
17:23His name was Alex Winter.
17:25Once he understood what had happened, he took me to file a police report.
17:29Then, he calmly helped me retrace my steps.
17:32In the end, we found my things at the little cafe where I'd stopped earlier.
17:37Let me buy you a coffee to thank you.
17:39Just coffee?
17:40Come on.
17:41After all that, the least you could do is dinner.
17:45I laughed.
17:46You know what?
17:47Fair.
17:48We talked for hours.
17:49I found out he was an architect.
17:51He was gentle, funny, effortlessly charming.
17:55There was always a warmth in his voice, something that made people feel at ease.
17:59When he heard I was here to clear my head, he offered to spend time with me.
18:03We exchanged contact info.
18:07And over the next few days, he became my private guide.
18:10He took me all over Paris.
18:13Big landmarks, hidden corners, quiet streets I never would have found on my own.
18:16He told me stories about the city's history and its romance.
18:19And the best part?
18:20Neither of us asked what came next.
18:22We just stayed in the moment.
18:24Then one night, back at the hotel, my phone rang.
18:27Unknown number.
18:28Clara, you blocked me.
18:31Do you have any idea how hard I've been trying to find you?
18:35Ethan Hales, what do you want?
18:37We broke up.
18:38You know the Hayes family business.
18:39There's no way I'm giving that up.
18:42She's suing me, but don't worry.
18:44I won't let her win.
18:48I have evidence of what she did behind my back, too.
18:51I hired the best attorneys.
18:56Ethan, why are you telling me this?
18:59I don't care.
19:01Do not contact me again.
19:03He tried to keep talking.
19:04I hung up.
19:06Then blocked and deleted that number, too.
19:08But he just used another one.
19:09If I didn't answer, he sent texts.
19:11At first, they were urgent.
19:13Then pathetic.
19:14Then desperate.
19:15Clara, I really know I was wrong.
19:17Please give me one more chance.
19:19Just one.
19:20I've paid for my stupidity.
19:22So I switched my phone to airplane mode.
19:24Took a shower.
19:25Let the warm water wash the day off me.
19:27And slept soundly.
19:28I stayed in Paris for a month.
19:30My hospital leave was almost over.
19:32So I booked a flight home.
19:34Turns out Alex was heading back to New York, too.
19:36And somehow, his studio was in the exact same neighborhood as my hospital.
19:40The coincidence made it easy.
19:42We flew back together.
19:43When the plane landed at JFK and I stepped onto familiar ground, I didn't expect someone
19:48to come running at me the second I stepped out of the terminal.
19:50It was Ethan.
19:53He looked ten years older in just one month.
19:56Scruffy beard.
19:56Clara, listen to me.
19:58Exhausted face.
19:59That expensive suit was wrinkled and hanging off him.
20:01The polished Wall Street prints was gone.
20:03I came here to confess.
20:06To tell you everything.
20:08If you give me one more chance, I'll do anything.
20:10Anything.
20:11In one month, the company stock dropped 50%.
20:13That bitch Tiffany teamed up with her family and sabotaged me.
20:17The company is a disaster right now.
20:19I finally understand.
20:21You're the one who was right for me.
20:22There's only one woman who should ever be called Mrs. Hayes.
20:25And that's you.
20:27I swear I'll never do this again.
20:29Please.
20:30Just give me one chance.
20:32Just give me one chance.
20:34Ethan, let go of me.
20:35It hurts.
20:36The more I resisted, the tighter his grip became.
20:38I finally snapped.
20:39Ethan, enough!
20:40Do you seriously think this pathetic act means anything?
20:43It's over.
20:44You gave up on me first.
20:46So what exactly are you trying to perform now?
20:49Devotion?
20:50Regret?
20:51Don't you hear how disgusting you sound?
20:54I know I was wrong.
20:56Alex stepped firmly in front of me, his tall frame blocking everything else from view.
21:01Alex stepped firmly in front of me, his tall frame blocking everything else from view.
21:05Didn't you hear her?
21:06She said it hurts.
21:08That stunned Ethan.
21:08He could tell instantly, by the clothes, the presence, the way Alex carried himself.
21:14This man was in a different league entirely.
21:16He got defensive fast.
21:18Who is he?
21:20Why are you with another man?
21:21You moved on that fast?
21:22Is he why you won't get back with me?
21:24I almost laughed.
21:25Ethan, don't project your filth onto other people.
21:27And even if it were because of him, what would that have to do with you?
21:31We're over.
21:35You're nothing but someone I chose to leave behind.
21:37Got into the car waiting for us, and never looked back.
21:40You clear out!
21:40Behind me, Ethan was shouting.
21:42I didn't hear a word.
21:43In the car, Alex didn't ask questions.
21:46But I told him everything anyway.
21:48Maybe because I finally trusted someone enough to.
21:50And once I started, the tears came too.
21:53He listened quietly the whole time.
21:55Then after a long pause, he spoke.
21:58If I'd met you earlier, maybe you wouldn't have gone through all this.
22:01My heart skipped.
22:02What does that mean?
22:03I'm almost 30.
22:04My family's been pushing me for years.
22:06But I've been holding out for the right person.
22:08After spending this time with you, I think I've found her.
22:12Would you be willing to try?
22:13I was stunned.
22:14I didn't expect him to say it so directly.
22:16But he didn't push.
22:17It's okay.
22:18You can take your time.
22:20But for the record, a man as good as me doesn't stay available forever.
22:24Don't think too long or someone else might snap me up.
22:29I had the driver stop at my mother's cemetery.
22:32Alex insisted on coming with me.
22:34I knelt there for a long time.
22:36I told mom everything.
22:38The pain.
22:39The anger.
22:40The relief of finally letting go.
22:42Alex stood at a distance the whole time.
22:44And somehow, that made me feel safe.
22:49When I got home, dad had made a huge dinner.
22:52Alex walked me all the way to the door.
22:53I invited him in, but he waved it off with a shy smile.
22:57First visit and I came empty-handed?
22:59I didn't push.
23:01Then my dad came out to get me and saw him.
23:04His eyes lit up immediately.
23:06Before Alex could escape, dad pulled him inside.
23:09So just like that, the three of us sat down together.
23:12At dinner, dad and Alex got along instantly.
23:15I could tell.
23:16Dad really liked him.
23:17It was the kind of look a father only gave when he was already sizing someone up as a son
23:21-in-law.
23:22Clara, that young man is clearly taken with you.
23:26He's decent, capable, solid.
23:29He's the kind of man a woman can lean on.
23:34Trust your old dad.
23:35Give him a real chance.
23:36Something shifted in me hearing that.
23:39To keep him from worrying, I nodded.
23:42That dinner ended up being genuinely lovely.
23:47The next day, Alex had a lot of gifts delivered to the house.
23:50I really didn't have to send all this.
23:52It's manner.
23:53Besides, if your father's going to be my father-in-law someday, I'd better do things properly.
23:57Can't have him thinking I'm stingy.
24:00I laughed.
24:02The next day, I went back to the hospital and threw myself into work.
24:06What I didn't expect was to find Ethan waiting outside my apartment that night.
24:10I felt instant irritation.
24:12I ignored him and kept walking.
24:14He started shouting downstairs so loudly that neighbors began peeking out their windows.
24:18Clara, if you don't forgive me, I'm not leaving.
24:21I shut every window in my apartment and blocked out his voice.
24:24That harassment went on for about a week.
24:27Then, one day, he just vanished.
24:30I let out a quiet sigh of relief, thinking he had finally given up and things could go back to
24:35normal.
24:35A week later, I completed a highly successful new clinical procedure.
24:39The hospital was thrilled.
24:43My co-workers insisted on throwing me a celebration dinner.
24:47At the table, everyone was laughing and talking.
24:50Did you hear about Ethan Hayes from the Hayes family?
24:52Hearing that name again did nothing to me.
25:00My co-worker kept going.
25:01It turned out Ethan had disappeared suddenly because Tiffany wanted to take most of his assets in the divorce.
25:07Ethan refused, and it turned into a vicious court fight.
25:10After one argument, he stormed over to her place to confront her and found her in bed with another man.
25:15He lost it.
25:16A fight broke out.
25:17In the chaos, Ethan was stabbed.
25:19After he was taken to the hospital, a top medical team saved his life.
25:24But he was brain dead.
25:27Kept alive by machines.
25:30Tiffany fled the country right after.
25:32No one knows where she went.
25:33Her lover was arrested.
25:35That was the end of it.
25:37I just let out a long breath.
25:39The night wind drifted in through the window, cool against my skin.
25:43All that love.
25:44All that hate.
25:45All that devastation.
25:47And in the end, it all just faded.
25:51Dr. Reed, where to?
25:53After the gathering, I walked to the entrance of the hospital.
25:56A familiar black car sat at the curb.
25:58The window rolled down.
25:59Alex looked over and gave the horn a light tap.
26:02I smiled.
26:03Home.
26:03Home.
26:04Home.
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