00:00I hadn't spoken to my parents in 10 years.
00:03Not since the day they screamed at me to get lost and never come back.
00:07So when my business partner told me the Brick Group,
00:11my father's company, had requested me personally as their wedding photographer,
00:16I almost laughed.
00:18Then I saw the groom's name.
00:20Jeffrey Beasley.
00:21The boy who used to climb over my backyard fence with candy in his pocket.
00:26The one who promised.
00:27When we grow up, I'll take you away from here.
00:30We'll see the world.
00:32He's marrying my sister.
00:34At the reception, my mother marched into my dressing room with tears in her eyes.
00:38Elin!
00:39We raised you for 18 years!
00:42How can you be so heartless?
00:45I looked up at her, calm as ice.
00:49Mrs. Britt, please release me.
00:51I have work to do.
00:52Her face went ghost white.
00:54Good.
00:54Let her feel a fraction of what I felt at 12 years old,
00:58when they packed my bags and sent me to live alone in an old house.
01:02While my sister took my bedroom.
01:04My piano, my parents love.
01:07But what they don't know yet.
01:09What none of them know.
01:11Is that I'm not adopted at all.
01:13I'm their biological daughter.
01:15And today, I'm bringing the DNA proof to destroy a wedding.
01:19At a wedding shoot,
01:21I ran into my parents.
01:23I hadn't spoken to them for a decade.
01:26They were mingling with other guests.
01:28Their smiles freezing the instant their eyes landed on me.
01:31Once the reception ended,
01:33they marched straight into the backstage dressing room.
01:37Why haven't you come home for the past 10 years?
01:40Mom blurted out her accusation.
01:43Her eyes were rimmed red as she glared at me.
01:46I didn't answer or look up.
01:48I focused on cleaning my camera lens.
01:51The next second,
01:52she stepped forward and seized my wrist.
01:55Her voice rose to a raw pitch.
01:58Aylan!
02:00We're your parents!
02:02We raised you for 18 years!
02:06How can you be so heartless?
02:09I lifted my head with a frown.
02:11I was confused by her outburst.
02:1410 years ago,
02:15they were the ones who told me to get lost and never come back.
02:19I'd done exactly that.
02:20So what were they upset about now?
02:25Dad stood behind Mom.
02:27His eyes darted between my face and my camera equipment.
02:31He was clearly torn.
02:33After a moment, he spoke,
02:35as if grasping for a neutral topic.
02:38That's quite the camera, Eili.
02:40It must have cost a lot, right?
02:42It's a tough business for a young woman.
02:45You must be struggling.
02:46There was hesitation in his voice.
02:49I remained silent.
02:50I screwed the lens cap on firmly.
02:54Infuriated by my lack of response,
02:56Mom tightened her grip on my wrist.
02:59Her voice rose further.
03:01Eileen!
03:02Are you even listening?
03:0510 years!
03:07Not a single call or message!
03:10What is wrong with you?
03:11Even a pet would show more gratitude!
03:14I studied her contorted expression.
03:16A sharp pain shot through my wrist.
03:21A decade had passed.
03:23Yet their method of interrogation remained the same.
03:26I lifted my gaze.
03:28I spoke with deliberate calm.
03:31Mrs. Britt, please release me.
03:34I have work to do.
03:36Mrs. Britt?
03:38She released my wrist as if burned.
03:40She staggered back, all color draining from her face.
03:45I'm your mom!
03:47How dare you!
03:48That's enough.
03:49Dad stepped in.
03:50He steadied her trembling shoulders.
03:53He frowned at me, exhaustion and reproach heavy in his tone.
03:58Eili, how can you speak to your mom like that?
04:00That we realize there may have been misunderstandings back then.
04:07But she hasn't stopped missing you for the past 10 years.
04:11She's...
04:12There were no misunderstandings.
04:14I cut him off.
04:15My voice was soft as I placed the camera in its case.
04:19I followed your instructions.
04:21Get lost, and never come back.
04:23I did exactly as you told me.
04:25I fixed my eyes on them with cold indifference.
04:29I stayed for 10 years, just as you demanded.
04:33So what is this about?
04:34They stood frozen.
04:36Their faces were ghastly pale, mom's lips quivered.
04:40But before she could speak, dad tightened his hold on her arm.
04:46Dad drew a shaky breath.
04:48He forced a strained, conciliatory smile.
04:52Eili, sorry.
04:54We shouldn't have said that back then.
04:56But we are family.
04:58Mel is getting married next month.
05:00You'll be there, right?
05:02If you don't want to attend as her sister,
05:04maybe you could photograph the wedding?
05:07The last words were a hesitant, hopeful whisper.
05:10I stared at them.
05:11I was struck by the sheer absurdity of it all.
05:15My schedule is booked.
05:16Please give Melanie my best wishes.
05:19I won't be intruding.
05:20With that, I turned and pushed open the door.
05:24The sound of mom's broken accusations and dad's frantic attempts to calm her faded behind me.
05:29I walked straight to the elevator without looking back.
05:32Only when the doors closed did I breathe a sigh of relief.
05:36I leaned against the cold metal wall.
05:38A dull ache began to throb at the base of my skull.
05:42It was a lingering after effect of a severe fever years ago.
05:46It always flared up on rainy days.
05:50Back at my temporary apartment, I finally unwound.
05:56My phone vibrated.
05:58It was Kimberly Cooley, my business partner.
06:02Ellie, the final payment for today's wedding just came through.
06:05Oh, about that couple who confronted you, is everything okay?
06:11They looked really upset.
06:13It's fine.
06:14I said, keeping my voice level.
06:18They're just...
06:20My adoptive parents.
06:22Kimberly paused before replying.
06:24All right, listen.
06:26We just got a very firm, non-negotiable collaboration request.
06:30From the Brit Group.
06:31They're insisting you personally photograph a high-profile wedding.
06:35The Brit Group was owned by my dad.
06:38My heart sank.
06:39A crushing sense of helplessness washed over me.
06:43Kimberly sounded worried.
06:45I'm afraid we can't turn it down.
06:48I gripped the phone until my knuckles turned white.
06:51Ten years.
06:52I had thought I'd gone far enough to escape their shadow.
06:56Yet, with a single move, they could still disrupt the life I had fought so hard to build.
07:01I said, my throat tight.
07:04Understood.
07:06Send me the details.
07:09Okay.
07:11Kimberly replied softly after a pause.
07:14The wedding itinerary arrived a few minutes later.
07:17When my eyes landed on the groom's name Jeffrey Beasley, the tears I'd held back all day finally fell.
07:26Jeffrey was the boy who had been my only comfort during the darkest years of my youth.
07:31Kimberly's message flashed again.
07:34Eileen?
07:35Are you okay?
07:36Do you want me to come over?
07:38I took a deep breath.
07:40I wiped my face.
07:42I typed back.
07:44I'm fine.
07:44Please compile the client-specific requests.
07:47We'll discuss tomorrow morning.
07:50She replied quickly.
07:52Okay.
07:53Eileen.
07:54Whatever you decide, I'm with you.
07:56I put the phone down and walked to the window.
07:59The night air was cool against my skin.
08:02It helped to clear the chaos in my mind.
08:05Jeffrey and I were so close once.
08:07He lived next door.
08:09We grew up together.
08:10Whenever I got scolded by my parents or pushed aside by Melanie Britt, I'd hide in the backyard and cry.
08:18He'd always climb over the low fence.
08:20He'd pull a piece of candy from his pocket like a magician.
08:24Don't cry, Eileen.
08:27Have this.
08:29When we grow up, I'll take you away from here.
08:34We'll see the world!
08:38We'll both get into New York University.
08:40We'll always be together.
08:43Jeffrey was the only person who showed me kindness and care.
08:46He was the only one who, when the whole world made me feel worthless, would look me in the eye
08:52and say,
08:53You're good enough, Ellie.
08:55You always have been.
08:56But now he was marrying Melanie.
08:59Memories, long held back, came rushing in.
09:03Until I was seven, I was the happiest child.
09:06When I was five, I got into a fight at preschool over a swing.
09:11I bit the other kid's arm.
09:14Terrified of getting in trouble, I hid under the slide in our complex after school.
09:19Dad found me.
09:21He wasn't angry.
09:22He actually whispered tips on how to win a fight next time.
09:26That evening, when Mom found out, she made us both stand in the corner.
09:31Dad winked at me when she wasn't looking.
09:34I thought that warmth would last forever.
09:37Then, when I was seven, Melanie came home.
09:41I went from being their only child to being the adopted one.
09:46Melanie was three years older.
09:47She'd been kidnapped when she was three.
09:50With her return, my world was never the same.
09:54My parents had kept my adoption a secret.
09:57But afraid Melanie would feel insecure, they told her the truth.
10:01One afternoon, she stood before me.
10:04Her voice was young but cold.
10:07Aylan, did you know?
10:11You're not their real daughter.
10:13They adopted you because I was gone.
10:15They were so sad without me, so they got you to take my place.
10:21They're my mom and dad.
10:25Not yours.
10:27For a moment, I was too shocked to move.
10:30Then I ran.
10:31I had to find my parents and hear them say it wasn't true.
10:35I prayed they would hug me and say,
10:38Don't listen to her nonsense, sweetheart.
10:41You're our baby girl.
10:43But mom looked away.
10:45Dad was silent for a long time before he confirmed it.
10:50Ely, it's true.
10:52We adopted you because we missed Mel so much.
10:55But we love you too.
10:57I hated that word in that moment.
11:00After that, nothing was the same.
