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Watch **His Partner, Her Revenge**, an exciting full short drama series featuring love, betrayal, revenge, and unexpected twists!

A gripping romantic drama filled with emotional moments, shocking secrets, relationship conflicts, and a revenge story that keeps you watching until the end.

🎬 **Drama:** His Partner, Her Revenge
📺 **Category:** Romance, Revenge, Betrayal & Short Drama
🌍 **Language:** English Subtitles
📅 **Year:** 2026
▶️ **Watch the full drama and enjoy the story!**

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Transcript
00:00On the eve of my arranged marriage into a mafia family, someone shaved my head bald.
00:05The blonde hair I'd grown for 12 years, hair that used to fall to my waist like a waterfall,
00:10was gone. All that was left was a blue-tinged scalp.
00:13Scarlett Valenti, who went by Scar on the streets, wore her hair in a high ponytail,
00:17an electric clipper in one hand, grinning lazily a Nico Moretti beside her.
00:21Your fiancé has terrible instincts, such a pampered Upper East Side princess.
00:25Someone slipped into her penthouse suite and she didn't even notice.
00:27How is she supposed to be worthy of you, the future godfather of the Moretti family?
00:32The Moretti Capos and Consigliers, seated around the room, burst into laughter.
00:38Scar, that's not fair. Nico put that custom essential oil by her bed himself.
00:43Who guards against her own fiancé?
00:47Scarlett gave a mocking laugh and waved the clipper in her hand.
00:51The wedding is tomorrow. Let's see whether this delicate Upper East Side Barbie still deserves
00:59the Moretti wedding ring, without all that blonde hair she wears like a status symbol.
01:06Nico, take away her salon.
01:10And your fiancé's is just a poor little thing.
01:12As laughter filled the room, Nico Moretti looked at me with a thin,
01:15perfuctious apology on his face.
01:17Ava, don't be so fragile. In our world, weakness gets you killed.
01:22Scarlett and the others are just welcoming you in their own way. It's a test of your nerve.
01:26Put on a veil tomorrow and no one will know.
01:29Wear the veil and the wig tomorrow. No one will see anything wrong.
01:33You'll still be the Mrs Moretti I bring home in style.
01:37I tried to move my limbs, still too weak to use, and fixed my eyes on that diffuser bottle.
01:42Nico had come to see me in the suite last night and placed it there with his own hands.
01:48This is a custom essential oil from Sicily blended with lavender and chamomile extract.
01:53It's the best thing for sleep.
01:58You'll be busy all day tomorrow, so get a good night's rest.
02:02I thought of how we had grown up together on New York's Upper East Side since childhood,
02:06twenty years of memories between us.
02:09Never in my worst dreams did I imagine that oil had been laced with the powerful sedative
02:13meant to knock me out cold. When the family members in the room saw I was awake and silent,
02:18they hurried to smooth things off for Scarlett.
02:21Future mistress, don't be angry. Scar was just messing around. She's got restless hands.
02:26All of us brothers have had a taste of it.
02:28Future mistress, we came back from the Chicago front especially for Nico's wedding. We just wanted to
02:32surprise you. I lowered my eyes to the blonde hair scattered across the floor. It had been my pride and
02:38dignity as the Russell family's daughter. And now Nico Moretti not only shattered it with his own hands,
02:43he wanted me to swallow this bloody humiliation and pretend nothing had happened just so I could
02:48become his ornament. A surprise? This is the surprise Nico Morelli prepared for me. Scarlett toyed with the
02:55clippers, raised a brow and looked me up and down. I was just curious what kind of woman could keep
03:01our Nico thinking about her for twenty years so dead set on marrying her. Turns out you're nothing but
03:07a spoiled little lady who grew up in a greenhouse and has never seen a street shootout. Everyone in the
03:14room understood what she left unsaid. So what Scarlett means is, I'm not worthy of Nico Moretti.
03:23Ava Russell! Scar doesn't mean any harm. She's been blunt like this since she was a kid. She has no
03:28filter. Why do you have to take it personally? As he spoke, he tossed a black box onto the bed.
03:32It hit
03:32the edge and sprang open, revealing an exquisite wig inside. Stop making a scene. I had this handmade
03:37Italian custom wig prepared especially for you. Scarlett was only joking. It's not like your hair won't
03:41grow back. A joke? What kind of joke requires shaving someone completely bald? I didn't scream. I didn't
03:47lose control. I didn't even say a word. I bit down hard, forcing myself through the lingering drug
03:52haze and the ache in my limbs. The blood of the Russell family and years of highborn etiquette did
03:56not allow me to bow my head. Under their stunned gazes, I picked up the wig, placed it on my
04:00head,
04:00and carefully smoothed every shining strand. When the long hair fell back over my shoulders,
04:05I instantly became polished and noble again. My calmness darkened Scarlett's face and she cut in from the
04:11side. Nico is taking such good care of you. Whether I think you're worthy or not, isn't he still marrying
04:16you?
04:16So what are you still whining about? Put on a thick veil tomorrow, wear the wig,
04:21and who can tell your hair is gone? Stop standing there looking so pitiful. That weak little act is
04:26annoying. But from the moment I woke up until now, I had not shed a single tear. Nico, are you
04:33really
04:33gonna let her humiliate me like this? Nico sighed and came over as if to take my hand. I jerked
04:41away.
04:44Scar is my life and death comrade. That's just how she is. Her mouth runs,
04:48but her heart isn't bad. Let's put this behind us, all right? Nico softened his voice again,
04:52coaxing me. Ava, at the end of the day, I'm the one who gave you the oil. This should be
04:56on me. If
04:56you want to blame someone, blame me. That was what he said, but his face carried absolute arrogance,
05:00as if he was certain that after loving him for 20 years, I could never hate him. I looked at
05:04his face,
05:05the face I had known since I was three. When I was 11, children from another family cornered me
05:10and tried to steal the necklace my mother had left me. Nico grabbed a baseball bat and charged at them.
05:15If anyone dared touch a single hair on my head, he would fight them back. When I was 17,
05:19just after my birthday, Nico graduated from West Point and came to my door with the family's signet
05:24ring, terrified someone else would win me first, desperate to bind me to him for life. When I was 20,
05:29Nico left for Chicago to expand the family's power. At the airport, he held my hand tightly,
05:33eyes red, and said that when he returned, he would give me a grand wedding. Then Nico spent
05:38four years fighting through Chicago's gunfire, while I waited quietly for him in the estate in New York.
05:42And now, that diffuser bottle still sat by the bed. The Sicilian citrus scent that once made me feel safe,
05:48was wrapped in the sharp smell of sedatives, silently mocking my stupidity.
05:52Actually, this wasn't the first time I'd seen Scarlett's hostility. Last year, after begging my father
05:56for ages, I finally boarded the family jet and went to a safe house in Chicago to see Nico. But
06:01after I arrived,
06:01Nico showed no surprise at all. Instead, he spent every day in the war hoose with Scarlett,
06:05leaning over city maps and planning operations. Even seeing me felt like a waste of his time.
06:09I asked his men to announce me three times. Scarlett simply posted a printed sheet of paper
06:14on the iron door of the war room. It read, Ava Russell and dogs, no entry. Back then,
06:19I was furious and hurt. I fought with Nico, but he only told me coldly. Scar doesn't mean any harm,
06:23she's just direct. Besides, delaying an operational briefing was your fault to begin with.
06:27That was when I knew the scale in Nico's heart had long since tipped beyond repair. Nico was still
06:32standing by the bed, repeating that line he thought was so affectionate.
06:36Ava, at the end of the day, I'm the one who gave you the oil. This should be on me.
06:41If you want to
06:42blame someone, blame me. Hearing Nico, Scarlett suddenly grabbed the tactical dagger on the table,
06:46drew the blade, and pressed it against her own long hair. It's just hair, isn't it? Fine,
06:50I'll shave mine too and keep you to company. For my partner, a little sacrifice is nothing.
06:55Don't blame Nico. Scarlett spoke as if she were making some righteous sacrifice,
07:00but the blade in her hand didn't press even the slightest bit into her hair.
07:05I looked at her performance and suddenly laughed. Then do it.
07:10Scarlett's hand froze. I leaned forward and pressed her, each word deliberate.
07:14Her blade moved forward by half an inch, but she used no force at all. It didn't cut even a
07:18single strand. I'm doing this for my partner. Fine, I'll shave it. At that moment, Nico leads
07:23forward, drew the beretta from his waist, and knocked the dagger out of Scarlett's hand with
07:26the grip. He looked at me, his face livid, his eyes full of rage. Enough! Ava Russell,
07:31you are completely out of line. I froze. Scarlett is my life and death partner,
07:35a comrade who would take a bullet for me in a street shootout. Why do you always have to make
07:39things hard for her? She fought for four years in Chicago. She has spilled more blood than you've
07:44shed tears in your entire life. And you, the moment you see another woman, you turn her into an
07:49imaginary enemy. Scarlett sees far beyond you. She worries about the safety of the whole family,
07:55about whether our brothers live or die. What do you have in your heart? Scarlett tugged at his sleeve,
08:02pretending to advise him, Nico, stop. She is your fiancé after all. But Nico didn't stop accusing me.
08:07So what if she's my fiancé? She's been shut inside that estate for too long. Her world is the size
08:11of a
08:14way. I know it doesn't feel good, but in this line of work, courage and mental strength are everything.
08:18Why can't you get past this? Why force Scar to shave her head with you? Do you have any idea
08:22how
08:22humiliating it is to force someone to do that? I stood there, listening to those words stab straight
08:26into my heart. I had told myself countless times that it was time to let go of Nico Moretti,
08:31but at that moment, my heart still felt like it had been seized and crushed by a hand.
08:36Ava, put away your tantrums. The Moretti name stands for absolute cold blood and obedience.
08:40I don't need a narrow-minded, bitter woman who haggles over a few strands of hair. Reflect on yourself.
08:47After that, he left the suite with several men without waiting for my answer. The instant everyone
08:52left, the strength I had been forcing myself to hold onto seemed to drain out of me all at once.
08:57A dense, suffocating pain spread through my veins and into every limb. I looked at that brilliant
09:03patch of gold on the floor and suddenly realized, I truly hated Nico Moretti now. I raised my hand,
09:10pulled off that heavy, ridiculous wig and threw it aside, letting my blue-tinted scalp be exposed
09:14to the air again when footsteps sounded outside the suite door.
09:19Darling, tomorrow is your big day. I asked the kitchen to make you...
09:23When my mother pushed the door open, she was still holding a cup of black coffee. The cup in her
09:28hand
09:28crashed to the floor, spilling hot coffee everywhere. My mother stared at my bald head. Her eyes went wide
09:34and her voice shook beyond control. Your... your hair? She looked down and saw the long hair
09:40scattered across the floor. Panic overtook her. What... what happened? Who did this? My hearing was
09:45sharp. I heard Scarlet outside the fire exit, unable to suppress a soft laugh. Mom, it's all right. I held
09:51my mother's violently shaking hands and comforted her softly. My mother's tears fell instantly. The wedding is
09:58tomorrow. How are you supposed to face anyone like this? All of New York society is watching. What are we
10:02supposed to tell the Morettis? I looked into her eyes and said each word clearly. Mom, I messaged Damien
10:09Costello. I'm changing the groom. After I sent the message, my mother wiped her tears and walked out.
10:18That evening, I received Damien Costello's reply. Just one sentence. The wedding goes on. Leave the rest to me.
10:26The wedding was tomorrow, but that night I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. So I got up early to
10:31try on
10:31the wedding dress and put on the wig. I stood in front of the mirror, touching the Vera Wong
10:36handmade wedding gown that had taken half a year to customize. The exquisite dress made me look
10:41impossibly beautiful. I had imagined countless times what I would look like wearing it to marry Nico.
10:46Now it only felt ironic. Late at night, everyone in the estate had gone to sleep. The door was
10:52suddenly opened with a keycard. Nico stood in the doorway with Scarlet behind him. No other men with them.
10:59When he saw me in the wedding dress, a clear flicker of guilt crossed his face.
11:03Ava Russell, we're even now.
11:08What do you mean?
11:10I didn't understand. I raised my eyes and asked.
11:16That Sicilian oil extract knocked you out cold. But when he smelled it, the effect was different.
11:24When I poured the oil for you, I left a little at the bottom and didn't clean it up.
11:28Who knew? Anyway, now we're even. You lost your hair and something unplanned happened between us.
11:33Nico owes me a huge favor he has to formally repay.
11:38I looked at those glaring marks, then turned to Nico. Nico took one step forward and spoke.
11:46Ava, Scarlet saved my life three times in Chicago, and now she's been dragged into this.
11:51According to family rules, anyone who saves the boss's life must receive the proper position and
11:56protection within the organization. I owe her an official explanation. Why don't we postpone
12:00tomorrow's wedding for now? Postpone again? Seven years had passed since he promised himself to me
12:05when I was 17. I no longer had years of youth left to waste on him. Even if I wasn't
12:10going to marry
12:11him anymore, I still wanted an answer. Why? What did you say? I looked into his eyes and repeated,
12:19word by word. Why do I have to postpone again? What kind of question is that? Scarlet risked so much
12:25for me and you can't even show this much understand? Ava, when did you become so cold-blooded?
12:29Scarlet waved a hand beside him, pretending to be Magnus. Nico, forget it. I really don't care.
12:34We're life and death partners. This is nothing. No! You've done so much for me. I must give you a
12:40formal explanation. Once I finish this territorial expansion, I'll make you my underboss. Have the
12:47entire family recognize your position and officially move you into the estate. Scarlet paused, then looked
12:54at me. Then what about Ava Russell? Ava is still my fiance in name. That doesn't change. But you are
13:02my
13:03underboss. In the organizational hierarchy, your rank is higher than her. You're moving into the
13:07estate as the family's official recognition of your contributions. No one will dare say a word.
13:12Fine by me. I don't care about empty titles anyway. Have you lost your mind?
13:18It's different in my heart. She is my right hand, but you are my wife. She may rank higher in
13:24the
13:24organization, but you are the person closest to me. Watching the two of them play off each other,
13:29I suddenly laughed. I no longer cared whether I was the person closest to Nico.
13:35I will not postpone the wedding. Nico's face darkened instantly. Ava Russell, do you have to
13:41be this unreasonable? Reasonable or not, tomorrow I will appear at the wedding thing on time.
13:46Nico stared at me for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and nodding.
13:50Fine. Since you refuse to understand Scarlet and insist on fighting for the title of Mrs. Morati,
13:55don't regret it. Early the next morning, I sat in front of the vanity mirror,
14:01wearing that Italian custom wig. The white handmade lace wedding gown made me look upright, elegant,
14:07and noble. When it was time for the ceremony, my mother supported me as we walked toward the estate
14:12gates. The iron gates opened. I looked up at the people who had come to receive me and immediately
14:17saw Nico standing at the front. He wasn't wearing the custom Armani groom suit at all. He was still
14:21in his usual black tactical jacket, and the group behind him looked absurdering the driveway. Only two
14:25Moretti motor driver driving the family govety. No band stood splantly beside two ordinary black cars.
14:30They didn't even have a bridal bouquet. When Nico saw me, he visibly sighed in relief and strode toward me.
14:35There was relief in his voice. Ava, this morning when I went back to the Morati house, my mother
14:40actually told me our wedding had been canceled. On the way here, I kept wondering if you really
14:44weren't going to marry me. Just thinking about it made me panic. But now that I see you coming
14:48out in your wedding dress, I know you're still sensible. I looked at the shabby procession behind
14:53him, then at the jacket he was wearing, and curled my lips. Nico Moretti, this is the scale of a
15:00wedding for the famous Moretti heir? Ava, you're the one who insisted on holding the wedding today.
15:05I cannot ignore Scarlett's contributions to the family. She is about to become my underboss.
15:10The family's resources must go to her first today. Your entering today has to be handled quietly.
15:15There is no room for discussion. Looking at Nico, I only found it
15:19ridiculous beyond words. He kept saying Scarlett was his partner. But what kind of partner needed
15:25to be compensated with the treatment meant for a lawful wife? I lowered my head and looked at the
15:30white wedding gown on my body. If this is how I'm entering your family, then what am I to you?
15:37Some dirty secret you keep locked away? I'm Ava Russell. I wasn't put on this earth to be hidden in
15:42the dark.
15:45I told you yesterday, Scar's contributions must be formally recognized by the family. Her position
15:50as number two has to be established first. These are the rules. This isn't up to me alone.
15:55As for today's scene, I truly didn't have time to prepare. Why are you so obsessed with these formalities?
16:00Didn't have time to prepare? Nico Moretti, you promised yourself to me when I was 17.
16:07If we're talking about who came first, who exactly was first?
16:12Ava, you're still upset about this? Why can't you be more generous about this?
16:15Scarlett risked her life for me. I owe her something. You'll get what you're owed once you're in the
16:20family. The house, the money, all of it. So why make this so hard? It's just one ceremony.
16:27My god. The Russell family's daughter is getting married and the Moretti sent two lousy cars to
16:31pick her up? The groom isn't even wearing a suit. There's not even a bouquet. How is this the
16:36treatment for Mrs. Moretti? At this point, anyone who didn't know better would think they were dragging
16:40her back as some servant they had to hide. The Russells have lost all face this time. Look at the
16:44bride dressed so properly and Moretti doesn't take her seriously at all. Those comments slapped through
16:47the air, hot and stinging. As Nico heard the voices pointing and whispering around him, his face grew uglier.
16:52Enough! Ava! Are you determined to embarrass us here and make everyone laugh at the Moretti
16:58family? Let go of her! My mother screamed and tried to rush forward, but one of Nico's bodyguards
17:03shoved her roughly aside. She stumbled and fell onto the grass. Scarlett suddenly stepped out of the car
17:09behind Nico, wearing high heels, and walked up to me. Oh Nico, why waste words on a spoiled little lady
17:14who has never seen the world? Since she cares so much about ceremony and even gets jealous of your
17:19underboss, why don't we let everyone see Miss Russell's true face? Let's see what gives her the
17:24right to negotiate terms with the Moretti family. With a cold laugh, she reached out, grabbed my hair,
17:29and ripped the custom wig off my head with brutal force. No! The surroundings fell deathly silent.
17:37Then came the frantic flashes of reporters' cameras and the gasps of the crowd. Oh my god! She's bald!
17:44The Russell heiress is actually bald! I clenched my white wedding dress so hard that my fingertips
17:48bled, yet I refused to shed a single tear. I looked at Nico. The second the wig fell, Nico's body
17:55visibly stiffened. Shock and pity flashed quickly through his eyes. In the next instant, that trace
18:00of mercy was forcibly suppressed by the cold blood in his bones. He clenched his fists and forced his
18:04gaze away from my reddened eyes, irritable and stiff. Ava, will you not be satisfied until you've
18:10dragged all my dignity through the dirt? Look at yourself so pathetic and ridiculous like a freak!
18:15Who else would want you besides me? Pick up the wig and get in the car! Now!
18:22Before I could speak, the sharp screech of tires suddenly rang out. Nico instinctively dodged behind
18:27a bodyguard. A taser probe grazed past his ear and slammed deep into the trunk of the oak tree beside
18:33him.
18:34He snapped his head up. At the end of the driveway, another procession was approaching in full force,
18:39leading it were eight bulletproof Mayboks, their bodies wrapped white silk, surrounded by personal
18:43bodyguards in custom black suits. The pressure they brought was overwhelming. A red carpet unfurled
18:48across the ground. The grander silence carried out. At the front of the procession was Damien Costeo.
18:56He wore a handmade white suit and walked straight toward us. Suddenly, he bent and picked up the wig from
19:03the ground. The next second, the wig was gently placed back on my head. Damien turned and looked down at
19:10Nico.
19:15Morelli, who gave you the right to degrade my wife?
19:21Nico Morelli was absolutely stunned. He stood frozen. Looking from me to Damien Costello, his voice is
19:26trembling. Ava, what is going on? Why is Mr. Costello calling you his wife? I lifted the hem of my
19:31wedding dress, walked past him, took Damien's hand, and headed straight toward that grand procession.
19:37Because today is my wedding to him. Nico Morelli, don't delay my wedding.
19:43A hurry footsteps sounded behind me. Nico caught up and tried to grab my hand with the Costello bodyguards
19:48pinned in place. Behind him, Scarlett was too shocked to speak.
19:52What did you say? You and I have an engagement. The only person you can marry is me. How could
19:57you?
19:58I turned back to look at him and said every word clearly. I, Ava Russell, cannot be someone else's
20:04accessory. I cannot be a shadow hidden from the light. That was a temporary measure. I explained it
20:10to you about Scar. I don't care about Scar. All I know is when I was 17, you promised yourself
20:15to me.
20:16I waited for you for four years, then three more. Again and again, you made me wait,
20:20made me step back, made me endure. Nico Morelli, I've had enough.
20:25After that, I turned and got into the custom bulletproof myoc in the middle.
20:28The moment the car door closed, I saw Nico through the window, his face full of helpless panic.
20:33Damien Costello looked down at Nico, who was pinned to the ground. He's carrying a touch.
20:37So Morelli, did I just hear you right? You want Ava to marry into the Morali house quietly,
20:42like a dirty secret? Nico raised his head and looked at him, unwillingness in his eyes.
20:47I'm curious. What made you think the only daughter of the Russell family,
20:52the future mistress of the East Coast Costello family, needed to be an accessory to your Morani
20:56house? Only that she and I were engaged first. Damien drew two documents stamped with family
21:01wax fleece from the inner pocket of in front of him. This is a marriage contract witnessed by the
21:05commission. My marriage to Ava Russell is fully legal and recognized by all families. Today's wedding
21:11is known across the entire East Coast. As for you, Nico Morelli, by rights you should be stationed
21:17in Chicago. Why are you in New York? No wonder you didn't receive the annulment letter signed by Ava
21:23Russell that I had sent to you. Violating the ceasefire agreement between families, crossing
21:27territories without authorization, and returning to New York on your own. That alone is enough to strip you
21:34of your heir status. And then there is your unauthorized use of family controlled drugs and
21:38illegal transport of heavy weapons across borders. Tell me, do you think the gentlemen of the
21:44commission know? The wedding car stopped steadily at the gates of the Costello family's seaside
21:48estate on Long Island. By the time the ceremony ended, night had fallen. The estate was lit and
21:53decorated. Guests who had come to offer congratulations left one after another. The door opened and Damien
21:58Costley walked in, stopping behind me. He reached out and touched the wig on my head. Then his lips curved
22:03slightly, his voice carrying a trace of tender. Nico Morelli has been detained outside by my men
22:08for almost two hours. He says he wants to see you. But I don't want to see Nico Moretti.
22:14Damien mouthed something to me. You're going to? I understood. He said,
22:19the commission's legal counsel is listening inside. Then I can see him.
22:27Damien arranged an empty reception room for me and stationed bodyguards outside the door,
22:31with surveillance recording the entire time. When I pushed the door open and walked in,
22:36I realized the room was full of people. Nico stood in the center, with his cappies and
22:41consegularies behind him. Another shuffled forward two steps, his voice close to tears.
22:46Miss Russell, Nico truly loves you. He talked about you every day in Chicago. All of us brothers heard
22:50it. That's right. Whenever he went out to fight, he always carried the cross you gave him. He said he
22:54would marry you once he took the territory. We heard that for four whole years. Miss Russell,
22:58he treasured that cross like his life. If anyone touched it, he'd lose his mind.
23:03Miss Russell, you and Nico grew up together. After all these years, you can't just...
23:07I listened as they listed all the ways Nico had been good to me. But my heart was like dead
23:12water,
23:13not a ripple stirred. Enough!
23:15She was the only one in the room who did not lower her head. She stood there with her chin
23:19raised high,
23:19her face full of defiance. Why are all of you backing down? What's so great about Ava Russell?
23:26Ava Russell, I really unestimated you. Yesterday you were playing pitiful in the hotel suite. Today
23:32you've climbed onto Damien Costello and married into the Costello family. Your skill at playing
23:36men is no different from those social climbers desperate to marry into power. I never expected
23:41Miss Russell to be so good at it. I said nothing. I only looked at her coldly. Nico suddenly spoke,
23:47his voice fierce in a way I had never heard before. Scarlett, shut your mouth! Scarlett froze.
23:54She turned to look at Nico, disbelief all over her face. What did you say? I said shut your mouth!
24:02Nico,
24:02have you lost your mind? Be quiet! Nico, you're yelling at me because of her? Who am I? I'm your
24:10life and death
24:11comrade. Ava Russell's turned around and married someone else. What are you doing now?
24:19Ava, I was wrong. I looked at his face and said nothing.
24:28I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have let Scar shave your hair. I shouldn't have said those things to
24:35hurt you. I shouldn't have- He paused, then said again. But Ava, Scarlett did save my life.
24:42To Chicago. I walked into an ambush and was trapped in a car about to explode. When I was about
24:47to die,
24:47Scarlett dragged me out of the fire. She said she wanted to test your nerves, so I- I-
24:50Nico could not finish. The family members in the room hurried to speak over one another.
24:54Miss Russell, Scar saved the boss's life. The boss owed her a huge debt. It wasn't easy for him to
24:59refuse her. Yes, Miss Russell, the boss has you in his heart. He just couldn't swallow his pride. He
25:02didn't know how to turn Scar down. After all these years between you and the boss, you can't just-
25:07Nico spoke again, his voice full of pleading. Ava, you can hit me or curse me. Just don't leave,
25:13all right? I took the essential oil bottle from my clutch and threw it onto the floor. The small
25:17bottle rolled to Nico's feet. I looked into his eyes and asked, word by word, then why did you use
25:23this to set me up? The night before yesterday, when you came to my suite, I wanted to tell you
25:27our
25:28engagement was over. But you didn't let me finish. You only placed this oil bottle by my bed. Said it
25:33was
25:33the best thing for sleep, told me to rest well, and left. My tone edged with bone-deep mockery.
25:37I thought it was your wedding gift to me. Even if the engagement was gone, we still grew up together.
25:42I never imagined you would use it to scheme against me and let others trample on me. Nico's face went
25:48white as paper. I continued. Every word was like an ice-tempered dagger driven into his heart.
25:55I never imagined you would stand by and watch someone take electric clippers to the hair I'd grown for
26:0012 years and shave it all away. I raised my hand and removed the wig from my head. I placed
26:06it
26:06casually on the coffee table beside me, exposing my bare scalp and its golden stubble. The room fell
26:11instantly silent. Every family member lowered their head, not one daring to look at me.
26:16That day in my suite, weren't all of you laughing so happily at my bald head? Why don't you dare
26:22look now?
26:24And you. Do you think a woman looks good like this? Nico could not say a word. His lips trembled
26:31violently.
26:32That day, when Scarlet pretended she was going to shave her own hair, you said forcing someone to do
26:37that was a grave humiliation. You told me not to force her. Nico Morelli, do I not have dignity?
26:46Ava, I, I didn't mean it that way, I just. You just what? Nico opened his mouth and could not
26:52say
26:53another word. I looked at the family members in the room, then at Scarlet standing to the side,
26:57and said clearly, you brought all these people back to New York from Chicago without authorization,
27:02carried heavy weapons illegally, and used family controlled drugs without permission. Nico Morelli,
27:07do you know what charges those are? I bent down, picked up the oil bottle from the floor,
27:11and held it in my palm. This addictive in this bottle is a family issued controlled drug.
27:18Once the commission investigates, they'll know exactly where it came from and when it was made.
27:22I looked into his eyes, my tone calm but filled with pressure. Nico wait and explain yourself to
27:27the commission. Explain why you didn't receive the announcement letter I sent. Explain why you violated
27:32the ceasefire agreement and left your post without permission. Explain why you used family controlled
27:36drugs without authorization. Nico completely panicked. Ava, you can't do this. Everything I did was for
27:45you. I said nothing and looked at him coldly. His eyes were so red they seemed about to bleed. I
27:52drove
27:53day and night with the brothers for four days and four nights, breaking through two blockades to get back
27:58here. All for you. I wanted to make it back before the wedding. I wanted to marry you in person.
28:04I was
28:05afraid you'd be anxious waiting in New York. So you rushed back to shave my head bald?
28:13I continued exposing him without mercy. So you couldn't wait to roll into bed with Scarlet?
28:23Niko Morales, do you always say that out loud? Don't you find yourself ridiculous?
28:31Ava, I truly did it all for you. If I didn't care about you, why would I come all this
28:35way? From
28:36Chicago to New York, we destroyed three SUVs. The brothers went three days and nights without
28:40closing their eyes. Enough. Everyone froze at the sudden voice. A hidden door behind the bookcase
28:50slowly opened. A man in a gray three-piece suit stepped out. The family ring on his hand declaring
28:56his extremely high rank. It was Mr. Lorenzo, the commission's legal counsel. The room fell silent.
29:02Nico's face turned ashen as a corpse. His body went weak, his head dropped, and he could no longer
29:06hold himself like the heir of the Moradi family. Mr. Lorenzo looked at Nico, his tone icy. What an
29:12heir of the Moradi family. Mr. Lorenzo did not speak loudly, yet everyone in the room trembled
29:18like leaves. Abandon your post without permission, just disregarding the rules. How impressive.
29:24Mr. Lorenzo's gaze sweat across the room. He merely raised his hand. A team of enforcement in black suits
29:29immediately surged in from outside, filling half the room in a dark mass. All persons involved in
29:33violating the ceasefire agreement and suspected illegal possession of weapons are to be taken
29:37away and held separately for investigation. The family members on the floor exploded into panic.
29:42Consigliere, please give us one more chance. Consigliere, we follow Faustico back. He gave the
29:49order. Please show mercy. The enforcers didn't care. Two men stepped forward for each person,
29:56called the family members up, and dragged them out. Cries and pleas instantly filled the room.
30:01Some sobbed loudly. Some reached for the hem of my dress, only to be kicked away by an enforcer.
30:06I watched them get dragged out one by one. Soon, half the room was empty. Mr. Lorenzo's gaze landed
30:12on Scarlet. Scarlet's face had gone bloodless. Malicious assault, humiliation of an allied family's
30:17daughter, suspected authorized use of family equipment, and abandoning your post. Under family
30:23law, what should the punishment be? Consigliere, give me one more chance. I earned merits in Chicago.
30:31I saved Nico three times. Merit gives you the right to ignore family law. Merit gives you the right to
30:37break into someone else's residence and shave her head, using past service as arrogance and
30:41disregarding the rules. Under the law, what should that merit earn you? Scarlet opened her mouth and
30:47finally could not say another word. Mr. Lorenzo didn't even look at her as he ordered the enforces.
30:52Strip her of family status and expel her from the organization.
30:55Also, send her information to every rival family. Let her fend for herself.
30:59Scarlet's face lost every trace of color. Scarlet screamed and lunged from the floor,
31:05grabbing the hem of my wedding dress.
31:07Ava! Miss Russell! Mrs. Costello! I was wrong. I was really wrong. I shouldn't have shaved your hair.
31:13I shouldn't have said those things. I'll shave my head too. I'll do it right now!
31:18Scarlet pulled the clipper from behind her waist and tried to shove it into my hand.
31:21You shave it! Shave my hair as much as you want! Throw me out! Don't let them kill me!
31:26I did not take it. I let the clipper clatter to the floor. I looked down at her, my tongue
31:30flat.
31:30To Scarlet. Family rules stand above everything. There are no exceptions. Scarlet froze. I stepped
31:37back, pulled my dress heel from her hands, and spoke with bone-deep mockery. Just now you said
31:42my skill at playing men was no different from the social climbers. Then what do you call this
31:46begging on your knees? Scarlet trembled all over and could not say a word. The enforcer stepped
31:52forward and hauled her up from the floor. As she was dragged out, she kept looking back at me.
31:56The expression in her eyes shifted from pleading to venom, and finally to complete despair.
32:02From beginning to end, Nico never raised his head to look at Scarlet once. Mr. Lorenzo glanced at him
32:07and gave a cold order. Nico Moretti is suspected of violating family law, abusing family resources,
32:12abandoning his post without permission, and unlawful entry into a private residence.
32:16Take him to the underground holding room to await further investigation and judgment by the
32:20commissioner. The enforcer stepped forward and hauled Nico up. As they dragged him toward the door,
32:25he suddenly looked back at me and called my name in a hoarse shout.
32:29Ava!
32:30I did not answer him. I didn't even give him a glance. Nico still wanted to say something,
32:36but the enforcers had already dragged him out. The room finally fell quiet. Mr. Lorenzo looked at me,
32:41his tone softening slightly. Mrs. Costello, you have suffered an injustice. I shook my head. Thank you,
32:46consigliere, for enforcing the law fairly. I don't feel wrong. Mr. Lorenzo nodded, said nothing more,
32:52and left with the enforcers. Damien stood outside the door, leaning against a column. He was playing
32:56with a gold coin in his hand. All handled? When he saw me come out, he put it away and
33:02asked with a
33:02smile. I nodded. He looked at me and suddenly laughed. I thought you'd go soft one more time.
33:08I looked up at him. What do you mean? Nico Moretti. If you'd softened just now and pleaded for him,
33:16Lorenzo might have gone easier on him. I looked into his eyes and said every word clearly. I won't.
33:22I understood the gesture he gave me earlier. It meant Lorenzo was in the reception room,
33:27monitoring the entire conversation. That was why I was startled. But the moment I decided to come out
33:32and see Nico, I had already prepared to ruin him beyond recovery. Because I hated him. I hated him for
33:39trampling the heart I had offered him with both hands. And I hated him even more for grinding my
33:45dignity under his feet again and again. If I had not turned around and married Damien Costello,
33:50those two shabby black cars today would have been taking me to the Moretzi house to become a shadow
33:55hidden from the light. I looked at the distant night view of the estate and repeated it again.
34:00I will never go soft on him again. For the next few days, the Costello estate closed its doors to
34:06guests. People from the Moretzi family came several times to beg me, but the bodyguard stopped them
34:11outside the gates. That day, I was sunning myself in the courtyard when the butler came to report that
34:16Nico Moretti's mother was waiting outside the estate gates and refused to leave. I sighed and got up to
34:21walk to the entrance. Isabella Moretti stood on the stone steps, her hair dishempled, her eyes swell
34:26in red like walnuts. When she saw me come out, she rushed forward and grabbed my arm. Mrs. Costello,
34:32Mrs. Costello, please, for the sake of the bond you had growing up together, save Nico! Mrs. Costello,
34:38you and Nico were childhood sweethearts. You grew up together. When he was 11,
34:43he bought children from another family for you. Have you forgotten? I looked down at Isabella,
34:48my tone flat. I haven't forgotten. Isabella lifted her head, hope flashing in her eyes.
34:54Then you- I cut her off directly. I also haven't forgotten how he protected Scarlett and scolded
34:59me for lacking grace when Scarlett shaved my head. Isabella froze. I also haven't forgotten how he
35:05accused me of being unreasonable when he wanted me to enter the Moretti house quietly as an accessory.
35:10Isabella's face went white instantly. Nico may have been foolish, but your Moretti family never
35:15showed me even a shred of sincerity, did you? Since you looked down on me from the start,
35:19why couldn't I beg on that? I said, Mrs. Moratti, go home. Isabella's tears surged again.
35:25But Mrs. Costello, Nico truly loves you. He was only- he was only blinded by that
35:29bitch Scarlett! I said, rules are rules. The family's code of silence does not make allowances
35:36for sentiment. Isabella's words caught in her throat instantly. I stepped back and pulled my wrist
35:40from her hand. Safe travels, Mrs. Moratti. I turned and entered the estate gates. Behind me came Isabella's
35:48heartbroken cries, but I no longer cared. That night, Damien came to my suite. He sat across from
35:54me, watching as I removed my wig and revealed the golden stubble that had already begun to grow on my
35:59head. You're surprisingly at ease with it. Damien spoke, his tone carrying a trace of admiration.
36:03I touched my scalp and smiled faith. It'll grow back. I'm still curious. Damien leaned back in his
36:08chair and spoke lazily. How did you give up on Nico Moretti completely overnight? My hand paused. I thought I
36:15would have to wait much longer. I turned to look at him, confused. Wait, what do you mean?
36:20His eyes were serious, without the slightest hint of a joke, as he said each word clearly. I mean,
36:25I've loved you for a very long time. I froze. The wig nearly slipped from my hand. On your 17th
36:31birthday,
36:32when Nico proposed to you with the family ring, I was at that party. Back then, I thought that's it.
36:37I have no chance. Later, he went to Chicago and you waited quietly for him in New York for four
36:42years.
36:42Then I thought, that's it. Your heart only has room for him. And then you called me on an encrypted
36:48line and asked if I dared marry you. That night, I was happy I didn't sleep at all. Damien smiled,
36:54his eyes full of tenderness. I've been waiting, waiting for the day you finally gave up on him.
37:00I opened my mouth and could not speak for a long time. Then what if I had stayed foolish to
37:05the end
37:05and insisted on marrying Nico Moretti? Wouldn't you have waited for nothing? Damien raised a brow,
37:10his tone carrying a bit of dominating ruggishness. Even it meant it going to war with the Morettis
37:15and turning his wedding upside down. I would have taken you away. His words left me speechless.
37:20I shot him a reproachful look. You, that's bandit behavior. He laughed, his eyes curving with it.
37:27Stealing a bride? Who's going to strip me of my godfather's seat for that?
37:32I couldn't help the curve of my lips. Damien's smile faded. He looked at me seriously and gently
37:37touched the short golden stubble on my head, his movement impossibly tender.
37:42Ava, from now on no one will ever make you wait again. Before your hair grows back,
37:47I've had a Paris Castor Atelier make more than 20 wigs for you in different styles. With matching jewelry,
37:53you can wear a different one every day. Look at the tenders in his eyes. My own eyes too
37:58inly warmed, and I couldn't help smiling. Outside the window, the city lights glittered,
38:03reflecting the tenderness in the room. Chicago's cold wind could not reach this little courtyard.
38:08From now on, there would be no more cold. The first time Damien Costello saw Ava Russell was at
38:13her 12th birthday party. That day, the roses at the Long Island estate were in perfect bloom.
38:18Ava wore a white floral dress, her blonde hair braided into a fishtail brain that fell to her waist,
38:23and held a newborn rabble kitten in her arms, smiling until her eyes curved like crescent moons.
38:27Damien was 15 that year, and had already been learning family affairs at his father's side for two years.
38:32He had seen too many heiresses smiling falsely, too many socialites deliberately pleasing the powerful.
38:37But Ava was different. She ran across the lawn with the kitten in her arms and accidentally
38:41bumped into him. She looked up at him, neither apologizing nor panicking, only tilting her head
38:46to ask. Who are you? I haven't seen you before. Damien Costello. She nodded, as if she had heard
38:54the name, or perhaps as if she hadn't, then stuffed the kitten into his arms. Hold this for me,
38:59I'm going to get cake. Then she ran off. Damien stood on the lawn, holding the soft rag ball kitten,
39:05stunned for several seconds. When the bodyguard behind him tried to step forward and take it,
39:09he waved him off and stood there himself, waiting for a full ten minutes. When Ava came back with
39:13cake and saw him still standing there, she paused. You're still here? You told me to hold your cat.
39:18Ava blinked, then suddenly laughed. You're kind of interesting. That night, after Damien returned home,
39:25he sat at his desk, opened a new notebook, and wrote a line on the first page. Ava Russell,
39:3012 years old, Long Island Estate, Ragdoll Kitten. He told no one. From that day on,
39:35every move he made, every negotiation he entered, every territory he expanded, was quietly paving a
39:41path for her. On her 17th birthday, Nico Moretti took out the family room and promised himself to
39:46her in front of everyone. Damien stood in the corner of the banquet hall, holding a glass of champagne he
39:51never
39:51touched, watching Ava blush and nod with a face full of joy. His own face showed no flaw. After
39:56the banquet ended, he returned to his car, took that notebook out of the glove box, opened it to the
40:01first page, and stared at that line for a long time. Then he closed the notebook, shut his eyes,
40:06and spoke in a voice only he could hear. That's it. No chance. During the four years Nico Moretti
40:12spent in Chicago, Damien never once stopped paying attention to that city. He sent three groups of
40:17informants into Chicago's underground forces, not to target the Moretti family, but to ensure Ava's
40:23safety, even though she knew nothing about it. Boss, Moretti's expansion in Chicago is going smoothly,
40:30but Scar Volante has more and more influence in his side. She pushed out two of Moretti's old men.
40:35She's already Nico's most trusted person. Damien sat in his office, turning a gold coin in his hand.
40:41After hearing the report, he was silent for a long time.
40:47Has Ava been to Chicago once? She took the Russell family jet, but Moretti barely saw her and spent
40:53most of his time in the war room. Scar even put a note on the war room door that said,
40:57said what?
40:58The informant hesitated. Ava, Russell, and dogs, no entry. The gold coin in Damien's hand snapped
41:06down onto the desk. Boss, should we? No. The man she chose is hers to face.
41:15Unless she asks, I don't interfere. Not interfering didn't mean he didn't know. During those four years,
41:21he had people compile a monthly report on Ava and deliver it to his desk. The reports listed which
41:26charity Daners she attended, what new books she bought, which galleries she visited, and even what
41:31flowers she planted in the estate. Damien locked those reports in the drawer of his study and never
41:36let anyone touch them. One night, his mother walked into the study and saw him staring out the window.
41:41A report lay open on the di- with a photo of Ava Russell's attending a dinner attached to it.
41:45You still can't let her go? Damien said nothing. She's engaged to the Moretti family. Waiting for her
41:52is waiting for nothing. I know. But I can't help it. That night at 11 40 pm, Damien had just
42:00finished
42:00a six-hour negotiation with the Philadelphia family and returned to his room to shower. It was an infone
42:05rang number. He answered. The other end was silent for two seconds, and then he heard Ava's voice.
42:10It was not the clear, laughing girl's voice in his memory. It was horny and exhausted, as if something
42:16had crushed it over and over. Damien? Yes? Do you remember what you once told me?
42:25Damien's heightened slightly. He had said too many things to her. Almost every time he saw her,
42:30he would say one or two lines that seemed casual, but had actually been waved countless times. He
42:34didn't know which one she meant. Which one? Ava was silent for a few seconds. Then she said,
42:40word by word. You said, if one day you need a better choice than Nico Marani, I'll always be here.
42:45Damien's fingers turned white around the phone. He did not speak. Not because he didn't want to,
42:51but because he was afraid his voice would shake the moment he opened his mouth.
42:55I'm here. Another silence followed. Then Ava said, I'm changing the room. Do you dare marry me?
43:01That night Damien Costello truly did not sleep at all. He wasn't hesitating. He had no hesitation
43:06whatsoever. He was planning. By four o'clock the next morning, he was already sitting at his desk
43:11drafting the two marriage contracts to be witnessed by the commission. Before dawn, he had called the
43:16heads of four families in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, telling them that
43:21the Costello family was holding a wedding, and the bride was Ava Russell, the only daughter of the
43:25Russell family. No one objected. Not because they didn't dare, but because in the East Coast underworld,
43:30no one had ever been able to take what Damien Costello wanted, except Ava Russell. He had waited
43:34seven years, and she had finally asked. From the moment he decided to marry Ava, Damien treated the
43:40wedding like a battle. Not because he wanted to show off, but because he knew Nico Moretti would not
43:45let it go. Raise the wedding security level to the highest. Within a two kilometer radius of the
43:52Long Island estate, every high point gets a sniper. On the wedding day, anyone without an invitation
44:00who approaches the estate is to be restrained immediately. Boss, what about the Moretti family?
44:06Nico Moretti is still in Chicago, but he will definitely come back. If he follows the ceasefire
44:12agreement, he can only bring a few people. If he doesn't, Damien paused, his eyes turning cold. Even
44:18better. Two days before the wedding, he sent Nico Moretti the annult letter Ava had signed with her own
44:24hand. He sent two copies, one through formal channels and one by private courier, directly
44:30to Nico's safe house in Chicago. Did Nico receive it or not? It doesn't matter. What he wanted was a
44:36legitimate reason. If Nico received the annultment letter and still abandoned his post to Russia back
44:42to New York, that was contempt for the rules. If he didn't receive it, that was his own problem.
44:47Either way, Damien had already won, but there was one thing he had me calculated. On the wedding day,
44:53Damien wore a handmade white suit and stood at the estate gates, waiting for his bride. He had imagined
44:58this moment countless times. Ava in white too, her blonde hair like a waterfall, walking out from
45:03behind the iron gates, sunlight falling over her. So beautiful she didn't seem real. The iron gates
45:08opened. Ava came out. The white gown was beautiful. Her posture was upright, elegant, and noble. But
45:14Damien's gaze fell almost instinctively on her head. A wig. He recognized it at a glance. Not because the
45:19wig was poor. It was the finest custom wig from Italy. Hand woven, every strand carefully selected.
45:25On her head, it was almost flawless. But Damien had watched her for too many years. He knew the curve,
45:30color, and shine of her hair. He knew how she liked to tuck it behind her ear. He knew how
45:35her blonde
45:36hair moved when the wind blew. This woman wearing a wig was not the Ava in his memory. The smile
45:41on
45:41Damien's face did not change. He walked forward, extended his hand, and spoke in a warm, proper voice.
45:47Are you ready? Ava glanced at him and nodded lightly. She placed her fingers in his palm. In that instant,
45:53Damien felt her fingertips trembling lightly. He said nothing. He only held her tighter. After the
45:58wedding ceremony ended, he had people investigated. Two hours later, the report was placed on his desk.
46:04Nico Moretti, Scarlet Scarvalanti, seductive in the essential oil, electric clippers, blonde hair all
46:11over the floor. After reading the report, Damien was silent for a long time. Then he picked up the
46:17desk phone and dialed a number. Mr. Lorenzo, I need a favor. It wasn't that Damien Costello had never
46:23killed anyone. When he was 16, he personally watched his father order the execution of a traitor for the
46:28first time. The man knelt on the concrete floor of the warehouse, crying so hard his whole body shook,
46:33shouting, I was wrong, and give me one more chance. His father did not look at the man. He only
46:38said one
46:38thing to Damien. In our line of words, softness gets you killed. Damien remembered. For 20 years,
46:44he had never gone soft. But that night, when Ava walked out of the reception room and he leaned
46:49against the column asking, I thought you'd go soft one more time, she looked into his eyes and said
46:54every word clearly, I will never go soft on him again. Damien looked into her eyes. There were no
47:00tears in them, no hatred, not even resentment, only a quiet, final resolve, as if something had already
47:06been turned over. He suddenly thought of the way she looked seven years ago on the lawn, holding a
47:10ragdoll kitten and smiling until her eyes curved like crescent moons. That girl was gone. The woman
47:15standing before him had been shaved bald, humiliated, and betrayed, yet still kept her back straight and
47:20her head high as she walked out of that room. Damien smiled. It wasn't triumph. It wasn't relief. It was
47:27something complicated, something even he could not explain. He reached out and gently touched the wig on
47:32her head. Before your hair grows back, I've had a Paris Kutali make more than 20 wigs for you in
47:38different styles. With matching jewelry, you can wear a different one every day. Ava paused, then
47:43smiled. The smile was faint, different from the smile she had worn at 12 while holding the ragdoll
47:47kitten, but Damien thought it was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen in his life. It's all right.
47:53When her hair grows back, when the wound in her heart slowly heals, when one day she can smile again
47:59the
47:59way she did at 12, he will always be here. Three months later, Ava's hair had grown to ear length.
48:06The golden stubble had become soft, lying against the curve of her ears and making her face look
48:10even smaller. She only wore the wigs Damien Min ordered from Paris once. I don't want to wear them
48:15anymore. This is fine. It's pretty good. Damien glanced at her and said nothing. He put the 20 plus
48:22wigs into a wardrobe cabinet, then had the matching jewels reset into everyday pieces, and had the butler
48:27placed them on her venery every morning. One night, Ava was reading in his studio and accidentally
48:32pulled open the locked drawer. She saw the notebook. She opened it to the first page.
48:37Ava Russell, 12 years old, Long Island estate, ragdoll kitten. She froze. She kept turning the pages.
48:45Ava, 13, birthday party, wearing a pink dress, a white rose tucked into her hair. Ava, 14, sent to
48:51Switzerland for school. Plane departed from Kennedy airport. Weather clear. Ava, 15, first family dinner.
48:57A little nervous, but performed very well. Ava, 16, returned from Switzerland. A little tanned,
49:02but smiling happier than before she left. Ava, 17, birthday. Nico Moretti proposed. She said yes.
49:09After that line, there was a period. Then she turned the page. The handwriting was new. The ink
49:14a different color, clearly written later. Ava, 20, waiting for Nico Moretti in New York. I am still
49:20waiting. Ava, 21, went to an art gallery alone. I went too. She didn't see me. Ava, 22,
49:26the Russell family began urging her to marry. She still refused to pressure Nico. She is stubborn.
49:31Ava, 23, she called me. Ava, 23, she married me. Under that final line, there was a small star.
49:38Ava held the notebook and sat on the study carpet. Her tears fell one by one onto the page,
49:43blurring that little star. When Damien pushed the door open, this was what he saw. He froze for a second,
49:50then walked over, crouched down, gently took the notebook from her hands, closed it, and placed it
49:54aside. Who told you to go through my things? Ava raised her head and looked at him. Her eyes red,
49:58her voice a little hoarse. Why didn't you tell me? Tell you what? That I've liked you since you were
50:0412? That's too embarrassing. Ava was choked by his words, torn between crying and laughing.
50:09Weren't you afraid I would really marry Nico? Damien looked at her and suddenly smiled. There was no
50:13triumph in that smile, no bitterness, only something quiet and tender like moonlight. I was,
50:19but I was more afraid than you'd regret it. Ava froze. Damien reached out and tucked a loose
50:24strand of hair behind her ear, his touch so gentle it was as if he feared breaking something. If you
50:29chose someone else, that was your fault. But if you chose me, I would always be here. Ava's tears fell
50:37again. She buried her face in his chest and muttered, Damien Costello, you really are an idiot.
50:43Damien held her, lowered his head and kissed the top of her hair, his voice low and smiling.
50:51Outside the window, the night wind over the Long Island estate was gentle and the distant city
50:56lights glittered. She had lost the blonde hair that symbolized her status, but she had found
51:00someone willing to wait 12 years for her. For the rest of her life, there would be no more cold.

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