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Short filmTranscript
00:00He had only been away on a mission for a short while, but when he returned home, he found that
00:05the little girl he had adopted had changed. She no longer faked illness just to spend more time
00:11with him, no longer pretended to have a fever, and called him husband. Instead, she now addressed
00:17him politely and distantly as uncle, a title she had never been willing to use before.
00:23She no longer dressed in stylish, revealing clothes, parading around in front of him like
00:28she used to. Instead, she now wore a faded school uniform, covering herself up tightly.
00:35He thought I had simply matured now that I had turned 18, but in reality I had been reborn.
00:41In my past life, I had managed to marry Ethan Carter. But after 50 years of hard work and
00:47devotion, when he passed away, I saw the photo he had left behind. In the photo, his white
00:54moonlight was smiling gently, radiantly. On the back of the picture, he had written the
01:00love of my life for 50 years. At that moment, my love shattered. In this life, I would no
01:07longer stubbornly chase after his expectations for me to attend Harvard. Instead, I applied
01:13to the first military medical university. Like my parents, who had sacrificed their lives
01:19for peace, I wanted to become a doctor without borders. For once, I wanted to live according
01:25to my own will. On the day I received my admission letter from the military medical university,
01:31Ethan had just returned from a mission for the military district. Holding the thick envelope
01:36in my hand, I instinctively hid it behind my back when I looked up and saw Ethan standing
01:41in the main hall with Olivia Jennings arranging some things.
01:44Olivia's sickly sweet voice rang out. This fine silk fabric is a gift for Aunt Helen.
01:52She mentioned before that she wanted a tailor to make her something to wear in the fall.
01:57And these records, I asked a colleague to find them for me.
02:01Didn't you say that Grandpa loves opera? These will keep him entertained.
02:07After saying that, she took out a blue plaid tie and gestured as if to put it around Ethan's
02:12neck. With a shy smile, she added, I secretly bought this for you when we were at the mall
02:18that day. It suits you perfectly. Let's save it for our wedding day, all right?
02:24My mind went blank. So they really were getting married. Then I should leave, shouldn't I?
02:32Without my interference or reckless foolishness, Ethan was finally able to be with the one he truly
02:37loved. Olivia noticed me, but acted as if she hadn't. She wrapped her arms around Ethan's
02:45neck and deliberately asked, Oh, did you not bring a gift back for Emily? Do you think she'll
02:50be mad at her future aunt? After all, it seems like she's never liked me much. Ethan let out
02:57a sigh. She's just a kid, immature. Don't take it to heart. Even though she grew up in the Carter
03:05family, she's still an outsider. Sooner or later, she'll move out. I flinched, my fingers trembling
03:13slightly. It felt as if my heart had been crushed into pieces. My parents had been military doctors
03:20under General Carter's command. During a battle, they sacrificed themselves to protect a young
03:26journalist who had rushed into the war zone. Seeing that I had no one left, General Carter
03:32took pity on me and adopted me. I was seven years old then. Ethan was 17. As a child, he
03:41always comforted me, telling me to treat this place as my home, to see him as family. But
03:47now, I had become an outsider. After leading Ethan to say what she wanted to hear, Olivia finally
03:53turned to me and pretended to be surprised. Oh, Emily, you're back. She walked over and grabbed
04:01my hand. Her sharp nails dug into my skin ever so slightly, without drawing attention. Don't
04:08take what we just said too seriously, okay? Ethan still cares about you. It's just that during
04:15our last mission at the military base, you really went too far. He's still angry, so he just said
04:22those things in the heat of the moment. In my past life, when I found out that Ethan was taking
04:28Olivia with him to the military district for a mission, I was devastated because he had promised
04:32me that he would take me instead. But after I confessed my feelings to him, he stopped indulging
04:38my childish demands. He even pointed at my nose and scolded me for being shameless. He withdrew all
04:46his favoritism toward me and chose to bring Olivia along instead. Olivia had even deliberately asked
04:52me, Emily, why do you look so unhappy? Ethan and I are going for official business. I know you don't
05:00like me, but you should prioritize the bigger picture. You need to learn to differentiate what's
05:05important. Ethan, still angry, had coldly reprimanded me. Olivia is a military news reporter.
05:14Journalists are required to document the mission. If I don't bring her, who else should I bring?
05:21Stop letting your childish thoughts interfere with our work. After they returned from the military base,
05:27they officially became a couple. To make sure I gave up completely, Ethan deliberately displayed
05:33his affection for Olivia in front of me. But this time, I didn't lock myself in my room,
05:39crying until my eyes were swollen. I didn't throw a tantrum or make a fool of myself in a desperate
05:45attempt to stop Ethan from getting married. I simply smiled and asked, so, you two are getting
05:52married? Ethan frowned and asked coldly, what if we are? I'm warning you. Don't try to pull anything.
06:01Olivia's going to be your aunt from now on. She'll be the future lady of the Carter family.
06:07You better know your place. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to send you to the capital to live with
06:13grandpa. Before he could finish his sentence, I interrupted him. Congratulations, uncle.
06:21Ethan froze. In the past, I had never been willing to call him uncle, but now I finally accepted it.
06:29Ethan seemed momentarily unsettled by my response. Olivia quickly picked up on the shift in atmosphere
06:36between us. A fleeting look of unwillingness flashed across her calculating expression,
06:42but she quickly regained her composure and stepped forward with a light, easy smile.
06:47Emily, I brought you something, she said. Ethan and I are getting married soon,
06:53so we've been clearing out a lot of things at home. Consider this my gift to you as your future
06:58sister-in-law. She handed me a large box. When I opened it, I found it filled with old clothes.
07:06This wasn't new. Olivia always did this. Any clothes, shoes, or accessories she no longer wanted,
07:15she would pass down to me. In the past, Ethan had at least made an effort to buy me new clothes,
07:21dressing me up like a little princess. But now I was only worthy of his cast-offs.
07:28Olivia smiled as if she were being generous. I treat you like family. There's no need to waste
07:35money on new things when these are still perfectly fine. Look, this trench coat. I bought it when I
07:42went to the mountains for an interview. The style might be a bit outdated, and there's a small tear
07:48from when it got caught on something, but if you stitch it up, it'll be good as new. And this skirt.
07:54A tailor made it for me. It's one of a kind. It has a little stain, but that doesn't matter,
08:02does it? You're just a kid. No need to be so particular. Finally, she dug through the box
08:09and pulled out half a melted lipstick. Pressing her lips together in a smile, she added,
08:15Ethan mentioned you like makeup. I had a colleague bring this back from overseas for me.
08:21I've barely used it, so you can have it. Ethan shot me a disapproving look.
08:27It doesn't suit you, he muttered. I let out a bitter laugh. People always said Ethan and Olivia
08:35were a perfect match, talented and beautiful, a couple made in heaven. And yet, I couldn't accept it.
08:42I had once thought that if I wore Olivia's old clothes and put on a mature woman's makeup,
08:48maybe Ethan would look at me differently. I had once thought that if I wore Olivia's old clothes
08:53and put on a mature woman's makeup, maybe Ethan would look at me differently. But in his eyes,
08:59I had only ever been an imitation, a cheap and laughable copy. This time, I didn't fight it.
09:06I smiled naturally and said, Thank you, Uncle Ethan. Thank you, Olivia. But I'm still a student,
09:15and these things don't really suit me. You should keep them for yourselves.
09:20It was only then that they finally noticed the change in me. I was no longer wearing clothes that
09:26didn't match my age, no longer covering my face in poorly applied makeup to seem older.
09:31Instead, I had put on my school uniform, the same uniform I had once hated for being too
09:37plain and childish, the same one that now wrapped me up completely. Ethan's expression softened
09:43slightly. It's good that you're finally acting your age, he said. I took a deep breath. Do you need
09:51anything else from me, Uncle Ethan and Olivia? If not, I'd like to go back to my room and rest.
09:57They had no reason to stop me. I turned and left, leaving them behind.
10:04That evening, Ethan and Olivia went out to order their wedding attire and cakes.
10:09It wasn't until late at night that I saw the headlights of his old military jeep flicker
10:14outside the house. I had already eaten dinner alone. Sitting in my room, I quietly packed my things.
10:22When I looked up, I found Ethan standing at the doorway. I didn't know how long he had been
10:28there. His gaze drifted to the thick envelope sitting on my desk, his expression shifting ever
10:34so slightly. Is that your admission letter from Harvard? He asked. Ethan had always wanted me to
10:42apply to Harvard. He believed I should attend the best university, receive the best education.
10:48In my previous life, I had done everything to meet his expectations. I had studied endlessly,
10:56pushing myself to exhaustion, and finally, I had gotten in. I had followed his wishes step by step,
11:03hoping it would bring me closer to him. But even then, I had never truly won his heart.
11:09In this life, I had chosen a different path, but I didn't tell him the truth.
11:14I simply nodded and said, Yes, it arrived yesterday. For the first time in a long while,
11:21Ethan smiled. You should go to the capital and tell Grandpa the good news. Since Olivia and I are
11:28busy preparing for the wedding, we won't have time to look after you. I gave a quiet nod.
11:35All right. The military medical university started its semester earlier than most schools.
11:40I had been wondering how I would slip away without him noticing. But since he was sending me away
11:47himself, I no longer needed an excuse. Ethan hesitated for a moment before asking.
11:54Do you need me to assign a security officer to take you there? I shook my head. No need.
12:01Then go to the train station tomorrow by yourself. Olivia and I will be visiting an old commander.
12:08Oh, and one more thing. After Olivia and I get married, we plan to convert your room into a
12:15nursery. I'll have a guest room downstairs set up for you. Make sure to pack up all your belongings
12:22before you leave. The next day, Ethan was gone by the time I woke up. I finished packing my bags,
12:29then took one last look around my room. In the wardrobe, there were still a few things he had bought
12:35for me, an old second-hand camera he had carefully selected from multiple sellers, and some small
12:41souvenirs he had brought back from his missions, things he thought would make me happy. I didn't
12:46take any of them with me. On the bedside table, there was still a photo of the two of us. I picked
12:53it up, ran my fingers lightly over the surface, and then set it back down. After all, from now on,
13:00they would be a happy family of three. There was no longer a place for me here.
13:06I carried my luggage downstairs, pausing at the doorway for one last look at the place I had
13:11called home for the past ten years. In my heart, I silently said goodbye to the past, to Ethan Carter.
13:19From now on, we would never see each other again. I had only been at university for a week when Ethan
13:26showed up. I had known he would find out sooner or later. After all, Grandpa Carter was in the
13:33capital while my school was in the northwest. The student roster of the military medical university
13:38was shared with the military. Given the Carter family's deep connections, there was no way they
13:44wouldn't uncover the truth. That day I was carrying a thermos on my way to the boiler room to get hot
13:50water when Ethan's military jeep pulled up in front of me. The moment he stepped out, he immediately
13:56confronted me. Who told you to apply to the military medical university? Didn't I tell you to apply to
14:04Harvard? Trailing behind him was Olivia Jennings clinging to his arm as she added in a deliberately
14:09sweet but sharp voice. Emily, you're being so immature. Ethan and I went through so much trouble to plan a
14:17future for you. If you resent us, fine. But how could you gamble with your own future? I met Ethan's
14:26gaze steadily and said, I'm not gambling with my future. This is what I want to do. But he didn't
14:33care about what I wanted. He spoke in the same commanding tone he always used. As if his word was
14:40final. Where's your dorm? Pack your things and withdraw from school. You can retake the entrance
14:47exam next year. Hearing those words again brought back memories of my past life. I had spent countless
14:55nights studying under dim lights, pushing myself to the brink of collapse, just for a few words of
15:00approval from him. Now, standing here, I felt nothing but exhaustion. When I saw the security officer
15:08heading toward my dormitory, I instinctively stepped forward to block his way. For the first time,
15:14I called Ethan by his full name. Ethan Carter, I said, looking directly at him. What right do you
15:22have to interfere in my life? Are you speaking as an outsider, an uncle in name only, or as the man I
15:28once foolishly loved? The moment those words left my mouth, the unspoken tension between us finally
15:35broke. Ethan's face darkened, his fury barely contained. In his anger, he slapped me across the face.
15:43A ringing sound echoed in my ears, but my mind had never been clearer. That slap, considerate
15:51repayment for the years he had raised me. From now on, we owed each other nothing. Ethan seemed to
15:58realize what he had done. He looked down at his own hand, as if in disbelief, and for the first time
16:04he lowered his head and murmured, I'm sorry, Emily, but I was doing this for your own good.
16:09Isn't it better for you to attend the top university? A mocking smile tugged at the corner
16:16of my lips. No, it's not, because I am Emily Carter. I have my own dreams, my own path to
16:24follow. I don't want to live according to your expectations anymore. Ethan's frustration
16:30boiled over. He scoffed, his voice laced with disbelief. Expectations? Haven't I always made
16:39your choices for you? What expectations could you possibly have of your own? And there it
16:45was. Because everything in my life had been dictated by Ethan, I had once believed he was
16:50my whole world. I had lived solely for him, blindly chasing after him. I had thought that
16:57as long as I kept trying, he would one day see me. But now, now that I had stepped away
17:03from the Carter family, chosen the military medical university, and broadened my horizons,
17:08I realized Ethan was just another person in this vast world. And I, I had countless other
17:15choices beyond simply becoming Mrs. Carter. I let out a light laugh, my gaze unwavering.
17:23So tell me, Ethan, in what capacity do you think you have the right to interfere in my life?
17:28His expression hardened, his jaw tightening. I've made my decision. If my parents were still alive,
17:37they would support me. I have my own future, and I will pursue my dreams here. I will build my own
17:44life, my own career. I might even find someone who will walk by my side for the rest of my life.
17:50I've grown up, Ethan. I'm not that little girl who followed you around anymore. And I'm certainly
17:58not your puppet. As we spoke, a few male students jogged past us. They were fresh-faced, energetic,
18:07dressed in athletic uniforms from their morning training. One of them waved at me, flashing a
18:12bright smile. Ethan's expression twisted with something unreadable. He had probably never considered
18:19the possibility that one day I would leave him behind. That one day I would be standing beside
18:25another man, holding someone else's hand, becoming someone else's wife. I curved my lips into a faint
18:32smile. Uncle Ethan, aren't you getting married soon? Then let me wish you and the one you truly love
18:39a lifetime of happiness. A wedding requires a lot of preparation. You should be focusing on that,
18:46not on an outsider like me, someone with no blood ties to your family. I paused for a moment before
18:53continuing. I heard the wedding is scheduled for next month. University coursework is demanding,
19:00and I won't have time. I won't be attending your wedding. Ethan said nothing, but his expression
19:07darkened. Unexpectedly, something went wrong at Ethan and Olivia's wedding, and I was involved.
19:13I had only been enrolled at the military medical university for less than a month when an article
19:19in the newspaper threw me into a public controversy. On the front page was a large, grainy black and
19:25white photo of an elderly man in his 60s kneeling on the ground, his face twisted in desperation.
19:32He was clutching the hand of a young female military doctor, begging for help. And that young military
19:38doctor was me. The headline read, elderly man suffers medical emergency begs young military
19:44doctor for help. Heartless soldier ignores his pleas. And beneath it, the byline credited the
19:51reporter, Olivia Jennings. But that wasn't what had actually happened. The military medical university
19:59operated under a strict, closed campus system. Students were only allowed out once a month for a
20:05single day to buy necessities. That day, I had been at a department store near campus when I
20:11encountered the elderly man. His wife had suddenly collapsed due to a cerebral hemorrhage, but I was
20:17just a first-year student, barely trained and completely unqualified to handle a medical emergency of that
20:23scale. The only thing I could do was rush back to school to get help. Fortunately, I ran into one of the
20:31professors at the school gates. Thanks to his intervention, we were able to get the elderly
20:36woman to the hospital in time to save her life. The man had knelt before me, not to beg for help,
20:43but to thank me. And yet he had only been on the ground for two seconds before we pulled him back up.
20:49Somehow, in those two seconds, a reporter had captured the moment, twisted the story, and turned it into a
20:56nationwide scandal. Emily, we understand your situation, and we believe in your character and
21:02dedication to serving the people. My instructor said. But the impact of this article has been
21:09terrible. Many readers have sent letters demanding that the school take action against you. The
21:15university needs you to provide an explanation as soon as possible. I took a deep breath, staring at the
21:22name beneath the headline. Don't worry, professor, I'll handle this. The next time I saw Ethan and
21:29Olivia was when they came to the capital to meet Grandpa Carter and finalize the wedding arrangements.
21:34I walked straight up to Olivia and slammed the newspaper down in front of her, along with statements
21:40from the elderly couple and my professor, clearing my name. Olivia's face stiffened, but she quickly
21:46forced a smile. Oh, Emily, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were the person in the photo. The picture
21:55was taken by one of my colleagues. I was just following his notes when I wrote the article. I raised an
22:02eyebrow. Even strangers managed to figure out who I was from that blurry photo. And yet you, someone who knows
22:10me well, want me to believe you had no idea. Do you really think that excuse works? She opened her mouth
22:17to say something, but I cut her off. Is this what your newspaper does? Printing falsehoods without
22:25verifying the truth first? Do you journalists just sit in your offices, making up stories instead of
22:31investigating? Her face flushed with anger. Do you even know my credentials? Do you know my standing in
22:39the journalism world? And you, a mere student without even a diploma, dare to question me? I let out a
22:46cold chuckle and stepped closer, watching the unease flicker across her face. Ethan once told me you
22:53were an exceptional woman. Someone so outstanding that he forced me to retake my exams just so I could
22:59follow your path. But now I see that you're nothing special after all. Not only have you insulted my
23:06honor as a soldier, but you've also disgraced your profession as a journalist. She tried to protest,
23:13but I didn't give her a chance. I'm not the Neve little girl you could manipulate anymore, I said,
23:19my voice steady. Do you even understand the consequences of fabricating a story about a soldier?
23:26Do you know how serious of a crime it is to incite hostility between the military and civilians?
23:31If you don't want to end up in prison, you'd better write a retraction and issue a public apology.
23:38Otherwise, be prepared for what comes next. Olivia's eyes reddened, her lips trembling as she whispered.
23:46The news cycle will move on soon. This is just a small issue. It will all blow over in time.
23:53If I retract my article now, it will ruin my career. Just then, Ethan, who had remained silent,
24:01finally stepped forward, his face dark with displeasure. For a moment, I thought that as a
24:07fellow soldier, he would stand by my side, that he would at least acknowledge my anger and support me
24:13in clearing my name. But instead, he frowned and said the article wasn't Olivia's fault.
24:18She was misled by a colleague. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?
24:25Olivia has worked hard to reach where she is today. Are you really going to destroy her career
24:31over something so trivial? I felt my breath hitch, my chest tightening as tears stunned my eyes.
24:38I wasn't sure whether I was more angry or disappointed. Maybe both. I clenched my fists and forced my voice
24:46to stay steady. And what about me, Ethan? What about my future? I worked so hard to get into the
24:54military medical university. This isn't just my dream, it's my parents' legacy. And yet, because of
25:02a few careless words from her, my reputation has been completely ruined. Does that mean nothing to
25:08you? You can't even guarantee your own degree. Ethan stared at me for a long moment before finally
25:15speaking again. It would be even better if he just withdrew from the military medical university.
25:21If you retake the exams next year, you can still apply to Harvard. The words had barely left his
25:28mouth when a loud slap cut through the air. The entire room fell into stunned silence. Even I was
25:35momentarily frozen by my own action. Ethan's face bore the clear imprint of my palm, a bright red mark
25:42against his skin. He furrowed his brows, staring at me in disbelief, as if he couldn't process what
25:49had just happened. It was Olivia who reacted first. She rushed forward, her voice shrill.
25:57Emily, what are you doing? I know you're upset about my marriage to Ethan, and now that you've
26:03finally found something to use against me, you must be eager to step on me, right? But Ethan is your
26:09elder. The Carter family raised you. How could you treat him like this? I let out a cold,
26:17mocking laugh. Do I owe the Carter family? I already repaid that debt in my past life,
26:2450 years of devotion, only to be cast aside. And let's not forget, my parents saved countless
26:30lives on the battlefield, including members of the Carter family. General Carter took me in not out of
26:37kindness, but out of gratitude and guilt. If anything, it's your family that owes mine.
26:44I turned my gaze back to Ethan. Olivia, you're wrong. Maybe I did love Ethan before, but not anymore.
26:53After what he just said, all I feel is disgust, the same way I feel about you.
26:58Ethan's eyes flickered slightly. I could see the tension in his expression as I continued,
27:04my voice steady. Ten years of love and resentment, let's call it even today.
27:10From now on, Ethan, you and I are nothing to each other. The moment I turned to leave,
27:16Ethan instinctively grabbed my arm, as if he wanted to say something. But before he could get a word out,
27:23I yanked my arm free. I gathered the necessary evidence and, in coordination with the university,
27:29submitted an official complaint to the newspaper's leadership. They took the issue seriously,
27:35immediately retracting Olivia's article and publishing a week-long apology in the paper.
27:41Olivia faced severe disciplinary action. Because of the scandal's widespread damage and its impact
27:47on civilian-military relations, her journalist's credentials were revoked. When General Carter found
27:54out about the incident, he was furious. He firmly opposed Ethan and Olivia's wedding.
28:01I later heard that the day I left the Carter family, General Carter had just returned home,
28:06only to beat Ethan so severely with a belt that his skin was bruised and torn.
28:10And just like that, Ethan and I were completely severed from each other.
28:15After twelve months, war broke out. Ethan was critically wounded.
28:19With the worsening battle conditions on the front lines, students from the military medical
28:25university were deployed to the field hospitals. While we weren't experienced enough to perform
28:31major surgeries, we could still assist with basic wound care and bandaging. Rumors spread quickly.
28:38I overheard someone say I heard General Carter lost a leg in an explosion.
28:43They couldn't stop the bleeding when he was brought in.
28:45Some of my classmates who knew my history with Ethan hesitated before approaching me.
28:52Emily, do you that want to go check on General Carter?
28:55I continued rapping as soldiers wound, my expression unreadable.
29:00I don't have time.
29:02That's the critical injury ward.
29:04We wouldn't be of any use there.
29:07In my past life, when I heard Ethan had gone to war, I had been reckless and impulsive.
29:12Still a university student at the time, I had rushed to find him without a second thought.
29:19On the battlefield, a grenade had exploded between us.
29:23My ears had gone deaf from the blast.
29:26Ethan, feeling responsible for what had happened, had been forced into marriage with me under
29:31General Carter's pressure.
29:34Meanwhile, Olivia, after waiting for him for years without results, had finally given up
29:39and left the country with a foreign man.
29:41Back then, I had thought that without my interference, without my desperate, foolish love, in this
29:48life, Ethan should have been able to be with the one he truly loved, his white moonlight.
29:53But after all the twists and turns, this was the ending he was left with.
29:58I saw him again two months later.
30:01By then, his condition had improved significantly and he had been transferred to a regular hospital
30:06room for recovery.
30:08However, his left leg had been amputated.
30:12He could never serve as a soldier again.
30:15This loss hit him hard.
30:17For days, he lashed out at everyone.
30:21The hospital staff avoided his room whenever possible, terrified of upsetting him.
30:26No one dared to leave anything near his bedside, let alone linger for too long.
30:31That day, it was finally my turn to care for him.
30:35The moment I stepped into the room, Ethan froze.
30:39His face was pale, his lips trembling slightly.
30:43I acted as if I didn't know him.
30:46I went through the standard procedure, changing his bandages, treating his wounds, completing
30:51my task with clinical precision.
30:53When I was done, I turned to leave without a single word.
30:58Emily, he called my name.
31:00I stopped.
31:02Through the mask covering my face, only my cold gaze was visible as I turned back to look
31:07at him.
31:08A bitter chuckle escaped his lips.
31:11You've changed so much.
31:14I had changed.
31:16After joining the military medical university, following in my parents' footsteps, I had come
31:21to truly understand what I wanted, to grasp who I was meant to be.
31:25Every day, I faced life and death.
31:29I had crawled through the wreckage of war, survived amidst gunfire and bloodshed.
31:34I was no longer the little girl who hid behind him, who saw nothing beyond love, who only had
31:39eyes for him.
31:41I looked at him calmly.
31:43Do you need anything else?
31:45I have other patients to tend to.
31:48His voice was hoarse, filled with exhaustion.
31:52Emily.
31:53Do you still refuse to forgive me?
31:56Ethan was wrong because in the world of adults, forgiveness didn't matter.
32:01I had simply grown up.
32:03I had come to understand so many things, but there was still something I couldn't figure
32:07out.
32:08The battlefield in my past life had never been this brutal.
32:12What had changed?
32:14Where had things gone wrong?
32:17The answer came soon enough.
32:18The military issued a statement revealing the truth behind this war.
32:23Our army had suffered such heavy losses because someone had leaked classified military intelligence,
32:29and among the names on the list of traitors was Olivia Jennings, along with several of her
32:34colleagues.
32:34Everything suddenly made sense.
32:38Olivia had used her role as a journalist to get close to the Carter family, to Ethan, to
32:43gather military secrets.
32:46In my past life, I had constantly been wary of her, always keeping my guard up, making it
32:51difficult for her to obtain information from Ethan.
32:54That must have caused problems in their plans.
32:58And after I returned from the battlefield, Ethan, under immense pressure, had been forced to marry
33:03me, cutting off all of Olivia's opportunities, ending her mission prematurely.
33:08So she hadn't left the country out of heartbreak.
33:12She had fled to avoid being exposed.
33:14And yet, the most ridiculous part of it all.
33:19Ethan had spent his entire life longing for her, cherishing her memory, even writing a book
33:24in her honor.
33:25But he had never realized that the greatest betrayal had come from the woman he had held
33:30so dearly.
33:31When Ethan saw the list of traitors, he was utterly stunned.
33:36A guttural, pained scream tore from his throat.
33:39He tried to push himself up from the bed, fury burning in his eyes.
33:44Even if he had to crawl, he wanted to confront Olivia to demand answers.
33:49But with only one leg left, he collapsed helplessly to the floor.
33:54That that woman.
33:56Why?
33:57Why would she do this?
33:59Emily, she got the information from me, didn't she?
34:03That's why we lost so many soldiers, isn't it?
34:07That's why all those men died.
34:09Isn't it?
34:10The room fell into chaos.
34:13Doctors and nurses rushed in, pinning him down as he struggled against them.
34:17His screams raw and unhinged.
34:20In the end, with his voice shaking, he grabbed onto me.
34:24Tell me, Emily, tell me I wasn't that much of a fool.
34:29How could I have been so blind?
34:31But no amount of tears could undo the past.
34:35As I looked at him, at the broken man before me,
34:38I suddenly thought of the Ethan from my past life,
34:41the one who had written the love of my life for fifty years on the back of our old photograph.
34:46If he had known the truth then, would he have still spent his entire life mourning the woman who betrayed him?
34:52Olivia was arrested.
34:55Ethan, for his role in leaking military intelligence, was dishonorably discharged.
34:59He was now under investigation, with no future ahead of him.
35:05The war raged on for another six months before it finally ended.
35:09My classmates and I completed our mission at the front lines and returned to school, resuming our studies.
35:16No matter what the future held, the time we had spent on the battlefield, the lives we had saved,
35:21the hardships we had endured would shape us forever.
35:25On the day we withdrew from the field hospital in front of everyone,
35:29my boyfriend, Ryan Zhao, proposed to me.
35:32Ryan and I had met at the military medical university.
35:35Ryan and I were more than classmates.
35:39We were comrades in arms.
35:42We shared the same ideals, the same unwavering commitment to saving lives.
35:47We had dedicated our youth, and one day we would dedicate our very existence to this path.
35:53There were no roses, no diamond rings, only a handful of small daisies he had picked from the roadside,
36:00but in a place littered with rubble and scorched earth.
36:02The fact that he had managed to find even these flowers for a proposal meant everything.
36:08In that moment, I saw my parents in him.
36:12Ryan knelt on one knee, his voice steady and full of emotion.
36:16Emily, marry me.
36:19I will spend my life making you happy.
36:22I will stand by your side, walk this road with you until the very end.
36:27Tears welled up in my eyes.
36:28For some reason, my mind drifted back to my past self, the girl who had once chased after Ethan Carter so desperately.
36:37To me back then, Ethan had always been out of reach.
36:41No matter how hard I tried, I could only catch glimpses of his back.
36:46In his eyes, I had always been the annoying little girl who clung to him,
36:50the housekeeper who cooked for him, took care of him,
36:53not someone he could see as an equal, as a partner.
36:57But now, I no longer had to lower myself to the ground,
37:00humbling myself, begging for his affection or his pity.
37:04I threw myself into Ryan's arms, crying as the years of sacrifice,
37:09bloodshed and death finally found their conclusion in this perfect, beautiful ending.
37:14Cheers erupted throughout the hospital.
37:16The overwhelming sound of congratulations filled the air, echoing through the halls.
37:23Ethan must have heard it, too.
37:25From his hospital room, if he looked the window, he would see me locked in Ryan's embrace, holding him tightly.
37:32That afternoon, I went to change his bandages for the last time.
37:37He remained silent throughout.
37:38Not saying a word, even as I finished and gathered my things to leave.
37:44But just as I was about to walk out the door, he finally spoke.
37:49Congratulations.
37:50It was the same word I had once said to him and Olivia all those years ago.
37:55Ryan and I decided to get married.
37:58Before the wedding, we made a trip to the capital to visit Grandpa Carter.
38:02After all, my parents were no longer alive, and he was, at least in name, the one who had taken me in.
38:11It was only right that I inform him of my marriage.
38:14That evening, after dinner, Grandpa Carter handed me a small, weathered metal box.
38:20His hands trembled slightly as he placed it in front of me.
38:24These are the belongings your parents left behind, he said.
38:28You were too young before.
38:30I was afraid it would bring you pain, so I held on to them.
38:34But now you've grown up and you're about to start your own family.
38:38It's time for you to have them.
38:41I opened the box.
38:43Inside were photographs of my biological parents, their identification documents, and an old, yellow newspaper clipping.
38:51As I traced the faded ink with my fingers, my heart pounded.
38:56Something about the article felt eerily familiar.
38:58Following the clues from the news piece, I began investigating, and that was when I uncovered the truth.
39:06The journalist responsible for my parents' deaths on the battlefield was Olivia Jennings.
39:11Back then, she had only been a fresh graduate, a mere intern at a newspaper agency.
39:16In her desperation to prove herself, she had recklessly ventured into the war zone, disregarding all warnings.
39:24She had leaped past the safety perimeter, determined to capture the perfect front-line photograph.
39:30And because of that, an accident had occurred.
39:34At the time, because she was still a student, the military had secretly protected her, covering up her involvement.
39:41She had graduated and scathed, her reckless mistake buried.
39:46From there, she had risen in the journalism world, wielding her pen like a weapon, crafting her own legacy.
39:53When Grandpa Carter learned the truth, his expression darkened with disgust.
39:57No wonder I disliked her from the first moment I met her, he muttered.
40:03There was always something off about her.
40:06Ethan was a fool to be blinded by her.
40:09The military had finalized its judgment.
40:12Ethan, though he had unintentionally leaked classified information, had his battlefield achievements taken into account.
40:19His war merits balanced out his crime, sparing him from severe punishment.
40:25But his military rank, his title, his entire career, everything was stripped away.
40:31For a man like Ethan, this was a fate worse than death.
40:35He locked himself away, barely leaving his room.
40:39Hiding in the shadows like a rat in the sewers.
40:42On the day of my wedding to Ryan, he finally emerged.
40:46Leaning on a crutch, he stood at a distance, watching.
40:51Leaning on a steel cane, he walked toward me step by step and handed me a wedding gift.
40:56I recognized it immediately.
40:59It was his mother's bracelet, the Carter family heirloom.
41:03In my past life, even after fifty years of taking care of him, he had never given it to me.
41:09I had always known that it was meant for Olivia.
41:12But now, of all times, he was offering it to me.
41:17His hair had turned gray, his eyes bloodshot.
41:21The once handsome face that had captivated so many had aged decades in just a few years.
41:27But when he looked at me, there was still a faint glimmer in his gaze,
41:31as if he had finally found some clarity in his chaotic world.
41:34I shook my head and gently pushed the bracelet back into his hands.
41:39Mr. Carter.
41:42As far as I know, this bracelet is a Carter family heirloom, meant for the future daughter-in-law.
41:49Today is my wedding to Ryan.
41:51It wouldn't be appropriate for you to give this to me.
41:54The light in his eyes dimmed instantly.
41:57A bitter, self-deprecating smile replaced it.
42:00His lips moved slightly before he murmured,
42:04You're right.
42:05Then, before the wedding reception even ended, he left.
42:10Not long after, I received news of his suicide.
42:14In this life, he never became the revered general who spent his old age reminiscing about his lost love.
42:21Instead, he became a man blinded by emotions and deception,
42:25a man who betrayed his comrades, whose name became one of shame.
42:28He spent his final days drowning in guilt and condemnation,
42:32unable to bear the weight of his own mistakes.
42:35But I remained steadfast on the path I had chosen.
42:39With the person I loved by my side,
42:42I would dedicate my life to something far greater than a fleeting, misguided love.