- 6 hours ago
My Grandmother Saw Everything
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Short filmTranscript
00:15hello hi mr. Robert he's tied up right now this is his daughter area who's
00:20calling this is the Beverly Hills Hotel we're just calling to check if your
00:24brother Leo had any allergic reactions to the gluten-free treats in the suite
00:28brother I don't have a brother my dad is 53 my mom is 51 I'm an only child just
00:35last weekend he told us face to face I'm heading to SF for a real estate deal
00:41Aria are you still there he's fine thanks right then my dad walked in from the pool
00:48who was that nobody wrong number where's your mom Gilson's getting steaks she
00:54wanted to cook you a nice dinner since you've been working so hard she always
00:57spoils me four days of back-to-back meetings during this trip I'm wiped out
01:01the lie just came out automatically but the penthouse at the Beverly Hills Hotel
01:05isn't in San Francisco it's right on Sunset Boulevard less than two miles from
01:10our house dad what's up sweetie where did you stay anyway some friends and I are
01:16hitting SF next month looking for recommendations just some cheap motel
01:23they booked nothing fancy if you want to go dad'll get you a way better place he
01:27was lying through his teeth I didn't press him I just turned around headed upstairs
01:31and checked his credit card bills on my laptop I major in finance so a lot of the
01:36family bills go straight to my email last weekend $8,500 spent on food at the
01:41Beverly Hills Hotel Valentine's Day $23,000 at Tiffany & Co and my mom she just got a
01:48hundred and twenty dollar bouquet of white tulip I sank into my chair my head
01:53spinning Robert Aria can I get some help down here I took a deep breath and open
01:58the door my dad had already grabbed the grocery bags from her you bought so much
02:02stuff you should have waited for me I'm coming with you next time but you just
02:06got back from that crazy trip besides Aria loves your steaks standing at the top of
02:11the stairs my stomach burned like acid during dinner my dad kept pouring wine for my
02:16mom oh by the way Elena I picked up some skincare stuff for you area can show
02:20you how to use it tomorrow you're wasting money again after dinner my dad
02:23went to his office to work I brought a plate of fruit inside hey dad I saw this
02:29crazy story online today this guy hit a mistress and a secret kid from his wife
02:33and ended up losing everything Aria what exactly are you trying to say what's
02:39done in the dark always comes to light right dad the internet is full of that
02:47clickbait trash look you just graduated stop reading that garbage and focus on
02:53finding a job but no butts mind your own business and stay out of grown-up
02:59affairs got it got it there wasn't a drop of warmth left in his eyes the next day
03:05was Saturday and my dad said he had to go to the office for some paperwork the
03:10second he left I jumped in my car and drove straight to the Beverly Hills Hotel
03:14the receptionist was a Latina girl with flawless makeup hi I need to check the
03:18records for mr. Robert from last week I'm his daughter he left something here sorry
03:23but that's against our privacy policy can you at least tell me what the woman with
03:27him looked like she was pretty young under 30 long brown hair dressed super
03:33classy like she was into art or design I walked out and looked up the Tiffany
03:37store in Beverly Hills right away 20 minutes later I found a nice black sales
03:41associate hi I'm trying to check a purchase made by mr. Robert on
03:45Valentine's Day I'm his daughter just trying to double-check the style he bought
03:48oh yes mr. Robert is our VIP here he came in that day with a gorgeous lady bought our
03:54seasonal diamond necklace for 23,000 do you know her name I think it was Scarlett
04:00yeah Scarlett they seemed so in love she said it was too pricely but mr. Robert
04:05insisted when I got home my mom was in the front yard trimming her roses hey Aria
04:14you're back what do you want for dinner looking at those blooming roses my heart
04:18sank I couldn't just tell her my mom has high blood pressure she can't take this
04:21kind of shock I had to find solid proof first that night I sat in front of my
04:26computer scrolling through endless social media accounts finally I found an
04:30Instagram account called Scarlett art I clicked on her profile art shows high
04:35tea designer bags and a photo of a little boy from behind everything matched up
04:39perfectly with what I knew about Scarlett most of her posts were tagged in
04:43Crystal Cove a gated community in Newport each the next day I skipped work and
04:47staked out the coffee shop right outside Crystal Cove at 2 a white Porsche Cayenne
04:52pulled out and parked in front of a flower shop a woman in a long linen dress
04:56got out it was Scarlett she bought some white roses and walked into the private
05:00preschool next door 10 minutes later she walked out holding a three-year old boys
05:05hand mommy is daddy coming to see me today daddy super firstly safe in this
05:14daddy's super busy with work he's making money to buy building blocks can I help
05:20you Scarlett right I'm Robert's daughter Aria she avoided my eyes pulling her kid away I
05:32don't know any Robert I blocked her again where the D don't know him how about I post your Beverly
05:40Hills
05:40hotel bills and that Tiffany necklace seat all over Instagram what the hell do you want let's talk
05:46Scarlett hesitated told the nanny to take the kid to the car and sat down since you found me I
05:52won't
05:53even hide it your dad and I we're in love in love spending my family's money and living in a
06:00mansion
06:00is that your true love disgusting why do you think I got all this I give him what your mom
06:10never could
06:13passion adoration and a whole new world that mansion Robert bought it paid in full under my name
06:21oh by the way your dad said once he wraps things up at home he's filing for divorce he said
06:26your mom
06:27does nothing but blow his cash but you seem pretty smart tell your mom to get a lawyer ASAP maybe
06:32she
06:32can still get a piece of the pie that night Robert came home right on time Elena go upstairs I
06:41need to
06:41talk to Ari alone what's going on just go upstairs she shot me a worried look then turned around and
06:49headed up it was just the two of us left in the living room you went to see Scarlett today
06:53didn't you
06:54yes I did Ari I always thought you were a smart girl but what you did today
07:03I'm deeply disappointed in you when you logged into my Amex account I got a notification from the
07:08system I didn't stop you because I wanted to see if you knew when to stop honestly you're no different
07:15from Scarlett both of you are living off of me I paid for your tuition I bought your car and
07:20every
07:21single piece of clothing on your back was charged to my card what makes you think you have any right
07:24to question my choices dad I just wanted to protect this family this family doesn't need
07:30your protection this family needs you to shut your mouth I was going to wait another two weeks but now
07:36I see there's no point I picked it up it was an amendment to the family trust he had completely
07:41removed my name from the beneficiaries and changed everything to Leo's name instead weren't you the
07:46one who always wanted to make it on your own congrats now you got your wish
07:54I'm staying at Newport Beach tonight Leo's preschool has a family day tomorrow and Scarlett
07:59wants me there so Aria you better stay away from Scarlett and Leo or else that smile was worse than
08:06any threat the door shut I am sitting on the living room sofa clutching the trust paper shaking all
08:12over suddenly the couch sank next to me silly girl why are you crying sorry mom I thought I was
08:18protecting this family but I ended up blowing it all instead I lost your only safety net you really
08:23think you got that follow-up call by accident your father must have forgotten what I used to do 30
08:29years
08:30ago this ends now
08:39my mom plugged the flash drive into the computer and typed in a password a hidden folder popped open
08:45packed with spreadsheets and scanned files mom what is all this the complete trail of your dad hiding of
08:49assets for the past three years every wire transfer every bill and every offshore account when did you
08:55find out a year and a half before you did I knew the second he used Scarlett's art gallery
09:00to run fake invoices then why didn't you say anything because I didn't have enough proof yet plus I know
09:05Robert if I called him out back then he would have destroyed the evidence move the cash and left us
09:10with
09:10nothing looking at the endless rows of numbers on the screen my head started spinning so this whole year you
09:16were just taking it I wasn't taking it I was waiting waiting for what waiting for him to slip up
09:22last month he
09:23wired 800,000 straight from the company account to Scarlett's gallery he used to hide it through
09:27multiple accounts but this time he got sloppy he was in too much of a rush to pay off her
09:30mortgage
09:30she turned around to look at me from that second he wasn't just a cheating husband anymore he became
09:35a criminal stealing company funds
09:36I was completely speechless mom for over a year you've just been acting every single day you think
09:46I'm just acting Aria I've been married to Robert for 30 years for the first 25 I thought I was
09:51happy
09:51for the last five I knew he didn't love me anymore but I told myself it was fine at least
09:55he still
09:55respected this family until I found out about Scarlett that's when he stopped caring about giving us any
10:01respect at all then why didn't you just get a divorce because divorce is way too easy on him
10:06plus I needed time to get ready and I needed you to see him for who he really is suddenly
10:11everything
10:12made sense that call from the hotel was that just a fluke my mom didn't say a word she just
10:17smirked
10:17that look was all the answer I needed mom did you set that up I didn't have to set anything
10:23up I
10:24just made sure you answered when his phone rang you knew he was at the hotel that day last month
10:30when he said he was heading to San Francisco I was actually in the hotel parking lot I watched him
10:35carry that little boy straight into the lobby then why didn't you walk in catching him would only
10:39mess with him for a minute the next day he just put on his suit go to work and keep
10:43playing Mr.
10:44Robert and everyone would just say oh well guys will be guys but stealing company money is a
10:49different story and money laundering that changes everything
10:56looking at her I suddenly felt like this woman was a stranger not scary just powerful so this whole
11:02year you've been collecting evidence not just collecting evidence I was waiting for him to dig
11:06his own grave every extra dollar he wires makes his crime worse every fake invoice adds another year to
11:11his prison time so what am I supposed to do now she looked at me and there was something in
11:16her eyes
11:16I had never seen before not pity not comfort just a stone cold brutal reality check stand up wipe your
11:22tears and go to bed starting tomorrow you do exactly what I say at three in the morning I heard
11:28a faint
11:28noise upstairs my mom wasn't asleep either I crept upstairs to her bedroom door the door was cracked
11:33open I could see her sitting on the edge of the bed holding a picture frame it was her and
11:37my dad's
11:38wedding photo 30 years ago two young people stood outside city hall smiling like they owned the
11:43world she stared at it for so long I thought she was gonna cry but she didn't she just flipped
11:48the
11:48frame face down opened her nightstand drawer and tossed it inside in the dark I heard her let out a
11:54long slow breath like she had finally let go of a heavy weight I went back to my room lay
11:59down and
11:59stared at the ceiling by the time the sun came up I finally drifted off
12:06my dad didn't come home for three days straight he just texted my mom saying he was slammed at work
12:11on the afternoon of the fourth day my mom called Aria get to Hoag Hospital right now Hoag Hospital is
12:16in Newport Beach it's the best private hospital around I jumped in my car and sped over in the
12:21ER hallway my mom stood there staring stone-faced at the desk I looked over my dad was at the
12:26front
12:27desk looking totally panic-headed Scarlett was on a bench nearby clutching her stomach and looking pale
12:32while Leo was throwing a tantrum what happened Scarlett has pregnancy complications Robert walked
12:38out of a meeting to rush her to the ER she's pregnant again yep guess what Robert needs most
12:44right now she pulled a paper from her bag and handed it to me I took it it was an
12:48internal
12:48financial report he's broke he dumped every cent into that mansion in Scarlett's gallery the company's
12:54cash flow is dried up he can't even pay for next month's projects so what's he gonna do he wants
12:58to
12:58mortgage our house yesterday his lawyer called me to sign the papers he claimed he needed help with
13:05the cash flow you didn't sign it did you of course not not only that I'm about to give him
13:12a huge surprise
13:16my mom pulled out her phone and made a call hey Richard it's Elena is Robert at the office on
13:21the other end
13:21was Richard his partner no Elena Robert said he was meeting a big client left for the day a client
13:26but I just saw him at Hoke Hospital's OBGYM he was with some young girl I thought she was an
13:30employee's
13:31family or something the line went dead silent Richard's voice dropped Elena you sure he's at
13:35the OBGYM yeah I even snapped a picture oh well maybe I'm seeing things don't mention it to him
13:41Richard I don't want him thinking I'm paranoid my mom hung up and smirked I looked at her totally lost
13:46mom why would Richard side with you because Richard's been tracking every dime Robert stole
13:51he's a partner when the company loses money he loses money he's been waiting for a shot like this
13:55so he's been backing you up not backing me saving himself my proof plus his books more than enough
14:03to destroy Robert across the hall my dad finished checking in and helped Scarlett toward the rooms
14:07Scarlett leaned into him crying Robert is the baby gonna be okay don't worry the doctor said it's
14:13nothing major just get some rest the whole scene made me want to puke let's go the real show hasn't
14:18even started yet the next few days the house was dead silent Robert called every day nagging my mom
14:27to get the papers ready she always had an excuse a dentist today a friend tomorrow a migraine the day
14:32after by Friday night he finally snapped he stormed into the house completely losing it Elena what the
14:39hell is taking so long the company is going under and you can't even sign a paper my mom didn't
14:45even
14:45look up she just kept watching her gardening class on her iPad what's the rush the house is under both
14:51our names I have to sign in person I have a migraine I can't go my dad pointed at her
14:56too pissed to speak
14:57listening from my room my heart raced he took a few deep breaths trying to keep his temper in check
15:02Elena if the company goes under this whole family is ruined my mom set her iPad down and wiped her
15:08hands
15:08Robert doesn't the company have 1.2 million in cash how can you not even cover next month's bills
15:14his face dropped instantly who told you that that money is tied up in a new project I can't touch
15:19it
15:20oh really and here I thought you used it to buy a mansion in Newport Beach my dad froze his
15:24eyes
15:25widening what what did you just say
15:30Crystal Cove Newport Beach the mansion you bought for Scarlett do I need to give you the address
15:34my dad stared at her you spied on me did you really think you could keep everyone in the dark
15:40secrets always come out his face twitched his years of acting like a perfect dad were blown to pieces
15:46Elena don't push your luck my mom didn't move or say a word her calm just drove him insane
15:54you're not signing fine if the company goes down we all go down together
16:00I couldn't take it anymore I ran out and blocked my mom don't you dare those corporate debts are
16:05under your name they have nothing to do with my mom nothing to do with her go ask a lawyer
16:11what
16:11community debt means California is a community property state Aria you think you're smart you and
16:19your mom aren't even in my league my mom didn't even flinch she gently pushed me aside and stood
16:24her ground Robert are you sure you want to go there the smirk froze on his face damn right I
16:32am
16:32he growled trying to fake his last bit of power fine then we have nothing left to talk about she
16:38turned and walked straight toward the office over the weekend my mom took me to Crystal Bay in Newport
16:46Beach instead of entering we stopped in front of a high-end private club at the entrance of the
16:50residential complex mom what are we doing here meeting someone a few minutes later a black Mercedes S
16:56glass pulled up the window rolled down showing Richard's dark face Richard is his partner and the
17:01second largest shareholder he'd built the business with my dad for 15 years handling construction
17:06while keeping his hands off the book but lately the numbers weren't adding up and he was already
17:10suspicious Elena get in let's talk Richard's opening the door my mom and I hopped into the back
17:15everything is in here all the bank records of Robert using scallery to make fake incises and
17:21slim company money for the past three years 2.3 million in total Richard scrolled through a few
17:27files his face getting uglier by the second son of a bitch I treated him like a brother and he
17:32treated
17:32me like an ATM no wonder he said we were broke when vendors were calling last month the bastard stole
17:37it all Richard now he wants to mortgage our house to cover his tracks if he gets that loan he
17:42wipes the
17:42slate clean and you'll never catch him not on my watch Elena what's the play I want him kicked out
17:50with nothing every cent he stole he spits it back out
17:56Richard stayed quiet for a few seconds and nodded I have his records for the last two years too
18:00I was gonna wait but now I don't have to he shot a look at my mom Elena you're ruthless
18:05my mom didn't
18:06say a word she just smirked but I can't pull this off alone looking at Richard I need you in
18:11Richard let out a cold laugh don't worry Elena I hate scum ads who steal company cash for a miss
18:16just tell me what you need my mom pulled another paper out of her bag this is a list of
18:20the sketchy
18:20I flagged take this to legal and the audit team tell them you're starting a full forensic audit of
18:25the last three years Richard took the paper and flipped through it his face tightening Elena how did
18:31you get these numbers my mom glanced at him her voice calm like she was talking about a stranger
18:35I've been a housewife for 30 years but before that I got my MBA from Wharton worked as a quant
18:40at
18:40Goldman and was a manager at BlackRock the car went dead silent the look in Richard's eyes
18:44completely changed Wharton Goldman BlackRock yep so I know where the money goes and I know how to
18:52drag it back Richard packed the files into his briefcase Elena have you been faking it all these
18:58years not faking it was a choice I chose to be a wife and a mother but now I'm done
19:03Richard looked
19:04at her and nodded he started the engine and the black Mercedes slowly rolled away Richard moved way
19:12faster than I expected at nine on Monday morning right after my dad left two court cars pulled up
19:19are you Elena we're from the court this is an asset freezing order for you to sign my mom took
19:23the
19:24papers scanned them and signed ma'am we need the deed to this house please cooperate my mom nodded and
19:30turned to get the papers from the office I stood in the living room my mind spinning as the bailiffs
19:35took photos and slapped seals on the door mom I thought you said we were waiting why so fast if
19:42we
19:42wait this house is gonna be gone to bail him out I filed for a pre-law suit asset freeze
19:47everything under
19:47his name including that Newport Beach mansion is locked down right then my dad's call came through I
19:53picked up but before I could say a word he was screaming Aria is your mom out of her mind
19:57she
19:58just froze my company accounts where is she put her on my mom took the phone and hit speaker Elena
20:03what the hell are you doing the accounts are frozen all projects are dead if clients sue I am ruined
20:08good Robert I'm suing you for cheating hiding assets and stealing company money the court already took
20:13the case the line went dead silent what did you just say my dad's voice cracked I said I'm divorcing
20:21you and this isn't some clean break I'm taking every cent you're crazy on what ground on the
20:27grounds of the 2.3 million you hid and the 2.3 million you stole my mom said her voice
20:31ice cold
20:32on the grounds of every receipt I kept on you something smashed on the other end Elena you
20:36think you can win this let me tell you my mom hung up on him Aria from this second on
20:41don't believe a
20:42word out of his mouth the day after the freeze Scarlet showed up she stood downstairs pale wearing a
20:47wrinkled white dress the second she saw me she rushed me Aria tell your mom to drop the lawsuit
20:52I leaned against the door crossing my arms and why would she if your dad goes to prison what do
20:57you and
20:57your mom get out of it he's your dad you're just gonna watch him run my dad the guy who
21:03screwed over
21:03his wife and kicked his own daughter out of the trust that's not my dad Scarlet bit her lip tears
21:09streaming down her face this baby needs a father please just tell your mom to drop the charges
21:15I stared at her feeling nothing Scarlet let me ask you a question she looked up through her tears
21:20is Leo actually my dad's son
21:25Scarlet stopped crying on a dime a flash of panic in her eyes of course he is what the hell
21:29are you
21:30talking about oh really then let's wait for the court de deniné test everything be crystal clear
21:35Scarlet turned white she turned around and bolted that night my mom came back from the lawyer with a
21:41smile Richard called the cops the DA just opened a case for embezzlement your dad could be in cuffs
21:46tomorrow I stared at her mom how many more secrets are you hiding she sat down and poured a cup
21:53of coffee
21:56Aria the biggest mistake of my life was giving up my career for this family she took a sip staring
22:02off into space when I got my Wharton MBA I was a quant at Goldman I was an AVP by
22:0727 your dad was
22:09just starting out a manager at some tiny real estate firm he didn't even have a desk then I got
22:14pregnant your dad told me you're working too hard you need a break I'll take care of you and I
22:19bought
22:19it she set her mug down and looked at her hands for 30 years I buried my CFA at the
22:24bottom of a drawer
22:25I swapped my Bloomberg terminal for shopping sites and my risk models for household budgets
22:29I thought that was happiness I don't regret marrying your father I just regret letting myself become a
22:34nobody who did nothing but cook clean I squeezed her hand mom you're the most badass woman I've ever
22:39met she smiled her eyes welling up silly girl I'm not badass I just didn't want you to think that
22:44when a woman gets screwed over she just has to take it next day the cops marched my dad out
22:51of his
22:52office in cuffs Richard called my mom the second it happened Elena they got Robert the guy broke and
22:57spilled everything he kept begging Richard save me like seriously too late for that my mom just gave
23:03a call that mansion is under Scarlett's name but the down payment and mortgages came out of the
23:07company account Richard I already sorted out the proof don't worry Elena she's not getting away
23:12we're talking money laundering and conspiracy my mom hung up and let out a long breath let's go
23:17come with me to the jail the jail to see dad no she grabbed her purse I'm serving him divorce
23:23papers
23:24face to face in the visitor room my dad sat in an orange jumpsuit his hair a mess his face
23:29covered
23:29in stubble the second he saw my mom his eyes welled up Elena I messed up please drop the charges
23:34okay
23:34I can't do prison my mom sat on the other side of the glass her back perfectly straight I have
23:39the
23:39divorce papers here sign them and you give up everything the house the cash the cars the shares
23:43all mine or don't sign but with 2.3 million stolen California law will give you at least 10 years
23:48you'll be in a cell and I'll get the divorce anyway tears streamed down my dad's face Elena we've been
23:52married for 30 years area is my daughter ruthless when you were with another woman at the hotel and
24:02buying her necklaces did you think about our 30 years my dad opened his mouth but nothing came out
24:07when you cut areas name off the trust and handed everything to that other kid did you care that
24:12she was your daughter my dad dropped his head his shoulders shaking just sign it my mom slid the papers
24:18against the glass you have zero leverage here
24:22you
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