Gagher fell silent again.


    The director asked, "Do you hate your ex-wife?"


    Gagher replied, "Yes. I do."


    "Why do you hate her?"


    "I hate that she divorced me. I hate that she took my son away."


    The director''s tone turned clinical: "When you hit your ex-wife, had you been drinking?"


    Gagher shook his head. "No."


    "You weren''t divorced yet. So why did you hit her?"


    A twisted grin spread across Gagher''s face as he looked up at the director. The camera caught the moment-his smile cold and warped. "In my family, if a wife doesn''t listen, she gets punished."


    The director paused for several seconds, then asked quietly, "Did your father hit your mother too?"


    Gagher shrugged. "All the time. Right up until two years ago, when my dad died of liver cancer. My mom never even mentioned divorce. I only hit her a few times, so why did she get to leave me?"


    For a moment, the director''s professionalism cracked. He muttered a curse under his breath, though the editorster cut it from the final film.


    Thest scene of the documentary was Karen and her mother taking her son to a follow-up appointment at the hospital. The little boy was recovering physically, but the trauma of being abused by his own father lingered in his young heart.


    He still needed regr therapy, but his mother and grandmother were always by his side.


    The closing shot showed Karen cradling her son, her mother carrying her handbag, the three generations walking side by side down the hospital hallway, their figures growing smaller and smaller in the lens...


    As the credits rolled, a gentle luby yed:


    ["The dark night sky hangs low, bright stars following close behind..."]


    And so the documentary ended, fading out to the sound of a nursery rhyme.


    When filming wrapped, Karen and her mother took the boy and left Northborough. On Briony''s advice and with her help, they settled in a quiet old town. Briony handed Karen a generous fee-enough to open a small shop and start anew, living a peaceful, worry-free life with her son and mother.


    Of course, Briony also told Karen that if she ever wanted to return to her dream of being an action star, Starlight Studios would wee her with open arms.


    The documentary was ultimately titled Because She''s Mom.


    Although it was a documentary, during post-production Briony unexpectedly suggested releasing it as a short-form series on various social media tforms. It was a risky move, but since the project had been made on a shoestring budget, the director agreed.


    On Sunday night at eight, Because She''s Mom was released online as a short drama.


    Overnight, views skyrocketed and the show became a sensation, sparking heated public discussion.


    The series'' explosive poprity brought more than just profits-it triggered a powerful ripple effect.


    The "Women''s Coalition"munity was thrust into the spotlight. As Because She''s Mom gained traction, more and more women''s support groups found the courage to speak out and ask for help, empowered by the power of the web.


    Official organizations quickly followed suit, lending their voices to the cause. The spark lit by Because She''s Mom ignited hope in countless hearts.


    The show brought Starlight Studios unprecedented buzz and soaring profits—the numbers kept climbing. No one had imagined that a


    low-budget documentarycess.


    achieve such extraordinary sess. Starlight''s stock price soared for a solid week, stunning the entire media industry.


    Like a dark horse, Starlight leapt from a struggling, third-ratepany on the verge of a buyout to the top three in the national media rankings in just one week.


    It was a spectacr victory. Of course, amid all this positivity, a handful of online trolls used Starlight of exploiting women''s suffering for profit. But their voices were quickly drowned out by the wider public, who rallied in support.


    l.ne


    The inte has a way of amplifying the worst of human nature, but for the most part, people are rational and kind. Yes, Starlight reaped immense rewards from the sess of Because She''s Mom, but without it, the Women''s Coalition groups would never have received such widespread attention.


    There are always two sides to every story. Human nature is never ck and white.


    Briony understood this well. That''s why, from the moment she met Karen, she knew she wanted to make this film.


    To Karen and the countless women helped by the film, Briony was a lifesaver.


    To Starlight Studios, she was the perfect CEO.


    And to herself, Briony had broken new ground, winning a bet that paid off for everyone.


    The same event, different people, different oues.


    Meanwhile, as a partner at Starlight, Mr. Seven soon heard the good news.


    He instructed Mr. Hoffman to deliver avish gift: a rare porcin vase from the Victorian era, lost overseas for decades and now returned home-a priceless treasure.


    Briony felt it was too extravagant and tried to decline.


    But Mr. Hoffman smiled and said,


    "Mr. Seven only meant to show his appreciation for Ms. Kensington''s talent. He has many things even more valuable than this. He picked this piece especially for you, knowing your taste. Please, don''t turn him down."


    With the message clear, Briony epted the gift graciously.


    After Mr. Hoffman left, Briony received a call from Stewart, asking if she was free


    at two that afternoon to finalize the paperwork for her change of address.


    Briony had no other ns, so she agreed.