Original subtitles

When cruelty becomes a form of dignity

I am forced to be cruel

Forgive me for my cruelty in advance

Right now

I have to side with my wounds

I know that I have a dark past And I've made countless mistakes

And that I've done things That you haven't heard about yet

I know that I have a dark past And I've made countless mistakes

And that I've done things That you haven't heard about yet

The people who know what's right Are the ones who've made mistakes

Think long and hard Before you interpret our love

The people who know what's right Are the ones who've made mistakes

The people who know what's right Are the ones who've made mistakes

Think long and hard Before you interpret our love

The people who know what's right Are the ones who've made mistakes

We're defined by our experiences

We should understand everyone else Before we give an answer

We should be reprimanded for our actions And reprimand others for theirs

And go through difficult times So we know who our true friends are

We're defined by our experiences

We should understand everyone else Before we give an answer

We should be reprimanded for our actions And reprimand others for theirs

And go through difficult times So we know who our true friends are

The people who know what's right Are the ones who've made mistakes

Think long and hard Before you interpret our love

The people who know what's right Are the ones who've made mistakes

The people who know what's right Are the ones who've made mistakes

Think long and hard Before you interpret our love

The people who know what's right Are the ones who've made mistakes

THE EVENTS, CHARACTERS, AND SETTING OF THIS SERIES ARE ALL FICTIONAL

EPISODE 24

-Why are you still up so late? -I am waiting for you. Why are you late?

The usual, work.

What work? I understand your work is halted.

Come on. Don't get melodramatic now.

These things happen a lot in our line of work.

There are always ups and downs.

I don't know, but I'm worried.

Why? Has something happened that I should know about?

Rather, has something happened that I should know about?

Are you hiding something from me?

Yes.

I'm hiding a lot of things, but I can't tell you now.

Seriously, Jabal. Let's focus.

I'm talking about Al Hayba and what is happening to it.

Am I part of that?

See? So I am part of it.

-Please. Don't make it worse for me. -On the contrary, I'm trying to help.

Just be well. I need nothing more.

Since this morning, I've felt troubled.

And I'm hungry. Will you make me a bite or do I wake Um Ali?

Typical you… but I'll get used to it.

That's better.

Let's go.

-Tell us, Mona. How's the groom? -No one compares to Chahine.

Besides, we're no strangers. What a question.

I thought he may have changed after he got married.

Bless you. You're turning my wife against me.

So, when do you plan to come to work?

Whenever you say, Father. I'm ready.

Lots of things have changed. I can't hand business over to strangers

while my son stays at home holding hands with his wife.

Yes. You're right.

Never worry while I'm around.

But tell me, what has changed?

That needs a private meeting.

I told you we shouldn't have come.

Mona, this is my family. What can I do?

-You want me to boycott them? -I didn't say that.

It's just not the time for that. Don't you see the faces they pull at us?

Your mother hasn't said a word since we came.

-You heard what your father said. -Here's your wedding gift.

-Bless you. That's so sweet of you. -It's nothing.

-It's beautiful. -Congratulations.

-Thank you. It's your turn now. -I hope so.

My darling Rima.

Hey, how are the men?

-They're behaving today. Not a word. -Let me see.

No, they're still alive.

For God's sake, guys. For God's sake. What do you want from us?

Are you still asking that?

We'll never tread on this land ever again.

We'll never come near the whole valley again.

That's up to you.

If you like our hospitality, you'll come back.

Just let us go. Only what you wish will be done.

In all cases, I'm here for a few words.

Mr. Ghazi sends his regards and has a deal for you.

Deal? Whatever you say, it's a deal.

Where were you taking the merchandise?

To traders in the north.

We were supposed to deliver it last night.

-How much is it worth? -Thirty or forty thousand dollars.

Very good.

Mr. Ghazi will take it all for more.

But that merchandise has been ordered. It may be difficult for you to sell it.

-That's none of your business. -Let it be, brother. Let them take it.

Okay. Take what you want.

But for what in return?

You remain alive.

Need anything, love?

Are you going?

I have to. I don't want to anger my father now.

Yes. Not now, nor ever.

I would never want you to fall out with your family.

May God protect you, Mona.

-Good. Stay safe. -You too. I won't be long.

Farewell.

To be honest, Mrs. Nahed, we saw nothing bad from her.

She seems decent, kind and generous.

True, but I can't help thinking there's some big secret to her.

Want me to sniff it out for you?

Or I'll chat with her and maybe find something out.

No, please don't. Leave her alone until she leaves.

Why? Is she leaving?

What talk is that? Of course, she is. What is she to do here?

Doesn't she have problems in Beirut and nowhere to go?

Not to Beirut. From what I understood, she's preparing to travel abroad for work.

These oranges are sour. Add some honey. Right away.

Of course.

These are for Abu Diab.

And those should arrive in Syria by next Thursday.

These are ours. And those should get to Beirut before they go bad.

Okay, guys.

We'll close this chapter until further notice.

How's that? I don't get it.

Meaning that I won't hear anyone wailing in my face.

If you can get through with a truck, go ahead.

The road is yours. Don't wait for me.

Jabal? What's going on?

Talk to your friends or let me talk to Chahine.

Everyone knows your uncle Ghazi is behind all of this.

What are you waiting to hear?

Sir, the men are outside and want to talk.

-Welcome. -I miss you.

-How is the pretty bride? -I miss you. What a lovely surprise.

Are you alone?

You think your brother would leave me alone?

I have a whole delegation with me outside.

I didn't mean that. I meant my family.

That is not my business.

We're friends, and I came to visit because I miss you.

That's lovely. I'll make some coffee.

Tell me. How is being married to the man you love?

Oh, God, Nour. A dream… A dream come true.

Tell me, then.

Pull yourself together, man. What's wrong?

Mr. Sakher, I can't say a word. The man is your uncle.

Stop it, brother. What did I tell you on the road?

Heddo, take Hatahet to the men outside. Allow them some rest and give them food.

Keep your eyes wide open out there.

-Watch everyone. -Done, boss.

Now… just forget about my relation to Ghazi.

What else happened?

I told you what happened, sir.

It's not that he took the trucks and the stuff.

My brother's life and mine are priceless.

How did you manage to get onto my land?

We left there with the clothes on our backs.

The road to Syria is impossible. I found myself coming here.

I thought maybe you can help us get a car and take us back to Syria.

-Here you go -What's that?

A tiny compensation for your troubles.

No, good man. That's not right. I'm not here to beg.

What's with you, man? It's not worth mentioning.

I only asked for a car to take me to Syria.

And I promised you. Today, you'll be with your family.

-I'll make it up to you. -No worries.

You've never failed me, and this doesn't concern you.

May God save you and Al Hayba from this Ghazi.

What is that? A madman surrounded by thugs.

Allow me to advise you, Jabal. Watch out for him.

The people around him go mad when they hear your name.

Believe me, Chahine and I have no idea. He only went back to work today.

I just told you because I'm very upset. And frankly, I'm scared.

Scared? Why? What have you to do with this?

These things have been happening forever in Al Hayba.

I don't know.

This time I feel like it's all because of me.

Jabal is doing his best to put me at ease.

Because you're overreacting and being over-sensitive.

If you truly fear for Jabal, help him. Not just you. We all need to stand by him.

Of course, Mona, I can't abandon him after all he's done for me.

But can you?

Forgive me, but aren't you afraid of having problems

between your brother and your husband given that Ghazi is part of this?

That, I can't tell. It depends on Chahine.

We have to wait and see his reaction.

-Help me. -Right away.

-Father, where's that merchandise from? -Syria. Why? Are you new here?

No, but we always secured the road for the people.

Why are we involved with the goods this time?

I told you, business has changed.

Your father holds everything in his hands now.

As you say, Abu Chahine.

But how come I had no idea about this shipment?

Your men know and are making arrangements, and I'm in the dark?

When I was getting things in order and getting my men together

and fixing the mess that was created in my absence…

my son was wallowing in the arms of his bride.

Father, stop keeping things from me and answer me. What's happening here?

I smell something fishy, and I'm worried.

Look, Chahine.

This is the livelihood of your father, you, and your children.

-Don't cause any problems. -So something is happening.

What happened was in the best interests of you and your family.

A gold mine, Chahine.

That's why I told you to come and handle the business.

Okay, so what do you plan to do?

It needs some time. Leave it to God.

This isn't the first time they've moved in on us.

But this is not like every other time.

-What do you mean? -You know what I mean.

I mean, ever since that girl came to this house, many things have changed.

What? Have you caught her doing something?

No. To be honest, I've seen nothing but goodness.

Okay, then, Mother. Give it a rest. Let's not be unfair to her.

Okay. What about your uncle? Will you keep standing by and watching?

Everything happening now may be in my interest.

Really? And how did you come to this conclusion?

Your uncle and his son are taking everything.

And if he controls people's livelihood, they'll starve to death.

It's the legitimate path to get me back in control with a clear conscience.

In front of God and the people.

What is it? Why aren't you eating?

Nothing. I'm not hungry.

What is it? Tell your father.

Or do you just flex your muscles in his absence?

What is it, you two? What happened?

Majed got accepted abroad.

He's been corresponding with a university in Canada.

Today, they sent him the acceptance letter.

Wonderful. Congratulations, Son. That's good news.

You're losing your son, and you're happy about it?

Losing him? What's wrong with you, Nawal? All young people travel abroad.

They pursue a degree and return with the highest honors.

But I won't return.

I'm emigrating to Canada and will settle there.

Emigrate?

Good evening, love.

Please, calm down. You have no part in this.

How do you know? Did you visit your family?

No, Nour came and told me.

Everyone in Al Hayba knows.

Everyone except me, the fool.

I was wondering why people didn't return my greetings as I drove around.

But you have nothing to do with it. Believe me. Everyone knows that.

Mona, it took me ages to clear my name to your family and Al Hayba.

But my father insists on ruining my name and my life.

I don't see why you're so worried. The man hasn't done a thing.

He's doing his work, and he hasn't interfered in anything.

That applies when everyone is in business. Not when he's the only one working.

Do you have any idea what your uncle is capable of?

That's enough!

I allow you all the freedom you need, and you tell me you want to emigrate?

Is that the best you can do, Mr. Decent, Mr. Educated?

Mr. University-Graduate? Is that what they've taught you?

I didn't do anything wrong. It's my life, and I'm free.

Do you hear that? It's your son's life. That's your doing.

What have I to do with that?

Your son has always had a mind of his own.

Maybe now, you're getting to know each other.

-Nawal, don't start. -Can we please calm down?

I don't understand why you're arguing. What have I done wrong?

Wanting to pursue my education and life abroad?

And who is to stay here?

Who will continue your father's work? A stranger?

What business is that of mine? Is that an inheritance or what?

I begot you, raised you, educated you so that you can take over.

I paved the way for you so that you don't face my pitfalls.

All the youth of the country would step into your shoes.

What for? To spend my life sitting at a desk?

Waste my time in meetings?

Waste my life and my family's? And after 20 years,

I'll want to get to know my son and his preferences?

What are you blaming me for?

I wasted my life to get you and your sister here.

You never wasted your life.

On the contrary, it's the only thing you gained.

-What do you mean? -I mean let me go and get my own life.

Don't blame me for leaving all this behind.

I can't sit on a chair held by people

who die every day from injustice and oppression.

Here you go, Mrs. Nour. These are the plants you asked for.

How beautiful. Thank you. Leave them here.

Let's go.

What's up? You seem very active today.

The air here is very different.

No matter how late you stay up, you're always refreshed in the morning.

What are those plants for? Aren't there enough around?

These are Damascus jasmines.

I asked Abu Ali to get me a few to plant them here.

How can you have the house of Damascenes without jasmine trees?

You have a funny mind.

Bless your hands. Mother will love the scent of jasmine in the house.

She'll love it more when she learns you helped. Come on.

Right away. Let me just change my clothes.

Is it okay to go to my room?

You mean my room. Yes, you can. Don't take long.

I hope I'm not a burden wherever I may be. I hope I never hurt anyone.

I hope that when I leave, I leave behind kind people

who will remember me fondly.

Look out, look out.

-You bastard! -Stay here.

-Let go of me. -Where are you going?

You're mad. Let's get out of here.

I have to kill him. Let me kill him.

Take me home.

-What now? -Nothing.

I know what happened. I should have crushed him in the square.

That's just what we needed. Attacking people.

-Why haven't you changed yet? -Turn around.

-What's that? -I should ask you that.

Could it be? After all that's happened? After everything I've done for you?

Are you laughing? Very funny indeed.

Look here, I don't know what's in your head.

But I say this. If you plan to leave, let me know,

and I'll secure your passage. There's no need for games.

Are you done?

-Can I talk now? -I want to know what's going on with you.

What happened for you to think of leaving and leaving a stupid note?

This note is for me, not you.

Don't be surprised. I wrote that note to myself.

Enough games, for heaven's sake.

When I graduated, I was full of energy and had a lot of ambition.

I had plenty of ideas, and I didn't know where to start.

I wrote that note to read it, years later, to see what dreams I had fulfilled.

Come with me. Come.

-Let me go, man! -Will you calm down?

You're making a big mistake.

This is not right, not for you, nor your brother, nor your family.

You have nothing to do with that girl. Get that in your head.

No. First of all, Rima is my cousin. How could I have nothing to do with her?

Your cousin has a father and a brother, and now, she has a fiancé.

What gives you the right to attack the man on the street?

Ali? Is this coming from you?

Yes, me. Get a grip on yourself! This is unacceptable.

Neither religion nor tradition allow you to attack her like that in the street.

You madman, God knows how much I love you.

You're a brother to me, but this is unacceptable.

I won't have anyone in Al Hayba badmouthing you.

Get that into your head, and let you cousin move on.

And you too, turn around and move on.

"How are you, Nour? Today, you're 50 or 60, whichever."

"I just hope you're safe and sound."

"Do you still love reading or are you too busy now?"

"How many languages do you speak now? How many countries have you visited?"

"Do the people know you now?"

"Where did you work and with whom?"

"Or do you have your own business and a podium that reaches all?"

"How far has your voice reached?"

"Are you married? How?"

"Don't tell me you live with a man you don't love."

"You were searching for love…"

"Have you found it?"

"Congratulations. Who is he?"

Go on.

"Does he love you the same?"

"You dreamed of a fairytale marriage to a handsome guy…

who'd carry you on his white horse…

pick you like a flower, and plant you in his heart."

"Who'd take you on his horse away from the world and its lies."

"Who'd protect you from everything in this world."

"How many kids do you have?"

"Do they look like you? I hope they take after their father."

"Didn't you say you love each other?"

"For as much as you dreamed, you feared tomorrow."

"You were wondering where you'd be."

"I hope I'm not a burden, wherever I may be."

"I hope I never hurt anyone."

"I hope that when I leave, I leave behind kind people…

who'll remember me fondly."

And I hope, after long years…

we read these pages with you, having achieved all that you've written.

I love you, Jabal. I love you.

Where is he?

-Upstairs, in his room. -Did he talk to you?

He won't talk to anyone. He won't even eat.

Fine. Things will get better after some time.

Listen to me.

Go upstairs to him and talk reasonably to him.

He has to understand. Let him be. He'll understand right from wrong.

-Aren't you worried? -About what?

That he'd understand right from wrong.

You're acting like I'm the only one to blame,

as if he were only my son and not yours.

Because he's my son and I know him better, I'm telling you.

-What's that? Six thousand LBP. -How come 6,000?

-Two with cheese and two with thyme. -That's 3,500.

Have a look at the price list there.

Has the foul play reached you, Mr. Bashir?

This is the present, my son.

As long as you're in Al Hayba, there's nothing for 3,500 LBP.

-Greetings to Abu Ahmed. -Thank you.

What do you think, chief?

The man is innocent. A bag of flour has doubled in price.

Is it possible that Abu Chahine is ripping off his own people?

We're at his mercy now.

May God help the people. The roads should open. That'd be best.

Let's hope so. Help yourself, chief. Youssef, two cups of tea.

Here we go.

Sakher?