From Rags to Riches: Pet Shop Cinderella

Okay, so I really hate drugged women story lines. And this is no exception, but something about this one really makes me want to vomit. It feels more rape-y than other ones if that makes sense? Like she was drugged, sold and raped (but it’s okay because it’s her husband? Future husband, whatever). Most of these drugged stories are my sister drugged me with someone else so she could steal my man, and this one is for money? And the not remembering for 4 years feels worse somehow. I don’t know, I guess it’s splitting hairs. He’s a murderer, but not a child murderer so it’s less bad? Anyway, it’s just really unsettling and Vertical Dramas already have a lot of unsettling story lines, but this one for whatever reason just feels more…MORE.

The High: The meet-cute between the two characters at the beginning was really funny and I loved it.

All spoilers and no filters ahead.

The story starts off with Elise Moore (Morgan Tate) arranging a meeting with a man on the phone to breed a dog, but he doesn’t like the sound of it so he calls it blind dating. Alexander Alger (Hunter Kohl) is on the phone talking to his mom about a blind date when Elise walks up to him and asks if he’s the person she talked to about blind dating. He’s like hurry up, I don’t have all day. Elise says she’s looked at all the paperwork and if he agrees they can have the wedding night tonight. Alexander chokes and spits his water, confused, asking if they should get to know each other first. Elise says quicker is better and we can get pregnant sooner. Then she asks if 6 kids is enough for him and he big eyes her, LOL. Then she tells him she’ll give him one for free. Alexander asks what about the other 5 kids and Elise says she’s going to sell them. Alexander is flabbergasted and he’s like, I gotta go. Across the room a woman slaps a man calling him a pervert. Elise realizes she’s at the wrong table and offers to get the date back for Alexander.

He says he can make it up to her by staying on the date with him. Elise flashes to her abusive brother-in-law that is just absolute trash. Alexander asks if she doesn’t like his “ordinary construction job” and Elise is all, if you were rich I wouldn’t know what to talk about. Alexander asks her to marry him and Elise thinking it would be good to relive the pressure of her presence it might be better for her sister, Grace (Emily Foley). Of course Alexander isn’t an “ordinary” construction worker but a SECRET billionaire, duh. He continues to trick Elise by buying a “small” house for her to move into. Elise goes home to pack and lies to her sister about her relationship so she doesn’t worry. And as typical, no billionaire has any idea of what an “ordinary” house would be, so it’s way above a construction workers pay.

With Alexander hiding his wealth from Elise, he ducks out of sight when Elise runs into his car and scratches it. Brother-n-law Bill (Connor Tuohy) continues to be a controlling ass limiting the money Grace can spend. Flash to Bill dropping a drugged Elise on a bed and talking to a thug about selling her for a fat wad of cash. Then a man (who is totally Alexander) stumbles in and has sex with her. Bill is enraged after Grace spills coffee on a man in an expensive suit who’s going to charge her 5,000? WTF world are we living in? This is one thing I don’t like about Vertical Dramas and also those online novel app sites. It’s not like they spent $20,000 on clothes instead its like they spent 2 million. I just feel it’s too crazy of an exaggeration, like 20,000 is already a lot, A LOT of money, it doesn’t need to be so much more than that. It’s dumb.

Alexander arranges a family dinner to meet Elise, but he tells his mom he’s lying about his identity. Elise is having nightmares about the night she was RAPED (I really hate this story line) and texts Alexander (and calls him Mr. Alger-so dumb) she stops texting him in a way too noble move. Alexander calls back and offers to talk to her until she falls asleep.

Elise sets up her fancy dinner and for some dumb reason Alexander couldn’t be there. Umm, you’re the big boss, just cancel the meeting. Elise has the dinner anyway. Bill tells Alexander’s family that he’s been caring financially for Elise and they should really reimburse him for it to the tune of $500,000.

Later Bill is able to dig up some photos of the night Elise was drugged and tells her he now wants $1,000,000 to keep it quiet. Elise meets with him completely confused about that night and Bill says if she goes away with him for a few days they can call it even. Elise can’t remember anything at all about the night. Alexander shows up and looks at the photos apparently not recognizing the side of his own face. Alexander tells Bill to fuck off and Elise faints.

Elise had an anxiety attack and after she’s recovered, Alexander brings her home. Alexander starts investigating Bill and has his assistant following Bill. Later they’re sitting together on the couch and share their first kiss.

For some reason, Elise is still willing to give Bill the time of day. Also, Alexander go shove your money down Bill’s throat and get your SIL and nephew out of there! He’s such a rancid asshole. Someone beats Bill asking about what happened 4 years ago and Bill questions if it’s Alexander or not. Meanwhile, despite Bill trying to cut his wife down to size, she goes out and gets a job interview on her own. Alexander hears it was with a friend’s company so he basically is “that’s my SIL, so…” and Grace gets the job. When she and Elise are out shopping they run into Bill canoodling with his side piece Sophia. This is the final straw for Grace and Elise and Alexander want her to move in with Kevin to leave Bill. Bill returns home to find Grace with divorce papers, when his efforts to slime his way back in don’t work, he signs the papers and kicks Grace out.

Grace starts her new job and Bill is shocked to see her. Photos of Bill and his sidepiece are sent out company wide and his sidepiece doesn’t want to have anything to do with him. When Bill tries to get his boss to remove Grace from the property, he gets the news that he’s fired and the evidence of his embezzlement is revealed. Elise suspects that Alexander might have had something to do with solving the Bill problem.

Alexander’s investigator uncovers the info about Bill and his drugging and trafficking ring, but shares Elise was sent to the wrong place and by the time they found her, she had no memory of what happened. No police report was filed because Grace was afraid it would bring her memory back and Bill was afraid they would learn of his involvement. He also tells Alexander that Elise was the woman he had sex with in his own drugged out state. So, he’s his wife’s own rapist. On the plus note, Alexander actually acknowledges how devasted Elise will be when she discovers she was raped and worries she won’t want to be with him anymore.

Alexander starts to feel out Elise about how she will react to his shitty news, so binge drinking and advice from his unmarried male friends is the obvious solution. While his brother keeps flipping him shit, his other friend actually gives good advice about making up for something has to be more than just saying, but actually doing. Alexander is cooking up a surprise for Elise and she kisses him and then they make love.

Elise’s business partner invited her to a high society gala where she’s hoping to sneak a peek at the wealthy Mr. Alger. Cut to Alexander talking to his brother about needing to come clean to Elise. He says he’ll do it tonight at home when his brother reminds him there is a business dinner that requires his attendance. Uh-oh, we all know what’s coming next, huh?

Elise hears the staff gossiping about the hot, young Mr. Alger and follows them for a peek and Oops! It’s Alexander. Elise is stunned, and when Alexander reaches her his first question is what are you doing here? He was trying to deflect, but she wants to know if he’s the Alger heir. She is pissed and rushes off. Alexander rushes after her and they fight in the street and despite the bare minimum efforts from Alexander she tells him she’s done. Later she’s drinking in a bar and sulking. Alexander goes home to cry to mommy. She says to apologize and talking it out while he whines that he’s tried over and over to call her but if he keeps calling she’s going to be more upset with him. Mom says, well, do you want a divorce? When he says no, she tell him it sounds like you know the answer, so get fix it. Alexander runs to the bar and finds a drunk Elise who he carries home.

Alexander continues to mope about while his staff is picking up the slack. Elise is frustrated by news of Alexander donating money to charity and coming off as a good guy in the news so she goes out for a walk. Meanwhile, Bill has now gotten the news that Alexander is the richest man in New York and that Elise made him jobless and homeless so he begins plotting his revenge. He finds Elise and when she tries to reason with him he spills the beans about what her being drugged up and used, then threatens her with a knife. Just before he delivers the fatal blow, Alexander intervenes and is stabbed in the hand and his bodyguards show up to deal with Bill.

In the hospital Elise asked him how he knew where to find her and Alexander said he always had a bad feeling about Bill. Elise starts to talk about what Bill said happened 4 years ago. Elise’s mother-in-law tells her about the circumstances of Elise and Alexander’s drugged night. She defends Alexander keeping it a secret from her, but it’s a pretty bullshit excuse if you ask me. But, again, I didn’t write this shit. Elise wonders if she should try to trust Alexander again or not.

Alexander whines to Elise about how scared he was to tell her everything and how he was so embarrassed? I don’t get the embarrassed comment. I guess we’re supposed to sympathize with him because he was drugged too, and maybe it’s a double standard, but still…fuck off Alexander. He asks for a second chance to start over but Elise says hold your horses, bub. You didn’t tell me why you lied in the first place. Alexander says it was because of her and her comments about wanting an ordinary life and she never wanted to be with a rich guy. Ahh, so lying to her is her fault, that makes perfect sense. The family all comes into the room and Alexander asks to get sprung from the hospital. After leaving Alexander sobs that he’ll give all the money up for her and asks Elise to marry him.

I REALLY hated this one! Connor Tuohy is WAY too good at playing a bad guy. Luckily, I’ve seen him in other roles, so being this awful character isn’t imprinted on my brain, cause he’s a fantastic actor. I don’t like DRUG story lines, because it’s always really rape. Consent was removed, even if he becomes the love of your life or baby daddy. I just hate it. Can we drug people to make them miss their wedding, or job interview or flight for the dream vacation/promotion? Using drugs to have people get raped so their fiancé calls off the wedding is just disgusting and I hate it. I think this one is especially heinous because Elise is completely unaware of what happened to her that it just makes me sick to my stomach. Again, further proof these scripts are written by men because they don’t understand the complete devastation of rape. There are way better ways to tell stories than this.

Spicy Highlights:

Episode 7: Alexander is in his silly goose underwear in the kitchen

Episode 48: Elise kisses Alexander

Episode 49: Alexander kisses Elise back. He picks her up and carries her off to the bedroom. He covers her body with his and they make love.