Original subtitles

*

(chatting indistinctly)

Charlotte, you have really outdone yourself this time.

I am going to start calling you the Confectionary Queen.

More like a chocoholic elf.

Can I have your attention please?

Oh.

Now for what we've all been waiting for.

The grand total from tonight's Children's Hospital of Vienna

Christmas Fundraiser.

Together we have raised 250,000 euros

toward the new surgical wing.

- (audience applauding) - Wow!

And-- and with the matching donation from Henry Broadbent,

of Eurostar Developments, we have 500,000 euros.

Wow. That's so amazing.

(audience applauding)

Thank you, Henry, for your generosity this holiday season.

Please, enjoy the entertainment

and some incredible Viennese chocolate

compliments of Dobler Chocolate.

(audience applauding)

(laughing)

Henry: I'm pretty sure they say that laughter

is the best medicine, but all I think is chocolate.

Your cholesterol, Henry. You know it runs in the family.

I know you watch my father like a hawk, Wilfred,

but I have it completely under control.

Besides, me giving up chocolate is like Santa

giving up cookies for kale. Not happening.

Tater tinsel toffee?

Tater tinsel toffee? What's that?

Perhaps a potato took a dip in the chocolate fountain.

Potato?

That's what a tater is, as in--

Both: Tater tots.

Ah.

Well, I'm very sorry to interrupt.

They're actually crushed potato chips.

Yeah, the salt and the sweet, they compliment each other,

they make the perfect comfort food combo.

I think I'll stick to classic confection, thank you.

Well, I always say in life and in chocolate that change

is the thing that keeps life from being a snoozefest.

So, maybe you should try one.

Snoozefest. Ooh, excuse me.

Hello.

Oh, um...

While I adore Tchaikovsky,

I'm afraid I left my point shoes at home.

Oh.

I would love to dance with you.

Okay. (chuckling)

What should we do? Oh, okay.

Oh, some circles.

Uh-huh. Oh. Okay.

Mm-hm. I'm following along. Am I doing good?

(laughing) Thank you, guys. Have fun.

(clapping)

That was adorable.

We should get going. Early start tomorrow.

Don't remind me.

Yeah, I think it's perfect.

Uh, yeah, we're all good.

♪

Charlotte: Morning, Maya.

So, what yummy creations have you come up with now?

Well, this is a cranberry tumbled in milk chocolate

and coated in evergreen essence.

Honestly, where do you get the time?

I find it.

Wait, were you in the kitchen all night again?

I might have been.

Charlotte, you have got to stop doing this.

It's just until Vienna's Chocolatier of the Year

is announced. I have to do everything I can.

This could help us drum up more support

with the appeal at city hall.

Now, you know that that is probably wishful thinking.

I know, but I have to do everything I can.

Losing this building to a developer is not an option.

Well, you filed your appeal, that should do it,

and besides, we have historical standing.

We're just having a lot of trouble proving it.

Well, if anyone can do it, it's you.

I hope you're right.

Hey, will you try one of these?

I was thinking maybe we could give out some samples

at the market tonight, get some customer reviews.

Mm. Mm!

I feel like I've been transported

to a Christmas tree farm.

(chuckling)

I can see a handsome lumberjack chopping down a tree.

(gasping)

Wait, he's calling me over.

(laughing)

The flavors work, it's good.

You sure it's not too out there?

No, you're innovative, like your grandmother.

I worked beside her every day for over 20 years,

and she always said--

Both: "Innovation is the key to success."

- I know. - Yes.

Man, I really wish she was here.

She knew everything about the history of this building,

and she would know exactly which chocolate would

knock the competition out of the park.

You don't need that, you have already made it

through the first three rounds.

Yes, but this is the one that matters.

(sighing)

Morning, Diedre.

Morning.

Um, would you be okay to take care of

the Christmas market today,

and I will come to hand out samples tonight?

Get some sleep.

Nag, nag, nag.

(gasping)

(gasping mockingly)

♪

So cute.

Hi, Oma.

I miss you.

(clock dinging, chirping)

(chuckling)

Okay, Oma. I hear you.

(chuckling)

Woman: I have the report you asked for.

Mm.

All of our properties are in escrow now.

Mm-hm.

Except this one.

What's its current use?

It is an artisan chocolate shop. Dobler.

A chocolate store? So, some small, insignificant

business owner is holding us up for a big payout?

(sighing) I thought the lawyers had tied all that down.

All except this one.

Who is this person?

She's a lawyer. She's trying to block it.

She made an appeal at city hall,

claiming that her store was a historical landmark.

That's nonsense. I have all the documents to prove those

buildings were destroyed during the war and rebuilt in 1945.

(scoffing) She has no claim. No.

She's not backing down.

This could hold us up in court forever.

We could lose.

- Henry. - Ah.

I'm Morgana Allard, CEO of Danube Development.

This is my assistant, Jules.

Of course, it's lovely to put faces to the emails.

This is Wilfred, he's my right-hand man

and will be assisting with the integration.

No disrespect, but we thought your father was coming.

Uh, no. He recently retired and left complete control of

Eurostar to me.

And Danube Development?

Would have been nice to know considering

he just purchased our company.

Well, it was a last-minute decision.

Somewhat personal, actually.

What an amazing view.

Well, now that you are officially

president of our company, we'll be working a lot together.

Uh, yes. Yes, indeed.

We're very excited about the project.

From what I understand, it was the main reason

your father acquired our company.

That and his love of Vienna.

Ah. Did you want to see some details?

Oh, not now.

Yeah, I presume everything is on target.

No problems that we should be aware of.

None. Uh, the board has signed off on the designs,

the loans are in place,

and all of the businesses are in escrow.

(phone pinging)

Ah, great.

Gordon spoke very highly of you.

We have all the confidence in the world that you'll lead this

to a successful conclusion.

Thank you. I'm happy he and you have confidence in me.

It is a 300 million euro endeavor, after all.

For Henry, that's just another Tuesday.

(chuckling)

You are leaving now?

Uh, yes. I am taking a Christmas holiday.

I'll be back in the office in a few days.

Call if you need me.

It really was lovely to meet you both.

♪

(sighing)

Why didn't you tell Henry about the chocolate shop holdout?

It won't be an issue for long.

There's no need for Henry or Wilfred to know about it.

♪

For when she arrives.

Oh, yes. Thank you.

Wilfred: That was short and sweet.

Maybe you could have gone over a few of the details.

Wilfred, I'm taking a break.

I haven't had a holiday in what feels like 10 years.

What about that skydiving trip and the shark fishing?

You know, confidence building exercises.

You know, paramount for, uh, good management skills.

You don't seem too keen on the project.

Well, I wasn't expecting my father to retire

quite so quickly, so yes, I am a little put out to be

lumbered with this, and you know that these projects aren't

really my thing. I prefer to work on the charities for

children's hospitals, as you know.

I know.

I suggest that we just embrace the holiday spirit

and, you know, chill.

- Chill? - Yeah.

Yes, I don't chill well.

Careful, is that Jack Frost nipping at your nose?

Okay, okay. Why don't we go to the Christmas market tonight?

Ah, that's the spirit, Wilfred.

Come on.

♪

Ah, the potato chocolate.

- You. - You.

At your own risk, we have many crazy

varieties of chocolate here.

Well, I am ready to try them all.

Well, I made that one last night.

Okay.

What do you think?

Mmm.

This is the best chocolate I've ever hard.

No, seriously. It's like a little

chocolate symphony playing a crunchy crescendo.

Can you wait while I write that down?

Charlotte is the best chocolatier in Vienna.

I pay her to say that.

Henry Broadbent, by the way.

Charlotte Dobler. It's nice to see you again.

Your donation to the children's hospital

was incredibly generous.

Uh, this is Wilfred. We work together.

Hey.

Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas.

I'm Maya.

- Pleasure to meet you, Maya. - Pleasure.

Hello, Maya.

Hello.

So, is it your first time at the Christmas markets?

Yes, it is, and we hope to see more of it.

Charlotte, you should show Henry around.

Uh...

Well, we're busy here, so...

No, not really. In fact, we're closing soon.

I think it's a great idea.

(Henry clearing throat)

I mean, I-- I, um, I probably should be

heading back towards the store.

Oh, I could walk with you if-- I mean, if-- if you--

if you like.

(chuckling)

Wilfred, why don't you stay and satisfy your sweet tooth

with some chocolate samples?

Twist my tastebuds.

Okay.

Follow me.

Okay.

♪

I don't know if you know, but the markets here,

they date back to the Middle Ages.

Oh, so in another lifetime, I could have bought you

a dragon for Christmas.

(chuckling) Yes, and now I'm going to

have to settle for a Sword in the Stone bottle opener.

(chuckling)

I'm very intrigued by what you do.

I mean, do you always make your own chocolate recipes?

No. No.

Some are old, and some are new,

but all of them are made in house.

Ah, and I presume that you went to a chocolate school

to study all of this?

I did not. No.

I spent a lot of time here when I was growing up.

All of the recipes were passed down by my Oma, my grandmother.

Mm-hm.

And this year I am trying to make

a few more recipes of my own.

Oh, that must be good for business.

It can be. This year I've got a different reason.

I'm, um, I'm tossing my hat in the ring to compete

for Vienna's Chocolatier of the Year.

Wow. Well, no lacking in ambition here.

So, what does the competition entail?

I actually have to admit

I've never been in a competition.

Oh, except for the race to the cookie jar

in boarding school.

(laughing) Well, it's a little bit different than that.

There's several rounds.

We've submitted our flavor profiles,

the store's been inspected,

and now we're down to the final three.

Ah, only two to beat.

Yeah, but they are the best of the best.

And when's the competition held?

We have to submit everything on December 22nd

at the Strauss Christmas Ball,

and then we'll find out probably in the new year.

Oh, you got three whole weeks.

I know. I still have to create

some new recipes to wow the judges.

From what I've tasted,

I think you've got this.

Thank you.

I'm guessing that Christmas is a pretty hectic time for you.

Yeah. (laughing)

Yeah, and this year, we have a little additional challenge.

Oh?

I am in a fight with city hall over

the historical classification of the business.

Oh, well, I would think that was easy.

I mean, in Vienna, everything is historical.

Right? Yeah, you'd think, but it's a little bit more

complicated when you're up against a ruthless developer.

So...

Huh.

"Ruthless." That sounds pretty awful.

Have you got good counsel?

Uh, I was actually a lawyer in Cincinnati.

Yeah, I'm not super familiar with how the systems work here

in Vienna, though, but I am figuring it out.

Okay, hang on, hang on, hang on. I am confused.

You were a lawyer in the US,

but you're running a chocolate shop here in Vienna?

Mm-hm.

In what world does that make sense?

My Oma left it to me when she passed a few years ago.

So, you gave up your entire life in the US to come here?

Yeah.

What made you stay?

Well, the chocolate, obviously.

Ah, obviously. Silly question.

And what about you? London, I assume?

Uh, yes, but my father was born here in Vienna.

Really?

Yes, and then he moved to London where he met my mother,

and, well, they had me.

(laughing)

So, are you associated with the hospital?

My father built it. I was involved with the project,

and so I want to continue to support it.

Well, that's very nice.

What was the work you did? The design or...

Oh. Well, no. Mainly, you know, number crunching, overseeing.

I see. So, are you familiar with Vienna, then?

Um, a little, but not at Christmas time.

Nope. This is my first Viennese Christmas.

Ah, here on holidays. I see.

Yeah. Yes and no.

I am overseeing a little bit of business,

but, well, things don't really get going until after

the new year. So, yeah, I'm en--

I'm enjoying a break.

Hm.

Thank you for walking me home.

Oh, it's my pleasure.

Maybe we can do it again sometime.

Yeah, maybe we can.

Um, well, this is me.

You live in a chocolate shop?

No, I live above a chocolate shop.

It was my Oma's place.

Ah. A hidden gem amongst the grandeur

of the city's architecture.

Vienna's baroque elegance took a sweet detour

into the land of chocolate.

Are you sure you don't work in PR?

(laughing)

I can't imagine waking up to the smell of chocolate.

That would be very, very dangerous.

Well, speaking of which,

can I offer you a chocolate night cap?

Does Rudolph have a red nose?

(chuckling) Come on.

Hey.

Wow, busy place.

Yeah, this time of year, we're pretty well going full tilt.

Huh.

So, what would you like to try?

Oh, uh, surprise me.

♪

Enjoy.

Thank you.

(laughing) You're welcome.

I guess this is goodnight.

I guess so, yeah.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight.

Oh, uh, this is me.

I'm staying at the Kristoff Hotel just around the corner,

but, uh, maybe I'll bump into you again

at the Christmas markets tomorrow.

Yeah, absolutely.

Oh, actually, um, I might not be there tomorrow.

I have some errands to run and a meeting at city hall.

Oh, right. Yes. No, the business at city hall.

Yeah, bad guys to catch, heads to roll.

Oh, yeah. That's me.

Well, if I were those ruthless developers,

I'd be scared, very scared.

Well, they should be, because-- (stomping)

I'm coming for them.

- Ah. - (laughing)

Goodnight.

(chuckling) Goodnight.

(chuckling)

Maya: Morning, Judy.

Oh, let me guess, you were up all night again.

No, I wasn't. I got up at 4:00.

Can you try one of those?

Oh.

Yum. Best ever.

No, can I have real criticism? Like, an actual opinion?

In that case, I need to do a little more tasting.

(chuckling)

How'd it go last night?

If you are asking about Henry,

he walked me home, end of story.

Oh, come on. Spill the tea. There has to be something.

There's no tea.

Fine. I brought you a coffee.

Thank you.

You know, you're becoming very boring.

You're spending your days figuring out

how to fight this developer

and your nights making chocolate.

I have to win this, Maya.

It's my only real hope of saving this place.

Well then, here's to sending those

Danube mucky mucks packing.

- Cheers. - Cheers.

Now, back to a much more interesting topic.

Henry and Wilfred.

Oh, so, it's Henry and Wilfred now?

Well, why not?

I mean, clearly I have to push you out of your little shell,

and, frankly, I wouldn't mind having a date myself.

Well, good, it's about time.

I mean, what? It's been five years since your divorce?

Seven years, but who's counting?

You know, Wilfred asked me if I would like to--

Let me just remember his exact phraseology.

Grab a hot toddy.

Oh, and what did you say?

I said yes!

(laughing) Good.

Now, what about Henry?

You know what? It is a good idea.

You should invite Henry along.

That way, it will really break the ice.

Charlotte, you know what I'm talking about.

You haven't had a date yourself since you arrived here

two years ago, and now, out of the blue,

this handsome man dances into your life.

Who knows what could happen?

Okay, first of all, I met this handsome man, like,

five minutes ago, and secondly, I have resigned myself to being

the spinster of the chocolate shop.

(clock dinging, chirping)

Oh, it appears that someone disagrees

and thinks that you could find love.

Okay, you tell that cuckoo clock I'm not looking for love.

Now, if you excuse me, I have a very big date.

Oh.

With the city clerk.

Oh.

See you later.

Charlotte: I just want to confirm the status of my appeal.

I don't see any updates here.

Okay. Well, how about the building age map?

I think it's safe to assume that even if one did exist,

it was destroyed during the war.

I know it existed, it was done in the 1920s.

Yes, I understand, but if you don't have it

and you can't prove that your shop was establish before 1924,

we just can't classify it as historical.

Well, I know it was there.

I mean, my Oma told me so many stories.

But you don't have proof, Charlotte, so there is really

not much I can do for you.

Okay. Thank you.

Just so you know, all the other owners

on Ringstrasse have agreed to sell.

I'm not selling.

I will put that in for the next committee meeting.

You know what? I'd actually like to be

at that meeting if I could be.

Nothing is going to happen before Christmas.

Right, okay.

- Hey. - Hi.

Oh, that's a lovely surprise.

Oh, how did it go with city hall?

Not as good as I'd hoped.

Everything's at a bit of a stand-still

because of Christmas. So...

Well, tis the season.

(chuckling)

You mentioned your family's in development.

What are the chances you know everything that

I would need to know about historical classification

at Vienna city hall?

Um, to be honest,

I'm not that familiar with any of that.

Darn, I was hoping you could give me some insight.

Well, I could ask a colleague of mine.

Oh, no, no, no. It's okay. I will figure it out.

I should get going. The Christmas market

tends to get busy about now. So, I should check on Maya.

Okay, well, um, maybe I could see you later?

Yeah, okay.

Uh, do you want to have dinner with me?

I mean, if you have time.

I always have time for food.

Great. I'll, uh, pick you up around 7:00?

Okay.

♪

Henry: Christmas in Vienna.

Mm-hm.

There is simply nowhere else on Earth as magical.

It is one of the perks of living here.

So, what kind of law did you practice in America?

Corporate.

- Mm. - Mm-hm.

Mergers? Acquisitions? Securities? Tax?

- Environmental. - Oh.

I really wanted to make a difference

and I thought I could do that with the power of

a big firm behind me,

but it didn't go according to plan.

What happened?

I guess I just got tired of helping corporations find

loopholes so that they could do whatever they wanted.

Well, maybe this is where you were meant to be all along.

I mean, you're running a successful business

and, may I say, producing the best chocolates

- in the world. - Oh, thank you.

I admire what you've done. Really.

Giving all that up and coming here.

That takes a lot of bravery.

That or insanity.

- Or that. - (laughing)

No, I think making a change can be complicated,

but sometimes you have to take a long, hard look at your life,

and think about if what you're doing

is really making you happy.

Ultimately, it just boiled down to that for me.

You know what? Enough about me.

I would like to hear about you.

- Really? - Mm-hm.

Well, um, am I happy with my life?

Not especially.

That was very fast and succinct.

No, I-- Sorry. It's just,

it's been on my mind a lot lately.

What with my father's unexpected retirement

and taking over Eurostar and coming here.

Wait, you own Eurostar?

Yes, I do.

It was started by my grandfather

and was recently passed down to me.

Wow, that's a lot of responsibility.

How did you get started?

I, um, went to Cambridge.

Studied business, 'cause that's all I really ever knew,

and after I graduated, I started working for the company,

because I thought that that was the right thing to do.

At the time.

Not so much anymore?

Let's just call it a work in progress.

I started out by wanting to make my father proud

and I am still striving to make my father proud.

Where is he now?

He's living in Paris. He had some health scares

and decided it was time to live his life.

What about your mom?

- She left him. - Oh.

15 years ago now.

Yes, he didn't put much into the relationship.

Business mattered more.

Mm.

So, when I left home, she moved out.

She's remarried, though. Living happily in New York City.

So then she found her happy ending.

Yes, she did.

- Mm. - Here's to happy endings.

Cheers.

(glasses clinking)

- Ooh! - Ooh.

Sorry, do you mind? Cobblestone in heels.

- Ah, okay. - Thank you.

Can't say I know the feeling, but--

(laughing) Thanks.

So, where were your parents born?

Um, well, my mom was actually born here in Vienna,

and she was raised here. My dad was born in Canada.

Long story short, my mom was and is a lawyer

and I followed in her footsteps.

I thought it was what I wanted to do.

Until it wasn't?

Yeah.

When my Oma passed, it changed my perspective on everything.

Mm-hm.

I quit my job and I ended a five year long relationship.

Ooh, that must have been hard.

It was something I needed to do.

We were both just hanging on, but we knew it wasn't working.

I think sometimes you--

you stay because you're afraid of losing someone,

but in the end, you kind of just lose yourself.

I think I know exactly what you mean.

I was engaged.

- Oh. - Twice.

- Oh! - When I was much younger.

- Mm-hm. - Yeah.

Turns out I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic.

Always falling for women who, uh, don't see me for who I am.

Not looking to make those mistakes again.

I'm with you on that.

So, how's it going at the office?

Morgana seems to be in control.

So, I think we're in good hands going forward.

Ah.

I was thinking that I might stop by later.

You know, get acquainted with everyone

before it gets too busy in the new year.

I agree.

It's been good to spend some time away, though,

to reassess where I am in life.

Do I sense a midlife crisis?

I had dinner with Charlotte last night.

She said something that struck a chord with me.

She said that sometimes it's good to take a long, hard

look at your life and decide that if what

you're doing is making you happy.

You have your own company, money,

freedom to do whatever you want. What else is there?

Maybe a solid relationship one day?

My father spent his entire adult life building Eurostar,

blinded by money. Now, he has heart problems,

diabetes, and a fear of dying alone.

I don't want my life to end up like that.

You don't have to be like your father.

You have a chance to do something about it.

Have you ever thought of bringing someone else

in to run the company?

Maybe Morgana if she proves herself capable.

I don't know Morgana well enough,

and even if I did, that would disappoint my father,

and I don't want to do that.

No, he may have been a thorn in my side and a lot to live up to,

but he is still my dad.

I understand. It's tough. He's tough.

You heading into the office now?

Uh, yes.

Do you mind if I tagged along?

♪

(video call ringing)

Oh. Hey, Mom.

Hey, sweetie. How's it going there?

Oh, it's okay. I didn't wake you up, did I?

Oh, no. I've been up since 5:00.

I couldn't sleep thinking about everything

that's going on there with you.

I'm sorry.

No, no. No need to be sorry.

So, anything new with the appeal?

Not really, aside from the fact that

all the other stores have sold.

So, I'm now officially completely on my own,

and Danube knows that they have all the power,

because I can't prove that this business opened before 1924

and without historical designation,

we're officially toast.

Well, have you considered selling the business?

No, I'm not ready to give up on it. Not yet.

Okay, sweetie. I gotta go. I'll call you later.

Bye, Mom. Love you.

(beeping)

Yes, well, just donate another $100,000

to the hospital foundation.

Perfect. No, no, no.

Just send over the paperwork and we'll get it sorted.

Morgana. Thank you for coming.

Um, I just wanted to talk to you about a friend of mine.

Sure.

Yeah, she needs some advice, and while I don't have

too many details, it is development related,

and, well, I thought who else to ask but you?

Any specifics at all?

There's a developer who's trying to buy her property,

but she doesn't want to sell.

She says that it's on a historical landmark.

Oh. Is there a name of her business and address?

Dobler Chocolate Shop on Ringstrasse.

I'll definitely check it out.

Brilliant. Well, thank you.

Um, shall I ask her to come and see you?

Uh, no, no. I have to be in the area

in the next couple of days.

I'll drop in and have a chat with her.

Thank you, Morgana. I'm sure that, well,

any advice that you could give her

would be greatly appreciated.

And her name?

Charlotte.

Charlotte Dobler.

Got it.

Here you go. Thank you so much for coming in.

Merry Christmas.

Thank you.

Deidre: Hello.

I have a package for Ms. Charlotte Dobler.

Oh, uh, that's me. Thank you.

Oh, how is the cranberry crunch coming along?

It is perfectly crunchy.

Perfect. (chuckling)

♪

You know, your little tree over there is looking very sad.

(sighing) I know. I feel bad.

Every time I look at it I just think I don't have enough hours

in the day to decorate it.

Well, I have 'em. Lots of 'em. Lots of hours!

When you're ready, call me and I'll be here.

With bells on?

With jingle bells on.

Good. (chuckling)

This arrived today. I was kind of scared to open it alone.

(glasses scraping)

What?

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

They cannot do this, not right before Christmas.

What?

I thought you turned down their offer.

I did, except now they're pulling the eminent domain card.

They said that they cleared this with everyone.

I did not know about this.

Okay, okay. First, please explain what eminent domain is.

It's expropriation.

It's like a holiday hijack.

No. Okay. Um...

Let's see. Okay.

Imagine the Grinch trying to convince everyone that it would

be better for everybody if he took all of the Who's houses

and used them to expand his cave,

and then Whoville City Hall agrees with the Grinch,

so they take all of the Who's houses away,

making them available for the Grinch,

except in this case the cave is a shopping

and apartment complex, making Danube Development

the Grinch and I am the Who.

You're the what?

It's-- Okay. We have to get out.

Well, they can't do that. What are you going to do?

I don't know!

But if the Ghost of Christmas Future

is coming for Dobler Chocolates,

then the Ghost of Christmas Present is going to fight back.

It is time I put my lawyer hat back on.

Do it.

What's a Who?

Oh, my gosh. Have you never seen The Grin-- Maya!

(sighing)

♪

How'd it go at city hall?

I filed an injunction. That's all I can do for now.

I wish there was some way to prove

what your grandmother told you.

I know. Hey.

I just-- I keep looking through everything, every paper,

just hoping I'm going to find something.

You know, if you lose, you still have options.

You could take the money and set up somewhere else.

I know, but this place was my Oma's legacy,

and she entrusted it to me.

I have to at least try to fight for it.

What about Henry? Do you think he might be able to help?

Wilfred told me that he's a developer.

Yeah, I asked already.

So, you saw him again?

♪

I did.

We had dinner.

Mm-hm. Mm-hm. And?

(clapping)

I might be seeing him again tonight.

Huh. Really?

We'll see.

Hm. Thanks for keeping me in the loop.

(whispering) You're welcome.

(sighing)

♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪

♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪

Carolers are really good.

(chuckling) Yeah, they really are.

This is such an interesting place.

Yeah, it's called a punch terrace.

They pop up all over the city at Christmas.

Ah, charming and cozy.

It's the perfect way to enjoy the season. Thank you.

You're welcome. Oh, perfect.

- Oh! - Here. Thank you.

What on Earth are these?

Okay, so these are chimney cakes.

What cakes?

Chimney cakes.

Oh. Okay.

These are a wonderful dessert,

and they originated in Transylvania.

Oh.

(imitating Dracula's laugh)

Exactly.

How do you take yours?

Usually just with some caramel.

And chocolate.

Mm-mm. No chocolate.

No chocolate? Hang on.

The chocolatier has no chocolate.

That's like Christmas with no presents.

I have no explanation. (laughing)

I don't know.

Okay. Well, this is so much fun.

It's almost like we're not in the city.

(laughing) I know.

So, how was your day?

Yeah, honestly, it wasn't great.

I had to go to city hall to file an injunction,

because I got this

from the developers yesterday.

It turns out that they have somehow managed to

convince the city to expropriate.

So, I am most likely going to lose my home,

my shop, and they are going to tear it down

and turn it into shopping boutiques and apartments.

I don't know what to say.

Yeah. I don't either.

The owner of this company must just be

a despicable human being, because I don't understand

how someone could do something like this

and not think about the people that they're hurting.

Please. Explain to me how this happened.

Well, there was a holdout.

Only one, but she's being very difficult.

She's claiming her property is a historical landmark

when it isn't.

Are you sure about that?

Yes. The building registration says 1945.

It has to be at least 1924 to qualify.

We've made numerous, generous offers,

and she's refused all of them.

Do you even know her?

Does it really matter? It's a business deal.

Of course it matters!

As a corporation, we cannot be in a position

to destroy people's lives.

It's a little late for that.

Well, why was I not told about this from the get-go?

You said you didn't want to do any work before the new year,

so I didn't think you needed to know.

We handle problems like this all the time.

Money talks. It's all just a matter of the right price.

Money is not always the answer.

This is. We have investors

and 300 million euros on the line.

I'm not about to let this project go down

over one greedy holdout.

Morgana, she is not a greedy holdout.

(scoffing)

I don't care how much money we have on the line.

This needs to be fixed now.

Charlotte will not be evicted from her business and her home.

♪

This is getting worse by the second.

I should have taken your advice in the beginning

and gone through the plans with Morgana.

But you didn't.

You have to tell Charlotte it's your company.

I can't do that. She called the owner of

Danube Development a despicable human being.

You know this is going to blow up.

Maybe, but I don't want to ruin what we have.

There's a lot at stake here. I'll call my father.

I'll get this straightened out.

Maya: Haven't you already tried every recipe in the book?

Yes, but we only have 10 days until the deadline,

and I have to get this right.

You're overthinking.

I know.

Maybe we could talk later.

Oh. Wilfred, I presume.

Yes, we're going to go grab that hot toddy.

(laughing) Have fun.

Mm.

♪

(phone pinging)

It's Charlotte.

Tell her.

Better to be honest now and get it done.

I can fix this, Wilfred. I know I can.

I just need a little bit more time to figure it out.

♪

- Charlotte: Hey. - Henry: Hey!

Race you around the ring?

Uh, yeah. I'm just going to-- just gonna stretch for a minute.

Yeah, you know how it is before a big workout.

- Oh. - Strenuous exercise and that.

Oh, yeah. No. Of course.

So, I take it you're more of an athlete on the ice?

- I, uh-- - Oh, yeah.

I should be expecting some triple axles, maybe some quads?

That's me. Yup.

Do you want me to do a little loop

and I'll come back?

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I'll see you in a loop.

Okay.

♪

Ready?

I think I, uh-- I think I pulled a muscle.

Oh, no!

I'm pretty sure these are two left boots, and I--

You just don't know how to skate at all, do you?

No. I was hoping it wasn't that obvious.

It is. (laughing)

Here. I'll help.

Okay.

You're pretty good, though. I assume you come here a lot?

Yeah, every chance I get.

It's my little piece of Heaven.

Ah, so I guess it's my little piece of Hell.

Okay. Don't-- Channel your inner penguin.

Pretty sure that's a yoga move.

It is, yeah. You haven't heard of the downward penguin?

- Oh. - (laughing)

Okay. (laughing)

Okay! (stammering)

Here we like to administer a cup of-- whoo!

- Hot cider-- - Thank you.

- to save lives, so...

(laughing)

Thank you.

No problem.

Well, now that you have officially saved my life,

I am forever in your debt.

Well, I am going to remember that forever, and I will--

I will-- Thank you.

I will call and collect.

(both chuckling)

- Cheers. - Cheers.

Mm, you really love it here, don't you?

Vienna, I mean.

I do, yeah.

I mean, I practically grew up here.

I was the only grandchild, so I was spoiled rotten.

I came here every summer, and then my mom and I would

come every Christmas,

and I would spend every second that I had

in that chocolate shop, trying to make chocolate.

So, where's your mum now?

Uh, she's still working in Cincinnati.

Oh, you get to see her over the holidays though?

I don't know this year. Um, normally I would go back,

but it's just been a little bit more complicated with everything

that's going on with the shop, so...

Right, right. Yeah.

What would you do if you can't keep it?

I don't know.

I do have a friend, um, from law school who has

a pretty successful practice and she said that there's always

an open office for me if I decide to move home,

so that's an option.

Mm. Wouldn't that be giving up on your dream

and everything you've accomplished here?

I don't want to,

but if I don't have a choice, then...

You always have a choice.

Just maybe not the one you expected.

I know, I just-- I don't know if I'm ready for that.

But I still have a little fight left in me.

If Danube thinks they're getting rid of me that easily,

then they have another thing coming.

I mean, you're in the business,

what do you think of the company?

Uh... Well, it's, um... Yeah, no, it's...

It's pretty bad.

Well, then maybe we should, uh, take 'em on together.

Take 'em down. (chuckling)

(chuckling nervously)

Look here.

I was thinking that if we redesign the plans,

we could exclude the shop altogether.

It's not possible at this point.

Why not? I mean, we exclude things all the time for zoning--

This project is tied up with a red bow.

We're asking for trouble.

I don't mind a little trouble.

You know the chocolate lady filed an injunction.

Could you set up a meeting with me and the architect, please?

I'll send his contacts.

For whatever it's worth, whatever you're thinking,

I suggest you drop it now.

I suggest that you get me the architect's contacts ASAP.

♪

Any chance you 'fessed up to Charlotte last night?

(sighing) Nope.

If I had, we would have been yesterday's news.

Like dried pine needles begging to be vacuumed up.

More drama than a Christmas pageant with you.

Henry,

you might want to step back from Charlotte for a while,

give this a chance to get sorted.

I haven't felt this kind of connection with anyone

for a long, long time, Wilfred.

I really think that we might be able to make a thing of this.

I need to come up with a new plan.

I just need to find a way to fix it.

Anyway, I'm going to her place tonight

for the Christmas tree decorating.

Maya invited me.

Oh.

Are you coming?

I'll be there.

Believe it or not,

I've never actually decorated a Christmas tree before.

Wait. What? Are you serious?

Yeah, my parents weren't really into Christmas.

Well, did you miss it?

Well, I suppose you don't really miss what you never had.

Well, I don't know, what about Christmas morning

and your stockings and Santa and family gatherings?

A lot of the time, I wasn't even with my parents.

They were often traveling and I was--

I was at boarding school.

- Oh. - Whoa.

Hey, that's an intricate one. Did-- did you--

did you make that?

It's very intricate.

Yes, I did, when I was very little.

It's just folding and cutting.

It's very easy once you get the hang of it.

- Ah. - Yeah.

I can't believe you've never decorated

a Christmas tree before.

Well, first time for everything.

True.

Oh, let me guess. You, uh-- did you make him too?

I did, yeah. Mm-hmm.

Every year, my Oma and I would sit in this apartment

and make Christmas decorations.

It's kind of sad to think it could be my last year here.

Don't give up hope.

Um, so, do you think

you're gonna celebrate Christmas this year?

Oh, I haven't-- I haven't really decided yet.

I mean, I have no big plans.

Well, um...

I'm gonna be making dinner here, if you wanted to join me.

I'd love that.

I'm a terrible cook.

Oh, good, I won't let you in the kitchen.

Yeah.

Well, I mean, I--

I don't know, I think it looks like it's ready.

- Yeah. - Shall we turn on the lights?

(cuckoo clock chiming)

If the cuckoo says it's time, then it's time.

Okay.

What do you think?

I think it's kind of magical.

There is nothing better than decorating a Christmas tree

to bring people together, is there?

Except for maybe Christmas dinner in New York,

all that turkey and cranberry sauce.

Better than fish soup and mashed potatoes?

You bet.

Maybe we could spend Christmas together in New York.

Sometime.

In the future, I mean.

Distant future?

But only if you want.

You know what, Wilfred?

I think I might like that.

I'll see you later.

Charlotte.

Oh. Wilfred.

That was very sweet of Wilfred to come visit you.

It was. And last night was fun too, wasn't it?

Not that I got to spend a lot of time with you.

I saw the way Henry was looking at you.

Yeah, I really like him a lot.

See? I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.

And I knew it from the beginning.

I'm feeling more and more drawn to him,

but now, I'm worried I should slow things down.

Why? What's wrong?

I just can't stop thinking about the appeal.

What if I lose, Maya?

It's not just the shop, it's my apartment, my whole life.

So what? Do I just stay here in Vienna?

Or do I go home?

Because if I go back to Cincinnati,

any hope of things happening with Henry is done.

Don't think about that right now.

You will figure out a way to carry on forward,

as you always do.

And don't forget, you have me, and I am not going anywhere.

Thank you, Maya.

I couldn't have done any of this without you.

Henry: Dad. Hi! Thanks for calling me back.

It's not every day

I get a call from my son. How's everything going there?

Oh, well, it's-- it's-- it's coming along.

Are you enjoying being the president,

not having the old man to look over your shoulder?

Yes, I've been coming into the office a couple of times,

but I'm trying to take it easy until after the holidays.

Take time for yourself,

something I never did.

How's the new project coming along?

Well, it's, uh...

As you know, I bought Danube

for that project. I'm planning to move there,

so don't mess it up.

Mm-hmm.

Something's up.

You didn't just call me for a friendly chat.

Dad, I think we may have to reconsider the design.

Did I hear you correctly?

Yes, we've had an appeal

and an injunction.

There's no reason to reconsider the design.

Appeals are par for the course. Happens with every project.

No, Dad, this is different.

The business has been in the family for generations

and the owner is not willing to back down.

If we're not careful, we could be stalled indefinitely.

Up the price and be done with it.

I can't do that,

but I might have come up with an alternative

that I think could work.

You want my advice?

Pay them off, be done with it.

I'll talk with you later.

- (phone beeping) - Brilliant.

Thanks, Dad.

Some of the staff are worried

you are going to shut down the business and go back.

Are you?

I honestly don't know what I'm gonna do.

Just so you know, we've all talked

and we are willing to do whatever it takes to help you.

Move if that's what you need, give up our salaries

until you are back on your feet.

Oh, my gosh, Deidre, no, you don't have to do that.

We know, but we all love our jobs here

and our lives are better with you in it.

We're a team.

Oh, I'm sorry I made you cry.

It's okay. You just melted my heart.

Yeah, I mean, right now, I'm just--

I'm still pushing through.

I don't really know what else to do, so...

Do you want me to fly in?

Charlotte: No, no, no, it's okay. I'll figure it out.

I, um...

I actually met someone.

He's pretty wonderful. His name's Henry.

Oh. Is he a keeper?

Yeah, he is.

Or he would be if we lived in the same city.

I'm just worried, if I lose the business,

I might have to come home.

Well, I'd be happy to have you come back.

But it's not every day that you meet that special someone.

Make sure you think about your future

and what you really want before making any decisions.

I will. Thanks, Mom.

Okay, keep me posted. Love you.

Bye.

♪

No, no, you did the right thing. Okay, thank you. Bye.

Charlotte: Is there a fire?

- Oh, hey! - Hey!

No, no, I'm just-- uh, I'm late...

- Oh. - ...for a party.

You know, a Christmas party.

Okay, well, I won't keep you. Have fun.

Yeah, why don't you come with me?

I mean, if you have time.

As a matter of fact, I do have time. Yeah.

I was just at Danube hoping to speak to anyone in charge,

but the woman there said that

they were all out of the office today,

so I'll have to go back another time.

I mean, is that such a good idea?

Um, what I mean is

is that really a good plan?

Well, it's the only plan I have, so...

Well, that and the, uh-- the Christmas party.

That and the Christmas party.

Taxi?

Yeah.

I hope that you're warm enough.

Yeah. Yeah, I am. Thank you. (chuckling)

I don't think I've ever done this.

- Me neither. - No?

Seemed like the perfect moment.

Charlotte: Wow.

(chattering)

This place looks incredible.

Oh, it's the annual Christmas party

for the Children's Hospital.

The kids, they look so happy.

Thank you for inviting me to come with you.

I'm glad you could come.

Oh, you remember Hans from the fundraising gala?

Henry, good to see you again.

I'm so glad you could make it this year.

Thrilled. You know Charlotte from Dobler Chocolate?

Of course. Your chocolates were a hit at the gala.

- They're a national treasure. - Thanks.

Henry donates all of the food

and entertainment here every year.

Oh, wow. That's really sweet.

He's just never actually been until today.

Well, timing worked out this year.

Because you're here for that big--

Big party.

- Um, yes. - Right. Right.

Here for the big party.

Not the time for business talk. If you'll excuse me...

♪ Warmth of the fire fills our hearts with laughter so loud ♪

Hey, buddy. How you doing?

♪ 'Til family comes into town ♪

- Can I join in too? - Of course.

♪ Stockings hung up by the fire ♪

What do you guys making? It looks very cool.

Is it like a science experiment?

♪ The twinkle lights, they are lifting spirits higher ♪

♪ The joy of singing all the carols ♪

♪ Fa-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪

Enjoy.

Hi. Can I help you?

Is Charlotte Dobler available?

Who should I say is waiting to see her?

Morgana Allard, CEO of Danube Development.

Would you like to try one?

Oh, yes, please. Thank you.

Oh, that's fabulous.

Oh, I'm glad you like it.

Can I help you?

I'm Morgana Allard. My company, Danube Development,

is building the boutique

and apartment project here on Ringstrasse.

Yes. I've heard all about it.

I'm sure you have.

And you probably also know Danube has made several offers

for the purchase of your property.

Yes, and I've made an appeal and an injunction.

Ms. Dobler,

no need to posture. Danube can be very generous.

Perhaps our original offer was too low.

I have the authority to increase it substantially.

While I appreciate that,

I inherited this building from my grandmother.

It is not about the money and it is not for sale.

Everything is for sale.

And sooner or later, even the historical fanatics

like yourself must stand aside for the march of progress.

Hmm. Well, like I said, I'm not interested.

Think what you could do with this money.

Auf wiedersehen.

(sighing)

So, I met with the architect this afternoon.

So, you're pushing ahead with this idea of yours?

Henry: Yes.

I'm not entirely sure what's going to happen,

but he's agreed to look at my proposals.

To be honest, I don't care what he thinks.

This decision lies

with the almighty euro

and who picks up the bill in the end.

Yes, I know that, Dad.

Umm, but not everything in life has to be about money.

Gordon: So, you're going to complain about money now.

It gave you the life you have,

and might I say, everything you needed.

Yes, it afforded me a privileged life,

but all I ever really needed was my father.

You were too busy making money to spend time with me.

We never did anything together.

We've never even had a real conversation.

I made some mistakes and for that, I'm sorry.

Well, we all make mistakes,

but what matters is what we do moving forward.

So, can I rely on your support with this project?

Suffice to say, you do not have my blessing.

Okay. Well, I have to go.

♪

(keys tapping)

♪

♪ Are you ready, ready? ♪

♪ Are you ready, ready? ♪

♪ Are you ready, ready? ♪

♪ Are you ready? ♪

♪ Are you ready for Christmas? ♪

♪ Are you decking the halls? ♪

♪ Are you ready for Christmas? ♪

♪ We'll be having a ball ♪

Now that we've done this, do you want to go upstairs

and have some charcuterie and some eggnog?

I would love some eggnog.

Okay, let's go.

Thank you for tonight.

I really needed this.

Is everything okay?

It's something just with my father.

We've never really seen eye to eye and, well,

today, it all came to a bit of a head.

Makes me feel like I want to give up on him.

Well, did you tell him how you're feeling?

Let's just say that I said a few things

that I probably shouldn't have.

I mean, you said something, that's a start.

Mm. I'm not sure he took it too well, though.

You never know.

Sometimes, it just takes a little while

for the words to sink in.

Yes. Yes, I guess it does sometimes.

I hope that you had more of a positive day.

Uh, "interesting", I think would be a better word.

I had some visitors from Danube.

- Oh. - Mm-hmm.

The woman I met at their offices the other day

and someone named Morgana.

- Hmm. - Yep.

They, uh...

stopped by with a new,

very substantial offer for me.

Do you think you're gonna take it?

I'm still not sure what I'm gonna do

if I lose this building, so...

Well...

I don't want you to go.

I mean, I'll probably be living here...

and, well, I'll have no one to feed me

the best chocolates in the world.

Besides...

I like seeing you.

I like your smile.

You make me laugh,

and you make me feel like anything is possible.

I like seeing you too.

But I do have to be realistic.

What if... I told you

that there was a good elf up there,

and he sees everything,

and he is working furiously to make some magic happen?

Have you had too much spiked eggnog?

(cuckoo clock chiming)

Every time I hear that,

I feel like my Oma is right here.

She always said that the chime was good luck.

Maybe it will be this time.

Yeah, you've definitely had too much eggnog.

Uh, should we go downstairs?

See if our new creation is ready?

I will never say no to chocolate.

Okay. You know, I'm kind of scared

that we're going to love it.

I feel like I'm trying to choose a date for the ball

and all of the contenders look good.

Well, don't forget about me.

I am available and currently dateless.

You are not a chocolate.

Fair point.

Okay, these should be ready now.

Let's see...

Chocolate. Interesting.

Mmm, and delicious.

Mm-hmm.

I never thought I could like fruitcake.

That is because it's the culinary equivalent of socks.

I can definitely see

why this place would make you want to stay.

You know, it's funny,

always felt more like home than home did.

I wish I had that.

I never really managed to put down roots anywhere.

How come?

Never really had a reason.

Until now.

Um, you know what?

Will you help me carry these?

Sure. Yeah.

So, your grandma started this shop up on her own?

No, actually.

My great-grandparents started it and then passed it down to her.

It's been around forever.

- Feel free, go ahead. - I will.

Yeah, at some point,

they developed such a reputation of excellence

that one of the conductors

for the Vienna Symphony used to demand

that there be Dobler chocolate at the end of every performance.

Ah, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

I'm a bit of a symphony buff.

What was his name?

Oh, gosh. Um...

Sorry. Felix von...

Weingartner?

Yeah.

Yeah, I think it might have been.

Do you know the year that the business was established?

Well, I know it was established in the 1920s,

but all I have is a registration certificate from 1945.

- It's good, right? - Mmm.

But Felix von Weingarten was here in the early 1920s.

Do you have anything else to go on for the history of the place?

Uh, well, again, in the 1920s,

Vienna did building area maps,

to inventory all of the construction of the buildings.

But I tried to find it,

and a lot of the documents were destroyed during the war.

So, the proof that you need

to certify this as a historical site

might not even exist.

Unfortunately not.

No, all I have are the stories my grandmother told me.

- You got a-- - Oh. Thank you.

- Do I? - No, you're good.

You should try again, though.

I'm definitely going to try it again.

Oh.

For me?

For you.

(sighing)

You're wasting your time chasing that appeal, you know?

Danube has the upper hand here.

I know, I know, but I just have some new information.

I need to do a little research, so I need a favor.

Mmm. Mmm.

Well...

make it fast because I'm leaving early today.

Nobody messes with my grandma

when she's having a family Christmas party, so I'm...

Okay. Well, I just need a pass to the records office.

Not today.

I don't need you to accompany me.

No, no, no, that's not a problem,

but we are closing early today,

and we are only allowing one person in this afternoon,

and that spot is taken.

I'm sure whoever's in there won't mind.

I won't disturb them. I'll just take a peek.

Okay.

Oh, um, say hi to your grandma for me.

You know my grandma?

I might.

Good try.

Mmm...

(muttering) 1920-1945...

Nothing. Of course, there's nothing.

Oh, my gosh.

"Danube Development."

Why have I not searched that before?

"Recently acquired by Eurostar"?

Okay, that can't be right because that's Henry's company.

"Eurostar Danube Development."

Billionaire? What?

"Billionaire bachelor Henry Broadbent

"takes the reins of Eurostar

"and Danube Development following the retirement

"of his father Gordon Broadbent."

Henry knew the whole time.

The paperwork submitted by Danube was incomplete.

Signatures were missing. There's a lot.

Oh, looks like Danube made a right mess of it.

What about the historical designation for Dobler?

So, you are Danube.

You're good, Henry.

You really pulled one over on me.

Did you really think that I wouldn't figure out

that you own this company too?

- Charlotte-- - You're the one

that's been working against me this whole time.

No. No. Charlotte, the minute that I found out--

No, stop with your excuses, Henry.

I trusted you.

So much so that I didn't think I needed to check you out.

One click of a button and here I am.

Charlotte, you can still trust me.

No, clearly not.

Charlotte, wait!

Charlotte: Come on, Oma, there has to be something.

Paulina?

♪

Hi.

(knocking)

Paulina?

Oh, my heavens, Charlotte. I haven't seen you for years.

Come on in.

Oh, thank you.

I remember you and my Oma were so close.

I always loved seeing you in the store when I was growing up.

Did she ever tell you how we met?

Charlotte: No.

Well... I'm a New Jersey girl.

Thank you.

We met in New York all those years ago.

She could barely speak a word of English.

And she just married your grandfather.

He was American, as you know, so he was worried.

So, he hired me to teach her some English,

and before we knew it, we were best friends.

Well, what brought you here to Vienna?

I followed your grandmother.

She had to come back to take over the shop

when her own mother died.

She was terrified of running the business,

so she begged me to come with her.

And of course, I jumped at the chance for a little adventure.

Now, you worked with her until you retired, right?

I did.

Your grandmother loved you more than anyone,

and I can see why she left Dobler Chocolate to you.

That's actually why I'm here.

I'm at risk of losing it to a developer,

and I wanted to see if there was any chance that you knew

anything about the history of Dobler

or anything about when it opened.

Okay, your grandmother told me all about that,

and when I retired, she gave me a photo.

Charlotte: Oh.

Paulina: That is your great-grandparents.

And if you look closely, you'll see

they're standing outside

Dobler Chocolate on the day it opened.

- May I? - Mm-hmm.

Charlotte: "Established 1921."

That's right.

So, if any developer comes after Dobler,

this is all you'll need.

I needed an angel today and I found one.

I've been called a lot of things in my life, but never an angel.

I'll take it.

Can I borrow this?

You can keep it.

And if you need me, I remember all the stories

your grandmother told me, even about the war.

Even when everyone was being bombed around them,

Dobler stood strong and proud on that corner.

Thank you.

I have to go, but I promise I will come back.

Bring chocolates?

I will bring you anything you want.

Thank you, Paulina. Thank you so much.

Oh, you're welcome, dear.

Where have you been?

I just-- I had an errand to run.

An errand?

You've been gone for hours.

And you didn't tell us. We were worried sick.

You just disappeared. Poof!

Out of nowhere. I was going to call the police.

Okay, you two are insane, but I am so lucky

to have two people who care so much about me.

Well, just don't do it again, ever!

You're going to give me a heart attack.

Yes, ma'am. I just went to see Paulina,

and I think she just gave us the proof that we need

to save this shop. Look.

Right there.

"Established 1921."

Does this mean you just won your appeal?

I hope so, but...

even if I don't, I've decided to stay.

You two have been with me through so much,

and we've stuck together through all of it.

Even if we have to move, we're-- we're a family.

Oh, I'm so relieved that you're staying.

Oh, me too. Oh, are we all ready

for the chocolate-making marathon tonight?

Everything has to be handed in at noon tomorrow.

We've got a team coming in this afternoon to run the shop,

so we are on it.

Okay, amazing.

Maya: You know, I really like this family idea.

Can I be mom?

Ehh.

Sisters?

Obviously.

Oh, no, I forgot to tell her about Henry.

♪

(sighing)

"I don't expect you to forgive me,

"but please give me a chance to explain.

"I'll be waiting at the skating rink"?

What are you doing, Henry?

Uh, you said that this was your favorite place,

and I wanted to show you

that I would do anything to explain myself and to--

well, to apologize for the terrible mistake that I made.

Okay.

Please, just hear me out.

Yes, just get off the ice so you don't hurt yourself, okay?

I am so sorry.

I am so sorry that I betrayed you in the worst possible way.

It's more than that, Henry.

You lied to me, and you kept things from me

when you know how important the shop is to me.

I didn't know that Danube was the developers

that were causing you so many problems

until you showed me that letter.

Well, then you should have told me then.

I should have.

Yes, you should have.

How could you possibly not know

that it was your company who was trying to force me out?

Shamefully, I have to admit that,

when taking over the company,

I didn't think things through properly

or register the negative impact

that it could have on some people.

My focus is always on the charity work.

Well, unfortunately,

the consequences of what your company does is on you.

I see that now,

and Charlotte, I am so sorry.

I appreciate the apology.

Please know that I did everything that I could

and I will continue to do everything within my power

to fix this.

I don't need a hero, Henry.

I need someone who is willing to be honest with me.

Um, Morgana gave this to me,

but I think it's going to be of more use to you.

Maybe I'll see you tomorrow at the ball.

♪

Building map.

Honestly, I'm kind of shocked he gave this to me.

I mean, he's got to know

that this is going to harm him and the business.

Charlotte, don't you see what's going on here?

I know you're hurt, but literally everyone else

can tell that Henry is madly in love with you

and willing to risk it all.

Maybe you should give him a chance.

The board members should be here shortly.

Let me check with reception.

Dad?

You're surprised to see me?

Yes.

I know you didn't give me your blessing,

but I, uh, went ahead

and did what I thought was right.

You don't need my blessing, son. I'm proud of you.

You stood your ground with me.

And even when I was unkind, you forged ahead.

I was a little shocked at the time.

But when I thought about it, I realized how right you were.

It's been a pretty tough few weeks.

But the silver lining is that I've met someone special.

Although, because of all of this,

I don't think that we're in a very good place.

I wasn't exactly honest and...

I don't think that she'll ever forgive me.

Wilfred told me all about her

and the mess Morgana's got us into.

What's next for her? Fired, I hope?

No, Dad, I didn't fire her.

She was honest in the end, and that counts for a lot.

And she was acting in what she thought

was the best interests of the company,

so I'm going to give her another chance.

Your call.

What happens if the board don't approve my proposal?

This could be...

It's business, we'll figure it out.

I'm glad you're here, Dad.

I love you, son.

I love you too, Dad.

I'm so proud of you.

♪ It's time for cocoa and some mittens ♪

♪ Warmth of the fire ♪

♪ Fills our hearts with laughter so loud ♪

♪ The joy of counting down the minutes ♪

♪ Till family comes into town ♪

♪ Stockings hung up by the fire ♪

♪ The twinkle lights, they lifted spirits higher ♪

Hi! Okay, can you try one or both of those?

Moment of truth.

(sighing)

Okay, seriously, your absolute best ever.

There is no way that anyone can beat this.

You sound like Henry.

There's not a chocolate he doesn't like.

♪

(laughing)

They are pretty good.

(both laughing)

- There you go. - Thank you.

Thanks. Guess now, we just wait until the new year.

Good luck.

- Woman: To you, too. - Thank you.

(string section playing)

♪

Perhaps we should go and find some champagne.

♪

You look beautiful.

- Thank you. - Champagne?

Oh.

Thank you.

You must be our chocolatier.

Oh.

Charlotte, this is my father.

Oh, it's an honor to meet you, Mr. Broadbent.

Gordon, please.

Henry's told me all about you,

Charlotte and the chocolate shop.

Did he tell you about our meeting today?

The board has decided to stop the project,

if necessary, so you do not have to fight it anymore.

But there's another game afoot.

Before there was any map, my son came up with another plan,

which I think you should take a look at.

It could work for everyone, including you.

Please, excuse me.

Henry, before you say anything, I...

I just-- I want you to know that...

I know you never meant to hurt me.

We all make mistakes.

Yes, we do.

So, what was this other solution your dad was talking about?

Well, it was a last-ditch effort, in case all else failed.

Would you like to see it?

Yes, I would.

Okay, well, here,

I have two designs.

The first one is the original,

where I excluded your shop altogether,

so that Dobler Chocolate would not be affected at all.

And the second one,

this is the new design, where we incorporate Dobler Chocolate.

But how-- how would that work exactly?

Well, we would build around it,

but it would still be incorporated.

You would still own the chocolate shop,

exactly the way you do now,

but it would become the featured store

in the entire project.

But...

the decision is entirely yours, so...

Well, maybe it is time I blend the old and the new.

I'll think about it.

I am mad about you, Charlotte.

I was mad at you.

(chuckling) But...

I think I might just be mad about you, too.

Do you want to dance?

Is your dancing better than your skating?

Oh, yes.

I've been working on my waltz for years.

Okay.

(string section playing)

♪

(string section playing waltz)

♪

(string section playing waltz)

♪

(string section playing waltz)

♪

(string section playing waltz)

♪

Henry: Congratulations.

Thank you.

I think I've officially made my choice.

Really?

Mm-hmm.

And?

I think my Oma would be really impressed

with the thoughtfulness of your design

and would be honored

to be the feature store of your development.

So, does this mean that we're moving forward together?

(cuckoo clock chiming)

Sounds like a yes.

To the old.

And to the new.

(glasses clinking)

Happy New Year, Henry.

Happy New Year, Charlotte.

♪

♪