Unscripted

The next morning, Marta rushed to Maria’s office.

‘Morning… Please contact Fina Valero and give her the big news and also set up a face-to-face meeting so I can explain the entire plot and what I want from her… what I want her to do with the character.’

Marta went to her office and a smile showed up on her face. She sat down at her desk looking at a fixed point in the corner of the ceiling, while she was swinging with the rotative chair.

She was randomly transposed to her wedding party.. when she was seeing Fina dance with Esther in the middle of the crowd… her hips swinging like they were bearing the rings of Saturn… her hair strands on her face, melting onto the glowing skin… a goddess.

Marta shook her head to wake herself up from fantasizing.

‘What the… get your head in the game, for fuck’s sake.’ Whispered Marta. She grabbed her phone and started to scroll through Instagram, then instinctively typed Esther’s name in the search bar… they were following each other, of course but the algorithm didn’t show Esther’s posts lately. She knew Esther moved to Canada for a couple of projects but was sure Fina would go with her. There are plenty of opportunities there, as well. As Marta was scrolling through her profile, she only saw pics with food, Esther alone, nature reels and BTS from projects, but no sign of Fina.

Marta frowned, felling a little bit confused but at the same time, a feeling of calm showed up in her body.. her thinking that they might have broken up. But only an year passed and they looked so happy then… she didn’t know if she should feel sad or… content.

‘Maybe they don’t post pictures with each other.. that’s normal, right? They like privacy.. I mean who doesn’t?’ Marta murmured all by herself.

Then she went back to the search bar and hesitating to type for a second. Then she took the courage and searched Fina’s name, finding her account.

She had such a beautiful profile picture.. a selfie with the sun hitting her face, making her beauty radiate. Marta tapped on it to see it closer and then she started to scroll, looking for… looking for what exactly? She asked herself… then she realized she wanted a confirmation that Fina was single now and was looking for pictures with Esther, and she found them. They even had a picture from Marta’s wedding… Esther was grabbing Fina’s thigh in front of her, while Fina had her arms wrapped around her neck.. they were looking at each other with huge smiles. They look so in love.. Thought Marta.

In between pictures with nature and books, Fina’s account was lacking of pictures with Esther in the last 3 months. Did something happen or..?  Why do I care? Marta immediately locked her phone, frowning and being frustrated with her thoughts and feelings. She got up, took a sip of coffee and went straight to the writers room for a last meeting before starting to film.

Later on, Maria went to find Marta on the terrace, smoking.

‘Ma’am.. excuse me!’ Maria was always acting shy around Marta, she really feels so small compared to her… she admires her work and dedication… but from a distance. Not that Marta seems unapproachable, but her confidence and authority are intimidating to almost everyone.

Marta turned around when hearing Maria.

‘Yes, Maria. Tell me..’ She smiled softly while Maria got closer.

‘I.. I didn’t wanna disturb you, ma’am. I just wanted to let you know that I called Miss Valero and she was really happy for the news and we scheduled a meeting for tomorrow morning.’ Maria smiled and put her hands behind her back like a silly kid.

‘Great… I am so glad we found her.’ Marta took a puff of her cigarette before speaking again. ‘She’s so good, right? Like… amazing.’ Marta noticed a strange look on Maria’s face so she spoke again.

‘I mean for this role… she’s amazing for this role.’ Marta smiled, trying to make sure she was understood.

Maria nodded, smiling.

‘Yes, indeed. You have a great eye for choosing actors, Mrs. Marta.’

Marta rolled her eyes and touched Maria’s arm gently.

‘How many times have I told you to call me Marta.. there’s no need for so many formalities, please. We’ve been working together for almost two years  now.’ Marta smiled while finishing her cigarette.

Maria felt weak on her feet the moment Marta touched her arm, not knowing where to look first.

‘Ok, I will call you Marta… ma’am.’ They both started to laugh.

‘Yes, please try! I’ll see you tomorrow morning.’ Said Marta while touching Maria’s upper back.

‘Bye.’ That’s all Maria could say while following Marta with her eyes, feeling chills all over her back, especially where Marta’s hand touched her.

‘In another life maybe…’ Maria whispered to herself with a sadness inside that felt so familiar.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

‘So you found one.. and are you content?’ Asked Pelayo.

‘Content? I am so excited and I hope you are sitting down cause when I will tell you who is the actress, you will pass out from the shock.’ Said Marta teasing her husband.

‘Marta… tell me already. You know how much I hate suspense.’

‘Remember Esther Perez? She attended our wedding, too.. the redhead..’

‘Of course… she came accompanied by that beautiful girl.. um, Serafina as far as I remember?’

‘Your memory is still good.’ They started to laugh..

‘Oh wait… IS IT HER? Did you hire Serafina?’ Pelayo asked on an excited tone.

‘Mhm, I sure did. Tomorrow we have the first official meeting so I can explain to her the idea of the film and details about her character.’

‘Oh my God, darling. I am so happy for you. This film is going to break barriers, you’ll see.’

‘Thank you.. damn, I have such a supportive husband.’ Said Marta while playing with her hair, feeling a little bit uncomfortable, not knowing why.

‘How can I not be supportive when my wife does wanders.. at work.. in bed.’ Marta got up from the couch at the sound of that while still playing with her hair.

‘Pelayo..’ Said Marta as if someone could hear them.

‘What? It’s true.. I miss you, I miss you body, your kisses, your touches, your….’

‘Pelayo, stop. It’s not the time.. this is.. this is not helping the situation. You are there, I am here… hopefully we’ll see each other soon.’ Marta said on a serious tone.

A silence from Pelayo’s side was felt even from another continent.

‘I have to go get ready for dinner. Talk later.’ Said Pelayo.

‘Take care.. I-‘ Marta was cut out by the beeping… Pelayo immediately hung up. She knew he didn’t like her reaction but… she didn’t feel like talking about intimacy over the phone. She realized she didn’t say she missed him, too. But she also didn’t regret it. That’s not normal in a marriage, right? You always have to say it back… or not, especially when you don’t actually feel it.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

*next morning*

Marta woke up before her alarm, knowing she has so much to do and it’s the day when she gets to meet Fina again… Why do I feel nervous suddenly? It’s normal… the film is becoming more real and I am getting closer and closer to creating it. Yes, it’s that. We have the meeting with Fina, too. I need to tell her all the details about her character… she’ll do amazing even if it’s a complex character. it’s gonna be okay.

Marta’s thoughts were starting to overwhelm her but she decided to ignore them and make some coffee instead. She played some music on her JBL speaker and started to dance in her huge kitchen on the rhythms of some Brazilian dj. She loves electronic music, afro beats but when she wants to disconnect from everything, whiskey blues is the go-to genre.

As she poured her coffee into her black thermos, she was thinking about what outfit she should wear. She looked outside and it was raining so not a chance for a sunny day. She went upstairs into her bedroom and was trying on several outfits… from paint suits to dresses and sporty pants… she was starting to get annoyed, not being able to choose something right for… for what exactly. She never had a problem choosing her outfits… she always knows what she wants… but today it feels like that Marta is not here.

I wonder what she will be wearing… who? Fina? Why do I even care? Why is she in my mind at 6 in the morning, for fuck’s sake… Stop it, Marta. Choose one damn outfit and get the fuck out.. you’re gonna be late. You have to check the script one more time with the team.. then the meeting with Fina… Fina.. yes, Fina. Why am I a mess… what the hell?

Marta was sitting on her bed having all these insanely messy thoughts. She came back to reality, got up with confidence, looked in the mirror and said out loud while looking herself in the eyes: ‘Bold? Bold it is…’

She grabbed a black button-up Tommy Hilfiger shirt with small red details on the hems, a pair of loose black pants and a pair of black loafers. Underneath the shirt she was wearing a white top that was glued to her skin and with a very generous low-cut neck. She wanted to button up the shirt but decided to leave it open… for secret admirers. She let her hair down, put her sunglasses up even if it was not sunny but it looked sexy and stylish. Marta was suddenly feeling very sexy today and very confident.. as always, trying to forget she had a weakness moment earlier.

She got out of her penthouse and was heading towards the elevator. She arrived at the underground parking and went to one of her cars. Today she felt like black was her color so she chose  the black Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon. She also has a white Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet, her favorite and the one she loves to drive in the city, especially during summer nights.

She arrived at the studio and immediately went to Maria’s office, but it was empty. She hasn’t arrived yet, but Marta noticed that something was smelling really nice, but it wasn’t a perfume. It smelled like a flower.. something very familiar… so she took a look around the office and noticed some lilies of the valley in a vase. She got closer and bent down a bit so she could smell them, deeply inhaling the fragrance.

‘Good morning, ma’am.. I mean, Marta.’ Said Maria, trying to avoid her little heart attack at the sight of Marta bent down on her desk, her perfect ass welcoming Maria. What a damn way to start your day.

Marta immediately turned around, startled.

‘Morning, Maria. I am so sorry I entered your office while you were not here, but I was looking for you and then I felt the fragrance of those amazing flowers and I had to take a minute and smell them. They… they have a special meaning to me.’ Said Marta on a sad note at the end.

‘Don’t worry… I bought them yesterday. I always like to buy myself flowers, but these ones are my favorites. I’m sorry if I am being nosy, but I have a feeling they bring you sad memories.’

Marta slightly smiled…

‘They kinda do. They were my mom’s favorites and she always had the garden filled with them.

Maria placed her hand on Marta’s arm.

‘I’m so sorry… if you want, I’ll take them out.’

‘No, no.. please. Keep them. It’s alright. I’ll see you in 30 minutes in the writers room to go over the script once again and then I’ll have the meeting with Fina.’

‘Sure.’ Maria tried to keep her composure at the sight of Marta… and how she looked in that freaking cool outfit.

Hours passed and the time of the meeting with Fina arrived. Marta went one more time to the bathroom to check herself in the mirror and reapply some lipstick. Then she went to the meeting room and was waiting for Fina to arrive… She sat down on her rotative chair, and while she was waiting, her anxiety started to build up, forgetting for a second about her confidence.  She kept checking her clothes if they were in place or if it was all perfect regarding the script, because all she knew was perfection, everything had to be perfect, her films, her shots, her life… little do people know that perfection doesn’t exist and it destroys you if you force it.

Suddenly the door opened and Maria entered first, followed by Fina.

‘Mrs. Valero is here.’ Said Maria in a professional tone.

Fina steps inside, and for a fraction of a second, Marta forgets how to breathe.

She’s dressed in a tailored black blazer, cinched at the waist with a delicate gold buckle, framing her silhouette sharply yet effortlessly. Beneath it, a black lace camisole hints at softness against the structured lines of her outfit… a contrast that feels deliberately dangerous. The fabric barely grazes her skin, like it was made to be touched but never claimed.

Her high-waisted trousers, sleek and form-fitting, flow into pointed stiletto heels… power in every step. Her dark hair is swept back into a loose, low bun, but a few strands have slipped free, framing her face in a way that seems both accidental and intentional. A deep red lip, bold against her light-kissed skin, completes the look.

Marta barely moves. She only grips the pen in her hand tighter, the weight of her own stare pressing against her ribcage.

‘Director…’ Fina greets smoothly, her voice like warm honey with an edge of mischief. She slides into the seat across from Marta, crossing one long leg over the other. Effortless. Unshaken. Entirely aware of the effect she has. Fina knows her energy is heavy… in a good way. She knows what she is doing and how people around her are attracted to her aura like a magnet.

Marta clears her throat, shifts in her chair, and forces herself to remember who she is. The one in control. The professional. The perfectionist.

‘Let’s get started, shall we?’ she says. But even as the words leave her mouth, she knows it’s a lie.

It already started the moment Fina walked in.

Fina leans back in her chair, draping one arm casually over the armrest as she takes her time. Her gaze flickers down, slow and deliberate, tracing the way Marta’s black button-up hangs open just enough to reveal the white top beneath… tight, sculpted against her chest, hinting at skin that looks entirely too soft. The fabric dips just enough to draw the eye, and Fina follows the curve unashamedly.

Marta feels it.

A warmth creeping up her neck, a tightness in her stomach as Fina’s gaze lingers, like she’s committing every inch of exposed skin to memory. It’s not subtle. The way her eyes darken slightly, the way the corner of her mouth twitches… like she’s enjoying the view far more than she should. Then, her focus shifts.

The silver rings on Marta’s fingers catch the light, and Fina watches as she absentmindedly taps her pen against the table. Elegant hands. Strong, but delicate. Her fingers, adorned with those simple yet striking rings, Fina tilting her head as if imagining how they might feel against her own skin.

Marta swallows hard, her pulse betraying her.

She shifts in her chair, fingers curling into her palm, forcing herself to ignore the way Fina is looking at her… like she’s being studied, unraveled, slowly and thoroughly. She has never felt this nervous or weak in a while… never maybe. She has the power.. always.

‘Something wrong?’ Marta finally asks, her voice clipped, controlled.

Fina smirks, her tongue darting out just slightly to wet her lips. She knows exactly what she’s doing.

‘No…’ she murmurs, voice smooth as silk. ‘Just… appreciating the details.’

Marta’s jaw tightens. This is going to be a long, long meeting.

She didn’t know how to react or what to say so she decided to move on to the script.

Marta exhales, flipping open the script, forcing herself to focus on the damn story and not on the way Fina is lounging in that chair, looking like she owns the room.

‘So… your character… She’s a woman who doesn’t believe in love…’ Marta starts, her voice steady, professional… despite the heat crawling up her neck.

‘She’s built a life around getting what she wants through charm, through seduction, through knowing exactly how to play people.’

Fina raises an eyebrow, intrigued. ‘What does she want?’

Marta exhales, tapping her pen against the table.

‘Power. Control. Security. She grew up with nothing, so she made herself into someone people desire, someone people chase. She doesn’t love… she conquers.’

Fina tilts her head, a slow smirk forming. ‘Hm.. Sounds fun.’

Marta ignores the way her stomach tightens.

‘At first, yeah. She sleeps with men, collects their admiration like trophies, but none of it touches her. It’s all a game. And then…’

She pauses, meeting Fina’s eyes.

‘Then, she meets him.’ Says Marta.

Fina leans forward slightly, interest flickering in her expression. ‘Ah.. And I thought we were gonna have some fun by meeting a woman.’

Marta didn’t say a word at first… she just stared into her eyes. ‘Are you the director?’ Asked Marta on a demanding tone.

Fina smirked shaking her head.

Marta pushes the script toward her, deciding to continue.

‘And he’s different. He doesn’t want to own her, doesn’t fall at her feet like the rest. He sees through her, past the performance, past the manipulation. And for the first time, she feels exposed. Really seen.’

Fina traces a finger along the edge of the script, considering. ‘So, he breaks her?’

Marta shakes her head. ‘No. He doesn’t try to fix her. He just shows her something real. Something she’s never had. And for the first time, she has to ask herself… does she even want the life she built? Or has she been running from something real all along?’

Silence stretches between them… like they both felt those questions deeply.

Fina slowly leans back again, one brow arching. ‘And let me guess… they fall in love.’

Marta shifts in her seat. ‘Something like that.. but I don’t do basic, so, as it is a psychological drama… The real conflict isn’t about falling in love with him… it’s about falling in love with herself. About seeing herself clearly for the first time and realizing she’s spent years running from the person she truly is. This isn’t a love story where a man "fixes" her. It’s a story where he becomes the catalyst for her own transformation. Maybe they don’t even end up together… because this was never about him. It was always about her.’

Fina watches her, gaze unreadable. Then, with a slight smirk, she murmurs…

‘Wow… now that’s a psychological drama worth watching… I’d play the hell out of her.’

Marta watches as Fina runs a fingertip along the edge of the script, continuing reading, her nails tapping lightly against the paper. The way she’s sitting… sprawled out in her chair, one leg crossed over the other, completely at ease… grates on Marta’s nerves. No one ever looks this comfortable in front of her.

Then Fina hums, flipping through the pages lazily. ‘You know…’ she whispers, ‘I think this woman… your protagonist… she’s starving.’

Marta frowns. ‘For what?’

Fina lifts her eyes slowly, and the weight of her gaze nearly knocks the air out of Marta’s lungs. ‘For something real. Something that doesn’t shatter when she touches it.’

Marta clenches her jaw. ‘That’s not in the script.’

Fina leans in slightly, her perfume wrapping around Marta like a threat. ‘No, but it’s in you.’

The room tilts. Marta swears she still has control, but the way Fina is looking at her… like she’s already figured her out… makes her stomach tighten.

Then Fina does something Marta doesn’t expect.

She reaches across the table…. slow, deliberate… and plucks the pen from Marta’s fingers. The brush of skin is barely there, but it burns.

Marta swallows. ‘What are you doing?’

Fina twirls the pen between her fingers, inspecting it like it holds the secrets of the universe. Then, she smirks.

‘Just seeing how much control you actually have.’

Marta exhales through her nose, heat crawling up her spine. This woman… this actress… is dangerous. She doesn’t obey. She doesn’t shrink. She doesn’t ask for permission. Great for the character but in real life…

And for the first time in a very long time, Marta feels something she swore she’d never feel in her own domain.

Unsteady.

After finishing reading the script… Fina had a satisfied expression on her face.

‘So… what do you think overall?’ Asked Marta on a professional tone.

‘You spend all this time trying to shape her... but I wonder if you’re scared she might remind you of something you’ve buried.’

Marta’s breath catches. For a brief moment, it feels like Fina can see right through her.

But before Marta can respond, Fina leans back again, too nonchalant, too easy, like she’s already won.

‘You know, director... I think I could make this character unforgettable. But, of course, I’ll need your full attention.’

Marta holds her gaze, fighting the sudden rush of heat in her chest.

‘You already have it.’ Said Marta on a tone wrapped in confidence but inside… inside there was more.

Fina just smiles, and for the first time, Marta isn’t sure if she’s the one in control anymore.