SHATTERED SILENCE
898 Words
*MONROE LUXE HEADQUARTERS – MORNING*
*The hum of office life is slightly off. The absence of the CEO is beginning to weigh on the staff. Vici hasn’t been seen or heard from in two days.*
*SECRETARY* *(to herself, pacing nervously)*:
"This isn’t normal… Miss Vici never misses work without notice…"
*She glances at the clock again and sighs. Pulls out her phone. Dials Selena.*
*SECRETARY (on phone):*
"Good morning, Ms. Hart. I—I’m sorry to bother you, but it’s urgent. Miss Vici hasn’t been to work for two days. Her phone is switched off and I don’t know what to do."
---
*. SELENA’S OFFICE – CONTINUOUS*
*Selena stands up sharply, phone pressed to her ear, brows drawn together.*
*SELENA:*
"She hasn’t answered my messages either. That’s not like her… I’ll head to her place right away."
---
*VICI’S APARTMENT – LATER*
*Selena knocks several times. Silence. She calls again. Still switched off.*
*SELENA (murmuring):*
"No… no, no… this isn’t like her."
*She fishes through her wallet and finds the spare key Vici once gave her. Heart pounding, she unlocks the door.*
---
*INT. VICI’S LIVING ROOM – MOMENTS LATER*
*The space is dim and quiet. The scent of faint smoke lingers. Selena calls out, carefully stepping in.*
*SELENA:*
"Vici? You home?"
*No answer. She walks toward the bedroom slowly, something tight in her chest.*
---
*INT. VICI’S BEDROOM*
*The door creaks open. Selena gasps.*
Vici is sitting on the floor, knees drawn to her chest, tear-stained face turned toward the window. Her usually flawless makeup is smudged. Surrounding her are burned papers, some half-crumpled and others scorched at the edges — pieces of a file. Candles burn low beside them.
*SELENA (rushing in):*
"Vici! Oh my God—what happened?"
*Vici doesn’t speak. She just blinks slowly, then looks at Selena with red, tired eyes.*
*VICI (voice barely audible):*
"I thought I was fine… but I’m not."
*SELENA (kneeling beside her):*
"Is this about the file I gave you? The one on Donovan?"
*Vici glances at the pile of charred paper.*
*VICI:*
"I shouldn’t have read it… or maybe I should’ve… I don’t know anymore."
*Selena gently puts a hand on her shoulder.*
*SELENA:*
"You don’t have to talk right now. I’m just glad you’re okay."
*A long silence stretches. Then, softly:*
*VICI:*
"He’s connected to something I’ve tried so hard to bury."
*Selena says nothing. Instead, she starts clearing the floor quietly, picking up what’s left of the pages.*
*VICI (whispers):*
"It’s like... the moment I saw his name in that file, everything collapsed."
*Selena gives a small nod, sitting beside her now, shoulder to shoulder.*
*SELENA:*
"Then we’ll figure it out. One piece at a time. But not today. Today, we just breathe."
*A beat.*
*VICI:*
"Do you think he knows who I really am?"
*SELENA:*
"I don’t think so. But if he does… he’s playing it well."
*VICI (coldly):*
"Then maybe it’s time I stop playing."
---
*DONOVAN’S POV – “Echoes of a Shadow”*
*GREY ENTERPRISE – EXECUTIVE FLOOR – NIGHT*
The office was silent, except for the rhythmic clicking of a luxury pen between Donovan Grey’s fingers. His desk was littered with open folders, digital reports on screen, and one photo — hers.
*Donovan (muttering to himself):*
"Vici Monroe… you’re too perfect."
He turned the photo in his hands again, staring deeply into the eyes of the woman he couldn’t get out of his head. Not just because of the recent business deal. Not just because she was intimidatingly powerful. But because her face haunted him.
Because it reminded him of *her*.
The woman he once loved and lost in the States. The woman whose silence still echoed.
*PRIVATE LOUNGE – EARLIER THAT DAY*
*Reinhardt*, one of Donovan’s longtime board members and an old family friend, had warned him:
*Reinhardt:*
"You’re not seeing this clearly, Donovan. This partnership with Monroe Luxe might be more than you bargained for. That woman? She’s not just sharp — she’s hiding something."
*Donovan:*
"I know."
*BACK TO PRESENT:*
Donovan snapped out of the memory and pressed a button.
*Donovan:*
"Get me Lena. Now."
A few moments later, *Lena*, his personal assistant, entered the room.
*Lena:*
"You asked for me, sir?"
*Donovan:*
"I want another sweep on Vici Monroe. Her past. I want details, not what’s been polished for the press."
*Lena (hesitating):*
"We’ve already checked her files. They’re clean. Even private databases came up with nothing unusual."
*Donovan (sharper):*
"That’s exactly the problem. No one is that clean. Everyone has a thread. I want you to pull hers."
*Lena nodded cautiously.*
"Understood."
As she turned to leave, Donovan added:
*Donovan:*
"Start with her foster family. Something tells me they’re holding more than they let on."
*MONROE LUXE – NEXT DAY*
Meanwhile, back at Vici’s company, *Jared*, her head of operations, exchanged whispers with another senior manager, *Camille*.
*Jared:*
"She’s been off for two days. And Selena says even her phone’s been off."
*Camille:*
"You think she’s cracking?"
*Jared:*
"No. But something’s definitely going on. And it started after that deal with Grey."
*DONOVAN’S PRIVATE QUARTERS – NIGHT*
Later that night, Donovan stared at the old photo of his ex once again. The resemblance to Vici was uncanny.
And for the first time in years, Donovan Grey — calculated, ruthless, unbothered — felt something close to confusion.
*Donovan (whispering):*
"Who are you, Vici?"
---
- Writer
