Marked by Power
991 Words
Weeks Later
“Cut!” the voice announced, tearing a sigh of relief from the male actor’s lips as his own almost brushed Selene’s. He backed away quickly.
“What is going on?” the director ranted, rising from his chair and closing in on them.
“You’re not giving it your best today… is something the matter?” he asked, tearing a dry chuckle from the man’s lips.
Selene shook her head and rose to her feet quietly, cold sweats breaking out across her forehead for reasons she could barely understand.
“I’ll take a short break…” she mouthed and wobbled past the crew dizzily.
The director’s lips parted to stop her, but Ava stepped in quickly.
“She’ll be right back, sir…” she mouthed with a smile and sprinted after Selene.
The annoyed man shook his head and turned his attention back to the male actor.
“That was so unnatural… I mean, everyone could see you shaking… it’s just a kiss scene…”
“Exactly.” The male actor cut in, rising to his feet and tossing the small towel in his hand to the ground.
“Do you realise what it would do to me if I dared let my lips touch a woman like her…”
The confused director raised a brow.
“What are you even talking about?” he asked, chuckling dryly, as it seemed to him the man was only making excuses.
“Selene’s barely available for shoots these days… and the one day she makes out time, you tend to screw it all up for me…”
“Because I can’t risk it…” the male actor snapped.
The man’s brow furrowed.
“What are you on about?”
“There are rumours that that woman belongs to someone really powerful, and I can’t afford to ruin my life because of this one role.”
The director batted his lashes, confused.
“You haven’t heard?” the male actor asked, chuckling in disbelief.
“I haven’t heard anything…”
“Why else do you think no other actor would take on this role with her?”
The man lowered his gaze, as though finally piecing it all together.
“You know what?”
He looked up.
“You’re going to have to find another actor… I’m out.”
He tore his gaze away from the stricken, silent director and brushed past him, excusing himself from the set.
“We can go to the hospital, Selene… you look really pale, and it’s getting me worried…”
“I said I’m fine, Ava.” Selene cut in, striking Ava to silence.
“I just need rest,” Selene added, stumbling her way out of the restroom.
Ava followed quietly, and soon they both exited the building, Ava scurrying past Selene to open the car door ahead of her.
“And who do we have here?” Marina’s voice echoed, halting Selene in her tracks.
She turned quickly.
“Selene… my long-lost lap dog,” Marina cooed, a small smile plastered across her lips as she closed in majestically.
“Congratulations on going back to work, girl… no wonder you’ve been distant lately,” Marina scorned.
Selene said nothing, lowering her gaze as she quietly drew in deep breaths, as though she didn’t want Marina to notice.
“My boss here has been really busy lately, ma’am…” Ava chirped in.
Marina scoffed, rolling her eyes and tearing her gaze from Selene.
“I came all this way for you, Selene…” Marina said, flicking her fingers to signal her assistant a few metres behind them to come over.
“Ma’am…” the girl bowed.
“I have a job for you, Selene… another job,” Marina said, flipping her long hair over her shoulder and snatching a picture from her assistant’s hand before tossing it at Selene.
Ava bit down on her lip, as if to stop herself from butting in.
Selene pressed a small nod, not even taking a look at the picture.
“I’ll do it…” she agreed.
Marina smiled proudly. “Good…” she scoffed, rolled her eyes again, and turned.
“And this time, Selene… I expect a lot more than just a kiss photo…”
Ava gasped, earning herself a hard glare from Selene.
“Anything you want, ma’am…” Selene added.
Marina scoffed and flipped her hair again, and without sparing Selene another glance, proceeded toward her car.
Selene exhaled quietly.
“Have you lost your mind, Selene… you know exactly what she’s asking of you this time… and you’re going to let yourself do it?” Ava ranted, stepping in front of her.
Selene hissed.
“It’s just s*x, Ava… it’s not a big deal.”
Ava chuckled dryly, shaking her head in disbelief as Selene brushed past her.
“There has to be another way, Selene…”
Selene said nothing and slipped into her car, leaning back as she clasped her eyes shut, drawing in deep breaths.
Ava slipped into the car too.
“But—”
“Relax, Ava… besides, I want to do this too… it’s the only way I can get my mind off that night,” Selene muttered, her voice weak and unsteady.
“What night, Selene?” Ava asked.
Selene’s eyes fluttered open, her lips curling under her teeth as the question dragged her mind back to the one memory that hadn’t stopped haunting her in weeks—the night with Matteo.
She exhaled and shook her head, as though to shove the thoughts aside. Tonight, she was going to let herself have another man. Besides, didn’t they say the best way to forget a man was through another?
“You’ve never said anything about that night to me… who it was you spent the night with.”
“Just drive, Ava…” Selene cooed, her eyelids clasping shut as the familiar wave of dizziness erupted inside her.
- Writer
