The warm light of the late afternoon, carefully designed to look natural, illuminated the set square. Emily, in her role as Ana, adjusted her posture and mentally prepared herself for the scene. She took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the words she would have to say. Artur, next to her, was focused, adjusting the sleeves of his shirt as he awaited the director's command.
"Attention, everyone, silence on the set!" announced the assistant director. "Scene 37, take 1. Action!"
Ana (Emily) was sitting on a wooden bench, her hands clasped in her lap. Her look was one of contained sadness, while the sounds around her, children's laughter and the rustling of the trees, seemed distant. Léo (Artur) approached with firm steps, but the tension in his shoulders was evident.
"So that's it?" Ana began, standing up abruptly, her voice a little louder than usual. "Are you just going to pack your things and leave like nothing happened?"
Leo sighed, stopping a few steps away from her. He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated.
"It's not like I'm running away, Ana. This is important for my career. An opportunity like this doesn't come around twice."
Ana laughed, but it was a laugh filled with bitterness.
"Of course, your career. Always your career. And me? Where do I fit into this, Leo?"
He took a step forward, trying to touch her arm, but Ana backed away.
"You don't understand, do you?" he said, his voice lower, but with a tone of urgency. "I want this, yes, but it doesn't mean I want you any less."
"Say that now, but in months, maybe years, you'll look back and realize I was just a burden," Ana retorted, her eyes shining with tears that she was trying to hold back.
Leo shook his head, clearly frustrated.
"Don't you trust me? I love you, Ana. That won't change, even with the distance."
She crossed her arms, as if trying to protect herself from his words.
"Love isn't enough, Leo. I've been through this before, and I know how it ends."
The silence fell between them, heavy. Emotions were overflowing, but neither of them knew how to move forward. Finally, Leo took a step back, his expression a mix of disappointment and resignation.
"I don't know what else you want me to say. If I stay, I'll end up blaming you for making me give up on my dreams."
Ana stood still, watching as he walked away. When he reached the edge of the stage, he stopped and looked back one last time.
"I just wanted you to believe in me, Ana."
With those words, he walked out of the scene, leaving Ana alone in the center of the square. The camera focused on her face, capturing the mix of regret, anger, and vulnerability. She sat back down on the bench, clasping her hands in her lap, and stared at the horizon, lost in her own thoughts.
"Cut!" Roberto shouted. "Excellent! Emily, Artur, the emotion was perfect. Let's adjust the lighting for the next take, but I think we already have enough material here."
Emily let out a deep sigh, leaving Ana aside for a moment. She looked at Artur, who was leaning against one of the set structures, looking relieved.
"Good scene, don't you think?" he asked, with a tired smile.
Emily nodded, still feeling the remnants of the intensity of the performance. "Yes, but that fight was exhausting."
The two laughed, relieving the tension, while the crew moved to prepare the next angle. Emily took advantage of the break to drink some water and review the script.
Emily was sitting in a chair near the set, with the script in her hands, trying to concentrate on the next lines. Dedication kept her focused.
A familiar sound vibrated in her jacket pocket. Taking out her phone, she saw a notification about the Aurora Artists Awards. Curiosity got the better of her, and she unlocked her phone.
The posts were everywhere: photos of the winning artists, videos of the event, and comments from fans and critics. Emily raised an eyebrow as she quickly scrolled through the content. A few familiar names popped up, and she found herself wondering if she would one day be among them.
Before she could think any further, director Roberto's energetic voice echoed across the set.
"Emily! Artur! Let's set the scene for the next scene. We need the energy up, guys!"
Emily hurriedly turned off her phone, putting it in her pocket. Taking a deep breath, she adjusted her posture and walked to the set, ready to dive back into Ana's shoes.
At the mansion, Matthew was in the office. His assistant was reading a detailed report on the performance of different areas of Lancaster Corp., but Matthew's concentration was interrupted by a notification on his own phone.
"Sir, is something important?" the assistant asked, briefly interrupting the report.
Matthew held up his hand, indicating that he needed to take the call. Leaning back in his chair, he listened intently as the person on the other end explained the situation.
"So Mary Mars went to Apex Talent Group with fake documents, trying to pose as Emily's relative and find out private information about her?" Matthew murmured, his expression changing to a calculated smile.
After a brief pause, he continued,
"Let her get some less accurate information. Feed some fake data into her systems. That should keep her busy for a while. I want her to think she's uncovering something important."
With that, he hung up and turned his attention to the assistant, who was waiting, still holding the report.
"Continue," Matthew said, gesturing to him.
The assistant adjusted the papers before continuing,
"Sir, the Aurora government has stepped up its actions against us in City A. Our hotels have been "checked" by agents four times in the past week alone."
Matthew rested his elbows on the table and drummed his fingers in a calm but thoughtful rhythm.
"How long ago did this start?" he asked, his voice steady.
"About a month, sir," the assistant replied.
Matthew let out a soft sigh before deciding,
"Contact Viktor. He'll know how to handle it."
The assistant nodded quickly and made a note.
"What about the reports from America?" Matthew asked, returning to his unwavering CEO posture.
The assistant continued, while Matthew began to plan his next moves.
On the set. Between scenes, Emily took advantage of the breaks to take photos with members of the crew. The conversations were lively, and the photos captured the vibrant energy of the set. While posing with a group near the set, Emily spotted Luisa Lars, whom she vaguely remembered.
Determined, she walked over to Luisa and, with a polite smile, commented
"So, how are you?"
Luisa, taken aback, hesitantly replied
"My scenes are over. I'm going back to Aurora tomorrow."
An uncomfortable silence hung between them for a few seconds before Emily gently responded
"If you need anything, just say so, okay?"
Luisa looked confused, but nodded hesitantly. Emily gave one last friendly look before turning to head toward director Roberto.
As Emily walked away, Luisa watched her briefly before calling her new assistant and walking toward the exit of the set.
Emily approached Roberto, who was intensely engaged in a conversation with his assistant. He gestured with his hands as he spoke
"For the next scenes, I want a setting in Florence. Something that captures Ana's dilemma. A place where she can reflect on whether or not it is right to "trap" Léo by her side."
The assistant quickly pulled out his phone and showed him some location options.
"This one," he said, pointing to the image of Piazzale Michelangelo, a square with a panoramic view of Florence, surrounded by stunning scenery.
Roberto examined the screen critically, analyzing the photos as the assistant explained the history and relevance of the location.
"Perfect," Roberto said, nodding. "Make the necessary arrangements for us to film there."
Emily, who had been listening in the background, lightly touched Roberto's shoulder.
"Will the local government authorize filming in a place like this?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Roberto turned to her, not hiding his slight annoyance.
"That's a problem for the organizers and sponsors to solve. I just take care of the art here."
The assistant nodded politely to Emily before leaving to follow the director's instructions.
"So?" Emily asked, smiling. "Will we still have more scenes for today?"
Roberto crossed his arms, exuding fatigue.
"If Arthur would stop improvising and follow the script, we would have finished filming by now."
"Hey!" shouted Arthur, who was passing by and had heard the comment. "I'm trying to make this movie a success!"
Roberto turned to him, irritated.
"You always make up stupid lines and force us to do reshoots, you blockhead!"
Artur dramatically put his hand to his chest.
"Emily, do you think the same? I'm here, giving 100% to ensure a big box office hit!"
Emily laughed, shaking her head.
"I'm fine with that, as long as you don't involve me. I just want to finish filming quickly and go rest."
Artur pretended to cry.
"You guys never give me the credit I deserve!"
Without patience, Roberto picked up a rolled-up script and lightly hit Artur on the head.
"Stop messing around and be serious, kid!"
Emily, still laughing, said
"Let's finish this quickly. I have a busy day after this."
Artur stopped the theater and, with a curious look, asked
"And what could be so hectic?"
Emily snorted.
"None of your business."
Roberto laughed, shaking his head.
"Let's go. We only have two more scenes to film."
Emily sighed in relief, ready to end the day on set.