Ellen’s Jealousy

INTERIOR. VISCONTI MANSION. OLD STUDY

Adrian did not get far from his room where he had left Nora. Ellen intercepted him barely a few steps into the quiet corridor.

ELLEN (whispering): Over here!

Not giving him time to react, she dragged him towards the old, long-unused wing of the mansion, into a study cluttered with ancient books. Here, no one could see or hear them.

ELLEN (emotionally, with resentment): Adrian?! What is going on? I asked you to help me, and you brought... your mistress! What kind of game is this?

Seeing how distressed Ellen was, Adrian hastened to reassure her.

ADRIAN: Calm down, Ellen. It’s not what you think. Nora is Theo’s former love. I hired her specifically to seduce him and free you.

Ellen sighed with relief.

ELLEN: Hired? So you are not lovers?

ADRIAN: I am merely using her. Our entire relationship is a game. The faster I incite obsession in Theo—jealousy, the desire to reclaim what once belonged to him—the faster you will be free. She is just a tool.

Ellen’s jealousy and resentment dissolved, replaced by a feeling of deep gratitude. She realized how important he was, how indispensable. All she wanted at that moment was to feel his warmth, his undeniable protection. Ellen allowed herself to be vulnerable with him. She stepped forward, pressing her entire body against his chest, seeking comfort.

ELLEN (Voice trembling, barely audible): I... I was so afraid you had abandoned me. I have no one else to rely on, Adrian. You are the only one who can save me.

Once, long ago, Adrian would have given a great deal for a single moment like this—to hold her, to feel her fragile, warm body pressed against his. He once idolized this woman. But now, even though Ellen was so close, embracing him, he felt not the slightest desire for her as a man.

Her words were an admission of dependence. It was a plea for help. But Adrian did not reciprocate. He gently, yet firmly, detached Ellen from himself, placing his palms on her shoulders and softly moving her back to arm's length.

ADRIAN: We can’t let anyone see us together. I’ll go down to breakfast. You come down afterward.

The cold, pragmatic necessity of adhering to the rules. The embrace had lasted only a moment, but his withdrawal felt like an endlessly prolonged rejection. He turned, and without looking back, headed for the door. Ellen remained standing in the middle of the room, feeling the cold air fill the spot where his warmth had been just a second ago.

INTERIOR. VISCONTI MANSION. DINING ROOM. MORNING.

The dining room was bathed in soft morning light. The table was impeccably and elegantly set for breakfast. Theo was already seated, gloomy and contemplative, sipping his coffee. Adrian entered, looking fresh and self-assured.

ADRIAN: Good morning, Theo.

THEO: With your appearance, I can’t say the morning is truly good.

ADRIAN: And how have I ruined your morning, little brother? Perhaps Nora and I were too loud and prevented you from sleeping?

The men exchanged icy stares.

THEO: I’m a sound sleeper.

ADRIAN: Oh really?! Your dark circles suggest otherwise. By the way, Theo, I also want to go to the firm today.

Theo looked up, his eyes filled with irritation.

THEO: Why?

ADRIAN: What kind of question is that? I am a shareholder and co-owner. I don't have to ask your permission. Or have you forgotten?

The tension in the room escalated. At that moment, Ellen appeared in the dining room—the epitome of restrained elegance: a demure, perfectly tailored dress in a pastel shade, minimal jewelry underscoring her impeccable taste. No sooner had she taken her seat than Nora appeared. Unlike Ellen, she was dressed in a beautiful, sexy dress that Adrian had chosen for her to maximally provoke Theo. The dress clung to her figure, emphasizing every curve, and seemed conspicuously inappropriate for a morning breakfast. Adrian, seeing Nora, stood up and pulled her close.

ADRIAN (loudly, with defiance): You took a long time to get ready, I already missed your scent and your body.

He brazenly ran his hand down her thigh, his fingers lightly squeezing her waist. Nora flinched at this public display; she was uncomfortable and ashamed, but she instantly put on the mask of the carefree mistress, leaning against him and giving a faint smile. Adrian lowered his head and kissed her neck in front of everyone.

ADRIAN (looking Theo straight in the eye): You still smell of me.

The blow landed. Theo’s face instantly turned ashen, his jaw clenched. Uncontrolled jealousy—it was exactly what Adrian expected to see, and he got it. Watching Theo seethe with anger, seeing his feigned composure crumble, was a feeling of victory for Adrian, one that intoxicated him more than expensive whiskey. He revelled in this power, his eyes fixed on Theo, to savour every second of the humiliation.

While Adrian was playing with Theo's emotions, Ellen fought an internal storm. Yes, she knew about the plan. She understood that this game was necessary to achieve their goal. But to see Adrian, her beloved, so overtly enjoying touching this semi-naked woman was unbearable. Yet Adrian, engrossed in his duel and triumph over Theo, did not even notice her suffering. Ellen's pain remained invisible to him. Suddenly, Theo abruptly stood up.

THEO (Voice low, strained): Adrian, let’s go. Quickly. I need to deal with business, not listen to your... romantic revelations.

The men swiftly left, leaving Nora and Ellen in the dining room. As soon as the door closed behind the men, Ellen's face became cold, her gaze sharp as a knife.

ELLEN (coldly, without a hint of emotion): Sit down, Nora.

Nora slowly sank onto a chair. Ellen rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward.

ELLEN: I am grateful to you for your work. Adrian explained your role and who you are very clearly to me. But I ask: finish everything as quickly as possible and disappear from our family. Your presence is an embarrassment to Adrian’s reputation and our honour.

NORA: An embarrassment? And how so?

ELLEN: It is not for me to explain to you that a woman of low origin cannot be with men like him.

NORA: And are you not bothered that your husband's former mistress, also of low origin, is in the house?

ELLEN: Why should that bother me? Let me explain everything to you, so there are no misunderstandings in the future. Theo is a bad person. He destroyed my relationship with Adrian and forcibly made me marry him. I endure humiliation every day from a man I don't love. I want freedom and to be with the man I love.

This was a revelation for Nora. Now she understood why Adrian was trying so hard to separate his brother and his wife—it was not merely revenge; it was the salvation of the woman he loved.

At that moment, Cecilia descended into the dining room with a frozen expression of noble disdain on her face. Ellen instantly transformed.

ELLEN (sweetly, with a slight smile): Good morning, Cecilia. You look wonderful. I am going to a charity auction now. I hope to bring a lot of money to the foundation.

CECILIA: Noble, Ellen. As always, you handle your duties beautifully.

Ellen left, leaving Nora and Cecilia. Cecilia approached the table, looking at Nora with such disgust as if she were a dirty, smelly animal.

CECILIA (addressing the servants, drawled): I will not sit down to eat with this wretch. Clear the settings.

Nora jumped up, all her submissiveness gone.

NORA: Allow me to remind you that you are no less a wretch than I! Because of you and your false accusations, I was expelled from the university!

Cecilia smiled maliciously.

CECILIA: Yes. I did that. Watching scum like you being publicly disgraced and expelled was very satisfying.

NORA: And what did I do to displease you so much? Was it that your Theo liked me?!

CECILIA: Liked you? Theo played with you and then discarded you himself when he got tired of you. It's just that a tramp like you had no place in a respectable educational institution. I got rid of you then. And I will get rid of you forever now.

Cecilia looked at two maids.

CECILIA: Bring down all of this vixen’s things from Adrian’s room. Absolutely everything.

The maids, in uniform, hesitated. They knew that Adrian’s wrath, when he returned, would be terrible. But Adrian was far away, and Cecilia Visconti was here and now. Her authority in this house, when the men of the family were absent, was absolute, undeniable, and cruel. She was feared more than any of the Viscontis.

They scurried upstairs and soon returned, barely holding armfuls of designer clothes: weightless silk, vulgar lace, furs, and piles of jewellery boxes, sparkling in the chandelier light. All of it was carelessly dumped onto the floor. Seeing that her order was carried out, Cecilia nodded. Two burly guards stepped forward.

CECILIA: Put this slut in front of me. On her knees.

The guards obeyed the order. Nora did not resist. She understood she was alone in the house and no one would come to her aid.

Cecilia walked over to a table against the wall. She picked up a pair of scissors and stopped directly above Nora.

CECILIA: You thought you would become part of my world? You are nothing.

The scissors plunged into the fabric. The sound of expensive silk tearing echoed. Cecilia took her time. She cut the sexy, form-fitting dress right on Nora, ripping it from the shoulder to the waist, turning it into rags. Finished with the dress, Cecilia, now triumphant and inspired, turned to the pile of things. She took the satin blouses and cashmere coats that Adrian had bought Nora and turned them into small, worthless scraps. Finally, she took on the jewellery boxes. Silver bracelets and rings with large, bright stones were carelessly thrown onto the floor by her. Cecilia raised her foot. Her stiletto heel crushed all the jewellery.

CECILIA: Someone like you cannot wear expensive jewellery!

NORA: Why do you hate me so much?

CECILIA: Because a nobody like you dared to think you could become part of high society. Know your place.

She pointed the guards toward Nora, who remained in shredded clothes.

CECILIA: Throw her out on the highway. In those cut-up rags. Without money and without a phone. Let her walk to her pathetic little town.

NORA: Adrian won't let you get away with this.

CECILIA: Adrian? Do you know how many women he has had? You are just another one-day toy. He will forget about you like a bad dream.

The guards grabbed Nora and dragged her away, not daring to disobey the mistress’s command.

The Dangerous Ride

EXTERIOR. HIGHWAY OUTSIDE LONDON. DAY.

A black SUV sped down the highway, carrying Nora away from the Visconti mansion. In the back seat, she was squeezed between two large, silent guards. Nora felt the lustful gaze of one of them, who sat to her right. His eyes were glued to her legs, exposed because of the torn dress.

GUARD 1 (hoarsely, leaning closer): Long drive, John? Maybe we should take a break?

GUARD 2 (smirking): You’re right. The mistress ordered us to dump her far away. But no one ordered us not to have some fun first. She's a whore anyway. Who wants a girl like that?

Nora went cold with terror. The sudden threat of dirty hands was worse than all of Cecilia's humiliations. Guard 1 brazenly placed his hand on her thigh, trying to slip it under the tattered hem. The second reached for her from the other side.

NORA (shrieking): Get your hands off me!

DRIVER (sharply, without looking away from the road): Stop it!

GUARD 1 (irritated): Come on, John. Who cares about her? She's not likely to complain with us. And who would believe her?

DRIVER (his voice turning to steel): I said, stop it. The order was to dump her. Nothing more. Don't you dare add to the filth.

The guards, growling with dissatisfaction, withdrew their hands. They were afraid of the driver, who was older and apparently held more weight in the household.

After a few minutes of strained silence, the driver slammed on the brakes. The car stopped on a deserted roadside, outside the city.

DRIVER: As per order. Get out.

The guards, angered that they had been thwarted, grabbed Nora. They carelessly shoved her out of the cabin onto the gravel shoulder. Nora fell.

GUARD 2 (through gritted teeth): Roll back to your town, slut.

The SUV screeched its tires as it turned around and vanished, leaving Nora alone, in her ripped rags on the empty, cold highway. It began to rain. Nora was trembling from the cold, shame, and fury. Twice humiliated, twice thrown out by the same family. Nora struggled to her feet. The road lay ahead.