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📍 Don Lothario's bedroom. 20:00 Evening.

The lamp emits a soft amber light. The sheets are crumpled, glasses of champagne are on the spa. Dina has just woken up. Don lies half-covered by the blanket, watching her.

Don (lazily): Do you like looking at other people's houses?

Dina (without turning round): I like to think what it would be like to live in a house with no plan. Just feelings. Mistakes. (pause) But then I remember: feelings don't pay the my bills.

Don (with a chuckle): You talk like you want to marry Mortimer, but you're sleeping at my place. You say he asked you to dinner?

Dina (stretching lazily): Dinner, a walk, wine, talking about eternal things… (grinning) All that's left is to pick the colour of the tablecloth for the wedding table.

Don: You walk too fast.

Dina (sitting down, looking at him straight on): You're too slow. If you want half, you stay close to Cassandra. I'm doing what needs to be done. Everyone has a role to play.

Don (squinting): And you want it all?

Dina (sits in the spa): I want what I'm supposed to have. After all I've put up with… these pathetic dates, their funeral for love… (whispering, moving closer to him)

Don: What about me?

Dina: And you're already in the epilogue, Donnie. Be smart. You want a piece of the Goth's Empire, stick close.

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Just wanted to say that your story is amazing! So glad your story popped up on my dash and I’m so glad that I found it. Hope you have am amazing day. ❤️

Thank you for such feedback! This motivates me to work on this story further. Today will be a continuation 🌸

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📍 Goth home. 13:00 Day. Cassandra returns from her studies. Dina is standing at the front door with a bag - she brought something "for Mortimer".

Cassandra takes off her headphones, freezes, seeing her.

Cassandra (discreetly): Miss Caliente…? What are you doing here?

Dina (smiling, a little awkwardly): Oh, Cassandra! I just… brought your father a pie. Homemade. Pumpkin pie.

Cassandra (coldly): That's odd. We didn't order pie. And you don't seem to be the type to bake just for fun.

Dina (laughing quietly): Sometimes I want to be useful, too. Especially when people around me are having a hard time.

Cassandra (harder): My mum's having a hard time right now, too. Wherever she is.

Pause. Dina doesn't answer. Just looks at her sadly. Silence.

Cassandra (in a slightly trembling voice): You're not trying to replace her… are you?

Dina (quietly, almost in a whisper): No one can replace Bella. (pause) I just… don't want him to be alone.

Cassandra walks past without looking back. Dina remains at the door, pie in hand.

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📍 20:00. A week ago. Cocktail-bar in San Mishuno's business district.

There's jazz playing in the corner. Mortimer sits at the bar, drinking whiskey, deep in thought. Dina Caliente walks in, notices him, doesn't immediately recognise him.

Dina (gently, a little surprised): Mr Goth?

Mortimer (turns round, smiles tiredly): Miss Caliente. What an unexpected meeting.

Dina (sits down next to me, makes a sign to the bartender): You look… not your usual self. (pause) Rough day?

Mortimer (sighing): Tough weeks. Months. (silence) Bella… still no news.

Dina (earnestly): I'm sorry. She's a bright woman. I've always envied her presence.

The bartender places a glass in front of Dina. She takes a sip, watching Mortimer.

Mortimer (weak smile): I envy anyone who can talk about her in the present tense.

Dina (softly): I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.

Mortimer: It's okay. It's just… weird sitting like this. In a bar. Alone. (pause)

Almost forgot how to talk to people.

Dina (smiling, leaning in slightly): Let's start with an easy one. What do you usually order when you want to forget yourself?

Mortimer (looking at the glass): Something that's a little less bitter than the memories.

They laugh. For the first time, genuinely.

Dina (after a pause): If you want company. I'm good at sitting next to you and keeping quiet. Sometimes it's better than words.

Mortimer (looking at her a little longer than he should): That sounds like a rare gift.

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📍 Morning. Mortimer wakes up. Bella is gone. The phone rings. Cassandra enters.

Cassandra (in a panic): - Dad… Mum didn't come home. I rang - her phone's switched off.

Mortimer (coming to the door, confused): - Maybe she… just went out for some air.

Alexander (from behind the door): I saw… there was a light at night. Above the house. It was green.

Everyone freezes. Silence. Anxiety sets in.

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📍 The Goth garden. It's night. Warm, crickets are chirping.

Bella (nervously): - I shouldn't have come. It's not right.

Don (softly): - It's not right to live as a ghost in your own life. I mean, you're alive, Bella. I can see that.

Bella (whispering): - What if he finds out…?

Don (leaning closer): - Then I'll say you smiled for the first time in a long time. And it was worth everything.

They kiss. Mortimer's bedroom window glows in the distance.

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📍 Goth Home. Living room. 00:07

Bella (from the back): - You've come late again.

Mortimer (tiredly): - We had a council. I stayed late at the lab. It's important.

Bella (turning round): - And I, then - not important?

Mortimer (staring silently, not answering immediately) - Bella, not today. I'm tired.

Bella (coldly): - You are tired. I am - fading away. Day by day. You don't even notice it.

Mortimer (tensely): - I do notice. I just. don't know how to help you.

Bella (bitterly): - Help? I'm not a patient, Mortimer. I'm your wife. Or was. Though frankly, I haven't felt like one in a long time.

He walks to the bedroom. She backs away and follows him.

Mortimer: - You've changed.

Bella: - I live with the shadows. In a house where every step is like a museum. Where the children grow up in silence and my husband hides behind papers. (quieter) - I don't want to die in this glass coffin.

Mortimer (resentfully): - So you find everything so unbearable here?

Bella (defiantly): - Unbearable is pretending we're doing fine. (pause) - I don't know what we've become. But we're definitely not a couple. And not a family.

Bella (quietly): - I want to get away. At least for a while. To breathe. To remember who I am.

Mortimer (almost whispering): - If there's nothing keeping you here - think about whether there's any point in coming back.

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📍 San Myshuno | Cocktail Bar

Don notices Bella, walks up to the bar.

Don (with a charming smile): - Don't tell me such perfection came here alone

Bella (surprised but reserved): - Perhaps perfection just came to take a break from talking.

Don (leaning closer): - Then allow me to break the silence... if only for one cocktail.

Bella (with a slight smile): - One - and only if you say nothing more about my looks.

Don (cheerfully): - Then let's talk about your voice. It sounds like a song you want to listen to over and over again.

Both of them are laughing. The first ice has been broken.

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Bella: - You didn't even notice what date it is today. Mortimer: - Wednesday...? Is something wrong? Bella: - Anniversary. Twelve years. We were at Sunset Valley, remember?

Mortimer: - I'm sorry, Bella. I got completely lost in my work...

Bella: - And I'm in a house where it's like I don't exist.