Luis and Lourdes had driven in heavy silence, neither willing to speak first for fear of igniting another argument. Being at odds was new to them, and in the deepest recesses of Luis’ mind he wondered if this dynamic would be permanent, further distancing him from his already fractured family.
Lourdes, who typically preferred peace over conflict, found herself bubbling with a rage so potent, she felt like a stranger to herself. For the first time she seemed to truly understand the truth of womanhood in her family. So much pain to hold back. So much poison to swallow down. It was clear to her now why her sister behaved the way she did. Before, Lourdes had loved Lena in spite of her violent nature. Now she wondered if that same violence was bravery instead.
(transcript below)
(LUIS): [Noticing Lena’s car] Let’s get this over with.
[As the siblings walk towards each other, the air is thick with tension. The one-two punch of seeing both of her siblings arrive mixes with Lena’s ongoing anxieties over Max. Betrayal and fear distil themselves into an ache in her chest, giving her a brief pause before she speaks. However, the silence proves too much for Lourdes and her rising panic makes her talk first]
(LOURDES): Lena…I know how this looks, but please. If you let us explain then I’m sure we can have a civil conv-
(LENA): Sure? Oh that’s funny. An hour ago I was sure my sister wasn’t a traitorous bitch.
(LOURDES): Lena! You don’t understand!
(LENA): Get the fuck out of my sight Lourdes, before I change my mind.
(LOURDES): I-
(LUIS): Go wait in the car.
[Lourdes, now devastated, stomps off in the direction of the car]
(LUIS): If it’s any consolation, she hated lying to you and mami, and probably she hates me now too.
(LENA): She can join the fucking club. What is wrong with you Luis? [Gritted teeth] Why would you do this? What was there to gain?
(LUIS): Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand. You have no idea what it’s like to atone for the sins of this fucking family.
(LENA): Oh give me a break! Do you think you’re the only one who’s been through shit? Who’s fucking sacrificed?
(LUIS): No. But unlike you, my shit isn’t self-inflicted.
[Lena punches Luis to the ground]
(LOURDES): [witnessing it] here we fucking go.
(LENA): [Flexing her hand] get up.
[Luis scrambles to get back on his feet]
(LENA): Do you know what your problem is? You don’t know how to de-escalate. You just expect people to back down and acquiesce to your point of view. [Luis gets back up, breathing heavily] …And if you can’t get your way, you provoke people into being their worst selves, so that you can say your hand was forced. Now we both know that shit doesn’t run with me, so how about you try telling the truth instead?
[Luis takes this opportunity to shove Lena to the ground, they fall together and immediately start fighting.]
(LUIS): [Breathless, mocking] that ‘I’m so tough’ shit is getting old, Lena.
(LENA): [venomous] Prick. [She surprises Luis by shoving him off her, quickly regaining the upper hand. Her gun clatters to the floor in the process.]
(LOURDES): [quiet, panicked] Oh fuck!
(LENA): Aw poor Luis, it’s so hard being daddy’s favourite, I’m such an angel! It’s my sister who’s a big bad monster! Boo-fucking-Hoo. [deadly] You know I promised mami I’d bring you home, I just didn’t say what condition…
[Lourdes sprints back into view, Roy’s black SUV pulls up]
(LOURDES): Lena! That’s enough!
[Lena releases him immediately, shocked out of her blind rage, the two sit, facing each other]
(LENA): …He’s fine.
[Car door slams, Roy steps out, but so does someone else]
a/n: only one more update left after this and then I am temporarily freeee!
start / previous / next
(transcript below)
[Luis scrambles to his feet, in the background, now holding his sister’s gun]
(LENA): How are you here?
(MAX): I- um, Roy helped me with…I needed to see you.
(LOURDES): [Quietly] Luis are you okay? Do you need a hospital?
(LUIS): [Hoarse] I’m fine. [He points the gun] And I’m sorry Roy, but when all is said and done, you’re a loose end.
(ROY): [holding max at gunpoint] I have to say, you’re not the one I thought would be holding that. Makes my insurance plan feel a bit flat. Tell your brother to drop the gun, Lena.
(LENA): [low, tense] Luis…don’t make them a part of this.
(LUIS): I’m sorry Max, I don’t know what my sister has you caught up in, but she should’ve known better.
(LOURDES): Luis please! Lena’s right! Let’s just go home. You don’t have to do this!
(LUIS): This doesn’t concern you Lourdes. Go back to the car.
(LOURDES): No! [She stands in front of him] We are going home! I will not lose another member of my family! Drop the fucking gun! [She turns around] Both of you!
(LENA): [Quiet, urgent] Luis. Come on.
[Luis sighs before dropping the gun into Lena’s hand. Satisfied, Roy lowers his gun and releases Max from his grasp. They remain utterly silent.]
(LENA): Alright Roy. Let’s call a truce. It’s been a long fucking day.
(ROY): …Fine. Just this once. It’s not fucking worth it anywa-
(LENA): [To Max, mouthing] Duck.
[max ducks, lena fires her gun, the bullet hitting roy square in the chest, he collapses to the ground, his own gun clattering on the gravel]
(LOURDES): [Horrified] Fuck! Why?
(LENA): [staring at max] he crossed a line.
[Lena walks towards Max, who now stands over Roy’s body]
(LENA): [gentle] Max?
(MAX): [Staring at Roy’s body] Yeah?
(LENA): Look at me.
[Slowly, Max meets Lena’s worried gaze]
(LENA): Are you okay? Did he hurt you?
(MAX): I’m good. Are you okay?
(LENA): [Surprised] I’m fine. Just…sorry you had to see that.
(MAX): Don’t be… I get why you did it.
[*]
[Lourdes and Luis watch on in the distance]
(LOURDES): [Realising] Oh.
(LUIS): That doesn’t concern us. We need to get out of here.
[*]
(MAX): What happens now? Do you need to sort things with your siblings?
(LENA): They’ll be fine. What do you need?
(MAX): …Can we go back to yours? Don’t think I should be alone after all this.
(LENA): Of course.
(MAX): And…what about Roy? It’s not just him…in the boot there’s-
(LENA): [Understanding] I’ll take care of everything. Just trust me.(MAX): …I do.
(ROY): This isn’t the time for remorse, kid. I told you when this started that you’d have to do some difficult shit. Instead of sulking, focus on your goal. The end will justify the means.
[ROY’S PHONE RINGS]
(ROY): I need to take this. Afterwards I’ll drop you home.
a/n: welcome to the part 1 finale of wifey! I’m so glad you’re here! there’s so much to share in this chapter and I needed to close out this section of the story on a round number so i’m going to split it into acts! hope you enjoy ❤️
When Luis was young, his father seemed gigantic to him. He was broad shouldered, statuesque and seemed to absorb every space he was in. At the time, Winston often assured his son that one day, he too would get his 6 '4 height but instead he grew to an unremarkable 5' 10. It was as though the universe was forcing him to know his place, like the firmness of his father’s hand wasn’t enough.
Years later, when Winston keeled over on a cliffside in Selvadorada, Luis finally saw his father for who he was. Not a giant, but a man. One so deeply afraid of what he might lose, that he could never fully accept what he had gained. It was down to Luis to play his father’s role, and keep his family from disintegration. But though he knew the lines, his performance always fell short. The costume was ill fitting and the ghost of his father loomed in every corner, casting a large shadow over his first and only son.
It was almost predictable then, when in the quiet of late night drives or the still dark of his bedroom before sleep, images of a life beyond his current circumstance started to flash through his mind. What was surprising, is that in a rare act of benevolence, the universe appeared to gift it to him.
(transcript below)
[NINE MONTHS EARLIER]
(LUIS): Why come to me?
(ROY): Enemy of my enemy. God saw fit to deal with your father. It’s up to me to handle the rest.
(LUIS): I see…and you’re sure this will work?
(ROY): I’m certain. You help me, I help you. We both get what we want.
(LUIS): Alright…I’m in.
[SEVEN MONTHS EARLIER]
(LOURDES): Have you lost your entire mind?!
(LUIS): Lourdes-
(LOURDES): Dad hasn’t even been dead a year and now you want to break Mami’s heart all over again? You want me to lie to my only sister?
(LUIS): Lourdes please. What I’m doing will save our family. It will make us better!
(LOURDES): You don’t know that! I feel like you’re not telling me the whole story. I don’t get why we just can’t go to Lena and Mami-
(LUIS): Because they won’t understand! Do you honestly think I’d ask you to help me if I wasn’t desperate? You’re the only person I trust in this world! I need you by my side on this. And you’re right, I’m not telling you everything, but it’s because you don’t need to know. You have to let me protect you, just like I'm trying to protect Mami…[off Lourdes’ look] and Lena too.
(LENA): Just about. You’ve got about 10 seconds to start talking before you end up in the same position.
(ROY): [Sighing] This was never about you Lena. You shouldn’t have been caught up in the crosshairs. If I had my way you would have been clued in from the start, but your brother-
(LENA): My brother?
(ROY): Yeah. Look, I can get him here tonight. Maybe even before, but you have to trust me.
(LENA): And if I don’t?
(ROY): It won’t stop what’s coming, but it’ll leave you in a shit situation. That isn’t a threat. It’s just how it is.
(LENA): …Alright, fuck it. You’ve got until sunset to bring him to me, and if you try to screw me in any way, shape or form, it won’t matter what’s in the future, ‘cause you won’t fucking have one.
[SHE LEAVES, SLAMMING THE DOOR BEHIND HER, ROY QUICKLY MAKES A CALL]
(LOURDES): It isn’t me who needs protecting. If you let me come with you I can help! You two always end up putting hands on each other and it makes things worse!
(LUIS): Lourdes, it’s bad enough I’ve been summoned here like a petulant child, I don’t need you talking down to me like one as well.
(LOURDES): I’m not but-
[Roy’s phone begins to buzz]
(ROY): I need to take this. This childish shit better be wrapped up when I return.
[Lourdes kisses her teeth, Roy steps out]
[*]
(ROY): Keep it brief, I’m busy.
(AISH): [panicked] I fucked up! They’re gonna wake up soon and Lily wants me to handle it but I can’t! I fucking can’t, they’re my best fucking friend!
(ROY): [Hushed] Slow down! Tell me what’s happened.
(AISH): Max just fucking turned up here, and they went in to see Lily and next thing I know Max is losing it and I had to fucking sedate them and-
(ROY): Stop rambling. Aish, listen to me. I’m gonna come and help you out. Max is still passed out right?
(AISH): Y-Yeah. They are.
(ROY): Good. Stay right where you are, don’t do a fucking thing until I get there. [He hangs up]
[.]
(ROY): There’s been a change of plans. You two go to Lena, while I handle a situation that’s come up.
(LUIS): That is not what we agreed.
(ROY): I don’t give a fuck Luis. Remember what you owe me. If we play this right, we’ll all end up better off. Man the fuck up and go and handle your family, I’ll be there later on.
Lily Feng was on a knife’s edge. Hosting the Diamond Gala wasn’t just a high honour, it was the final step in securing her husband’s political future. Whoever held the gala, tended to be a shoe-in to win the upcoming mayoral election. For years, Victor had come close, only to be pipped to the post by white mediocrity. This year was different. They had greased the right palms, said the right buzzwords and struck precisely enough fear into the hearts of their enemies. It had been a twisting, bloody road to get here and it would all be worth it. It just needed some final tweaks.
(transcript below)
(LILY): Good evening Royston. Tell me what you know.
(ROY): Things remain quiet with the boy. His sister’s still looking, but from what I can tell it’s yielded little to no result.
(LILY): Hm. And the other one? What do you know about Maxine Kyle?
(ROY): Ah, well I might have something for you on that…
***
(CLEO, VIA PHONE): I really think you should tell Max about your family Rosie. Especially if you’re considering staying in the city for them.
(ROSE): I will! I just. Sometimes it seems like we’re on the same page and we’re both really enjoying each other but other times it feels like I’m just… passing time for them. I don’t want to add potential family drama to the mix if we’re not getting serious.
(CLEO): Babe…Max is just like that. And you know they’re coming out of a hard time…When I introduced the two of you, I thought it’d be cute, but maybe it was too soon? I don’t know.
[Rose hums thoughtfully]
(CLEO): I do know that you shouldn’t be ashamed of your relatives though. You didn’t choose them and you’re your own person.
(ROSE): [Sighing] You’re right. I’ll talk to them after the charity thing. Get it all out in the open.
(ROY): Now that’s a Scott scowl if I ever saw one.
What is this?
(ROY): Oh come now Lena…is that any way to greet an old friend?
(LENA): Stop chatting shit Roy. Tell me why I’m here.
(ROY): Your lot never could take a joke. I can tell you’re on one today so I’ll make this quick. Just because you’re living in your brother’s penthouse, it doesn’t mean you’re him. you know full well that there’s a proper way to do things.
(LENA): You know that’s not why-
(ROY): Regardless. It’s best not to piss off the powers that be. So I’m gonna do you a favour. You’ll continue doing jobs with Dimitry here and I’ll do my best to still any waves your continued presence could make.
(LENA): What kind of jobs?
(ROY): Collections…security nothing too crazy. Pay’s 10%.
(LENA): Do I look like a dickhead to you? Actually you know what, fuck this and fuck you.
(DIMITRY): You’re embarrassing yourself Lena.
(LENA): Suck out Dimitry. (ROY): Fine. Sleep on it. But you only get to walk away from me once. We both know that.
