Ella: You did a great job.
Damian: Thank you.
Ella (teasing): You even say thank you?
Damian: I do plenty of things you don't know about.
Ella: Well… I'll admit, I didn't know you could ride a horse.
Damian (smirks): I can also cook, drive almost any vehicle, and much more.
Ella (playfully): Can you drive a truck? Or a bus?
Damian: Never tried a truck… but I'm sure I could handle a bus.
Ella (straight-faced): You'd have plenty of side jobs, then.
Damian (smirk fades, looks at her): What do you mean by that?
Ella: (shrugs, teasing) Just saying… if acting ever gets boring, you've got plenty of backup careers.
Damian: (chuckles, but quickly hides it)shut up
Ella: (smiles) Mm. Imagine Damian—the bus driver. (pretends to announce) "Next stop—Hollywood!"
Damian: (tries not to laugh, looks away) You're insane.
Ella: (giggles, then softer) …But really, you were impressive out there.
Damian: (pauses, caught off guard, avoids her eyes) …Thanks.
(He takes a sip of water, pretending not to care, but his smile almost gives him away.)
Mr. Mah: Ella?
Ella: Oh, I'll be back soon. (to Damian, then walks away)
Damian: I was missing this stupidity. (glances at the script)
Mr. Mah: What are you doing here?
Ella: Damian called me.
Mr. Mah: He… called you? (speechless) We shouldn't even be shooting the drama today, and he still called you?
Ella: Why? (her smile fades)
Mr. Mah: Listen to me, just leave. I'll transfer your payment up to today.
Ella: Are you… (pauses, then forces a smile) firing me?
Mr. Mah: Only for a short term. Just don't tell Damian.
Ella: Actually, I'm his personal assistant. So shouldn't it be his decision whether to keep me or fire me?
Mr. Mah – I never said I'm firing you. Just… for some days, take a break.
Ella – Still, shouldn't it be his decision?
Mr. Mah – I brought you in, not him. That means I can decide when to keep you and when to let you go. (angrily) Right now, being around Damian isn't good for him—or his reputation. You know his mental condition.
Ella – (looking down) Am I… a toy for you, Mr. Mah?
Mr. Mah – Oh, come on.
Ella – (controlling her anger) I won't leave. Not at any cost. You can try, but I won't go unless Damian himself asks me to. I'm his medicine—you said that yourself. So let him have me until he's fully healed. (walks away)
Mr. Mah – Hey, you—Ella! (she keeps walking)
Damian – Hey, what happened? (looking at Ella)
Ella – (smiling) Nothing. He was just talking about your schedule.
Damian – Oh. (glances at Mr. Mah, then back at Ella, holding the script in his hand)
Damian (in his mind) – She's lying.
Scene: After the shoot
Ella takes out her phone, about to book a cab.
Damian: What are you doing?
Ella: Oh, just booking a cab.
Damian: Why?
Ella: What do you mean why? I need to go.
Damian: I mean, we already have a car. Why a cab?
(Ella glances at Mr. Mah.)
Ella: Fine, I just forgot. [smiles]
Damian: Get in, then.
(He opens the door and sits inside. Ella follows. Mr. Mah, still angry, also gets in but hides it so Damian won't notice. A heavy silence fills the car again.)
Damian (in his head): Now she's here, and still—silence. Come on, break it already.
(He coughs, trying to ease the silence.)
Ella: Water? [offers him the bottle]
Damian: No, thanks. [still not looking at her]
Ella: Okay.
Damian (in his head): Seriously? Just one word? What happened to those long paragraphs?