5 rounds or viral

Chapter 9: CHAPTER NINE: THE EDGE OF SILENCE



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EXT. UNIVERSITY CAMPUS – MORNING

Anissa walks across campus, eyes heavy, phone buzzing non-stop.

ON SCREEN:

STEVEN: "Pick up."

STEVEN: "You owe me answers."

STEVEN: "You're carrying my legacy. Act like it."

Her stomach turns. She silences it.

NELLY (O.S.)

"Hey, you okay?"

Anissa forces a weak smile.

ANISSA

"Yeah. Just... stuff."

NELLY

"You sure?"

Anissa shrugs, walks off.

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INT. ANISSA'S DORM ROOM – AFTERNOON

Anissa unlocks the door to find a small black envelope on her bed. No name.

Inside: a single ultrasound printout. Not hers.

A sticky note attached: "You're not the first."

Her heart pounds.

TANYA (O.S.)

"You really thought you were special?"

Anissa whirls around. Tanya's leaning in the doorway, arms folded, expression unreadable.

ANISSA

"How did you—?"

TANYA

Cold smile.

"Steven and I… don't have secrets. Or we didn't. Until you."

Anissa's pulse quickens.

ANISSA

"Why are you here?"

TANYA

"I'm not here to save you. I'm here to bury him."

She tosses a flash drive onto Anissa's bed.

TANYA (CONT'D)

"Every girl. Every NDA. Every transaction. And you're carrying the one thing I couldn't give him. That makes you valuable… for now."

ANISSA (shaking)

"I don't need your pity."

TANYA

"Good. I'm not offering it."

She turns to leave.

TANYA (over her shoulder)

"Call me when you're ready to burn him down."

And she's gone.

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INT. CAMPUS CAFETERIA – EVENING

Nelly sits alone, scrolling through old photos of her and Anissa. Guilt crushing her.

RONNIE (TEXT)

"Have you told her? Do your job. Or I'll tell Steven where your little sister works nights."

Nelly's stomach knots.

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EXT. PARKING LOT – NIGHT

Steven's car pulls up beside Anissa.

STEVEN

"Get in."

ANISSA

"No."

STEVEN

Voice darkening.

"Don't test me."

ANISSA

"You don't own me."

He steps out, grabs her wrist.

STEVEN

"I gave you life, money, a future. And you repay me with attitude?"

Anissa's tears blur her vision, but she doesn't back down.

ANISSA (voice cracking)

"You ruined me."

STEVEN (smirking)

"You're carrying my heir, sweetheart. That makes you family."

She yanks her hand free.

ANISSA

"I'll deal with this my way."

She walks off.

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INT. NELLY'S DORM – NIGHT

Nelly, pacing. Anissa barges in.

ANISSA

"I know about Ronnie."

Nelly freezes.

NELLY

"I… I didn't have a choice."

ANISSA (angry, betrayed)

"You sold me out!"

NELLY (tearful)

"I swear, I didn't mean for it to go this far. He threatened my family. I was scared."

ANISSA (voice low, broken)

"So was I."

Beat.

ANISSA (CONT'D)

"But you were supposed to have my back."

Nelly sobs.

ANISSA (quietly)

"Stay away from me."

Anissa leaves.

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EXT. ANISSA'S DORM – LATER

A notification pings.

$5,000,000 received.

STEVEN: "See you tomorrow. Two rounds. No delays."

Anissa stares at the message, trembling — then opens Tanya's flash drive. Her lips tighten as she sees video after video of other girls, bruised, crying.

ANISSA (whispers)

"This ends."

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FADE OUT.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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