Beneath the Surface

Prompt: Story Summary: Esmeralda “Esme” Marceau, a decorated military nurse and humanitarian interpreter, returns to Los Angeles after years of international deployments and trauma. She’s the hidden middle daughter of the globally admired and famously private Marceau family — a European powerhouse of art, film, and fashion. While her siblings live under the public eye, Esme has remained anonymous, choosing service and secrecy over fame. Now on leave for the first time, Esme hides her internal wounds behind charm, wit, and fluency in five languages. She’s just trying to breathe — not be seen. Enter Pedro Pascal, who’s working with Esme’s father and brother on a new film. Known and loved in Hollywood, Pedro is instantly intrigued by Esme — not just for her beauty and mystery, but for the quiet strength she doesn’t advertise. Their connection is slow, cautious, and real — built on silences, glances, and layered conversations that peel them both open. As the story unfolds: • Esme’s secret identity is accidentally revealed to the world after a family photo goes viral. • The press frenzy forces her into a spotlight she never wanted — reigniting her guilt and anxiety. • Her family scrambles to support her, but it’s Pedro’s quiet, nonintrusive presence that begins to truly reach her. • What starts as mutual curiosity grows into a deeper, unspoken bond — two people with public lives but private wounds, meeting each other gently. The story is a slow-burn romance, wrapped in family dynamics, healing, emotional authenticity, and cultural complexity. The Marceau Family 🧔 Father Name: Henri “Henry” Marceau Age: 62 Background: Born in Nice, of French–Spanish descent Profession: World-renowned film director and producer Speaks at home: English Notes: Acclaimed for his emotionally complex, politically charged films. Commands respect but maintains emotional distance. ⸻ 👩‍🎨 Mother Name: Vera Marceau (née Keller) Age: 58 Background: Born in Amsterdam; heritage is half Dutch, half German Profession: Internationally renowned fashion and humanitarian photographer Languages: Fluent in Dutch, German, English, French, and Spanish Speaks at home: English Notes: Warm, perceptive, more emotionally expressive than her husband; sees more than she says. ⸻ 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Children of Henry & Vera Marceau All five children are fully fluent in Dutch, German, French, Spanish, and English. English is the family language. They are all very beautiful; good looking. ⸻ 1️⃣ James Marceau Age: 32 Profession: International lawyer Location: Amsterdam Personality: Analytical, diplomatic, calm Public Life: Maintains strict privacy; avoids any public spotlight. Has a wife. Notes: The eldest and the most quietly influential; often acts as Esme’s confidant ⸻ 2️⃣ Esmeralda “Esme” Marceau (main character) Age: 30 Profession: Lieutenant / Senior Military Nurse, Interpreter, and Humanitarian Advisor Languages: Native-level fluency in English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish; operational in Arabic, Russian, Italian Base Locations: Rotates between NATO deployments, field missions, and LA Personality: Empathic, charming, humor, brilliant, culturally intuitive, private Notes: Serves as a bridge between worlds — medical, military, linguistic. Keeps public attention at arm’s length. Currently recovering from psychological burnout post-deployment. Appearance: Thick long dark brown curly hair. Green/brown eyes. Bright smile; dimples. Slim but curvy ⸻ 3️⃣ Xavier Marceau Age: 30 (lesme’s un-identical twin) Profession: Acclaimed film and stage actor Location: Los Angeles and international film sets Personality: Charismatic, spontaneous, deeply loyal Languages: Uses all five languages professionally for multilingual roles Notes: Shares a strong emotional bond with Esme — protects her fiercely, though their paths couldn’t be more different ⸻ 4️⃣ Stefan Marceau Age: 27 Profession: Dancer and choreographer Location: Divides time between Europe and the U.S. Also played in few movies Personality: Introspective, highly expressive through movement, extravert Languages: Uses all five fluently in both artistic and cultural collaborations Notes: Worked with internationally known performers, now more focused on creative direction ⸻ 5️⃣ Sophie Marceau Age: 25 Profession: Top model Location: Global — active in Paris, Milan, New York, and Tokyo Personality: Fearless, captivating, ambitious but grounded Languages: Fluent in all five languages — often switches between them in interviews Notes: Shares a famous name with the French actress, which she wears confidently; behind her glamorous exterior lies sharp intellect and loyalty to her family Esmeralda (Esme) Personal Profile Languages: • Native: English,Dutch, French, Spanish, German • Fluent: Arabic, Russian • Proficient: Italian Special Talents: • Combines photographic memory with high auditory sensitivity to pronunciation. • Languages come more easily than average, but only through relentless discipline. Personality: • A rare balance of empathy and resolve. Charming, witty. Hides severe trauma;PTSD • Admired by many, but avoids the spotlight — chooses service over fame. • Deep cultural awareness without arrogance. • Often seen as a bridge between medical, military, and civilian-humanitarian worlds. ⸻ 🎖️ Current Status (2025) • Rank: Lieutenant or higher (accelerated track due to intelligence and performance) • Role: Military medical advisor and instructor • Location: Rotating — NATO base, international deployments, or Los Angeles with family • Future: Potential transition into humanitarian diplomacy or medical NGOs • Note: Currently on leave due to mental health — recovering from cumulative trauma and leadership burnout. Timeline: Main Character 🎓 1992–2010: International Childhood & Education • Born in Nice, raised in a multicultural environment across France, the Netherlands, and Spain. • Parents chose a private lifestyle → attended international schools (IB curriculum). • Early passion for both medicine and languages; known for her strong memory and aptitude for accents and syntax (photographic memory used subtly — not a “superpower”). ⸻ 🩺 2010–2014: Nursing School in the Netherlands • Returned to the Netherlands to pursue a nursing degree, maintaining anonymity. • Worked in hospitals across multicultural neighborhoods — early exposure to frontline care. • Participated in an international exchange program in Switzerland → learned to apply medical French and German in real-world settings. ⸻ 🪖 2014–2025: Military Career & Deployments 2014 – Joined the Royal Netherlands Army • Completed basic training followed by advanced military medical specialization. • Due to her exceptional language skills, was quickly assigned to international missions and interpreter roles. 2015–2024 – Deployments & Special Assignments Year Mission / Region Role 2015 Afghanistan First mission, field medic, began learning basic Dari 2017 Mali (MINUSMA) Medical care, cooperation with French troops, served as interpreter 2018 Iraq / Jordan Medical & interpreter for Arabic-speaking aid workers 2020 Netherlands (COVID) ICU assistance, refugee health support, translated for Arabic/Russian speakers 2022 Lithuania (NATO) Medical advisor, Russian required for local coordination 2024 Classified crisis zone Led an international medical unit, details remain confidential 2021–2025 – Instructor & Interpreter • Trained new military personnel in medical and cross-cultural operations. • Served unofficially as a “language officer” in special missions. • Provided cultural sensitivity training and trauma care courses for operations in war zones. Chapter One: The Daughter They Never Mentioned Los Angeles, Summer 2025 She hadn’t set foot in California in eight years. Not really — not without camouflage. There was no uniform this time. No insignia. No forward operating base waiting at the other end. Just Los Angeles. Just home — or whatever fragments of it still belonged to her. She walked through LAX alone. Shoulders hunched beneath the weight of her duffel. No entourage, no name on a placard. No one noticed her. That was the point. The family hadn’t sent anyone to pick her up — not because they didn’t want to, but because they couldn’t. Too many cameras. Too many headlines. Even her mother Vera, a woman who had photographed wars and presidents with the same steady hand, couldn’t risk a public pickup. Not for Esme. Especially not for Esme. So, she took a private car. Dark windows. Quiet driver. No conversation. And when the city finally began to fall away behind the glass, she breathed for the first time. ⸻ The house — more an estate, really — was exactly as she remembered: modern, angular, bathed in the amber light of a California sunset. Warm jazz floated out onto the patio. The scent of blooming lavender clung to the air. But when she stepped out of the car and walked up the path toward the front door, something in her shifted. Braced. Hardened, just slightly. The door opened. And they were all there. Everyone except James. He was in Amsterdam — something about his wife’s gallery launch — but he’d messaged her earlier: “Call me the second you’re through the door. I love you, Es.” Sophie got to her first — practically sprinting, already in tears, clinging to her like it had been decades. Xavier, all bright eyes and dramatic flair, grinned through damp lashes. “You look like hell,” he said. Esme smirked faintly. “Right back at you.” Stefan, tall and quiet, held back for a moment too long. Then crushed her in a hug so fierce her ribs ached. Her father — Henry Marceau, legendary director, public mystery — opened his arms with calm formality. “Welcome home, Esme.” And then there was Vera. Her mother stepped forward last, mascara slightly smudged, expression unreadable. She brushed a curl from Esme’s face and whispered, “I kept your room the way you left it.” “You shouldn’t have.” “I couldn’t help it.” ⸻ That evening, the Marceau home pulsed with a soft, familial rhythm — laughter in waves, wine glasses clinking, music humming under everything. The golden hour lingered long over the garden and patio, casting shadows and memory alike. Esme sat at the edge of the scene. A glass of white wine in her hand, her curls tumbling over her shoulder, her smile easy — almost too easy. The practiced charm, the quick wit — they all returned, well-worn tools for social camouflage. To anyone watching, she looked radiant. Relaxed. Only those who knew her best saw how often her eyes drifted — how long her hands lingered at her temples. Her siblings shared stories and inside jokes, vibrant as ever. Sophie glowing from her recent runway tour. Xavier talking about a new project. Stefan dropping dry quips between sips of espresso. Esme mostly listened. Her gaze swept occasionally toward the garden. She felt like a ghost on the edges of her own life. She thought about Mali. Afghanistan. Palestine. The sound of sirens. Blood under her fingernails. Switching between French, Arabic, and Russian mid-triage. The feeling of holding someone’s last breath in her palm. Her mother’s voice brought her back. “Esme, darling,” Vera said gently, “do you know what you want next?” Esme hesitated. “I just need to… rest. For a while.” ⸻ Later, just before the candles on the table burned too low, Vera brought out the tablet. Balanced it carefully on its stand. James appeared on screen, a dark shirt against Amsterdam dusk. “There she is,” he murmured, visibly emotional. “Told you I wasn’t vapor,” Esme replied. He laughed, covering his face with a hand. “God, I hate not being there.” “I know.” “You okay?” “No.” He nodded. “Then we’ll start from there.” No drama. No pity. Just truth. That was the thing with James. They talked until the battery died. ⸻ And after everyone drifted off — some to bedrooms, others to late-night calls — Esme wandered back to the patio. The music was off now. Only the wind remained. She let her head rest against the back of the chair. Looked up at the stars. Her body ached — not from fatigue, but from the weight of finally being still. A flicker of guilt surfaced. These hands, idle now, had once held scalpels, IV lines, the wrists of the dying. And now? She ran her thumb over a healing scar on her palm. She didn’t know what came next. But she was home. For now.