The Proposal

Cast of characters

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  Maya Chen

  28-year-old Chinese-American woman. Shoulder-blade-length wavy dark auburn-brown hair, worn loose. Warm brown eyes, heart-shaped face, light-tan skin, slim build. A small beauty mark sits just below her left eye. Dressed in a simple fitted black slip dress — thin spaghetti straps, midi length — with a delicate thin gold chain necklace. No heavy jewelry. Nails unpolished, hands slightly work-worn. Moves efficiently, holds herself upright even when exhausted. Voice: clear, mid-range alto; clipped and controlled under pressure; pace quickens when cornered, slows to a near-whisper when furious.

• 

  Damien Cole

  34-year-old man. Tall, athletic build — broad shoulders, lean frame. Dark brown hair swept cleanly back from his forehead. Storm-grey eyes, sharp jawline with a day or two of light stubble. Olive-fair skin. Wears a charcoal three-piece suit — jacket, waistcoat, matching trousers — with no tie, the collar button open. A silver dress watch on his left wrist. Posture is commanding but not stiff; he occupies space without announcing it. Voice: low baritone; unhurried, deliberate cadence; near-flat affect that sharpens into precision when pressing a point.

• 

  Vivienne Cole

  60-year-old woman. Ice-blonde hair pinned in a tight French chignon, not a strand loose. Pale skin, strong cheekbones, cool blue eyes that assess before they greet. Slim and straight-backed. Dressed in an elegant floor-length column gown — ivory or dove grey — with a single strand of pearls at the throat and pearl stud earrings. Carries a small satin clutch. Her stillness reads as authority.

• 

  Rosa Delgado

  55-year-old woman. Silver-streaked dark hair pinned in a practical bun at the nape of her neck. Warm brown eyes with deep laugh lines. Rounded, sturdy build. Dressed in a pressed housekeeper's uniform — dark navy or charcoal — practical flat shoes. Moves quietly through rooms, notices everything, reacts to nothing visibly.