Chapter 15 #2
"I don't know about that." I picked my words carefully. "Sometimes it's not about who's better. It's about who has the name recognition, who the studio feels safe betting on. The business side matters more than the art."
"You still got the part."
"I did. And before that, I got Echoes of Autumn. And The Silent Hour." I watched her face. "You were attached to both of those."
Sophie's jaw tightened. "You really did your homework."
"I wanted to understand." I leaned forward. "Sophie, I didn't know. I swear I didn't know you existed until yesterday. I just showed up to auditions and did my job. I never thought about who didn't get the part, unless it was me. Sound familiar?"
"Boy, does it. But now that you know it’s me, why are you here? Don’t tell me you’re making the rounds to apologize to everyone you beat out of a role. It’s going to be quite a long week.” She gave a weak laugh.
I liked her spunk.
“Yeah, probably not the best use of my time,” I agreed with a grin.
“If you’re here to tell me not to give up, I’m afraid you’re too late.
” She gestured at the textbooks on the coffee table.
"I’m looking into teaching programs. Drama teacher.
Middle school, maybe high school. At least then I'd actually help someone instead of just auditioning for parts I'll never get. "
"Don't give up."
"Why not? Twelve years is enough, don't you think? At some point it's not perseverance, it's just delusion."
I thought about Echoes of Autumn, the indie drama I'd taken because my agent said I needed to do "serious work" between franchises. I'd barely prepared for the audition and walked in exhausted from a fourteen-hour action sequence shoot the day before.
"The director didn't choose me for Echoes of Autumn because I was better," I said quietly.
"He chose me because the financing fell through, and the only way to get it back was to attach a name the investors recognized.
You probably gave a better audition. But I had two Oscar nominations and tabloid coverage. That's what got me the part."
Sophie stared at me. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you deserve to know that talent isn't always why people win or lose in this industry. Sometimes it's just luck and timing and things that have nothing to do with how good you are." I moved closer. "Don't let three losses define twelve years of work."
A tear escaped down her cheek. Then another. "Thank you." Her voice came out choked. "You didn't have to say that."
"Yeah, I did." I meant it. "You're talented, Sophie. Don't let this business convince you otherwise."
She swiped at her face, laughing and crying at the same time. "God, I can't believe Kit Lord is in my apartment telling me not to give up. This is surreal."
The moment felt fragile, important. I'd earned a little trust.
Time to use it carefully.
"Can I ask you about your family?"
Confusion replaced her tears. "My family?"
"Your brother. Russell."
Her face brightened immediately. "How do you know about Russell?"
"I've been trying to understand some things." I kept my voice gentle. "What's he like?"
"He's amazing. Kind of a helpless nerd, but he's my hero.
He's always had my back, ever since Mom married his dad.
" Affection warmed her voice. "When I was getting bullied in middle school, he taught me how to code so I could hack the mean girls' grades and flunk them.
We never actually did it, but just knowing I could made me feel better. "
"Sounds like you're close."
"He's the only family I really have left. Mom died four years ago, and his dad passed right after. We kind of only have each other now." She tilted her head. "Why are you asking about Russell?"
"Do you think he would do something illegal if he thought it would help your career?"
Code shifted in his seat. He shot me a loo that said too direct, too fast.
Sophie's eyes widened.
"What?" Sophie looked between us. "No. Russell wouldn't—why would you even ask that?"
I moved to sit beside her, trying to soften my dumbass mistake. "Have you talked to him about the roles you didn't get? About being frustrated with auditions?"
"I mean, yeah. He's my brother. Of course I vent to him." Her wariness returned. "What is this really about?"
I took a breath. No way to do this gently now. "Someone created a deepfake video of me. A really sophisticated one, made to look like I was saying racist things about my co-star. About Marcus. They're using it to blackmail me. Threatening to release it unless I drop out of Passing Through Jordan."
Sophie went pale. "What does that have to do with Russell?"
I glanced at Code, silently asking him to take over. He nodded, then leaned forward. "The technology used to create it is military grade. Extremely advanced. Your brother has the technical background to build something like that."
"No." Sophie shook her head. "Russell wouldn't do that. He's a software engineer, not a criminal."
"Not many people have your brother’s expertise," Code said.
"You're wrong." But doubt crept into Sophie's voice. "He wouldn't."
I touched her arm gently. "Has he been acting strange lately? Asking you about whether you still want the role?"
I saw her expression crumble. "We just fought about it at a party," she whispered.
"He was asking if I'm ready, if I still want it.
If I'm prepared to step into the role. It was like he was picking at a scab and I told him to shut up.
" She looked up at me, horror dawning in her eyes.
"I thought he was just being supportive. "
Code's voice stayed level. "Russell's been hiding since we started tracking him. He knew someone was coming. The only reason to run is if you're guilty."
"But blackmail? Destroying someone's career?" Sophie's hands trembled. "That's not who he is."
"People do extreme things for the people they love," I said quietly.
Code pulled up his tablet, and showed Sophie the first few seconds of the deepfake before I asked him to shut it off before Sophie was subjected to more than a few seconds. It still embarrassed me, even though we told her it was fake.
Sophie stared at the blank screen, tears streaming down her face now. "He did this for me. He did this because I complained about losing roles." Her voice broke. "Oh God, this is my fault."
"No," I said firmly. "You didn't ask him to do this."
"But I made him think I needed saving. That I was some pathetic failure who couldn't handle rejection." She looked at me with devastated eyes. "Is he going to jail? Like, real police trouble?"
"Yes," Code said.
"Maybe," I said at the same time, glaring at Code. "We don't know yet."
Code's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and his entire body went rigid. He stood abruptly.
"I have to go."
"What's happening?" I asked.
"Activity at the Laurel Canyon house." His voice carried that military edge I'd heard before. He looked at me. "Stay here with Sophie. Don't leave this apartment until you hear from me."
"Code—"
"Promise me, Katherine." The intensity in his gaze stopped my argument cold.
"I promise."
He cupped my face briefly, kissed me hard, then he was gone.
I stood frozen, watching the door close behind him. Sophie's voice pulled me back.
"What's happening?”
"I don't know." But the cold fear in my stomach said whatever Code was walking into, it was dangerous. Very dangerous.
And I'd just promised to be a good girl and wait while he walked into whatever shitstorm was waiting for him at that house.