The Film Crew Wraps Up
Avery hung up and slid her phone into her pocket, the chilly night air raising goosebumps on her arms. A few steps ahead, Maya and Owen were walking with their heads down, faces lit by the glow of their screens.
They were on their burner accounts, gleefully piling onto the online mob that was dragging the Sterling family through the mud. Avery was a little surprised by how into it they were.
"The Sterling Foods account just posted an apology," Maya said, her frown deepening as she scrolled. "They're claiming this whole thing was Lorraine Sterling's personal screwup and has nothing to do with the company."
Owen's fingers flew across his own screen, a smug little laugh escaping him. "For such a huge company, their PR team is a joke. A day late and a dollar short. The damage is already done."
Curious, Avery pulled out her phone to see for herself.
Sure enough, there it was: a half-baked apology letter that threw the woman from the hospital video completely under the bus.
It claimed she'd only gone to the hospital to speak with the doctor, but had gotten "emotional" and "misspoke."
The letter insisted the family had zero intention of threatening anyone and asked the public not to read too much into it.
It was so obviously insincere that the internet wasn't buying it for a second. The post was getting absolutely flooded with furious comments.
Avery gave the screen a cold look before scoffing and shoving her phone away. The delayed response and their clumsy attempt to distance the company told her one thing: the Sterling family leadership was in chaos.
Their weakness was her opening.
But that could wait. The online drama was just background noise to Avery.
She kept her focus on the film crew, hitting her marks and shooting her scenes right on schedule.
The more she filmed, the more she found herself getting into it.
Acting was a world away from her life as a lawyer, shuffling between sterile offices.
This felt alive, untamed. And the money was fast, too.
On the evening of the seventh day, filming officially wrapped.
There was no wrap party for a small production like this. But before everyone scattered, the director, Dexter Reed, showed up to the historic old town set and handed out cash bonuses.
After making his rounds, he walked over to Avery with a friendly smile. "Avery, have you booked your flight yet? When are you heading to New York?"
She was in the middle of printing her admission ticket for the Bar Exam.
"Tomorrow morning," she said, pulling the paper from the printer and automatically glancing over the important info.
The multiple-choice section was a one-day affair.
The essays came about a month later, after the first round of results were posted.
"Alright, I won't keep you then. See you in New York," Dexter replied. As he spoke, he leaned in, his eyes flicking to the ticket in her hand. He stepped back a moment later, pulling out his phone and quickly searching for information on the exam.
Once he saw how it was structured, his eyes lit up. A sly look crossed his face as he fired off a text to his boss, Julian Shaw.
Avery tucked her admission ticket away and left the set.
The sun was setting, painting the clouds a deep, bruised red. As she reached the main road, a black car slowed to a stop beside her. The window rolled down, and Maya leaned out, waving.
Avery raised an eyebrow and walked over.
"Owen and I are heading straight back to Hollywood," Maya said, practically leaning out of the window with excitement. "Oh, and by the way? I took that traditional web series from Sterling."
"Since I've already got one foot in the industry," she continued, a look of pure ambition on her face, "I won't be happy until I've been in a real series at least once."
It was incredibly hard for actors from the short-form drama world to break into traditional streaming or network shows.
It wasn't just a lack of opportunity; there was a clear wall between the two worlds, and the traditional side was built on connections and money.
Maya wasn't about to let a chance like this slip by.
"I hope it's a huge success," Avery said with a genuine smile. "I'll be looking forward to it."
They hadn't known each other long, but after living and working together for a week, Avery recognized Maya's ambition. It reminded her of her own drive to break into a white-shoe law firm. It was just the natural hunger of someone determined to build a career.
Owen leaned forward from the back seat, looking past Maya. "Avery, are you still thinking about acting after the Bar Exam?"
Avery nodded. "Yeah, I'm definitely planning on it."
"My brother and I are funding a script ourselves," Owen said. "We're shooting in Hollywood and casting right now. Would you be interested in auditioning?"
Both Avery and Maya stared at him, surprised. Neither of them had any idea Owen was already producing his own projects.
Maya shot him a playful smile. "Making moves in silence, huh? Well, you know who to call if you have a role for me. I'm hitching my wagon to you now."
"My brother has a directing degree and worked as an executive director on a bunch of big traditional shows," Owen explained.
"He's got tons of experience. The market for short-form dramas is hot right now, so he wants to strike out on his own. I'm his first investor."
He turned his expectant gaze back to Avery.
For a self-funded show, the number one priority was making the money back. And Avery's look, not her makeup, but her actual bone structure, was a guaranteed ticket for views. She had a face that told a story.
"I have to take the Bar Exam first," Avery said. She was interested, but the exam was only three days away. Short-form dramas moved fast, with only a few days between casting and shooting. They couldn't possibly wait for her.
"I know," Owen said quickly. "The crew won't officially start shooting for another week. It won't be too late for you to head to Hollywood after you finish."
Avery didn't answer right away, calculating the timeline in her head. "Okay," she said finally. "Send me the contract so I can look it over."
A week was enough time. Shooting another series meant making more money, and she desperately needed it.
The studio had paid her another thirty percent of her fee at wrap, but the rest wouldn't hit her account for five more days.
Right now, her entire net worth was four hundred dollars. Her bank account was dangerously low.
And she needed cash to hire the guy they called the Analysis Master to dig up dirt on the Sterlings. He was expensive. If you couldn't meet his price, you couldn't hire him. Period.
"Alright, I'll message you," Owen said, his smile widening as he gave her a thumbs-up.
After a few more quick goodbyes, the window rolled up. The car merged into traffic, its taillights blinking until they disappeared.
Avery stood by the side of the road with her suitcase, waiting for her brother, Cole, to pick her up.
He'd called that afternoon to tell her their aunt and uncle had heard she'd been hurt and had driven all the way to Westlake City, worried sick.
They'd wanted to visit her on set, but Cole convinced them to wait, promising he'd bring her straight to his place once filming wrapped.
"Avery..."
A few moments later, Cole's car pulled up, hazard lights blinking.
As he looked at the slim figure standing outside his window, a bitter ache tightened in his chest. For a split second, he saw her as a little girl again, holding a small suitcase and standing all alone under a streetlight, waiting for him and their parents.
Cole blinked hard, fighting the sting in his eyes.
*Damn the Sterling family.*
If it weren't for them, his sister wouldn't be standing here like this. She should be an angel in scrubs, saving lives in an operating room, not... this.