Dr Hayes is truly a fierce one
After laying out the pros and cons of Stellar Media Group signing her, Avery Hayes went quiet, calmly meeting Julian Shaw's searching gaze. You could have heard a pin drop in the private dining room. Just like that, she'd shifted all the pressure right back onto him.
Julian picked up his wine glass, raising it toward her with a slow smile. "You know, for someone with your talents, the entertainment industry feels like a bit of a waste."
The woman was, to put it mildly, impressive.
"Everyone has their own path," Avery said, her voice even as she raised her glass in return, not backing down an inch.
Her terms were simple: this contract would be a negotiation, not a decree handed down by Stellar Media Group.
Whether they signed her or not was now entirely up to the man sitting across from her.
The mood in the room had cooled, turning sharp and serious. Even Julian's three friends, Leo Foster included, could read between the lines. Avery wanted to be in the driver's seat.
Julian tapped his glass lightly on the table, his clear, deep eyes studying her. His expression was unreadable, but it carried a weight of its own. "You seem to have a very clear understanding of our company's strengths and weaknesses."
"I did some research before I came," Avery replied, her face a mask of calm.
"So," Julian continued, leaning forward slightly, "if Stellar Media Group doesn't agree to your terms, what's your plan?"
He didn't wait for an answer. "There are only three major entertainment companies in this country, and their contracts are even more restrictive than ours. If you sign with one of them, you'll just be a tool for their bottom line. You'll lose all the leverage you have right now."
Avery offered a faint, unshaken smile. "The leverage is mine to keep. No company can take that from me before a contract is signed. My demands aren't unreasonable. The contract needs to protect your business interests, of course, but it also has to protect my future and give me some autonomy.
That's my bottom line. If no one is willing to meet me halfway, I'll just find another path."
Her goal had never changed. She was getting into the entertainment industry to build connections, raise capital, and bring the Sterling family to justice.
Show business wasn't the only way to do that.
She'd already laid the groundwork with public opinion; changing course now would just mean it might take a little longer.
"Mr. Shaw," she said, her voice cutting through the quiet, "Stellar Media Group isn't my only option. But I am your best one."
Given where the company was, an average celebrity couldn't restore it to the powerhouse it had been a year ago.
But she was different. She had the public on her side before she'd even debuted, and it was exactly the kind of positive attention Stellar Media Group desperately needed. That was the source of her confidence.
"A top graduate from NYU School of Medicine, indeed," Julian said, and for the first time, a flicker of genuine admiration showed in his eyes.
He might have been impressed by her looks and credentials before, but now, he was impressed by *her*.
He offered a polite smile, bringing the topic to a close.
"Your terms will be reviewed once the company completes its assessment."
The silent standoff was over.
The other people at the table, who had been listening quietly the entire time, finally seemed to breathe again.
Only Veronica Warner still looked dazed, as if Avery's sharp, logical breakdown of the company's situation had struck a chord.
It was so familiar, that keen, analytical mind was just like her old friend's.
Avery simply nodded at Julian, saying nothing more. It was just their first meeting; she hadn't expected to settle everything tonight.
As the crystal chandelier cast a warm glow over the table, the atmosphere returned to normal. Leo and the other two, who had been holding their breath, finally relaxed.
Damn, this Dr. Hayes was a shark. She'd actually had the guts to negotiate terms directly with Julian.
Julian wasn't like them. He was a guy who held real power, someone who had made a name for himself in New York's elite circles at a young age.
He owned countless companies, and Stellar Media Group was just one of the smaller ones.
He only managed it personally because it held special meaning for him.
Even when he hung out with his friends, there was always a slight distance.
When Julian was around, they knew not to get too wild.
The dinner, which had started with a mutual feeling-out process, ended on a pleasant note.
After nine, Leo and his friends wanted to keep the night going, shamelessly bugging Julian to head to the club downstairs.
Though Julian looked indifferent, he always seemed to have a soft spot for them.
As the guest, Avery couldn't exactly leave, so she followed them down.
After they got out of the elevator, Leo and the other two threw their arms around each other and bee-lined for the billiards room.
Julian hung back, talking business in a low voice with Dexter Reed.
Avery followed silently behind them. Just as they reached the entrance to the room, she turned her head to Veronica, who was walking a step behind her.
"Ms. Warner, could I ask you something?"
"Of course, Miss Hayes," Veronica said, pushing up her glasses. Her eyes settled on Avery's face.
Avery got straight to the point. "A while ago, a lawyer was killed by a domestic abuser outside the courthouse. Do you know what stage the legal proceedings are at?"
Ever since she'd woken up in this body, she had chosen to take the Bar Exam in New York specifically so she could come back and check on her own case.
The monster who killed her had done it in public.
The case should have been an open-and-shut public trial; there was no way he would escape the law.
He'd get a life sentence, at least. But the online chatter had died down, and she didn't know what happened next.
Running into Veronica tonight felt like her first real chance to find out.
If things had gone as they should have, Veronica would have been following the case.
"You're following that case, too?" Veronica's composure faltered for a second, surprise flashing in her eyes.
Avery's voice was soft. "The victim, Lawyer Hayes... she and I were online friends. We never met in person. When I saw the news, I just couldn't believe it."
Veronica seemed thrown by that. Her tone grew heavy.
"She was a student of mine from law school. I don't know the specific details of her case right now. The firm handling the public prosecution is Apex, where she used to work. The person in charge is Mr. Thorne."
As she spoke, Veronica lowered her eyes, hiding a flicker of regret.
"If you want to know more, you should go to Apex Law Firm and find him. He'll know more than I do."
"What are you two chatting about? Get in here!" Ethan Rhodes called out, leaning a pool cue against the doorframe with a playful grin. "Julian just opened a thirty-year-old Macallan. If you take any longer, Leo and Zac are going to finish it."
Veronica glanced at him, then gave Avery a polite smile before walking toward the bar. Ethan, still grinning, wrapped an arm around her waist and led her away.
Avery smiled back, but as she followed them, her eyes darkened.
Something was wrong with her case.
Otherwise, Veronica wouldn't have been so evasive. She wouldn't have told her to go find her old mentor. It had been nearly a month; her case should have been well into the review and prosecution stage. But Veronica had said Apex Law Firm was representing the prosecution.
That meant her mentor was fighting for her.
The thought sent a jolt through Avery. She had died at the courthouse, in front of everyone. The facts were clear, the evidence was solid. The public prosecutor should have had more than enough to put her murderer away for life.
So why did her mentor have to get involved at all?