Avery Hayes and Caleb Sterling Bump Into Each Other
Avery Hayes got back to the hotel a little after eleven, kicking off her heels the second she was through the door. The tension she'd been carrying in her shoulders finally melted away, and she slumped in relief.
Being around Julian Shaw was just... intense. It wasn't as overwhelming in the sprawling penthouse of The Olympian, but crammed into the backseat of a car with him? The tight space seemed to amplify his presence until it was suffocating. Sitting next to him felt like being trapped with a predator.
And then there was Veronica Warner, a corporate lawyer to her core.
The contract signing might have gone smoothly, but Avery had been on high alert the entire time they were drafting the agreement.
Negotiating with Veronica was more draining than arguing a case in court; one wrong move and you'd walk right into one of her meticulously laid traps.
Thank God Avery knew her stuff. If she hadn't, Veronica would have run circles around her.
Letting out a long, shaky breath, Avery collapsed onto the soft bed, utterly drained.
She stared at the ceiling for a moment before grabbing her phone, curious to see who might have tried to reach her.
She'd silenced it before the meeting to avoid any interruptions, and now, as she powered it back on, her Messenger app lit up with dozens of unread notifications.
They were all from Maya Laurent, who had apparently just wrapped another short drama, the dual-female-lead series she'd invited Avery to join back in Westlake City.
It had only been a few days; the girl was a machine.
And she wasn't even taking a break. Tomorrow, she was starting on a historical web series funded by Caleb Sterling.
A flurry of texts filled the screen.
"AHHH, girl, Owen told me some chump paid you twenty-five grand today. Is that for real?"
"Are there any more paydays like that up for grabs? I want one. Seriously, where's my sugar daddy to get me out of these bit parts?"
"I'm not even asking for ten times the penalty fee, double or triple would be just fine."
"I'm starting a new shoot tomorrow. Wanna come hang?"
Avery scrolled through the one-sided conversation, a small smile playing on her lips as she typed back: "You don't take a single day off, do you?"
The girl worked way too hard. They'd known each other for less than three weeks, and in that time, Maya had already shot two short dramas and was about to start a third.
"Who needs rest when there's a role to film? A day off is just lost money."
"This short-form drama scene moves too fast. New pretty faces are showing up every day to take our gigs. I need to keep filming so the audience remembers me, then maybe I can keep earning for another year or two."
Avery chuckled at her friend's blunt pragmatism.
**Legal Person Does Not Sleep:** I'm free tomorrow. I'll come see you.
**Beating Drums:** Okay, when you get here, go to the Actors Guild and get a permit. The new crew is casting a ton of people; you should try out.
**Legal Person Does Not Sleep:** I have one. Got it the day before yesterday.
Two days ago, after signing the contract for Owen Bowen's movie, she'd been wandering around with nothing to do.
She'd passed the Actors Guild and, on a whim, gone in and gotten an actor's permit.
It was the basic requirement for background work, granting her access to casting groups for extras.
She'd been keeping an eye on the notices casting directors posted daily but hadn't made a move yet.
Stellar Media hadn't given her an assignment, so she was free. If Maya's new production seemed decent, it couldn't hurt to give it a shot. Still, she figured she should check with Dexter Reed first, just to make sure working as an extra wouldn't cause any issues.
She opened her chat with Dexter and shot him a quick message. He replied almost instantly: until the company finalized its official plans for her, she was free to do as she pleased.
**Beating Drums:** Then come on over tomorrow and check it out. The lead in this series is a newcomer. Man, she looks like a doll, and those eyes... I'm a woman, and she almost stole my soul.
**Legal Person Does Not Sleep:** You saw the lead actress?
**Beating Drums:** I did, she's gorgeous. Just like we figured, she's the one that mangy dog Sterling is trying to promote.
**Beating Drums:** Btw, the drama we filmed in Westlake goes live the day after tomorrow. Make sure you watch it.
**Legal Person Does Not Sleep:** So soon?
The turnaround time was insane. It would be released less than ten days after they'd wrapped.
**Beating Drums:** That project was backed by Stellar Media. Their production team is incredible; they were already in post while we were still filming.
Avery stared at Maya's message, and Julian Shaw's cold, stern face flashed in her mind.
Stellar Media had such a strong foundation, and its boss was clearly a force to be reckoned with.
How did a company like that end up in its current mess?
She had a feeling there was more to that drunk driving scandal from a year ago.
On that thought, Avery ended the conversation, climbed out of bed, and opened her laptop.
She started searching for information on Julian Shaw.
He was definitely not just some ordinary guy.
The casual way he'd mentioned 'Atlas' made her suspect he was the head of the Atlas Group, a massive multinational conglomerate with its hands in countless industries and enormous influence.
But its leader was a complete mystery; to this day, no one knew who was in charge.
Avery typed "Atlas Group CEO" and "Julian Shaw" into the search bar. After a long search, she found nothing. The head of the group was just as elusive as Julian; neither had any real information about them online.
She stared at the screen, lost in thought, before finally giving up and closing the laptop. She picked up her phone and sent a message to Leo Foster.
"Hey, random question, but how did your buddy Julian end up at Stellar Media?"
**My Dad Was Made Bald By Me:** Why are you asking about Julian? That's grown-up business. Kids shouldn't pry.
Avery stared at the text. So it *was* a secret.
Whatever. His status didn't really affect her anyway. She just had to grab the opportunities he gave her, work hard, make money, and bring down the Sterling family. Of course, if she could leverage his connections to get there a little faster, that would be even better.
Tossing her phone aside, Avery was too tired to change. She just pulled the covers over herself and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, a thick marine layer hung over the city.
The sun was climbing, but the ground was still covered in a gloomy haze.
Avery woke up early, checked out of the hotel, and dragged her suitcase straight to Hollywood.
After renting a room and getting settled, she messaged Maya, asking which set she was on.
She also casually asked if the investor, Caleb Sterling, was around.
She and Caleb had teamed up from a distance twice now, hitting Warren Sterling's side of the family so hard they still hadn't recovered.
They had an unspoken alliance, but Avery wasn't ready to deal with him face-to-face.
A guy that even a rich kid like Leo Foster called crazy couldn't be good news.
Zachary Bell had even predicted that the Sterling brothers were all destined to end up as criminals.
The only reason she and Caleb were on the same side was their shared enemy.
Once Warren Sterling's family was out of the picture, Caleb might just turn on her.
After all, she was the only one who knew the role he'd played in all of this.
Holding a secret that big, it would be a miracle if Caleb just let her go.
But that was a problem for later. For now, she had to focus on climbing the ladder. Once she had some real social influence, Caleb wouldn't dare to touch her. This delicate balance between them would probably last for years.
Maya replied quickly, saying that Caleb had dropped off his new starlet and left early that morning.
Relieved, Avery got ready, grabbed her actor's permit, and hailed a cab to the film set. Maya had told her the casting director was holding auditions for a big scene and there was a role for a spy dancer that would be perfect for her.
She arrived at the audition, spotting Maya almost immediately.
She was wearing a vintage-style, deep purple dress, her hair pinned up in a gentle bun, standing awkwardly by a discarded prop box and eating ice cream.
It was late October and getting chilly, but there she was.
Avery suddenly understood why Maya was practically on her deathbed every month.
If she didn't watch what she ate, it was no wonder her cramps were so bad.
Avery shook her head with a smile, raised her hand, and called out, "Maya, I'm here!"
Just as she spoke, a limited-edition luxury car shot forward and stopped, its engine humming arrogantly at the entrance to the set. Avery glanced over and saw Caleb Sterling getting out of the driver's seat.
Her outstretched arm froze in midair.
Didn't Maya say he left?
Why was he back?