She Wanted to Solidify Her Audience Appeal and Win Recognition Through Roles
This was the second time Avery Hayes had been propositioned since she'd started acting, and honestly, she hadn't been at it that long. It was just more proof of how toxic this whole business could be.
"That director, Miranda Lynch, has been so spoiled these last two years that she's completely lost her mind," Leo Foster said, his voice sharp with contempt. "She's getting more arrogant by the day. Really thinks she's some big shot."
Avery blinked, pulled back to the present. She looked at him, a little confused. "Are you two close? Didn't she only have one hit show last year?"
"Close? Yeah, you could say that. Before *The Gilded Spoon* even started filming, she was all over Dexter, trying to get him to line up sponsorships for her," Leo scoffed.
"Back then, she was all smiles, calling me 'Leo' this and 'Leo' that. Now the sponsorship isn't even signed, and she's acting like it's a done deal just because we talked. In her dreams."
He was rambling now, clearly furious about the whole shady operation.
Avery listened quietly, letting him get it all out.
When he finally ran out of steam, she said simply, "Let's go."
Leo grunted in agreement, and they started walking toward the parking lot.
The lot was a good hike from *The Gilded Spoon*'s set.
As they passed through a street of replica old-timey buildings, they saw a film crew shooting a massive scene up ahead on the main thoroughfare they called the Imperial Way.
The entire street was a chaotic swarm of crew, equipment, and trucks, with a whole army of extras holding the reins of warhorses and carrying flags. The road was completely blocked.
Seeing the chaos, they decided to cut through a side alley.
Just as they rounded the corner, they nearly ran right into Director Simon Vance and Screenwriter Jude Finch from *The World's Game*, who were walking toward them, deep in conversation.
"Avery, long time no see! Why haven't you stopped by our set to hang out?"
Jude Finch spotted them first, his eyes lighting up as he hurried over, moving so fast he actually passed his own director. The way he said "our set" was so warm and welcoming, it was as if Avery were already part of their crew.
Avery was still shaken from her run-in at *The Gilded Spoon*, but the sight of a friendly face was enough to make her manage a faint smile. "Hey, Jude. Long time no see. Where are you and Simon headed?"
Simon Vance looked just as happy to see her. He pointed back toward the bustling Imperial Way. "We're about to shoot a scene where the army marches out." He paused, his gaze landing on Leo, who was standing beside her. "What are you two up to?"
Leo had his hands jammed in his pockets, his face a thundercloud that screamed *do not talk to me*. Vance took one look at his expression and knew someone had really pissed him off.
He frowned, lowering his voice to ask Avery, "What's with him? Who got to him?"
Avery smiled, about to brush it off with a simple excuse, but Leo beat her to it. He kicked at a loose pebble, looking like he might explode.
"What's wrong? Oh, nothing. I just got played for a total fool."
Avery's eye twitched. *Seriously? Dude, you're twenty-four, not a kindergartener.*
Simon Vance was taken aback. "Who would dare play you for a fool?"
Even though the kid was young, everyone in the industry knew that Leo Foster wasn't someone you messed with. And it wasn't because of his successful businessman father or even his cousin Dexter, who always had his back. The person really backing Leo was a much more powerful, shadowy figure.
No one knew who it was, exactly. They just knew the story.
When Leo was a teenager, he was bullied relentlessly at his private school.
His parents were overseas and couldn't handle it, so this mysterious person stepped in.
They didn't just get the main bullies sent to juvenile detention, they forced the entire school to shut down.
The kids weren't even fourteen, and under the law at the time, that kind of bullying should have gotten them a few days of detention, max.
But the person protecting Leo had the power to get them locked up, and no amount of money or connections from their parents could get them out.
The rumor in the industry ever since was that as long as Leo Foster didn't kill someone or burn a building down, that person would have his back for life.
Otherwise, who would bother with a spoiled rich kid with no real job?
So for Leo to say he'd been played for a fool was, to Simon Vance, just plain weird.
"*The Gilded Spoon*," Leo bit out, his voice tight with anger. "I got Avery a role. She passed the damn audition and was supposed to start today, but they suddenly told her she was out."
"Miranda Lynch," Vance scoffed softly. "The biggest investor for that show is Zenith Entertainment. I heard any part on that show that's even slightly memorable has gone to one of their own actors."
This kind of last-minute recasting was common.
Hell, even main characters could get replaced after they'd already started filming.
When he said Zenith Entertainment, Vance's eyelids drooped slightly, and he seemed to decide he was done talking about Miranda Lynch. He changed the subject. "I've got to get back to it. Hey, Avery, you want a part in my film? We've got a ton of extras today. I can get you on screen."
Avery was stunned. "Would that be a problem?"
"What problem?" Simon said with a wave of his hand. He turned to Jude. "Go find the lead's makeup artist and have her give Avery a really distinct beggar look. I'll tell the cinematographer to get her a close-up later."
Vance had been in this business for decades; he could read people in an instant.
He saw that Avery had connections but was still hustling for small guest roles, and he understood her strategy immediately.
She was trying to get her face out there, using every camera she could to build an audience and earn her place with solid work.
Since that was her plan, he didn't mind helping her out.
Besides, she'd indirectly saved his production, so this was just him returning a favor.
With that, Simon went off to wrangle his crew.
Jude grinned and told Avery to follow him to get into costume and makeup. Avery turned to Leo. "I'm going to shoot a scene here. You gonna wait, or head back?"
"I'm not leaving," Leo declared, his temper gone as quickly as it had appeared. Seeing Avery get a part made him want one, too. "Hey, Jude, got any other roles? I want to try acting."
Jude laughed. "We do have one, a beggar. Think you can handle it, Leo?"
Leo just raised an eyebrow. "I'll do it."
As the three of them left the alley, Jude walked beside Avery, his eyes darting toward her every few seconds.
He clearly wanted to say something but kept chickening out.
He wasn't good at hiding it; Avery knew from his expression alone that something was on his mind.
The last time she was on *The World's Game* set, she'd gotten the same feeling, but things had gotten chaotic and they'd both forgotten about it.
Avery wasn't one to push, so if he didn't bring it up, she wouldn't either.
Finally, while she was sitting in the makeup chair, Jude couldn't hold it in any longer. He walked up behind her and said with an apologetic smile, "Avery, I read online that you were a student of Professor Joel Finch. Do you... do you happen to know Dr. Graham West?"
Avery met his eyes in the mirror. So, that's what this was all about. He'd just been working up the nerve to ask her about Graham.
She didn't answer right away, letting the question hang in the air for a moment before asking, "Do you need him for something?"
Graham West was Joel Finch's star student, a full fifteen years older than her and an idol to every cardiothoracic surgery student at NYU. He was currently the top cardiothoracic surgeon in the country, working out of the university's affiliated hospital.
Jude nodded eagerly. "My mother has had rheumatic heart disease for years, and it's gotten a lot worse lately. Her body can't handle long-distance travel, so she can't get to New York for treatment. I heard Dr. West is one of the best,
and I've been trying to get him to come here to Fairview to perform the surgery, but I haven't had any luck. I was wondering... could you maybe help me get in touch with him? See if he'd be willing to fly out?"