Being Used as a Tool and Feeling Smug About It
Avery was just about to open the file Wyatt had sent over. Diana had been specific about these people, and Avery needed to know exactly who she was up against.
But then Wyatt's voice cut through the air. "Sienna Blackwood's on drugs," he said, his tone matter-of-fact.
Avery's thumb froze mid-swipe on her phone screen.
She didn't doubt his judgment for a second.
He and Shane had both come from Border Patrol tactical units, and while she didn't know the specifics, Shane's offhand comments painted a clear enough picture: special ops.
Their ability to spot a user was probably better than any lab test.
Her eyes snapped up, following Wyatt's gaze to where Sienna and Raphael Valenti were still arguing near the median, tugging at each other's clothes. Sienna was getting more and more worked up, frantically scratching at her own forearm.
Avery's focus drifted past Sienna to Raphael, and her voice dropped without her even realizing it. "What about him? Is he into that stuff, too?"
She had just signed on to *Bones of Mountains and Rivers*, and the male lead absolutely could not have any baggage. Raphael's role was massive, way bigger than a supporting part like hers. If he became a legal liability, the entire production would go up in flames, finished or not.
Was this show just cursed? Why did everything keep going so wrong?
Just as the knot in her stomach tightened, Wyatt's calm voice cut through her anxiety. "His eyes are clear. He doesn't look like a user."
Avery let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Thank God. She really, really didn't want this show to fall apart. Forget about which network might pick it up; she couldn't stomach the thought of losing the paycheck.
*Bones of Mountains and Rivers* was an S-tier production, and the salary reflected it. She was making a hundred thousand dollars to play the third female lead. Even after the company took its cut and taxes were paid, she'd still pocket around thirty thousand.
It was the biggest paycheck she'd earned since her rebirth.
No, actually, it was the most money she'd ever made in her entire life, period.
Even if it was just about the money, she needed this show to get filmed and aired without a single hitch.
"Wyatt," she said, her voice low and decisive.
"When Sienna leaves, follow her. Find out where she lives. Once you have the address, call the cops."
Drugs were a zero-tolerance issue for the public, and calling the police was just her civic duty.
But she had to be careful. Sienna's habit couldn't be connected to Raphael in any way, or the blowback would still sink the production.
Wyatt gave a low grunt of agreement. He hated that world even more than she did.
With Raphael in the clear, Avery could relax. She glanced down, finally unlocked her phone, and opened the file to see what had become of the actors who'd bailed on Shiguang Entertainment.
She had no idea what she'd find, but as she scrolled, she had to stifle a laugh. She'd figured that after betraying Shiguang and signing with new agencies, they would have at least landed on their feet.
Instead, every single one of them was worse off. Aside from the one who'd jumped to Evergreen Media, whose career was still sputtering along, the other five were practically ghosts.
The three who'd left with Roman Duke were all warming the bench at their new agencies. They were getting cast in smaller and smaller roles, barely even getting billed anymore. They weren't booking two shows a year and were mostly just background props on reality shows.
And the two who'd gone to Breaking Dawn Film? Don't even get her started. Sienna had basically fallen off the face of the earth, with zero screen time. The other guy's last headline was from four months ago, for being the other man in some messy affair.
At Shiguang, they were all solid B- or C-listers with steady work and decent exposure. Now, they were nobodies.
A bunch of clueless idiots. They got played and still thought they'd won. She'd known how shady the industry was even when she was an outsider; did they really think those other companies would be any cleaner than Shiguang?
After skimming past the first five, Avery's eyes settled on the name of the actor who'd gone to Evergreen Media, a smirk playing on her lips.
This one was definitely a little smarter than the rest, which made him the one she really needed to watch.
He was, after all, the only one who had managed to stay afloat after leaving.
She closed the file. Over by the grassy median, Raphael had finally shaken Sienna off. His face was a thundercloud as he hurried toward the Hollywood sign. He must have gotten worried about being seen, because he pulled a black face mask from his pocket and tugged it on.
Avery watched him, one eyebrow twitching. A little late for that, wasn't it? If she had even a sliver of a malicious streak, he'd be trending on every social media platform by morning.
"I'm going after Sienna," Wyatt said, his gaze fixed on the scene. As soon as Raphael was out of sight, he gave his orders. "Shane, you take Avery back to the office." He got out of the car and disappeared in Sienna's direction.
Once Wyatt was gone, Shane expertly started the car and pulled away from the North Star Film and Television Studio. Avery wasn't worried about the fallout. She trusted Wyatt to handle it without getting himself into trouble.
Back at her corporate apartment, Avery thought about the bad blood between Dexter Reed, Diana Marks, and those ungrateful actors. She pulled out her phone and sent Dexter a text.
*Sienna Blackwood is on drugs. News will probably break in a couple of days. Get ready to kick them while they're down.*
His reply came a second later: a string of question marks, followed by, *What are you talking about?*
Avery smiled. *Just wait and see,* she typed back. *If you want payback, get ready.*
That night, Wyatt didn't come home. It wasn't until the sky was just starting to lighten before dawn that he returned, soaked to the bone.
Avery was dead asleep when a frantic series of calls from Shane jolted her awake. Still groggy, she answered to his anxious voice on the other end. Wyatt had a high fever. Could she come downstairs and help?
She shot up in bed, instantly wide awake. Not even bothering to change out of her pajamas, she threw on a coat, grabbed the first-aid kit, and raced downstairs.
Wyatt and Shane's apartment was on the third floor. Avery pounded on the door.
"How did he get a fever this bad, this fast?" she asked the second Shane let her in.
She saw Wyatt immediately, lying on the bed, his face flushed a terrifying shade of red.
Avery rushed over, opened the first-aid kit, and stuck a thermometer in his mouth.
As she leaned closer, a wave of icy air hit her.
His jacket wasn't just damp, it was frozen stiff.
The fabric made a faint crackling sound when it rubbed together.
"He wasn't outside all night, was he?"
Avery pressed her fingers to his forehead. The burning heat under her fingertips was a shocking contrast to the bone-deep chill radiating from his body. She looked at his frozen jacket, and her heart sank. Winter had already set in. She knew how cold a New York night could get.
"I think so," Shane said, his voice strained. He was struggling to pull Wyatt's wet clothes off and had just managed to get him into a dry pair of pants before she arrived.
After checking his temperature, Avery found some fever reducer in the kit and had Shane help get it down Wyatt's throat. She didn't go back upstairs. She stayed by his side, watching him. If the fever didn't break in half an hour, they were going to the hospital.
Luckily, Wyatt was built tough. His temperature started to drop not long after he took the medicine.
By noon, Avery figured out why he'd gotten so sick. She was scrolling through her phone when she saw a press release from the NYPD.
The night before, it said, a tip from a Good Samaritan had led police to crack a major drug trafficking case, resulting in the arrest of several people, including Sienna Blackwood.
The notice was brand new, posted less than two minutes ago.
The light from the screen illuminated Avery's face. She turned to look at Wyatt, who was still sleeping soundly, and reached out to gently tuck the blanket around his shoulders.
*A Good Samaritan,* she thought, a small, wry smile touching her lips. There was no doubt who that was. It had to be Wyatt.