The moment Deborah stepped out of Mega Studios, she darted across the street with the jittery haste of a hunted animal and slipped into a video store.
Her trembling fingers fumbled with her phone as she dialled a number she knew by heart.
The line connected on the first ring and a man's deep voice crackled through the receiver.
"Hey, baby. Tell me, did you snatch the lead role?"
"Not yet," Deborah spat, her words laced with venom as she stalked between aisles of movie cases, feigning interest in the shelves. "That insufferable little brat is still on my neck. She has refused to take a bow despite all my efforts. And now, the judges are dazzled by her performance like fools. If nothing is done, I might lose everything at tomorrow's final audition."
A low growl rumbled from the other end. "I thought you said you could handle her."
