Tiana's POV
I dropped the tray of drinks when Marcus Bell grabbed my shoulder.
Glass shattered everywhere as champagne and ice spread across the floor. Other waiters rushed over to help clean up the mess, but all I could think about was the scary man in the expensive suit who somehow knew my secret plan.
"We need to talk," Marcus whispered in my ear. "Now."
"I'm working," I said, trying to sound calm even though my heart was beating like a drum. "I can't just leave."
"Trust me, what I'm offering is much better than serving drinks to rich people."
He pulled me into a side path where nobody could see us. The music from the party felt far away, and suddenly I was very aware that I was alone with a stranger who gave me the creeps.
"How do you know who I am?" I asked.
Marcus smiled, but it didn't reach his cold gray eyes. "I make it my business to know about talented young singers who have been treated unfairly by the music industry."
"What are you talking about?"
" Joan Robert stole your spot at Harmony Records two years ago. Her uncle works there, and he made sure she got the deal that should have been yours."
My mouth fell open. I had assumed something like that, but I never had proof. "How do you know about that?"
"Because I was the lawyer who handled the contracts. I saw how they passed over more skilled artists to give Joan special treatment. It wasn't fair then, and it's not fair now."
I felt a rush of anger rise up in my chest. Everything I had believed was true. Joan didn't deserve her success. She had cheated her way to the top while better singers like me got nothing.
"What do you want from me?" I asked.
"I want to help you get what you deserve. But your little plan to insult Joan tonight isn't enough. She'll bounce back from one bad movie. We need to destroy her completely."
"We?"
Marcus reached into his jacket and pulled out a thick package. "There's fifty thousand dollars in here. More than you'd make in five years serving coffee."
My eyes went wide. Fifty thousand dollars? That was more money than I had ever seen in my life.
"What do I have to do for it?"
"Exactly what you were already planning, but better. I need you to get Joan to say specific things that I can use against her later. I need video proof that she's a terrible person."
He gave me a small piece of paper with questions written on it. "Ask her these exact questions, in this exact order. Make sure your phone is recording the whole time."
I looked at the questions. They were much more clever than the ones I had thought up. These would definitely make Joan look bad if she answered them the wrong way.
"What if she doesn't answer the way you want?"
"Then we'll edit the video to make it look like she did. I have people who are very good at that sort of thing."
The idea of editing Joan's words to make her look evil should have worried me. But thinking about all the chances I had lost while Joan got everything made me angry enough not to care.
"What happens after this?" I asked.
"After Joan's image is destroyed, record labels will be looking for a fresh new face to replace her. Someone young, bright, and innocent. Someone like you."
I stared at the package full of money. This could change my whole life. No more serving coffee, no more tiny flat with a roommate, no more rejection letters from record labels.
"Okay," I said. "I'll do it."
Marcus smiled for real this time. "Good girl. Now get back to work. Joan is sitting at table seven. You have thirty minutes before she goes for her next appointment."
I walked back into the party with the envelope hidden in my apron and the questions mastered. My hands were shaking as I approached Joan's table, but not from fear anymore. From excitement.
Joan looked even more tired up close than she had from across the room. Her manager was whispering something important in her ear, and Joan kept checking her phone with a worried expression.
Perfect. Stressed people said things they didn't mean to say.
"Excuse me, Miss Robert?" I said in my nicest voice. "I'm such a big fan. Could I possibly get a quick picture with you?"
Joan looked up and forced a smile. "Of course, sweetie. What's your name?"
"Tiana. Tiana Reed." I pulled out my phone and started the video recording, making sure to angle it so it looked like I was just taking a picture.
"That's a beautiful name," Joan said, leaning in for the picture.
Now came the hard part. I had to ask Marcus's questions in a way that seemed normal and innocent.
"Miss Robert, I'm actually an ambitious singer too. I've been trying to get a record deal for years, but it's so hard. Do you have any advice?"
Joan's smile became more real. "Oh, that's wonderful! Music is such a beautiful job. My advice would be to never give up, keep working on your skill, and be patient. The right opportunity will come."
That wasn't the mean reaction I needed. Time to try one of Marcus's more specific questions.
"I've heard that sometimes people get deals because of who they know rather than how skilled they are. Have you ever seen that happen?"
Joan's expression changed slightly. "Well, connections can help, but ultimately talent and hard work are what matter most."
Still not mean enough. I glanced toward the hallway where Marcus was waiting and saw him shaking his head. I needed to push harder.
"It must be frustrating when less talented people get opportunities just because their family knows someone important," I pressed.
Now Joan looked awkward. "I think every artist has their own story. It's not really fair to judge someone else's way to success."
"But wouldn't you be angry if someone took a spot that should have been yours?"
"Look, honey," Joan said, her voice getting a little sharper, "the music business is competitive. Not everyone can make it, and that's just truth. You have to be prepared for failure and keep pushing forward anyway."
There it was. The slightly impatient tone I needed. If I edited this right, I could make it sound like Joan was being mean about young artists facing rejection.
"Thank you so much!" I said happily, stopping the recording. "You're so inspiring!"
Joan smiled again, but I could tell she was relieved the talk was over. "Good luck with your music career, Tiana."
As I walked away from her table, my heart was pounding with victory. I had everything I needed to make Joan look cold and mean.
But then I heard my name being called from across the room.
"Tiana Reed!"
I turned around and saw a woman with a press badge walking toward me quickly. Behind her was a man with a professional camera.
"Tiana Reed, right? I'm Sarah Kim from Entertainment Tonight. We hear you just had an interesting conversation with Joan Robert. Would you mind telling us about it?"
My blood turned to ice. How did they know my name? How did they know I had talked to Joan?
I looked back toward the hallway, but Marcus was gone.
"I don't know what you mean," I stuttered.
"We have reports that Joan Robert was dismissive and rude to you when you asked for job advice. Can you confirm that?"
The reporter was already recording me with her phone. The cameraman had his camera pointed right at my face.
This wasn't part of the plan. Marcus hadn't said anything about reporters being involved.
"I... I need to get back to work," I said, trying to push past them.
"Just a quick word, Tiana. Our sources say Joan Robert crushes the dreams of young artists like yourself. What was it like to experience that firsthand?"
Sources? What sources? The only people who knew about my plan were me and Marcus.
Unless Marcus had told them.
Unless this whole thing was bigger than just embarrassing Joan at a party.
As I ran toward the kitchen, avoiding the reporter's questions, one terrifying thought hit me: I wasn't working with Marcus to destroy Joan.
I was being used by Marcus to destroy Joan.
And now I was caught in the middle of something much more dangerous than I had ever thought.