On the way, Leo Vance noticed that Ava wasn't as happy as she seemed during her initial greeting. Her gaze was often unfocused, drifting toward the window as if she were carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. However, since she didn't volunteer the information, Leo didn't pry. He simply kept his hand on the wheel of the sapphire Ferrari, weaving through the late-afternoon traffic with ease.
Originally, Ava had intended to check into a hotel near the studio, but at Chloe's enthusiastic, borderline aggressive insistence, she had no choice but to stay at Leo's "penthouse."
"Ava, aren't you afraid this bad guy will do something to me if I'm alone with him?" Chloe said, putting on a look of exaggerated innocence. "You have to stay with me as my bodyguard!"
If Leo weren't currently navigating a freeway, he would have given Chloe a sharp rap on the head! How dare she slander her brother right to his face? It seemed three years of distance had only sharpened her tongue; he could only imagine the creative insults she'd been whispering behind his back.
Back at the penthouse, Leo helped carry the luggage upstairs.
"Wow! Leo, this is too much!" Chloe toured the sprawling, multi-level apartment, constantly exclaiming at the floor-to-ceiling views. "Three master suites for one person? Aren't you afraid of ghosts at night? Or do you just have enough 'Cursed Energy' to scare them away?"
Just as Chloe was wandering off to claim the room with the best view of the Hollywood sign, Ava approached Leo. Her expression was no longer shy; it was dead-serious.
"Director Vance... Leo. There's something I need to tell you."
Leo's expression remained calm. He gestured toward the velvet sofa and poured her a glass of chilled water. "Sit down. Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."
Ava took a small, hesitant sip of water before beginning. "It's about my agency, Miller Media. Today, Director Miller called me. He... he told me I'm not allowed to take the role in Hidden Inventory."
Leo's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't interrupt.
"My contract is nearing its end," Ava continued, her voice trembling slightly. "In the past, they never provided me with resources. I had to find my own auditions, my own work. When I finally landed the role of Riko in your film, they initially agreed. But last night, they changed their tune. They want to force me into a low-budget soap opera they're producing to fulfill my contract, and they're threatening me with an eighty-million-dollar breach-of-contract fee if I refuse."
Leo listened intently. In his previous life, he had seen this story play out a hundred times. Ava was a former child star, on the same level as Gwen and Lucas Miller when they were kids. But while her peers had soared, she had been anchored by a "vampire" agency. These companies signed young talents to long-term, restrictive deals, used the successful ones as ATMs, and "starved" the ones they couldn't control.
Suddenly, a memory from his old world flashed through Leo's mind. He recalled a trending topic about a young actress being falsely accused of tax evasion by her own agency after she tried to leave. It was a classic "scorched earth" tactic.
"Miller Media," Leo muttered, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "They're trying to bury you before you can fly."
"Director Miller said that because Vance Global is a major shareholder now, I have no hope of winning a lawsuit," Ava added, her eyes holding a hint of profound sadness. "He thinks he has the Vance family backing him."
Leo nearly laughed. He thinks he has the Vance family? That's adorable.
"Wait here for a second," Leo said, standing up.
He returned to his bedroom and dialed a familiar number.
"Lauren? Do we own a piece of a trash heap called Miller Media?"
"Miller Media?" Lauren Vance's voice was crisp. "Yes. We acquired a 15% stake last month during a debt restructuring. They're also begging us for more funding for two 'S-Tier' projects they're trying to greenlight. Why? Is there a problem?"
Leo recounted Ava's situation, the bullying, the 'starvation' tactics, and the threat of the exit fee.
There was a pause on the other end. When Lauren spoke again, her tone was ice-cold. "I see. These bottom-feeders really don't know their place. Threatening an artist I personally cleared for your production? I'll handle it. Coincidentally, I have a board meeting with their parent company in ten minutes. I think it's time for a 'management reshuffle'."
Five minutes later, as Leo was walking back into the living room, his phone buzzed with a WeChat message.
[Lauren: Done. Check the news in an hour.]
Leo sat back down on the sofa across from Ava. "It's all taken care of."
Ava was stunned, her reaction a bit slow. "Taken care of? What... what do you mean?"
Leo offered a slight, knowing smile. "Your contract. You're free. You can film whatever you want now."
Ava stared at him, her mind struggling to process the words. It was like being told you've been granted a general amnesty after ten years in a dark cell. It felt like a dream, fragile and impossible.
"A cup to the morning sun... a cup to the moonlight..."
Ava's phone suddenly shrieked. She looked at the caller ID: Director Miller.
She answered, her hand shaking. Before she could even say hello, Miller's voice, now devoid of any grease or arrogance erupted through the speaker. He sounded like a man who was currently being chased by a pack of wolves.
"Ava! My dear Ava! How are you? I hope you're enjoying!"
Ava was bewildered. "Director Miller? I thought we were seeing each other in court?"
"Court?! Perish the thought! I must have been delirious yesterday!" Miller's fawning was almost nauseating. "Listen, that JJK movie? You go! You give it your all! I will personally handle all the paperwork. Consider your contract with Miller Media dissolved as of five minutes ago. No exit fee, no liquidated damages. In fact, I'll send over a 'goodwill' bonus for your travel expenses!"
Ava's jaw dropped. "What... what happened to Midnight Petals?"
"To hell with Midnight Petals! It's a trash script! Forget I ever mentioned it! Just... please, Ava, whatever you do, tell Director Vance that we've settled everything amicably! Don't let him pull the investment! My life is in your hands!"
Miller didn't even wait for a reply; he hung up the moment he finished his plea, as if he were afraid the phone might explode.
Ava looked at Leo, her beautiful eyes widening, filling with a light that had been absent for years. The dark, gloomy haze had vanished.
"Director Vance... was that you? He mentioned a 'Director Vance'."
Leo smiled but didn't confirm or deny it. "I told you, Ava. You agreed to be my female lead. That means you're my person. I can't have my lead actress running away to act in a soap opera, can I?"
The words were both warm and possessive, carrying a domineering authority that made Ava's heart skip a beat.
"Thank you, Teacher Leo!" Ava's eyes were practically sparkling with pink bubbles as she looked at him.
"What are you two talking about? Why do you look so happy?"
Chloe walked back into the room, sounding a bit displeased at being left out of the moment.
Leo chuckled. "Nothing much. Just telling Ava about the time you used to wet the bed when you were six."
"LIAR!" Chloe's face turned red as a beet. She lunged forward, grabbing Ava's hand to lead her away from the 'evil' brother. "Don't listen to a word he says, Ava! He's a professional gaslighter!"
Then Chloe turned back, her curiosity winning out. "But seriously, what were you talking about?"
Ava smiled brightly. "Leo helped me terminate my contract. I'm officially a free agent."
"Miller Media?" Chloe's expression shifted instantly. She stomped her foot in anger, her eyes flashing with a protective fire. "Daring to bully my best friend? They really have the guts of a bear! Do they think the Vance Family are just pushovers?!"
Ava froze, looking between the two siblings. "Keke... what did you just say about the Vance Family?"
Chloe realized her slip-up and bit her lip, while Leo simply leaned back and took a slow sip of his water, a mysterious smirk on his face. The "Healing" had truly begun.
For Advance/Early Chapters:
patreon.com/Shadownarch_