Chapter 2

Austin was, ostensibly, a guest in our home, so it wasn't his place to answer the door.

As for me, I remained firmly planted in my seat, not twitching a muscle.

Left with no choice, Rachel set down the serving bowl in her hands and walked over to pull the door open.

A second later, her voice echoed back, dripping with stunned disbelief. "What are you all doing here?"

From the cluster of people on the landing, someone piped up, "Leo invited us over."

Rachel spun around, her expression entirely baffled.

I offered her an easy smile and said smoothly, "Didn't you say you wanted everyone to celebrate Austin's big break? Don't tell me you forgot."

With me putting it that way, no matter how much Rachel’s stomach churned with resentment, she had to paste on a welcoming smile and usher the group inside.

Her fake smile, however, vanished entirely within minutes.

The moment everyone took their seats around the crowded table, I spoke up again:

"Our esteemed manager here made a promise: whatever Austin gets, the rest of you will get too."

"She represents every single one of you. If there’s an audition or a brand deal you have your eye on, just lay it out. She’ll bend over backward to lock it down for you."

I turned my eyes directly to Rachel.

Meeting her stifled, suffocating glare, my lips curled into a subtle smirk.

"They're all on your roster," I added smoothly. "You wouldn't want to play favorites, would you?"

The moment those words hung in the air, every set of eyes at the table locked onto Rachel with raw hunger.

Nobody enters the entertainment industry without ambition.

Austin was no more talented than any of them, yet overnight, he had vaulted into the lead role of a studio picture.

To say they were harboring deep resentment would be an understatement.

Rachel knew damn well she couldn't deliver, leaving her paralyzed and unable to speak.

Seeing her cornered, Austin stepped up to play the hero. "Leo, if you're holding a grudge because you think I stole your part, we can go to the director right now and give it back to you. Rachel has sacrificed so much for all of us. We shouldn't be backing her into a corner like this."

Listen to that. What a masterclass in performative nobility, neatly framing me as petty and spiteful.

The tension in the room grew thicker by the second.

In this moment, Austin was the only one offering her a gracious out.

Yet, as the sole beneficiary of the betrayal, the more magnanimous he pretended to be, the more bitter everyone else at the table felt.

In the end, Rachel walked over and rested a gentle hand on my shoulder.

Her voice was honeyed and pacifying. "Leo, please don't be mad. I swear I’ll hunt down an even better project for you."

She then turned to the room. "And to the rest of you—I promise I'll fight tooth and nail for your careers, too!"

That last sentence was spoken with teeth subtly grinding behind her smile.

Still, a promise was a promise.

Relief and faint smiles returned to the faces around the table.

Rachel let out an inward sigh of relief, taking hold of my arm and pulling gently. "We need to talk. Inside."

I stood up and went along with it, following her into the kitchen.

I was genuinely curious to see what kind of spin she was about to put on this.

Once the door was cracked shut, she dropped her voice to a desperate whisper. "Leo, keeping you in the dark before the deal closed was my mistake. I own that."

"But you just humiliated Austin in front of everyone, and you completely stripped me of my authority out there. Can't we just call it even and move past this?"

"I'm your girlfriend, yes, but I'm also their talent manager."

As she spoke, she curled her fingers around mine with playful familiarity, her eyes softening into an intimate, seductive gaze.

I didn't melt. Instead, I gripped her wrist firmly and pushed her hand away.

My voice came out flat, cold as steel. "Rachel, I couldn't care less whose career you decide to build. But if you think you can use my reputation as a stepping stone to elevate him, think again. Not a chance in hell."

"We share a personal history, but we also share a business partnership."

"Do your damn job, but learn where the line is drawn. Consider this your only warning."

Rachel yanked her arm back, her face instantly darkening with irritation.

Just as she opened her mouth to argue, the loud thud of the front door shutting echoed from the living room.

She clamped her mouth shut and bolted out into the hallway.

"Where’s Austin?" she demanded, looking around in a panic.

I strolled out after her, taking my time.

Sure enough, his seat at the dining table was completely empty.