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The drive back to John's apartment was tense. The excitement of landing the role was quickly overshadowed by the dark cloud of the lawsuit looming over him. Mia kept stealing glances at John, clearly worried, but she didn't push him to talk. He appreciated that; he needed time to process everything.
As they pulled up outside his building, John sighed heavily. "Do you want to come up?" he asked, half-hoping she'd say yes. He wasn't sure he wanted to be alone right now.
"Of course," Mia said without hesitation. She smiled at him, trying to be reassuring. "I wasn't planning on leaving you hanging."
They headed up to John's apartment in silence. As soon as they stepped inside, Mia dropped her purse on the couch and turned to face him, arms crossed.
"Okay," she said, her tone no-nonsense. "We need to talk about what we're going to do next."
John nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah… I just can't wrap my head around this. Why would anyone go through all this trouble? I'm not some big-name actor. I'm barely starting out."
Mia bit her lip, thinking. "You're right. This feels like overkill, especially for someone at your level. But that's what worries me. What if there's something bigger going on here?"
John frowned. "Like what?"
Mia shrugged, her expression troubled. "I don't know. Maybe someone has a grudge against Anderson or the studio, and they're using you to get to them. Or maybe it's personal. Could be someone from your past."
"My past?" John echoed, his mind racing. "I don't think I've pissed anyone off that badly. I mean, I've had some disagreements at work, but nothing that would lead to this. This feels… malicious."
"Exactly," Mia said, her voice hardening. "And that's why we need to be careful. We can't assume anything at this point. For all we know, this could be someone with a lot of power and influence trying to mess with you."
John slumped onto the couch, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "It's just… it's not fair. I finally get a break, and now this happens. What if this ruins everything?"
Mia sat beside him, her expression softening. "It's not going to ruin anything, John. We're going to fight this. You've worked too hard to let some coward hiding behind a lawsuit take it all away from you."
John looked at her, feeling a surge of gratitude. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Mia. You're the only thing keeping me sane right now."
Mia smiled, her eyes warm. "You'd figure it out. But I'm glad to be here for you. We'll get through this, John. I promise."
He nodded, trying to take comfort in her words. But deep down, the fear and uncertainty gnawed at him. "I just… I don't want to lose this chance, Mia. It feels like everything I've worked for is hanging by a thread."
Mia took his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You're not going to lose it. You've got people on your side—me, Anderson, and now Evelyn. We're all fighting for you. You're not alone in this."
John squeezed her hand back, taking a deep breath. "Thanks, Mia. I needed to hear that."
Just as he was starting to feel a little better, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, his stomach tightening when he saw the number. It was Anderson.
"Mia, it's Anderson," he said, showing her the screen.
"Answer it," she urged, her eyes wide. "Maybe he has news."
John took a deep breath and answered the call. "Mr. Anderson?"
"John," Anderson's voice was tight, and John could hear the tension in it. "I just got off the phone with my legal team. We're still trying to get more information on who's behind this lawsuit, but… we've hit a bit of a snag."
John's heart sank. "What do you mean?"
"There's a lot of red tape," Anderson explained. "Whoever filed this lawsuit did a damn good job of covering their tracks. My team is working on it, but it's going to take time."
"Time?" John echoed, his voice rising in panic. "But we don't have time, Mr. Anderson! Filming starts soon—what if this lawsuit affects my role? What if they force me to back out?"
"I understand your concern, John," Anderson said, his tone calm but firm. "But you need to trust that we're doing everything we can. We're not letting you go without a fight. My team is the best in the business, and we're going to find a way to resolve this."
John ran a hand over his face, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him again. "I'm scared, Mr. Anderson. I don't want to lose this."
"I know, John," Anderson said, his voice softening. "But you need to stay strong. Focus on preparing for the role. Let us handle the legal side. We'll keep you in the loop with any updates."
John nodded, though he knew Anderson couldn't see him. "Okay. Thank you, sir. I appreciate everything you're doing."
"Hang in there, John," Anderson said before ending the call.
John stared at his phone for a long moment, the silence in the room thick with tension. Finally, Mia spoke up, her voice gentle. "What did he say?"
"He said they're working on it, but it's going to take time," John replied, his voice hollow. "Whoever's behind this really knows what they're doing."
Mia frowned. "So we're back to square one?"
"Pretty much," John muttered, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "I can't believe this is happening. Why can't anything just be simple?"
Mia reached out and touched his arm. "We'll get through this, John. But you can't let it consume you. Anderson's right—you need to focus on the role. Show them that you're worth fighting for."
John sighed, rubbing his temples. "You're right. I just… I need to get out of my own head."
Mia nodded, her expression determined. "Then let's do something to take your mind off it. How about we run lines? Get you back into the character of Mark. You need to stay sharp."
John hesitated, but then he realized she was right. The best thing he could do right now was focus on what he could control—his performance. "Alright. Let's do it."
Mia smiled, grabbing the script from her bag. "Perfect. Let's start with the scene where Mark confronts his brother. It's a tough one, but I think you've got it down."
As they started running through the lines, John felt a small sense of relief. Acting was what he loved, what he was good at. It was something he could lose himself in, if only for a little while. And as he and Mia worked through the scene, he found himself slipping into the role of Mark, the world of legal threats and lawsuits fading into the background.
But even as they finished the scene, that lingering fear was still there, gnawing at the edges of his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something much bigger—and much more dangerous.
As they wrapped up the practice, Mia's phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen with a frown. "Hey, I've got to take this," she said, stepping away to answer the call.
John watched her go, a sinking feeling settling in his gut. Something wasn't right. He could feel it.
A few minutes later, Mia returned, her expression troubled. "That was Evelyn. She just got some preliminary info on the law firm handling the lawsuit."
John's heart skipped a beat. "And?"
Mia bit her lip. "John… the firm has ties to someone in the industry. Someone powerful."
"Who?" John demanded, his anxiety spiking again.
Mia hesitated, then met his eyes. "Blake Winters."
John's blood ran cold. Blake Winters was one of the biggest producers in Hollywood—a man known for his cutthroat tactics and ruthless ambition. If he was involved…
"But why?" John whispered, trying to make sense of it. "Why would someone like Blake Winters come after me?"
Mia shook her head. "I don't know, John. But if he's involved… this is bad. Really bad."
John felt like the walls were closing in on him. Blake Winters was a titan in the industry—someone you didn't cross unless you had a death wish. If Blake had set his sights on John, this lawsuit was only the beginning.
"What do we do?" John asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Mia's eyes were filled with worry, but her voice was firm. "We fight. We don't back down, John. We're going to figure out why he's doing this, and we're going to stop him."
John nodded, though his mind was spinning with fear. "But how? How do we take on someone like Blake Winters?"
"We find out what he wants
," Mia said, her voice filled with determination. "And we make sure he doesn't get it."
John swallowed hard, the enormity of the situation pressing down on him like a weight. But Mia's confidence gave him a glimmer of hope. He wasn't going to let Blake Winters—or anyone else—destroy his dreams.
As they sat together, brainstorming their next move, John knew one thing for sure: he was in for the fight of his life. But with Mia by his side, he was ready to face whatever came his way.
The storm was gathering, but John was determined to weather it—no matter what.