The text message arrived just as Ava was wrestling with a stubborn zipper on a vintage dress she'd found at a thrift store. "Julian Devereux. Tonight. Le Petit Bistro. 8 PM. Consider it a strategic career discussion."

A strategic career discussion? Ava snorted, finally conquering the zipper. It sounded more like a strategic power play. Since joining the Devereux Studios talent program, Ava had been submerged in a whirlwind of acting classes, voice coaching, and red-carpet etiquette lessons. The attention was flattering, and undeniably beneficial, but it also felt like being molded into something she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to be.