“And which artist of yours would that be?” The moment he opened his mouth, I had already pieced together most of the story. That rhythmic knocking earlier clearly wasn’t coming from Tammy. It was the violent thuds that were real. This out-of-work agent from the entertainment world—rather than reflecting on his own incompetence—had decided to blame me for everything. What a joke. “Hah. Doesn’t matter who. What matters is… all of this is your fault!” The werewolf was already completely unhinged. His eyes burned with madness as he glared at me, his voice filled with venom. “You and Tammy, the both of you ruined my life. You both deserve to die!” He pulled out a gleaming dagger and lunged at me. I sneered inwardly. Sidestepping to the side, I dodged the blade, grabbed his wrist, and threw him off balance. The werewolf tumbled to the ground, rolling twice. The dagger clattered away. “You—!” Clearly, he hadn’t expected me to be this capable. In his daze, he even forgot to pick up the knife. “Listen to me, Simon. I know you lost your job and your life has gone off the rails. You’re bitter, and you’re lashing out. I get it. But do you really think this is going to help you? Tammy and I—we’re not just anybody. If we end up dead, there’ll be at least two packs hunting you down. Maybe even the Midnight Pack. Your wife and children will spend the rest of their lives living in fear and disgrace. Is that really what you want?” My words were calm but firm, and it was enough to jolt Simon’s sanity back into place. He stared at me, then narrowed his eyes. “How do you know my name?” I smiled. “Because among all the actresses who’ve clashed with Tammy, Fane is the only one whose pride matches her fame. She’s the only one who could be considered her equal. And the only reason Fane ever got where she is... was because of you, Simon.” “Too bad Fane didn’t appreciate you. She fired you without a second thought. She’s going to regret that someday.”Simon looked stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected me to say that. Sensing his hesitation, I kept going. “Simon, what if I told you... I could offer you a fresh start?” He looked skeptical. “Fane got me blacklisted across the whole damn industry. There’s no way back for me. What kind of fresh start could you possibly offer?” “What if I said I could get you a managerial position at the top talent agency under Bluewater Corporation?” His eyes widened. “You mean... Light Corp?” “Exactly. They represent multiple award-winning actors and actresses. If you’re interested, I could set it up for you as soon as tomorrow.” As Bluewater Corporation’s CEO, sliding someone into a company like Light Corp was a walk in the park. Simon had spent years being exploited under Lawson Corp’s Starshine Entertainment. He launched countless stars, but never got a proper title—just because he refused to bribe people and played it too straight. But Light Corp was a different story. It was the best of the best, miles ahead of Starshine. There was no way he wouldn’t be tempted. “Is... is that for real?” His voice was starting to tremble. “Of course it’s real. I happen to know the vice president of Bluewater personally.” I winked at him and gave a relaxed little smile. His entire posture eased. He clearly believed me. “Thanks... But you’re sure this isn’t a trick?” “I’ve never lied, Simon. And just so you know—before I came here, I set up my phone to automatically alert the cops if I didn’t find Tammy within thirty minutes. You decide. Take the job, shine in your field, and provide for your family... or…” I gave him a look and let the rest hang in the air. The choice between a bright future and a life of running and hiding? Even a fool could figure out the better option. “Kids need their dad, don’t you think... Director Du?” I looked him straight in the eyes. That broke him.“Okay… I’ll let her go.” With shaking hands, he untied the ropes around Tammy and peeled off the tape from her mouth. “Raelyn, why the hell would you help him?!” Tammy jumped to her feet, hiding behind me as she glared daggers at Simon. I just smiled and shook my head. “I’m not just helping him. I’m helping myself.” “What does that mean? He’s a kidnapper. What possible use could he be to you?” Tammy looked at me like I’d lost it. “This guy—Simon—is actually pretty capable,” I said in a low voice. I’d heard Jackson talk about him before. The man had a reputation: skilled, proud, and impossible to tame. He had talent, but he’d always been overlooked. Especially after getting stuck with Fane, who was notoriously impossible to work with. She’d wrung him dry. That’s how he ended up like this. “Thank you, Ms. Raelyn,” Simon said, eyes welling with tears. “I can’t believe you’d actually stand up for me. I don’t deserve it. I really don’t.” Then he raised his hand and slapped himself across the face. Hard. Multiple times.