The morning in Manhattan had never felt quite this suffocating for Julian Theodore Caldwell. On the top floor of the JTC Tower, the superstar stood motionless before a floor-to-ceiling glass pane, staring out at the labyrinth of skyscrapers shrouded in a thin, grey haze. On the teak desk behind him lay a termination notice, marked by a signature so sharp and jagged it seemed to bleed defiance.
"Replace the lead actress for Eternal Flame," Julian commanded without turning. His voice was low, yet it carried an underlying authority that turned the air in the room to ice. "Selena is out. I don't care how many millions the penalty for this unilateral cancellation costs JTC."
One of the directors present in the emergency meeting broke into a cold sweat. "But Mr. Caldwell, production begins next month. Replacing Selena so abruptly with Chloe will ignite a firestorm among the fans. They'll assume the rumors of your off-screen romance from the last film are finally being confirmed!"
