Marcus Thorne's arrest could have caused chaos in the studio, but instead, a wave of relief washed over everyone. The crew, the makeup artists, and the other actors felt a heavy weight lift from their shoulders. Marcus hadn't just threatened Aris's career; for years, he had wounded the pride of everyone on set and crushed any talent that dared to rise. Aris's move hadn't been a betrayal—it was the spark of a silent revolution.
The director, Julian, called Aris into his office the next morning. His desk was buried under script drafts and production schedules.
"Marcus is finished," Julian said, getting straight to the point. "The film is half-done, but the studio has no intention of canceling it. Everyone hated Marcus, but they saw the energy in your scenes. The audience doesn't want 'fake' heroes anymore, Aris. They want the truth."
The director slid the lead contract across the table toward Aris. "We're rewriting the character. You're no longer the shadow of the protagonist; you are the protagonist. This is your movie now."
For Aris, this was the opportunity of a lifetime. He felt no guilt; on the contrary, he felt a sense of peace knowing that someone like Marcus had been purged from the industry. Marcus wasn't just a criminal; he was a bully who had defiled the art of acting. Aris had wanted a fair competition; Marcus had dragged the fight into the mud. Aris had simply finished the game by the rules Marcus had set.
However, a different storm was brewing outside. The media hailed Aris as the "hero who exposed the truth." The public loved him, but the high-level power players in the industry began to fear him.
"That kid doesn't just act," the other big producers whispered among themselves. "He sees behind people's masks, and if necessary, he shatters them."
When Aris stepped in front of the camera for his first scene as the lead, the whispers died down. Now, he carried not just a role on his shoulders, but the hope for change in an entire industry. While Marcus Thorne rotted in his cell, the era of honesty and genuine talent was beginning.
As the camera started rolling, Aris used The Sight freely this time, without fear. He no longer needed to hide in anyone's mind. He was the sole master of the stage.