Sophia watched her from the safety of the heavy mahogany door, her own heart hammering against her ribs as she drew a slow, agonizingly cautious breath. She had managed actresses through divorces, public scandals, and career-ending lawsuits, but nothing quite matched the volatile unpredictability of Lydia Hale in full meltdown. She needed to stabilize the asset.
If Lydia walked onto that soundstage looking like an unhinged, mascara-streaked wreck, the new legal syndicate wouldn't even need a contract clause to replace her; the insurance underwriters would pull her performance bond by noon. Years of managing volatile talent had taught Sophia one crucial lesson: redirect the rage, never suppress it. Give it a target, a purpose, a channel.
