Damien’s gaze sharpened. “So what changed?”
“They insisted. Said they’d send their ‘least influential’ talent and only charge half the regular fee. All they wanted was the experience for their roster. I asked who it would be—they didn’t say. Just that they’d send the talent directly, and if we didn’t like him, they’d replace him at no extra cost.”
“And you agreed?” Ashcroft asked.
Trina hesitated, guilt shadowing her expression. “I shouldn’t have, but it seemed like a bargain, and we were tight on time. But when Ethan Miller walked in.”
She shook her head. “He’s not some mid-tier model. He’s one of Orion’s biggest names. That’s not what we agreed on.”
“And you didn’t pull the plug?” Damien asked.
“I tried,” she said quickly. “I called Orion before the meeting and said we were declini
