You Crushed My Heart, So I Crushed Your Empire

Anthony tilted my chin up with one finger, satisfied. "Good girl. Go change into the dress." "Relax. This is a big-budget production. It's guaranteed to blow up. Once Bianca and I take home Best Actor and Best Actress, and after you've given me a child down the line, I'll consider going public with you." I swallowed the urge to slap him across the face. I walked into the restroom, expressionless. I didn't need to look to know Anthony had posted a bodyguard outside the door. But he was overthinking it. When you encountered filth, the best move wasn't to run. It was to clean it up. I pulled out the unassuming handmade pendant tucked inside my collar and pressed the hidden button. A few seconds later, Connor Henson's voice crackled through, lazy and laced with something sour. "What's going on, princess?" "Aren't you busy lowering yourself to babysit that dog of a man? And you still have time to call me?" My tone was flat. "I'm done playing." "He's handing me off to another man tonight. Trading me for his little girlfriend's resources." Half a second of silence on the other end. Then the crisp sound of glass shattering, and Connor's voice dropped to something ice-cold. "Give me the location. I'm coming to put that piece of trash in the ground."

After I changed and came out, the director they'd invited, Simon Finch, still hadn't arrived.

Anthony had someone bring me to the living room.

He had his arm around Bianca's waist, his voice dripping with indulgence. "Babe, don't worry. I already got Viv to agree to keep Director Finch company tonight."

"What I promised you, I deliver. Always."

Bianca squealed and threw her arms around him. The two of them kissed for a solid three minutes.

Catcalls and whistles erupted around them.

She turned to me, eyes glittering with contempt.

"Viv, after watching you throw yourself into the ocean yesterday, I thought you actually had some backbone."

"Turns out you still can't let go of the money. You'll even sleep with an old man for it. Tsk. Nobody's cheaper than you."

Bianca stepped closer and clicked her tongue.

"Fine, skip the makeup. But you couldn't even put on a little blush? Your face is white as a corpse. What if you scare Director Finch?"

She finished speaking, and Anthony flicked his wrist in a casual gesture.

Wyatt, the bodyguard standing behind me, understood instantly. His hand came up and cracked across my face. Twice.

Searing pain bloomed across my cheek.

Bianca tipped my chin up with one fingertip, inspecting me. "There we go. Finally some color."

"But given that little temper tantrum you threw last night, I'm not so sure you can keep Director Finch happy. Tell you what, let me test you first."

"Get on your knees and lick my shoes clean."

The room went quiet. People exchanged uneasy glances.

Even for someone who was just a lowly assistant, this was beyond degrading.

I looked at Anthony. "You have nothing to say?"

He hesitated. Bianca's lower lip jutted out in a wounded pout.

"Anthony, you said you'd help me land that role. That we were in this together. Did you forget?"

"Besides, I'm doing this for Viv's own good. She needs to learn obedience so she can take better care of you later. You can't have her throwing tantrums and making threats every time something doesn't go her way, right?"

"If you don't want me to do this, fine. I'll go on Twitter right now and post that yesterday's announcement was just a publicity stunt. That way nobody can accuse me of being a homewrecker."

Anthony rushed to comfort her, his voice soft and coaxing.

Then he turned to me, brow furrowed with irritation.

"It's just licking a shoe. It's not going to kill you. The whole reason I let you be my assistant was so you could take care of me and the people around me."

"Besides, Bianca's not wrong. That temper of yours does need training. The last thing I need is you causing problems for me down the road."