A hush fell over the group. Janet’s words wiped the smiles from everyone’s faces. Stacey, surprised to see Janet, instantly understood her game.

“It’s late,” Hayden smoothly interjected, seeing Stacey’s reluctance. “Dinner?”

Stacey readily agreed. “Yeah, sure.”

Charlie chimed in, “Count me in!” Jeremy, Lillian, and Kevin echoed their enthusiasm, a stark contrast to the directors’ sharp glares directed at Janet. Her face fell. She’d misread the situation; they’d been courting Rebecca and Charlie, and her presence had driven them away. Panic set in.

She grabbed Stacey’s arm. “Stacey, dinner? I know a great place!” She frantically turned to the directors. “Right?”

Their spirits revived at the prospect of reconciliation. They swarmed forward, beaming. “Becky, Charlie, Mr. Hoggard, let’s go! My treat! Jacaster’s best!”

Stacey bristled, but they couldn’t afford to offend these powerful connections, especially with L&K’s future in entertainment. Hayden readily agreed.

Stacey and Charlie hid their displeasure behind forced smiles. Jeremy remained silent; Lillian and Kevin, oblivious, were thrilled.

Stacey endured the dinner, escaping only when Lillian and Kevin’s exhaustion provided an excuse. Hayden shouldered Jeremy, still a child despite his three years.

Back at the hotel, Gwen and Marie bathed the children while Stacey showered and went to bed. Lillian and Kevin slept soundly, too tired for bedtime stories – a first. Stacey, exhausted but restless, thought about Janet. Their relationship had irrevocably changed. Once, Stacey had tolerated Janet out of respect for her adoptive parents. But Janet wasn't their biological daughter, a revelation that made sense considering their infertility. The thought lulled her to sleep.

Janet, however, lay awake, consumed by anxiety. Her attempt to ingratiate herself with the directors through Rebecca and Charlie had backfired spectacularly. They’d scattered after the couple left, ignoring her completely.

“Ben!” she called, desperate, catching up to one of the directors.

He paused, then looked back, a flicker of impatience in his eyes. Janet, nervous but determined, seized the opportunity. “Ben, I heard you’re casting for a new drama.”

Ben regarded her with a sigh. “Ms. Mitchell, I wouldn’t waste my time on…meaningless pursuits.”

Janet stared, bewildered. The other directors glanced back before continuing their departure. Ben’s pitying gaze pierced her.

“The current policy prohibits disgraced artists from appearing onscreen,” he explained gently. “Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t. You should consider…other options.”

“Other options?” she echoed, lost. He left her standing there, the words hanging in the air. "Other options? What else could I do?"

A bitter smile touched her lips. Her five-year contract bound her to the industry, and her ambition to marry Joe, a man who reportedly preferred entertainment personalities, sealed her fate.