LAUREN FINALLY TELLS WAYNE THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CONTRACT… I

 LAUREN FINALLY TELLS WAYNE THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CONTRACT…

LAUREN FINALLY TELLS WAYNE THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CONTRACT!

For days, Wayne had known something wasn't right.

Every time he asked about Amber's contract, someone changed the subject. The lawyers said they were "reviewing paperwork." The producers said they "couldn't discuss it." Even Amber seemed uncomfortable whenever the subject came up.

But Lauren knew the truth.

And she had been carrying the secret alone.

Until that night.

---

LAUREN FINALLY WALKS INTO WAYNE'S OFFICE

It was almost midnight when Lauren entered Wayne's office.

Wayne was sitting behind his desk, staring at a stack of papers.

He looked up.

"Lauren?"

She closed the door behind her.

"We need to talk."

Wayne immediately noticed the seriousness on her face.

"About Amber?"

Lauren nodded.

"About the contract."

Wayne leaned back.

"I knew it."

Lauren slowly placed a thick folder on his desk.

"I should've told you sooner."

Wayne looked at the folder.

"What is this?"

"The truth."

---

THE CONTRACT WAS CHANGED

Wayne opened the folder.

His eyes immediately landed on several pages covered with highlighted sections.

"These aren't the same terms Amber originally agreed to."

Lauren shook her head.

"They aren't."

Wayne looked confused.

"Who changed them?"

"We don't know yet."

Lauren explained that during the lawyer's meeting, they discovered several additional clauses had appeared in a newer version of Amber's contract.

The changes would have given the company significantly more control over Amber's podcast appearances, outside projects, interviews, and certain public statements.

Wayne slammed his hand on the desk.

"Amber never agreed to this!"

"I know."

"Then why was she being pressured to sign it?"

Lauren looked down.

"Because they told her refusing could cost her everything."

Wayne's expression hardened.

"They threatened her?"

"Not directly."

Lauren paused.

"But that's exactly how it felt."

---

WAYNE REALIZES SOMETHING BIGGER WAS HAPPENING

Wayne stood up and walked toward the window.

"So all those arguments... all those rumors about Amber wanting to leave..."

"They weren't the whole story," Lauren said.

Wayne turned around.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Lauren hesitated.

Then she pulled another document from the folder.

"This was prepared before Amber made her final decision."

Wayne read the heading.

TERMINATION NOTICE

His eyes widened.

"You're telling me they were already preparing to fire Amber?"

Lauren nodded.

"That's what it looks like."

Wayne shook his head.

"But she hadn't even refused the contract yet."

"Exactly."

Wayne stared at the document.

"Someone already decided how this was going to end."

---

THE SIGNATURE

Wayne noticed something else.

"Wait."

He pointed to the bottom of the page.

"That's supposed to be Amber's signature."

Lauren nodded.

"But it isn't."

Wayne looked closer.

"Are you sure?"

"Amber's lawyer questioned it."

Wayne's face became serious.

"Then who signed it?"

Lauren lowered her voice.

"That's what the lawyers are investigating."

Wayne slowly closed the folder.

"This isn't just a contract dispute anymore."

"I know."

---

LAUREN ADMITS HER OWN SECRET

Wayne looked directly at Lauren.

"You knew all of this?"

Lauren's eyes filled with tears.

"I knew some of it."

"How long?"

"Since the night of the lawyer's meeting."

Wayne couldn't hide his disappointment.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was scared."

"Of who?"

Lauren hesitated.

"Everyone."

She explained that the lawyers had warned her not to discuss confidential information while the investigation was underway.

"But I couldn't keep watching you blame yourself for everything."

Wayne's voice softened.

"What do you mean?"

Lauren answered,

"You kept thinking the problems with the podcast were your fault."

She shook her head.

"They weren't."

---

WAYNE MAKES A PROMISE

Wayne walked back to his desk.

"I need to talk to Amber."

Lauren nodded.

"But don't confront anyone yet."

"Why?"

"Because we still don't know who created that document."

Wayne understood.

"If we accuse the wrong person, whoever actually did this gets away."

Lauren smiled faintly.

"Exactly."

Wayne picked up the folder.

"Then we'll find out."

---

AMBER ARRIVES

The next morning, Wayne asked Amber to come to the studio.

When she arrived, she immediately noticed the seriousness in the room.

"What's going on?"

Wayne looked at Lauren.

Lauren nodded.

Wayne pushed the folder across the table.

"I know about the contract."

Amber froze.

"What?"

"I know about the changes."

Amber slowly opened the folder.

As she read, her eyes widened.

"Where did you get this?"

Lauren answered.

"I gave it to him."

Amber looked at her.

"You knew?"

Lauren nodded.

"I'm sorry."

Amber became emotional.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Wayne stepped forward.

"We're telling you now."

---

AMBER REVEALS WHAT SHE WAS NEVER TOLD

Amber wiped away a tear.

"There was something I never told anyone."

Wayne looked at her.

"What?"

"When they gave me the new contract, they told me it was my only option."

Wayne's expression changed.

"They told me if I didn't sign, I could lose my position."

Lauren shook her head.

"They didn't tell you there were other options."

Amber looked stunned.

"So I was pressured into believing I had no choice."

Wayne nodded.

"That's what it looks like."

---

THEN THE PHONE RINGS

Suddenly, Lauren's phone rang.

She looked at the screen.

Unknown number.

She answered.

"Hello?"

Nobody spoke.

Then a distorted voice said:

"Stop looking into the contract."

Lauren froze.

Wayne immediately stood up.

"Who is this?"

The caller ignored him.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with."

The call ended.

Everyone stared at one another.

Amber whispered,

"They know."

Wayne nodded.

"Someone knows we're investigating."

---

THE FINAL DISCOVERY

Lauren opened the folder one more time.

"I found something else."

She pulled out a small printed email.

Wayne read it.

It had been sent shortly before the contract was changed.

The message contained one sentence:

"Once Amber is separated from Wayne's podcast, the entire situation becomes much easier to control."

Wayne's jaw dropped.

Amber covered her mouth.

Lauren whispered,

"That's why I had to tell you."

Wayne looked at both women.

"They weren't just trying to change Amber's contract."

He paused.

"They were trying to break the podcast apart."

Nobody spoke.

Then Wayne slowly closed the folder.

"Now we know what we're dealing with."

Amber looked at him.

"What are we going to do?"

Wayne looked toward the studio cameras.

"We tell the truth."

But none of them realized that someone outside the studio had been listening.