Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 419: Caught on Camera

"Squeak! Squeak!"

Just as the man began to tilt the thermos, two sharp chirps rang out from the plane tree above him.

He looked up instinctively and saw two plump squirrels perched on a branch. Mounted on their tiny chests were miniature body cams, their red lights blinking steadily.

Corry puffed out his furry chest, looking dead serious. "The evidence is undeniable!"

Bobby wagged his massive tail in excitement. "Got it! We got it all on film!"

The man’s face went pale. His hand jerked, and the thermos hit the ground with a heavy clang.

Almost instantly, several forensic officers who had been lying in wait nearby lunged forward. They used professional tools to secure the spilled liquid and the tea dregs before they could seep into the dirt.

As the officers pinned him down, the man began to scream. "What are you doing? I’m just dumping out some trash!"

"You came all the way out here to the edge of the property just to dump a few tea leaves?" The lead officer didn't buy it for a second. "While acting that twitchy?"

Another officer promptly seized the tea cup from the man's cart.

The man’s eyes darted around in a panic, though he tried to force a calm explanation. "That... that cup was broken. I was just replacing it..."

"Is that so?" The officer stared him down, his voice sharp. "Then are you willing to swear that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the tea that was inside this cup?"

"Of... of course there was nothing wrong!" the man barked, though his voice began to crack.

"If there was nothing wrong, why did you go through the trouble of changing your uniform and trekking out here to get rid of a cup?"

The police stopped giving him room to argue. "Save it for the station. You're coming with us."

Nancy received the confirmation that the suspect was in custody and felt a wave of relief. She looked back toward the hotel with a spark of anticipation in her eyes. Now... let’s see the performance of a lifetime.

…

The audition ended. As Devon stepped out of the room, his team immediately swarmed him.

"How was it? With your talent, Director Jameson won't have a single complaint!" his assistant asked, beaming with hope.

Devon’s face was deathly pale. His lips were pressed into a thin line. Those eyes, which were usually full of life and fire on camera, were now dim and filled with an unbelievable sense of agony and defeat.

He didn't answer. He simply shook his head, a heavy, slow movement as if the very spirit had been drained out of him.

He stumbled toward a nearby bench and sat down, burying his face in his hands. He ran his fingers through his hair, his shoulders trembling slightly.

His team members were frantic. "What happened? Talk to us!"

Devon opened his mouth, but only a few suppressed, raspy gasps came out. He closed his eyes in pain, looking like a man who could not accept the reality of his situation.

The team looked at each other, paralyzed by worry.

Just then, Devon’s executive agent, Tyrone Johnson, hurried over. Tyrone wore a perfectly practiced expression of regret and concern as he patted Devon on the shoulder.

"How could you lose your voice... this is so sudden. But it’s alright. The company has already made arrangements. If Director Jameson’s film doesn't work out, we have a massive production with Director Greg. The role is a perfect fit for you..."

Before Tyrone could finish, Devon’s head snapped up.

The gray shroud of pain and despondency vanished in an instant. The dead look in his eyes evaporated, replaced by a gaze as sharp and cold as tempered steel, piercing straight through Tyrone.

"Tyrone, I’m just coming down from the emotions of the scene I performed. How were you so certain that I had suddenly lost my voice and failed the audition?"

Tyrone went silent. The color drained from his face, and he froze where he stood.

As the atmosphere hit the freezing point, two undercover officers stepped forward and flashed their badges.

"Tyrone Johnson. City Police." The lead officer’s voice was calm but heavy with authority. "We need you to come with us and answer a few questions regarding a potential threat to Mr. Greene’s safety."

"Devon! You played me! You bastard!" Tyrone’s distorted roar echoed through the hallway as he was led away.

The rest of the team watched the lightning-fast reversal in stunned silence. It wasn't until the officers disappeared into the elevator that they regained their senses and looked at Devon in disbelief.

"Devon... what on earth is going on?"

The actor's face had returned to its usual calm, but his eyes remained frozen. He didn't offer a long explanation; instead, he snapped straight into professional mode, his voice carrying a sense of absolute finality.

"Yonnie," he said to his PR assistant, his instructions clear and methodical. "Contact our media connections immediately. Leak the story. Neo Summers Corp attempted to poison an artist to force a contract renewal. Make sure the world knows how low they’ve sunk."

"Got it!" The assistant’s spirits surged, and she began working immediately.