Lately, Jasper had also been helping Rachel search for Star.


    "If you can find this Star and make him your exclusiveposer, Rachel, your concerts will be an unprecedented sess. With Star''s poprity, there''s no limit to what you could achieve."


    Rachel wanted to find Star just as much. "But no one knows who Star really is. Isn''t it basically impossible to track him down?"


    Just then, a man''s clear, confident voice sounded by her side.


    "I''ll have someone find Star."


    Rachel''s eyes brightened at Haynes''s words; some of the gloom in her expression faded away.


    "Do you really think you can find him?"


    Haynes nodded. "Foreman''s a master at tracking people down. If anyone can do it, he can. Leave it to me."


    Rachel hesitated. "But even if you do find Star, he might not agree topose for me. I''ve heard plenty of people have tried-offered huge sums—and he''s always turned them down."


    "He''ll agree." Haynes''s tone was unwavering, his certainty brooking no argument. "Don''t worry about this. I''ll take care of everything."


    Jasper piped in, "Rachel, rx. If Haynie says he''ll get it done, he''ll get it done."


    Finally, Rachel managed a small, trusting smile at Haynes. "Alright. I''ll leave it to you, Haynie."


    ...


    Sunlight poured through the tall studio windows,ying a soft golden haze across the floor.


    Ste was in the studio, practicing her violin.


    The door swung open. Abby walked in, grumbling under her breath and carrying takeout for lunch.


    Noticing Abby''s disgruntled expression, Ste paused and asked, "What happened?"


    Abby sighed. "Just got a call from thendlord. Out of nowhere, he wants us to move out he even offered to pay the penalty for breaking the lease. Can you believe it? This studio is the result of so much work-Antoney and I poured our hearts into renovating this ce ourselves. And we signed a five-year contract! They can''t just break it because they feel like it."


    Thepensation was a decent sum, but Ste and Antoney''s concert wasing up soon. Everything in the studio-the walls, the floors, the curtains, the chandelier-Ste had chosen


    ver


    herself, after countless hours of


    effort. She wasn''t about to give it up


    so easily.


    Ste frowned in surprise. “Do you think someone else has their eye on the studio?"


    Abby rolled her eyes. "Who cares? I told them no. The lease is in our hands-they can''t take it back from us."


    Then, as if remembering something, Abby turned serious.


    "Oh, right—Star, there''s something else."


    "What is it?"


    "Someone contacted me with an offer they want you to be their exclusiveposer."


    Normally, Abby would have


    down such requests on Ste''s behalf without a second thought.


    This time, though, she brought it up for a reason.


    She lowered her voice. "At first, I turned them down automatically. But the offer...


    it''s huge. So I figured I should check with you."


    "How much are we talking?" Ste asked casually.


    "A hundred million," Abby replied.


    Ste stared at her, certain she''d misheard. "How much?"


    Abby enunciated each word. "One. Hundred. Million."


    The number left Ste genuinely stunned.


    It was an outrageous amount.


    But only for a moment. Then Ste shook her head. "They''re only offering that much because of my reputation and the public recognition I have t''s a lot, but if something were to go wrong with her career, I''d be dragged down with her. It''s not worth risking my future, not even for that much money."


    Abby thought it over and agreed. With Ste''s talent, earning a hundred million was just a matter of time—no need to gamble her reputation.


    "Alright, I''ll get back to them in a bit," Abby said, with a sigh of amazement.