Collins nced at Leo with a hint of curiosity as his phone continued to buzz insistently on the table. “Who’s trying to reach you?”


    Leo tapped the end call button with a noticeably frosty tone. “Just a scammer.”


    “Ah, I get those all the time.” Collins remarked offhandedly. “Block and forget, right?”


    “Yeah.” Leo’s gaze lingered on the call log disying the name Summer. His finger hovered over the screen for a few tense seconds before he reluctantly slid the contact into the block list.


    Switching off his phone. Leo shifted the conversation. “So, when’s Walker’s reality show taping?”


    “Not sure, the producers haven’t reached out yet. I’m expecting it to be around the end of the month,” Collins answered slowly.


    After a brief pause, an ironic snort escaped Collins. “Lucky for you, you’re back in good shape. Vicky’s been hounding me, trying to snag that spot on Country Comfort for Jay.”


    Vicky. Jay’s agent, was the same guy who had previously pressured Leo to give up his spot on Neon Paradox.


    “Even if I hadn’t recovered, I wouldn’t have given it up.” Leo said coolly, reclining in his seat, his eyes sharp. Besides, this show was special – Leo was going to be on it with his sister.


    “Don’t sweat it. Even if we handed the spot over to him, Walker probably wouldn’t bite,” Collins quirked a corner of his mouth.


    Leo hummed in response, then turned to look out the car window. They were heading towards thepany, which made him shoot Collins a nce. “Hey, Collins, I’m still on vacation here.”


    ve you


    “You’re fit as a fiddle now. What vacation? Your fans are waiting for your new album. Have been writing songs at home? Practicing the piano? And when was thest time you updated your Twitter, over a month ago?” Collins rattled off a list of questions without pause.


    Leo responded, unruffled by his manager’s inquisition, “After all these years you’ve had me on the grind, I think I’m entitled to at least another month off, considering regr vacation time.” Collins looked at Leo as if he had spoken in tongues. “Since when did you start talking like that? Have I ever stopped you from taking time off?”


    “Anyway, I’ll keep resting until the variety show begins shooting,” Leo, already ustomed to hiszy days, decided to double down. “Now, take me to Parkside High School. My sister’s getting out soon.”


    Η


    Collins was shocked. You’d think Mirabe was barely out of toddler years with the way Leo was acting.


    +


    Summer mustered all her courage to call Leo during the break, only to be met with a swift disconnection. She had initially thought he might be busy, but after the final bell rang and she tried again, the call dropped straight to an out–of–service message. It didn’t take a genius to deduce she had been blocked.


    Pale and disheartened, Summer lost the proud luster that usually graced her features. The night before, a photo on Shawn’s social media had kept her tossing and turning. Today, a call from her agent urging her to secure a spot on the variety show with Leo, had forced her to reach out. Now… she was blocked.


    If it weren’t for Emmitt, who had done some recon on Leo’s current stance for her, she really wouldn’t have wanted to approach Leo personally.


    Taking a deep breath, Summer grabbed her purse from the desk and walked slowly out of the ssroom. She hadn’t gotten far when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Summer stopped in her tracks and quickly pulled it out.