The call ended with a soft click. Alessia stared at the darkened screen for a moment, lost in thought.
“Lessie, what’s up?” Queenie emerged from the next room and caught sight of Alessia standing alone at the end of the hallway, looking distant.
Alessia slipped her phone into her bag and shook her head. “I’m fine.”
“Finished your call?”
“Yeah. I already settled the bill for them. How was the food?”
“Half and half. I saved room for when you got back.”
They chatted as they walked into the private dining room together.
Meanwhile, across town, Max set his phone down on the table and turned his attention to the steak on his te, cutting it with practiced ease.
“What did your sister say?” Bhus Linden asked, curiosity written all over his face.
Max didn’t reply immediately, just shot Bhus a look. Bhus raised his brows in mock surrender. “Alright, alright, your sister, your family. Even her own brother doesn’t grill me like this.”
His voice trailed off, lowering a notch-he knew better than to push Max
too far.
“So, what do you think they’re talking about?”
“What else?” Max swirled his wine, taking a slow sip. “Probably just looking for a way to make things difficult for our little rebel.”
“You’re not worried?” Bhus eyed Max’s calm demeanor with growing confusion,
“I gave her a heads-up. What she does from here is up to her.” Max set his ss down, his voice steady. “I never meddled in her life when she was a kid. Why should I start now? Whatever she does, she’ll do it well. And
12
Chapter
even if she stumbles, there’s a dozen people ready to catch her. She can’t really lose-let her figure it out on her own.”
Bhus, an only child, couldn’t quite wrap his head around this strange sibling dynamic.
“Oh, look-they’re leaving.” Bhus nodded toward the other side of the
restaurant.
From their vantage point on the mezzanine, they couldn’t see Fortune’s expression, but Vera’sposure was unmistakable. When Fortune stood up, Vera remained perfectly poised, not moving an inch.
“What do you think-did it fall apart, or did they reach an agreement?”
Bhus asked.
“Curious?” Max shot him a sideways nce. “Why don’t you go downstairs and eavesdrop?”
Bhus wasn’t sure which of hisments had rubbed Max the wrong way, but he just shrugged and kept quiet, turning back to his dinner.
Downstairs, after Fortune left, Vera rose from her seat and slipped out as
well.
The table was spotless, just two/sses of water remaining. The one in front of Vera was untouched, still full.
As dinner wound down, the rest of the group began to disperse. Queenie called a car for a coworker who’d had too much to drink, then headed back to the studio with Justin and Ste to take care of a few things. Alessia left with Cole, both heading back to campus.
In the car, Alessia filled ?ole in on what Max had told her during the call.
“Vera… If I remember right, she started working with you not long after you graduated, right? Just a few months after Lillian?”
“That’s right.”
Lillian, as an agent, was already making a name for herself in the industry, but after being blindsided by the very artist she’d helpedunch,
12:21
she found herself at a dead end-until Alessia took her in. Lillian was there from the very beginning when A&C Entertainment was founded.
Vera, on the other hand, joined when A&C was just starting to find its. footing.
Back then, she was still green. Alessia had to walk her through a lot of things, step by step. Fortunately, Vera picked things up fast-she learned almost everything on the first try, passed her probation without a hitch,
and had held on ever since.
“Judging by your expression, you trust she’d never betray you, huh?” Cole was always good at reading Alessia’s mind.
“Yeah,” Alessia replied, no hesitation.
Just as the words left her lips, her phone buzzed with a call from Vera.
Alessia arched an eyebrow and shed her phone at Cole like a kid showing off a prize. He chuckled softly and ruffled her hair.
i