Laverne was clearly surprised for a moment, but her voice quickly returned. "Vanessa, even with friends, business is business, isn''t it? Isn''t it time we settled our ounts?"


    Seeing the bill had already infuriated Vanessa, and Laverne''s cold, professional tone only added fuel to the fire. Any thought of winning Laverne back vanished. She could tell Laverne was determined to leave.


    In that case, Vanessa wasn''t one to take a loss lying down.


    "Laverne, you want to settle ounts with me? Fine! Then let''s really settle them. The bags, jewelry, and luxury goods I''ve given you over the years must be worth over a million dors in cash! Does that not count as money? And what about themission split I gave you? Wasn''t it five percent more than other managers get? Isn''t that money? What do you mean you want two million from me now?"


    Sasha, standing nearby, was stunned. It looked like these two were really going to


    war.


    On the other end of the line, Laverne had apparently expected Vanessa''s ingratitude. The bills she''d sent were for expenses she had fronted for Vanessa over the past year, all of which were reimbursable. But for Vanessa to bring up past gifts now, any lingering affection Laverne had for her evaporated. "Vanessa, you''ve really opened my eyes. You gave me those gifts willingly to maintain our rtionship, to make me work myself to the bone for you. And now you''re using them as bargaining chips? As for the extra five percent, you were the one who offered it. Besides, after seven years of my life, is this the result I deserve?"


    The resentment Laverne had been holding back finally erupted. "For seven years, how many times did I take the heat for you, how many messes did I clean up? You sat back and were waited on while I did all the dirty work. I had to serve you like a maid. Let me put it this way: if you''re short by even a single dor, I''ll see you in court."


    Furious, Laverne added, "We''ll see who''s more embarrassed then-the has-been pianist or the manager who was just following her contract."


    "What did you say? You said I''m a has-been?" Vanessa''s anger boiled over.


    "Withoutn, you''d be nothing! Don''t even try to deny it," Laverne shot back mercilessly.


    The words hit clean and deep,


    leaving Vanessa breathless. Sh


    began to tremble uncontrobly and shrieked into the phone, "Laverne, shut your mouth content belongs. fo


    "What? Did I strike a nerve?" Laverne sneered, her tone dripping with sarcasm, Wake up, Vanessa! Without fan paving the way for: without his connections and influence, do you really think anyone would give you, the ''piano prodigy za second nce? You only got those endorsements because you were riding his coattails. After all, I was the one who negotiated all your deals."


    Vanessa''s face flushed with rage. Sasha worried that her phone was about to be


    smashed against the floor.


    Before Vanessa could speak,


    P.n


    Laverne continued, "Withoutn and Henry Holt, you''re nothing. And now that you couldn''t even hold onto Walden Wells, who do you think you can rely on? You can choose not to pay the two million. In that case, we''ll settle it in court."


    Click. The line went dead.


    Vanessa gripped the phone, her eyes filled with a murderous re. At that moment,


    she wanted nothing more than to find Laverne and tear her apart.


    Sasha quickly stepped forward. "Vanessa, can I have my phone back, please?"


    Vanessa turned her face away, thrusting the phone at her without a single word of thanks.