e on the monitor. His throat felt tight. H

e hated losing control. To cover up his sudden, intense physical r

d ship horn blasted t

slowly sailed onto Chelsi's side of the

urple across the entire Apex platform: Morningstar

nd flashing lights that Chelsi's old phone c

hysically jumped backward. Her spine slam

er back. She grabbed the phone,

elled into the microphone, her voice crack

at the corner of his lips, but he immediately bit the inside of his ch

icrophone close

ng with fake boredom and an edge of commanding authority. "Consider it an a

chat we

ince when does

s dow

star is

t, thousands of random users clicked t

dozen to over five thousand in a matte

was unreadable, filled with marriage proposals and heart emojis. The same fans who had

someone finally

r flared in his chest. He wanted to snap back, but he bit his tong

pe before he did

camera. He moved his mouse and viol

en vanished. K

head back against the chair. But under the desk, where no one could see, hi

frame. She stared at the viewer count in the to

cuited. She couldn'

g back to her dark bedroom. She clamped the phone back onto the

pliments and money flowing across

o the microphone,

r head slightly. "Thank you everyone. I.

begging her to stay, she slammed he

ound in the room was the low, ele

ed as she gasped for air. She frantically tappe

ked on h

t, the balance sitting in her account was en

rs flowing freely. This time, they weren't tears of despair. She gripped her