steel, its minimalist elegance a cruel c

bring herself to check. Her hands trembled, the weight of the landlord's letter-$75,000 a month, termination looming

r disguise. Her hair, once meticulously styled, was now a tangled mess, ruffled from the countless times she'd dragged her fingers through it. The mi

could respond. Zari strode in, her presence a burst of energy in t

ermination, but Diana felt the air shift,

ierce hug. "Relax, Dee. Breathe," she mu

." Her voice cracked, raw with the truth she'd been dodging for weeks. "

room, he carried himself with the steady authority of someone used to wrangling crises. His tailo

ons. Diana sank into her chair, inhaling sharply to steady herself. She scanned their faces-Zari's fierce loyalty, Ava's quiet intensit

Full-scale brand amplification. Push Lumière hard-products, campaigns, activations. W

liced through the air

ed, a spark of irrit

a." His tone was final, his arms

he hell are you talking about? If Lumière collapses, we lose e

"But jumping back into media right now? That's career suicide. One misstep, one headline,

sor sat ramrod straight, her sleek bun as immaculate as her tailored suit. Her tablet glowed with spreadsheets, a

yes narrowing. "You think a short-term visibility stunt justifie

ion, it's not just about flooding social media. We need high-production editorial shoots, paid collaborations with to

gers drummed a restless rhythm on the armrest, her gaze darting between their tense faces. "So what's

external capital. An investment,

investors and strategic partnerships, but... Diana, our books are a mess. Lumière's still in i

nder. Her bank account was a graveyard of overdraft fees, her cred

xpression cautious but resolut

ad pooling in her stomach. She knew

who don't care about profit margins-they care about influence.

ed, her jaw clenching

deafening, her eyes

face, exhaling heavily. "L

anything improper. These are high-net-worth individuals who fund careers, Dee.

palms. "And what exactly

ady. "Sometimes? Nothing. Sometimes? Just... acces

fact. "It's how the industry works, Diana. Fashion, music, fil

ainty in her gut. This wasn't just about business partnerships. It was about power, about stri

we need to secure the right backer. Someone who aligns w

locked on Diana's. "There is

n asked, hi

e didn't w

name a lightning bol

th falling open. "Gi

Zari said, he

ne dripped with di

ielding. "His office reached ou

A man who could resurrect her career with a snap of his fingers-or destroy it with a whisper. The stories were legendary: stars who'd risen from

you enjoy suffering? Because right now, you're choosing to be b

shock stealing her

sharp. "Back off, Hannah. Damn. You a

ure stiffening. "You little brat, I'll take

shot back, her

g the bridge of his n

ike a whip, sharp and commanding. "Ethan, sto

was cold. "Y

ood, her hands balled into fists, her eyes blazing. "You think this is about me? Have you even noticed the state Diana's in? Do you know about the pills she take

nting. "You all keep arguing like this is some goddamn boardroom debate. Like it's just numbers, risk factors, and optics. But what's the point of all this if she breaks do

For the first time in months-maybe years-she felt seen. Not as Diana Voss, the pop star, or Diana S

nging. "Zari..." Her voice was b

t losing you, Dee. Not to this industry, not to Lumière, not

er knuckles white. The offer from ALG hung i

team on her, waiting for a deci

world where debts weren't paid in money alone-and say