Chapter 39 When they arrived , Alessia greeted everyone , then headed straight to wash up before retreating to her room . She drew the curtains tight , pulled out her laptop , slipped on her headphones , and shut out the rest of the world . Just a thin curtain separated her from Ivan , who was fast asleep . Outside in the hallway , Brendan and the others sat together in a tense circle . " Liam's right . We're being so careful around Lessie that it might actually be making things harder for her , " Karen said , her voice barely above a whisper . " We can't rush this , " Zachary added . " It'll take time . Slow and steady . " The others nodded in agreement . " Oh , by the way , what's this about a contract you mentioned earlier ? " Brendan asked . " I've got a set tonight . An agent approached me , wants me to come by their office Saturday to talk about a potential deal . I looked them up - it's A & C Entertainment . That's Tristan's company . " Though Tristan had only been in the industry for five years , he was already a household name . " I've heard of them , " Brendan said thoughtfully . " But this is your dream . If you want it , go for it . " " What kind of offer are they making ? Don't take contracts lightly - read every word ," Brendan cautioned , experience sharpening his tone . , " Right now , they're saying a 60/40 split , and they'll cover my college tuition for all four years . I'll know more once I talk to them in person . " Liam kept things vague , but everyone assumed he meant the company would take sixty percent , and he'd get forty . " Actually , that's better than expected . I've heard this business can really squeeze newcomers . Sixty - forty is almost generous , " Brendan said . Liam realized Brendan had misunderstood , but decided it was better not to correct him . " They're paying your tuition too ? " Zachary sounded skeptical . " Yeah , but I have to pay it back after graduation . " נו 1 15:40 That explanation seemed to put Zachary at ease . " You're an adult now . It's your call , as long as you're careful with the contract . Don't let yourself get burned . If it's what you want , go for it , " Brendan said . " Yeah , and it's not good to keep putting college on hold ," Karen chimed in . " You've got this chance while you're young - take it . " Zachary said nothing more , just clapped Liam on the shoulder . As twins , there were some things they didn't need to say out loud . Liam let out a sigh , feeling as if a weight had finally lifted from his chest . " We're going to be all right . Our family's only going to get stronger from here . " " Call me superstitious , but I honestly think things have been looking up ever since Lessie came back ," Karen said , glancing at Brendan . He took her hand in his , silent but clearly agreeing . " Exactly . All the more reason for us to work even harder . " Assuming Alessia and Ivan were both asleep , the four lowered their voices and quietly went their separate ways . Alessia , who'd been standing at her door with an empty water glass , finally let go of the doorknob . She set the glass back on her nightstand , sat down on her bed , and put her headphones on again . Her laptop screen was still open to her music software . Just as she settled in , the audio file finished rendering . She made a quick note , then sent the file off . " Still awake , princess ? Here I was thinking you'd forgotten all about my song ," came the reply almost instantly . Alessia rolled her eyes at her screen - she always wanted to do that when talking to Tristan . To the public , Tristan was the picture of poise and warmth , but in private , he was sharp - tongued and wickedly sarcastic . Maybe it was an age thing , but lately , he'd even let that side slip in interviews , which only seemed to attract more fans instead of driving them away . Alessia shook her head . Show business was doomed . Still , she could hardly complain - she and Lillian White had helped launch Tristan's career . He might be a bit of a pain , but he was dedicated , poured his heart into everything , and - most importantly - had no scandals . He was fiercely ambitious , and she respected that . No one valued this profession or the hard - earned success more than he did . 2/3 15.40 Chapter 39 " Midnight . Right on time , " she messaged back . Translation : I'm not late , so quit nagging . On set , Tristan smirked at his phone , lounging in full period costume like some ethereal figure out of a legend . The bright floodlights turned the night almost to day , and people bustled all around him .