" First : Regarding the slander and defamation of character perpetrated by Mr. Carter and Ms. Miller , my legal team will be filing suit immediately . " " Second : Regarding the commercial bribery and attempted media manipulation by Mr. Carter's management company , Starstream ' s corporate counsel will be submitting all evidence to the industry guilds and relevant authorities . " " And third , " I paused , my gaze sweeping across the camera , as if looking directly into their terrified eyes . " Effective immediately , all Starstream Entertainment platforms will permanently ban the artists known as Liam Carter and Ava Miller . All existing contracts are terminated . All upcoming projects are indefinitely shelved . " " Furthermore , I will be using my position as Chairman of Starstream to call for an industry - wide boycott of any artists engaged in such unethical conduct . " Permanent ban . Industry boycott . I had just personally , publicly , and irrevocably ended their careers . On the monitor , Liam slumped into the sofa as if his strings had been cut . Ava completely broke down , letting out a raw , animalistic shriek . " NO ! You can't do this ! Chloe ! You bitch ! " Her scream echoed across the internet before a panicked director finally cut her mic . But it was too late . Her final , ugly , desperate moment had been witnessed by a hundred million people . The tide of public opinion turned so fast it caused whiplash . The same people who had been sending me death threats were now furiously typing " CHLOE IS MY QUEEN . " " HOLY HELL ! That was the most satisfying thing I have ever watched ! Give this woman an Emmy ! " This is a BOSS . No tears , no drama , just straight to nuclear annihilation . " " Liar and Ava didn't just step on a landmine , they stepped on the entire damn military base . " " They thought she was a pawn , but she was the one who owned the whole chessboard . " " So Chairman Parker was just on reality TV for fun ? And these two clowns tried to bully her ? " " Wait , that one million dollar bush money ... to her , that's probably like finding a twenty in a coat pocket , isn't it ? " I switched off the monitors . The show was over , " Mr. Davies , " I said to my assistant . " Inform Apex Talent that our acquisition offer is final I want the deal closed by 9 am tomorrow . Yes , Ms. Parker . " Chapter 2 After he left , I was alone in the silent office . I walked to the window , looking down at the glittering sprawl of the city below . My personal phone , the one I'd been using as Chloe the actress , buzzed again . This time , it was Leo . I answered . " You're ... " he started , then trailed off , as if he couldn't find the right words . " You're really ... " " Yes , " I said . He let out a soft laugh . " I knew you weren't just some actress . I just ... I didn't realize how not just some actress you were . " His easy laughter cut through the lingering tension of the night . " So , " I asked , a hint of a smile in my own voice . " Do you still believe me ? " 10.22 " I never believed in Chloe Parker , Chairman of Starstream , " Leo said , his voice suddenly serious . " I believed in Chloe Parker , the woman who would sneak off set to feed the stray cats behind the studio . " My heart gave a little flutter . I thought no one had seen that . " Leo . " " Yeah ? " " Your next album . Starstream is funding it . " The next day , the entertainment world experienced a seismic shock . The news of Liam and Ava's blacklisting was on every major outlet . The two dozen brands they endorsed dropped them overnight , issuing statements and demanding compensation for damages . The studios behind their upcoming blockbuster films announced immediate recasting and reshoots , with producers publicly denouncing them as " toxic assets . " To save itself , Liam's agency immediately terminated their contracts and sued them for breach of conduct , seeking a nine - figure settlement . The golden couple of yesterday were , by morning , industry pariahs . Meanwhile , the comments on my social media had taken a different turn . " Ms. Parker , are you hiring ? I can code , I can cook , and I am an excellent personal assistant ! " 1 AM SO SORRY for everything I said yesterday ! Please forgive my ignorance ! " " Chairman , look at me ! I'm a classically trained actor with a clean record ! I will never cause a scandal ! " My follower count had jumped from a few hundred thousand to thirty million overnight . At precisely 9 am , my assistant , Mr. Davies , knocked and entered . " Ms. Parker , Apex Talent has accepted our acquisition offer . " " That was fast , " I noted . He adjusted his glasses . " They had no choice . After your identity was revealed , their stock plummeted at market open . It was eith- er sell to us or file for bankruptcy . " " And Sarah ? " Chapter 2 10:22 " Sarah Vance , your former agent , " he consulted a file . " Was terminated by Apex this morning . I'm told she attempted to get a posit- ion at Liam's former agency and was physically escorted from the premises . " The food chain in this town was brutal . NA " Understood , " I said , waving a hand . I had no more time to waste on small players . That afternoon , I met Leo for lunch at a quiet restaurant near the office . He was dressed in his usual uniform : a simple white t- shirt , jeans , and a guitar case slung over his shoulder . He looked more like a college student than a rising star . " Congratulations , " he said as he sat down . " For what ? Becoming single again ? " I joked . He blinked , then a slow smile spread across his face . " Congratulations on being yourself again . " I poured him some tea . " How's the album coming along ? " It's " It's almost done , but ... " he hesitated . " The distribution is hitting some snags . " " How so? " " My label is tiny . We don't have much marketing muscle . A few of the streaming platforms we had deals with backed out ... because I was seen as being friendly with you on the show . " He quickly added , " I'm not asking for a handout , of course . I just ... wanted to tell you . " I looked at him , at his clear , earnest eyes that held a hint of stubborn pride . He was a true artist . " Leo , let's talk business . " " Business ? " " Yes . " I pulled up the Starstream Music app on my phone . " As the Chairman of Starstream Entertainment , I would like to formally invite you and your independent studio to join our ' Emerging Artists Initiative . ' We'll provide S - tier promotional resources , the best production teams in the industry , and complete creative freedom . " " In exchange , " I said , looking him in the eye , "I want ten percent of your studio's equity , and exclusive distribution rights for your next album . " Leo stared at me , a light dancing in his eyes . He knew the terms I was offering were ridiculously generous . S - tier resources were the stuff of dreams for an indie artist . " Why ? " he asked . " Because I believe in your talent , " I said , putting my phone down . " And because I trust my own judgment . " Whether it was picking business partners , or picking people . The deal with Leo was finalized that afternoon . He was smart and refreshingly devoid of pretense ; our lawyers had the details ironed out by sunset . When I got back to my office , Mr. Davies informed me that Ava's mother was in the lobby , causing a scene and demanding to see me " Send her up . " A few minutes later , a woman dripping in jewelry and entitlement burst into my office , dragging a gaunt , hollow - eyed Ava behind her " Chloe Parker ! " the mother shrieked , forgoing any courtesy . " Are you happy now ? Look what you've done to my Ava ! How could you 10:22 0 Chapter 2 be so cruel ? " I leaned back in my chair , not even bothering to look up . " She brought it on herself . " " You ! " The woman trembled with rage . " Ava did nothing but support you ! She treated you like a sister ! If it wasn't for her , you never would have gotten on Coupled in the first place ! You ungrateful snake ! " I finally lifted my gaze to meet hers . " Oh ? She got me on the show ? " " Of course she did ! " her mother said , puffing out her chest . " She begged Liam to pull some strings to get a nobody like you cast ! " I laughed . A loud , genuine laugh . Ava and her mother stared , stunned . " What's so funny ? " " Your ignorance , " I said , my smile vanishing . My voice turned to ice . " The show is called Coupled . It's a Starstream Entertainment S- tier production , the largest project we funded last year . Tell me , why would I need my friend to beg her boyfriend to get me cast on my own show ? " The color drained from the older woman's face . This was clearly a detail she hadn't been aware of . Ava , who had been silent the whole time , finally spoke , her voice a raw croak . " Chloe , I'm sorry . Please , let me go . I'm begging you . I can't lose this career . It's all I have . " " You're begging me ? " I cut her off . " When you and Liam worked together to throw me to the wolves , when the entire internet was calling for my head , did you ever think of ' letting me go ' ? " " When you took the million dollars , announced your fairy - tale romance , and laughed with your shippers about what a fool I was , did you remember I was your ' best friend " ? " When you smirked in that studio , thinking you had won , did you ever imagine this day would come ? " Every question was a slap in the face . Ava's complexion went from pale to gray . She crumpled to the floor , her eyes utterly vacant . " Get out . " I said the words quietly . Her mother started to protest , but Mr. Davies was already there , firmly escorting them out of my office . Silence returned . I watched the sun dip below the horizon , painting the sky in fiery strokes of orange and red . The curtain had finally fallen on this ridiculous drama . That night , Liam's calls came one after another . Lignored them all . Then came the texts . They started with threats , devolved into curses , and finally , pathetically , turned to pleas . Chloe , I was wrong . I was so , so wrong . I was greedy and I used you . Please , just give me one more chance . If you lift the ban , I'll do anything . You still have feelings for me , I know you do . Why else would you have said all those things in that first interview ? We can start over I'll break up with Ava right now ! Reading his words just made me feel sick . Even now , he thought he could manipulate me with emotions he didn't understand . He would never get it . My " three toasts speech wasn't the cry of a heartbroken woman . It was a calculated move . It was bait , designed to make him and Chapter 2 Ava see me as nothing more than a hysterical , scorned lover , blinded by jealousy . It was the only way to make them walk , arrogant and unsuspecting , right into the trap I had set . I blocked his number and my world became blessedly quiet . 10.22 A few days later , Leo's first single , " Fireworks , " was released exclusively on Starstream Music . I poured every available resource into its promotion . App splash screens , homepage banners , featured playlists - he was everywhere . The song was beautiful - a clean , melancholic melody with lyrics that perfectly captured the bittersweet ache of a secret love . Leo ' s voice was clear , yet full of unspoken history . It was an instant hit . " This song is incredible . On repeat for the rest of the year . " " Where has Leo Maxwell been all my life ? What a talent ! " The lyrics are so relatable . Takes me right back to high school . " " Heard Chairman Parker signed him personally . Her taste is impeccable ! " One comment , with thousands of likes , caught my eye . " Is it just me , or do these lyrics sound exactly like someone on a dating show watching the person they like get paired with someo- ne else ? ... ' You were the fireworks , I was the nameless grain of sand , looking up as you disappeared into the crowd . ' I'm crying . " The replies exploded . " OMG you're right ! On the show , Leo was always watching Chloe from a distance . "