Behind The Spotlight Chapter 224
Once Gabriella was gone, Collin sighed in relief as his shoulders relaxed.
Leaving ANT? Of course, Collin had thought about that so many times. He was even confident that he could do better once he left the company. He had a golden vision that could see through people's talents.
'But not now... Not now. I still have something to do.'
He had clients he wanted to help reach greater heights. He couldn't leave them just like that when their careers were built by him, brick by brick. That would be a betrayal to them and to himself.
Collin knew the outcomes if he left.
1.) If Collin left the company, he could convince his clients to jump ship with him. However, they would have to pay damages for breach of contract. Collin could leave, albeit with non-disclosure and some restrictions, but his clients would have to wait for their contracts to expire to avoid paying damages.
2.) If Collin resigned, his clients might transfer their contracts to other agents. But Collin was afraid that other agents wouldn't handle his clients well. His clients might fall from grace and decline if he left.
If he had to leave, he had to make sure his clients wouldn't suffer.
Overall, the biggest reason he didn't accept Gabriella's offer was because of his clients. He couldn't leave them.
He was actually surprised that Gabriella had offered him a better job, but after thinking about it, it wasn't a worthy deal.
'I really thought she wanted Princess Chantal, but I didn't think she wanted me too. Quite unexpected.'
Aside from his clients, Collin didn't agree because he already had a record label he supported. Sure, he invested money to become a shareholder, unlike Gabriella, who offered him shares for free, but Moonrise Music was something Collin didn't want to let go of.
So even though the benefits she offered were good, Collin was not tempted to take them. Aside from the position of President of Talent Management and Representation, he found nothing interesting in her offer. If she had increased the shares to 30%, Collin might have agreed. But that would be too much for Gabriella to handle. Collin believed he was worth that much.
'Besides, I can't really trust Gabriella. Her Master Manipulator talent was shining the whole time we were talking. I don't feel comfortable with that kind of person around me.'
Collin suffered a painful betrayal once, he had been manipulated and treated like a joke. That was the same vibe he got from Gabriella. He didn't like her at all, although he admitted she was hot and attractive.
Even if Gabriella invited him just for sex, Collin would not agree. He was not a fan of one-night stands. He knew that having sex with a stranger made him feel vulnerable. Sex was something you do with someone you love, as sex meant sharing your soul.
It was a tough decision, but Collin knew his priorities. If he wanted to have sex, it would be with someone he genuinely cared about.
He looked down to the ground floor and couldn't find Arnold and Jolyne, so he decided to text them instead. He texted Arnold that he would leave first.
Since Pulse Static had finished performing, Collin had no reason to stay.
'Although it's disappointing that I couldn't enjoy their show.'
Collin left the concert bar.
...
...
...
When he returned to his apartment, there was no one there. The maids and personal chef only showed up whenever he needed someone to clean or cook for him.
Tonight, he cooked a simple dish. Eggs with toast, plus a nice glass of wine.
He turned on the television and caught a replay episode of The Unnatural, starring his ex-client Madison Morgan and an actor whose name Collin had forgotten. The show was directed by Arnold's client, Director Tom.
Since he had nothing to do, he might as well watch the show, not to be entertained, but to see Madison's improvement.
Collin nodded as he observed Madison's performance. She was getting better in her role. The show had just started its second season, and the ratings were quite high per episode.
Suddenly, his phone rang. He opened it and saw that it was Arnold.
He answered calmly.
"Yow, did you return to your apartment?"
"Yeah, how about you and Jolyne?"
"We just arrived at our house too."
"Good."
There was silence.
"Sorry about what happened earlier. I only found out today. Jolyne said she has a friend she wants to introduce to you."
"No wonder you kept pestering me to attend the concert." Even on the phone, Collin could hear that Arnold felt uncomfortable and guilty.
"It's alright. I know she has good intentions. Just tell her it didn't work out between Gabriella and me."
"Yeah, Jolyne also received a call from Gabriella. She said you're a cool guy, but you two won't work in a romantic relationship."
Collin was happy to hear that.
"So why did Jolyne want to help me get a girlfriend?"
"It's my fault. She asked me about you, so I told her a short summary of your life. She got mad because I hadn't told her everything, so I had no choice but to share everything I knew."
When Jolyne learned about Collin's devastating love life, she decided to help him.
"I thought so. Only someone like Jolyne can break your silence. I'm not mad, just give me a Gunpla of Gundam 00."
"You want me to go to Japan?"
"You can do international shipping."
"Alright, I will buy two. One for me and one for you."
"That's what I like to hear. Also, before I forget, beware of Gabriella. She owns a talent agency and a record label. She is dangerous."
"I know. I already talked to Jolyne about that. But I don't know why she kept saying Gabriella is a good person and has no bad intentions. Jolyne said she's just a friend."
"..."
For some reason, that was almost the same thing Princess Chantal had said to Collin when he warned her about Gabriella.
Collin had chills. Indeed, Gabriella was not that simple.
'If not for my powers, I might have fallen for her too.'
[Thank you for reading this novel.]