Oscar frowned, his voice a low growl. "What's it to you?"He barely knew Freya. They were just neighbors, nothing more. Yet here she was, reminding him of his family rule.He shrugged off her hand, recoiling from her touch. Freya flushed, stung by the rejection.Tomas, overhearing, stepped in. "Oscar, that's no way to talk to a lady. Don't worry, Freya. I'll have a word with him."But his chivalry only fanned Freya's humiliation. She stormed off, finding Debra in the dance studio. She marched up, hand raised to strike, but Debra caught her wrist."What's your problem?"Freya, always the picture of calm, was unraveling."You're shameless. Stringing men along, and now you're after Oscar too?"She tried to wrench free, but Debra held firm. "I don't know what you're talking about. Are you jealous?"Her words hit a nerve, and Freya's face darkened."I...""I see." Debra released her, stepping back. "If you like someone, you should make an effort to win them over. If you like him,
Eve heard her father's summons and skipped over, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree. "Hello, Mr. Odom. I'm Eve Cameron.""This is my daughter," Henry introduced.Edgar, with a polite smile, responded, "Ah, I didn't expect your daughter to be here as an intern. A pleasure to meet you, Miss Cameron."Eve blushed, her heart fluttering like a hummingbird's wings. Before she could utter another word, Henry steered her aside."Mr. Odom, allow me to introduce the team leader and backbone, Freya George."Edgar's eyes gleamed with interest as he took in Freya. "Impressive. There aren't many with such a commanding presence in this industry. I believe Miss George will shoot to stardom."Everyone around was surprised by Edgar's high praise for Freya. They showed looks of astonishment.Debra, however, was unimpressed. Freya had confronted her earlier out of jealousy, and now Edgar was trying to get close to Oscar through Freya.Unaware of Edgar's hidden agenda, Freya basked in the p
Debra's words were a gauntlet thrown, a challenge only she and Edgar understood.Edgar's smile faded like the setting sun.Ashley whispered her ridicule. "Has Debra lost her marbles? Does she really think her dance is worth five billion?""Who does she think she is? She is done for," echoed another trainee.Their eyes gleamed with anticipation of Debra's imminent downfall.Edgar waved a dismissive hand. "I'm not in the mood today. Since you sprained your ankle, let's forget about it."Henry mopped the sweat from his brow, relief flooding through him. He couldn't afford to offend Debra with Juan backing her, nor could he cross Edgar, the head of the Odom family.Eve, ever the opportunist, stepped forward. "Mr. Odom, if Debra won't dance, I will. I'm a much better dancer than her."But Edgar didn't even spare her a glance. Instead, he stood up and said, "Let's wrap this up. I hear you have physical training sessions in the afternoon.""Yes, but the intense training is usually in
They were going to participate in a show, and offending the investors now was akin to shooting themselves in the foot.Gritting their teeth, the trainees began the grueling run.Debra shot a cold glance at Edgar, aware that he was trying to mess with her and possibly with Oscar too. His tactics were as transparent as they were nauseating.Intentionally falling behind, Oscar leaned close to her and said, "Slow down. Time isn't an issue; keeping your breath steady is most important."Without waiting for her to respond, he added, "I'll be here waiting for you at 8:30 tonight."Then he picked up his pace and ran ahead. Freya watched the exchange, her fists clenched in anger.After an hour of relentless running, they barely managed to finish 30 laps. The boys were holding up, but the girls were struggling. Though in the winter chill, sweat drenched their bodies.Their makeup was smudged, but they couldn't wipe their faces. It was simply tormenting.Edgar observed their exhaustion wi
"Tango." Debra offered her hand to Edgar, a challenge in her eyes.He took it without hesitation. Henry signaled the broadcast room, and soon, the practice field was filled with the sultry rhythm of the tango.Edgar wrapped an arm around Debra's waist, whispering, "No wonder Juan can't let you go. If you were mine, I wouldn't either.""Is that so?" Debra's response was swift and painful—a stomp on his foot. Edgar winced, but she wasn't done. She stepped on his foot again, driving him back."I heard you're backing Juan's investment in this trainee program. Is it true?""Juan likes you so much. Even with the divorce issue, he still shares everything with you.""You've invested several billion. Aren't you afraid of losing it all?"Edgar shrugged. "Juan's investments are solid. I'm not worried.""Who said that Juan's investments are always safe?" Debra looked up at him, a sly gleam in her eyes. "Believe it or not, I can make that program bleed money within three months."Edgar c
Henry, who had been worried about Eve, shouted, "Everyone, stop!"His usual composure was thrown to the wind, replaced by a father's desperate cry.The trainees, who had been relentlessly frog-jumping across the field, crumpled to the ground. Exhaustion clung to them like a second skin."Let's see how you're going to make me lose money," Edgar said.Debra smiled enigmatically, her eyes giving nothing away.Edgar walked away, and Henry scurried after him.By nightfall, the intense training had taken its toll. Everyone was too worn out to even lift their forks."My legs feel like they're made of lead.""It's all Debra's fault. If she had just danced earlier, we wouldn't be in this mess."The complaints echoed through the dining hall, but Debra was nowhere to be found.Tomas, puzzled, voiced his thoughts. "What's Edgar playing at? Is he just messing with us, or does he have a screw loose?"Oscar put down his fork and knife and cleared his plate. Tomas shouted after him, "Hey! I
"Okay, let's switch gears," Debra said, pulling out her phone.She flashed Oscar a screen displaying his electronic signature alongside Potter Entertainment's stamp. "Is this your contract?"Oscar squinted at the screen, recognizing his own signature. "Yeah, that's it."His mother had pushed him into this industry, and he'd signed the contract with Potter Entertainment without understanding the complexities of the business.He handed the phone back and asked, "Where did you get this?""Do you want out?""Out? Where?""Edgar has invested in this program, and your chance of debuting is sealed."Debra laid out the worst-case scenario. "If you stay, you're looking at endless obscurity, debt, and penalties your family can't afford. Another agency might pick you up, but success? That's a gamble.""What are you suggesting?""I bet Edgar's investment tanks within three months.""What?"Oscar was surprised and skeptical.After all, entertainment companies, especially giants like th
Eve's face drained of color as she stared at her seat. "That's my seat. Freya, what did you put in my food?"As trainees, they were always extra cautious about what they consumed, and the implications of Eve's question hung heavy in the air.Freya hadn't expected Debra to have evidence of her drugging Eve. Her face turned grim. "Debra..."Debra sneered, "The show is coming up the day after tomorrow. You're scared Eve will steal your spotlight, so you drugged her to make her gain weight, didn't you?"Eve's eyes widened in realization. "No wonder I've been hungrier lately and gaining weight without eating much. It was because you put hormones in my food. Freya, you're a snake."Freya had no way to defend herself. Debra pressed on, "A leader who drugs her teammates should be kicked out."Exasperated, Freya lunged at Debra, but Debra easily sidestepped her.Just then, Hannah arrived, her voice booming as she took in the commotion. "What are you doing?"Eve, seething with anger, gra