“Rachel.”
On the other end of the line, a man’s voice came through—clear, smooth, and almost melodic.
“I hear things haven’t been going so well for you lately.”
Rachel’s breath hitched. “I’m… I’m doing okay, I guess.”
He chuckled softly. “Sounds like you’ve been taking quite a beating from Stella.”
The mention of Stella made Rachel grit her teeth in frustration.
When she fell silent, he spoke again. “Rachel, do you need my help?”
Instinctively, Rachel replied, “No, not yet. I can still handle it myself.”
His tone lifted slightly, laced with a hint of amusement. “Oh? Are you sure you can handle it?”
“I… I really can.”
His voice took on a velvety, almost haunting edge. “But as far as I know, there’s a recording of you on Stella’s phone. Tell me, if Haynes were to hear it, would he still treat you the same way? Or if your fans ever got wind of it—would they still adore you? Your concert’s coming up. If the public hears that audio, do you think anyone will still buy your tickets?”
Rachel’s breathing grew ragged. The moment Stella pulled out her phone, she’d suspected there might be a recording. Maybe Stella was bluffing. But she couldn’t take that risk.
The consequences of losing that gamble were more than she could bear.
Looking back, she was glad she hadn’t tried to call Stella’s bluff. Otherwise, she would’ve been exposed on the spot.
She had to find a way to deal with the recording—no matter what.
She couldn’t go to Haynes. Right now, the only person who could help her was Jasper…
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