Page 15 of Fallen Starboy

Chapter

Eleven

ARISTA

“You’re supposed to keep him on schedule and make sure these sorts of things don’t happen!”

I winced as my boss’s voice echoed in the small office, accompanied by the asshole who’d reported me snickering in the background as I was reamed for not reaching out sooner.

It was my own fault. I’d avoided Jun for two days now, and as a result, he’d not only missed an important photoshoot but managed to get into an argument with his stylist over a color scheme for the costumes in his debut single’s video.

Now, the poor man had threatened to quit, and I was here, being ripped a new asshole for failing to keep control of my client, instead of smoothing things over so we didn’t have to pivot entirely to a new stylist and theme.

A waste of time.

And of course, it was Andrew who had ratted me out.

Andrew, the hand-picked assistant-in-training I’d foisted on Jun earlier this week.

I should have known picking an asshole like Andrew to spite Jun would backfire on me.

They were all buddy-buddy to each other’s faces, but secretly, they hated each other.

He wouldn’t last long, not with a wild card like Jun, but he’d cause enough chaotic upheaval that it would piss Jun off tremendously.

And though that was the goal originally, what I hadn’t planned on was his two-faced bullshit with office politics, and his run-and-tattle personality.

Right now, I wanted to squash that prick under my boot. Unfortunately, I needed this job. And to leave as soon as possible, I’d need to bring Andrew up to speed so that by the time they realized they weren’t suited to work with each other, I’d be far, far away, and well out of reach of the fallout.

A part of me, though, felt bad for leaving Jun with this scuzwad of a dude.

“Are you even listening, Rizzo?”

I shook the cobwebs from my brain and snapped back to attention. “I share your concerns, sir. This isn’t outside of my capabilities, but it isn’t something I’m used to doing every day. There are bound to be a few hiccups. I’ll deal with it immediately.”

“You’d better,” he growled, leaning back in his chair. “Otherwise, you can kiss your new promotion goodbye. I know Steele has you earmarked to head that liaison department, but if you want that seat, you’re going to have to work for it.”

That seat should have been mine years ago.

Even in a woman-led and woman-owned company, I still faced daily misogyny.

It was bullshit was what it was, but I wasn’t about to go whining to someone about the violations of my rights; from a woman’s perspective, it would be seen as weak and become a target on my back.

Doesn’t play well with others. Inability to solve problems within her department. The list of black marks it would cause on my record with HR went on and on. No, if I wanted to go anywhere in life, I’d need to deal with this on my own, or suck it up and let it slide.

Even if the way Andrew stared down at me made me wanna show him how easy it was to swallow your own balls if kicked properly.

“Secure the stylist and reschedule the photoshoot. If you can’t make it work, I’ll find someone who can.”

And you can kiss your new position goodbye.

"Understood, sir," I assured him, half asleep on my feet and already ready to drop. Hell, it wasn't even lunchtime yet, but two hours of sleep a night was far from enough to properly function.

I hadn't been able to sleep well for a few days now. Probably another thing that was all thanks to the situation with Jun.

The meeting was cut short when the phone rang, and my boss waved me off, nodding for Andrew to follow me out the door. Of course, after he ran to tattle, he'd still have to finish his training with me.

Of course, as soon as the coast was clear, I turned around on a dime and gave him the most intimidating glare I could work up, all things considered.

"Listen, Andrew. You're new here, so I know you're not used to how things work.

But let me give you a little piece of advice for the future.

" I pretended to flick an imaginary piece of lint off my shoulder, staring away from him intentionally.

"If you can't fight your own battles, you'll find yourself reliant on the scraps of those above you.

And if you ever want to go anywhere in this business, your relationships with your coworkers and expertise field will be invaluable.

So ratting on someone for having an off day or two isn't likely to earn you any brownie points around here. "

His grin faltered for a moment. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"And I'm sure you do." My lips tightened into a straight line as I regarded this young upstart as an adversary, a stepping stone in the way of me getting what I wanted.

"You want to play stupid, that's fine with me, too.

Just don't look my way when you realize how deep of a hole you've dug yourself by crossing lines and burning bridges. "

I began to walk off, and this time, the boy had wisened up. His following distance was far greater than it had been, and the look in his eyes had changed from satisfied smugness to a sort of fearful awe and wariness.

Good. He should fear me. A healthy respect for the person who'd basically hand-selected you was a necessity in this industry.

What did it matter if I'd only picked him to be a pain in the ass?

"Ah, ma'am, are we stopping for lunch today?"

My heels clicked to a stop at the top of the escalator to the main floor, blocking the path as I glanced over my shoulder. "Why don't you arrange Mr. Kim's lunch and stop to get yourself something along the way while I drop in and visit the stylist and sweet talk the photographer?"

Andrew didn't look like he planned to argue, so I tossed him the keys to the company vehicle and nodded, stepping onto the descending staircase.

At the bottom, I flipped my phone open and ordered a taxi, already running through the various ways I could kiss ass and promise favors without digging in too deep with Rico.

He was known to extract a blood contract over the smallest perceived slight or insult.

* * *

I must've phased out on the ride over because the next thing I remembered was stepping out of the car, tipping the driver, and walking up the stairs to Rico's studio, tablet in hand, a throbbing pain in the side of my skull.

Rico was in the middle of an appointment, so I was relegated to the waiting room like some common client, not a liaison for the biggest entertainment company in town.

It didn't matter to Rico if I brought him over half his business.

He had the talent, the reputation, and the black book to fill the holes I'd leave if I took our talent away. And he knew it.

Which was why he made me wait over an hour to see him, even though he'd finished his work twenty minutes ago.

The fucker strode into the office like he was a god in human form, his nose securely in the air, and I was fast developing a regret in the pit of my stomach that I'd fucked myself over by aiming to piss off Jun through inconvenience.

Rico splayed in his chair and stared me down like I was a bug under his boot, even though just days ago, he'd been singing my praises and flirting with me.

It was always a shock to the system, how fast he flipped the switch.

Made you kind of concerned for his general mental state, made you wonder if he might be more dangerous than he looked.

I knew his secret, though. He was all bark and no bite. The posturing was all a ploy, and it worked so well.

On everyone but me.

“So,” he began, his eyes cutting over my body, a slight curl of distaste teasing the corner of his mouth. “You’re here to beg me to take that degenerate fuckboi client of yours back, aren’t you?”

Subtlety wasn’t Rico’s strong suit. But his ego, if handled correctly, could be manipulated. I leaned forward in my seat and grinned like I’d already won the game. “Actually, I’m here to thank you.”

His brows climbed up his forehead in a hilariously cartoonish manner. “Oh?”

“Exactly. If it weren’t for you refusing to take him back, I wouldn’t have discovered Tatiana De La Cruz is taking on new clients.

” I leaned back in my chair and spread my legs to match his posture, challenging his domination of the situation.

“She’s not only willing to take him on with short notice, but she’s eager to take on more of our clients in the future.

So I really must thank you, because now, I have more options under my belt to choose from, and her artistic vision aligns wonderfully with our label’s plans and goals. ”

It was a lie—Tatiana had reached out to tell us she’d eventually be taking on new clients, but she only worked with women.

A bad experience with men in the past had soured her on them, and I couldn’t blame her for her decision.

But there were still far more male artists and clients signed with kNight Entertainment than female, and that meant she wasn’t a viable option.

But she was Rico’s biggest competition. And just the act of dropping her name was enough to spur him to action.

His jaw dropped open like an old, oiled-up mailbox door, hanging there as he struggled to form words. “I?—”

“Of course, we’d need to formally end the contract with you, which you informed me you were ready to do, so I brought a copy of the dissolution form with me so that we could?—”

Rico shot to his feet, sweat beading on his brow.

“Actually, Rizzo, maybe I was being too hasty in all this. After all, Mr. Kim is new to our culture. And I do sometimes let my emotions get the better of me.” Brushing his palms on his pants, he offered one to me, the skin still slightly clammy.

“Maybe we can just forget this incident ever happened?”

I’d like to see Andrew make something as amazing that.

Here I was, watching the unbendable, stubborn Rico practically beg to be given a second chance. The man who fired clients as quickly as he hired them, and who always managed to make the biggest deal out of the littlest thing, cowed by a woman. Two, to be precise, but nonetheless?—

I pretended to muse it over, knowing damn well even if I wanted to ditch him (and in the future, I would), I couldn’t at this particular junction in the contract. Jun’s debut depended on a flawless execution.

Restarting was out of the question. It would be a delay we couldn’t afford.

“I suppose it would be easier on me to let you finish out the client, rather than have to deal with Tatiana from scratch. But we’ve already lost time, and that means?—”

“I’ll push other clients back and make room for him.

I’ll stay late, if that works better for you.

Whatever you need.” Rico was one and a half inches away from prostrating himself on the floor.

Under normal circumstances, I might take a moment to gloat over that achievement.

But right now, I was exhausted, frustrated, and not interested in the power play like I normally would be.

There would be time for gloating later. Maybe after I’d left Jun behind in the hands of another and moved to my own office again.

When I didn’t spend my nights returning to the insomnia that frequented me when I first moved back.

“Deadline is now a week earlier than originally specified,” I muttered pointedly, watching as his eyes first widened, then contracted to damn near slits.

“If you think you’re capable of delivering on that, then just send my official email a request to rescind the termination, and I’ll note it on the record. ”

“Of course,” he practically whined, whipping out his phone that very moment. “When would it be a good time to bring him back in?”

Now it was my turn to pull out a phone, checking my calendar first, then Jun’s. “I’ll have to check with my coordinator at the studio first, but I think we have a gap in the schedule tonight after his interview that we can pencil you in for.”

Rico was known for his extravagant night party life. Asking him to miss out and take on a client after five at night was unheard of. He’d never in a million years go for it.

But I shot my shot anyhow.

“How does seven thirty sound?”

His nostrils flared. “At night?”

I nodded. “Of course, if that doesn’t work for you?—”

“I”ll clear my schedule for the night. How soon can I know for sure if it’ll work for you or not?”

Now it was my turn to stand, a crooked smile spreading across my face as I walked to the door. “I’ll be in touch in a few hours.” After all, it wasn’t even noon yet. I had time. And a few other stops to make, too.

With that parting shot, rising a high I never thought I’d set foot on, I strode out of his office and into the midday sunshine, squinting against the brightness.

I still had a lot of work to do, but it was all downhill from here.

Crisis averted.