Chapter 145: Surrounded by Stars

[Chapter 145: Surrounded by Stars]

The next day, while out for a ride, Karlie had clearly gotten used to her "role." She sat on the back of Ryan's motorcycle, her arms wrapped around his waist. Through the slight bumps of the ride, Ryan could feel her warmth against his back, an invigorating sensation.

"We're here." Ryan parked the bike on the roadside.

This was a secluded beach, where the fine sand turned a grayish-white under the sunshine, beautifully contrasting with the sapphire sea. As soon as Karlie hopped off the bike, she excitedly sprinted toward the shore.

Dressed only in Ryan's oversized shirt and a bikini, the shirt barely covered her backside. Her long, smooth legs seemed to stretch endlessly as she ran, a true testament to her model-like physique. Her long legs appeared even more stunning than Taylor's.

Ryan raised his camera, capturing her vibrant figure illuminated by the sun. Karlie then approached, playfully scooping up a handful of sand and tossing it at him, a bright smile on her face.

...

"Try this..." Karlie teased, nudging food toward Ryan's mouth.

"It's pretty good."

"Now it's your turn to feed me." Karlie laughed, displaying an eagerness that contrasted sharply with her earlier reluctance.

Ryan handed her the food, and she exaggeratedly inhaled it, accidentally sucking on Ryan's fingertips in the process.

"Look at you taking advantage of me!" Karlie playfully scolded, yet the smile lingered on her face.

...

In the evening, Ryan and Karlie watched a local fire dance performance. The flames flickered on her face, painted with alternating expressions of curiosity, joy, and laughter. In that moment, her youthful exuberance came alive.

"Should I get the camera ready?" Karlie asked eagerly.

"I've captured enough already; we'll be heading back tomorrow." Ryan answered without looking up, his focus on the footage.

Karlie's smile immediately faded, as if she had abruptly woken from a daydream.

"Didn't we say we'd shoot for three days? Today is only the second." Karlie replied, perplexed.

"You exceeded my expectations, so we wrapped up early." Ryan finally looked at her.

"Oh, that's great then." Karlie coldly nodded, a hint of distraction in her tone.

...

Compared to her lively demeanor when they arrived, she appeared slightly dazed on the flight back. Leaning against the window, she watched as the cityscape gradually shrank outside.

"Once we're back, focus on work and don't let the negative news affect you," Ryan reminded her, sitting beside her.

"Yeah, okay." She wasn't sure if she even absorbed his words.

Ryan had already instructed Fizz to avoid interfering with Karlie and to not show favoritism toward Irina, aiming for a balanced approach to management.

"Oh, and consider transferring schools," Ryan added.

"Any school will be the subject of gossip, so I've decided... to take a break from my studies," Karlie shared her plan.

...

On their way back, freshly off work, Tyran Richard brought up another topic.

"By the way, I spoke with Teresa, and she declined." Tyran relayed, recalling Ryan's request to stay in touch with Teresa.

"Then offer her more money," Ryan suggested, turning the steering wheel.

Teresa was somewhat more popular than Daddario had been, at least she played a known character and not just a background role, but opportunities were limited. The pay for these films wasn't great to begin with, and with her being an Australian in the U.S. without a support system, she needed funds if she wanted to return to college.

...

Back at the office, Ryan first contacted Trey, assigning her the editing duties for the music video for I Need Your Love. Then he called Scott.

"We can start promoting the new single on radio soon..." Ryan mentioned.

"Ryan, I suggest... let's hold off another month on the new single, and release it early next year. First of all, Where Are U Now was just released not long ago. Secondly, the competition is fierce right now. Aside from Britney and Beyonce's new albums, Kanye West also dropped his new album this week. I heard Kelly Clarkson has a new song too, along with Lady Gaga. With so many top stars making moves, it might be wise to stay out of the spotlight for now," Scott hesitated to recommend.

"No need for that," Ryan replied casually.

Earlier, while working out, he felt he had captured a new song in a moment of inspiration. These moments had been happening more frequently, and it seemed like there would be another release next month. While high-frequency single releases could be considered excessive, he could handle it.

"I got it. I'll start making arrangements," Scott said before hanging up.

...

Ryan researched the latest news on the stars Scott mentioned, and checked out Kanye West's newly dropped album, 808s & Heartbreak.

Last year, Kanye's Stronger, sampling Daft Punk's Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, had perfectly blended rap with electronic music, earning him a Grammy nomination. He performed live at the Grammy Awards alongside Daft Punk, who were equally at the top of their game.

Kanye, who started as a producer, was masterful in using samples, winning three Grammy Awards back in 2005. Labels like "talented" barely scratched the surface of his capabilities.

Ryan listened to several tracks and noticed a significant shift in Kanye West's style post his "College trilogy." This new album featured heavy use of Auto-Tune, giving his voice a mechanical quality, along with beats from the Roland 808 drum machine, which he also used as the album's title.

Several tracks had catchy melodies, complemented by West's well-known sampling abilities and attempts at various electronic music elements, all infused with a sense of sadness. Just prior, Kanye's mother had tragically passed away due to complications from surgery, which fueled his creative drive, resulting in this album.

Viewed from any angle, this project showcased Kanye's depth of talent and creativity.

And Kanye was just one of Ryan's competitors.

Not only did he have Lady Gaga vying for attention, but there was also a massive presence looming in the form of Beyonce.

In the latest issue of Rolling Stone, Single Ladies was already crowned song of the year. Many critics considered it Beyonce's best single, claiming, "There's no chance she'll ever release another single like this."

The song had even set the record for the highest digital music download in a week, hitting 382,000 downloads.

Furthermore, similar to past viral hits, this song spread like wildfire on YouTube, especially after Justin's hilarious spoof of its music video on SNL. People of all ages and shapes began posting their own dance covers online.

Ryan couldn't help but feel this was all a carefully cultivated result, aimed to replicate the success of previous viral trends on YouTube.

Despite the fierce competition outside, Ryan felt more confident than ever... it was fair to say that this competition was a sure win for him.

...

After a tense three-day pre-release buildup, Ryan and Taylor's collaboration single, I Need Your Love, officially launched...

*****

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