Chapter 175: Just One Less Mistake
[Chapter 175: Just One Less Mistake]
"What are you doing here?" Taylor squinted her eyes. "I'm the one hosting this party today," Scooter replied with a grin.
There had been some tension between Scooter and Taylor. He had initially blocked Taylor from collaborating with Ryan.
Ryan felt somewhat puzzled, wondering how Scooter got connected to Clive Davis. Could it be that Scooter's backer was Clive Davis? But after a moment of thought, Ryan dismissed that idea. Clive Davis was an executive at Sony Records, while Scooter was under Universal Music Group; there was no way Clive could reach into that territory.
"Come with me, you two. Plenty of guests have already arrived," Scooter said as he led the way.
"Ryan, I never expected you to hide yourself so well. I feel like I've been running in circles around you," Scooter chuckled at Ryan.
Now that everything was out in the open, Scooter realized he was merely a stepping stone for Ryan, a cover for breaking into the music scene. There were others guiding him from behind the scenes.
"I just want to know one thing, who's behind you...?" Scooter's expression became serious.
Ryan could only manage a slight smile.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that." Scooter quickly recognized he might have overstepped and quickly apologized to Ryan.
Ryan patted Scooter's shoulder, indicating he didn't mind.
Scooter pondered for a moment, recalling that he hadn't made things difficult for Ryan when they parted ways, and felt a bit relieved about that.
"Now, about the upcoming collaboration..." Scooter continued.
He referred to Ryan's work with Ding Ri.
"Of course, only if you have the time and find the right opportunity!" When Scooter saw Ryan hesitate, he quickly provided himself an out, fearing Ryan would flat out decline.
Ryan nodded. At that moment, Taylor noticed a few young artists from Disney: Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, and the Jonas Brothers. She immediately headed toward Selena, only nodding to Demi as a form of greeting.
Seeing his fiancee with someone else, Ryan nodded to both of them, picked up a glass of drink from a passing server, and started looking for Leona in the crowd.
...
He soon spotted Leona among a group of Brits, standing next to Simon.
"Hey, I was just looking for you guys," Ryan said as he approached.
"Ryan," Simon exclaimed, warmly greeting him. He was well aware of the rumors swirling around and realized just how influential Ryan had become. As for that other man, he simply was "getting what he deserved."
Ryan then nodded to Leona, who, unlike Simon, displayed evident apprehension.
"Ryan is definitely a gentleman; that much is certain. Don't let the rumors get to you; Ryan is innocent," Simon encouraged, gesturing for Leona to move closer.
Leona finally nodded at Ryan.
Ryan then mentioned why he had come.
"Absolutely no problem! Leona can always find time! I'll send her down to Florida when the time comes; you handle it!" Upon hearing that Ryan wanted to partner with Leona again, Simon's face lit up with joy, and he eagerly agreed.
"But..." Leona opened her mouth to speak.
"But what? You passed up great songs before! Do you even realize how much money you've lost? You have to collaborate with Ryan this time!" Simon reprimanded her in front of Ryan.
Leona shrank back a bit in fear.
"I wouldn't force anyone," Ryan said immediately.
"It's not about forcing anyone. The lead singer from the Republic Era is another Ryan. The song that was written for her was thrown away! Beyonce snatched it up without hesitation, showing how poorly she selects songs," Simon recalled a recent incident.
"What was the name of that song?" Ryan asked.
"It was called Halo. I listened to the demo afterward, and it was such a waste. If Leona had sung it, it would have definitely blown up," Simon said, showing a pained expression.
That track, Halo, had been written specifically for Leona, and it was one of Beyonce's biggest hits. Leona had not just missed that one opportunity; she also turned down Rihanna's famous hit Diamonds, which was initially written for her by Sia.
With just one less mistake, Leona could have become a queen.
But she perfectly managed to choose all the wrong answers, leading her to quick obscurity afterward.
Under Simon's pressure, Leona ultimately nodded in agreement to collaborate with Ryan.
...
While Ryan conversed with Simon, he caught sight of a group entering the venue, with JAY-Z leading the pack. This was the same guy who had been infamous for drugging a 13-year-old girl back in 2000 alongside Sean Combs.
Yet, he seemed secure at this moment, surrounded by artists like Ne-Yo. Before long, Rihanna entered the party, holding hands with Chris Brown, though they appeared to have just argued. Rihanna looked quite displeased.
...
"Hey, Ryan!"
Ryan turned to see Usher pushing his way through with a drink in hand.
Usher greeted both Simon and Leona before turning back to Ryan.
"Ryan, last time I overreacted. I owe you an apology." Usher's tone was sincere as he glanced at Ryan.
"I thought it over, and you were right; we should collaborate. It's just us two." Usher chuckled, flashing a big smile that made him look a bit goofy.
Ryan looked past him but didn't spot Diddy anywhere in sight.
"It could happen if the opportunity arises, but my focus is currently overseas," Ryan casually replied.
"Where to open a store is just a matter of your..." Usher felt a bit embarrassed.
The contrast in their interactions was clearly due to the rumors floating around...
Ryan had an inkling of what Usher was after.
"Alright, we can move this forward!" Ryan nodded.
"Thank you so much!" Usher said, clinking glasses with Ryan.
...
Taylor and Selena stood in a corner, and Taylor's gaze often drifted towards Ryan, who she saw chatting with Usher and Simon.
"What's your fiance talking about over there? Do you want to go say hi?" Selena suggested, feeling a bit bored.
"Let them be," Taylor shook her head.
At that moment, she spotted Leona wandering around, looking a bit lost. She called out to her and brought her over.
"How did your chat go?" Taylor asked.
"I'm going to be collaborating with him..." Leona responded but seemed anything but cheerful. Normally, any singer would be thrilled at the chance to work with Ryan.
"You heard those rumors, didn't you?" Taylor instantly realized what was happening.
Taking the chance, she spoke candidly, "The facts aren't what's being spread around online. Ryan isn't involved in this at all. Think about it; if he truly was the one pulling strings, would he be so at ease at a party? There has to be evidence behind every action, and Ryan is innocent."
Selena nodded. While she didn't know Ryan well, she still trusted Taylor's word.
"He really doesn't have to go that far," Leona began to reflect and realized where the logic fell apart. If it was merely a scandal, a little money could take care of things; there was no need for such drastic measures, as the risks were enormous.
...
Just then, Taylor noticed that the producer of the Grammy Awards had also entered the venue and spotted Taylor, coming over to greet her.
"I'm ready with the new tracks," Taylor immediately stated.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that there will be a new person replacing you and Miley. Can you let Miley know? She should be here, right?" producer Kenneth Ehrlich said.
Taylor's expression froze in shock.
"She's definitely here; I'll go inform her," Selena piped up.
Kenneth nodded and promptly made his way upstairs to the venue's second floor.
...
In that moment, Taylor felt a sense of loss wash over her... Was she really going to let this opportunity slip through her fingers?
At that moment, the lanky Jimmy Iovine entered the venue, and among the crowd behind him was an especially eye-catching new artist, dressed to the nines.
"It's LADY GAGA!"
Guests immediately turned their attention to the quickly rising singer, and Taylor found herself locking eyes with LADY GAGA.
LADY GAGA smiled softly at Taylor, giving her a subtle nod.
"It's her! She's the one who replaced me!" Taylor suddenly realized.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.