Chapter 259: I Want It All

[Chapter 259: I Want It All]

"The latest Billboard Hot 100 just announced that Faded has debuted at number one. It's the first electronic music single to achieve such a feat, and I think everyone's a bit surprised by this. What are your thoughts?" The senior editor of Mix magazine, with a strong British accent, asked Ryan, sitting across from him.

Ryan was in the middle of an interview and seemed somewhat astonished. He had been doing numerous media interviews over the past few days, mostly discussing his new single.

"While the song is a hit in the U.S., in Europe, some data suggests it hasn't performed as well as some of your earlier tracks. What are your thoughts on that?" The editor, sporting a white beard, continued.

"Are you referring to the sales rankings on Beatport? I should tell you, that site invested in the International Music Summit, which coincidentally clashes with the Bad Room Carnival," Ryan chuckled, indicating a conflict of interest.

"You should keep an eye on the charts in European countries over the next few weeks; they'll be more representative." Ryan checked the time on his phone.

The editor, understanding the interview was wrapping up, stood to shake Ryan's hand.

"Just don't talk bad about me this time," Ryan shook his head, clearly referencing an article that had appeared in DJ magazine previously.

"Ryan, I can assure you of that. We're rivals with DJ magazine," the senior editor replied, leaning closer, lowering his voice. "If you're interested, I can reach out to a few nightclub owners in Ibiza, and you can sit down with them."

"Are you working for them?" Ryan narrowed his eyes.

"No, I just can make an introduction; it's that simple. I think it's unnecessary for both sides to continue fighting. This industry is not that big," the editor added.

"Let's drop it for now; it's not the time for negotiations," Ryan shook his head, rejecting the idea.

"Whenever you're ready, feel free to reach out," the editor patted Ryan on the shoulder.

...

After sending the editor off, Ryan called Taylor. She had just flown to Calgary, Canada, that morning and would be on tour for a while.

"I got it. I'll see you then," Ryan put the phone down and called Teresa in. She had finally returned to his side, with Ivanka back at work.

"Avicii's Levels also achieved remarkable success, currently climbing to number 25 on the singles chart.

All your previous interview appointments are done.

Kesha is preparing for the recording of her new album, and she plans to release the first single from her debut album next month.

As for Leona Lewis, she's in the adjacent studio auditioning with Eminem," Teresa reported.

"Have her come find me later; I need to speak with her," Ryan said.

"She was looking for you too; she wanted to thank you in person," Teresa responded.

Ryan nodded, surveying Teresa's outfit for the day. She wore a knee-length, body-hugging dress with floral patterned tights that accentuated her long legs and paired with red-soled black high heels.

Who dresses like this for work? This isn't a uniform; it's practically battle armor.

Did Teresa stop wearing conservative clothes when Taylor left?

Ryan hadn't had a chance to glance any longer when Teresa stepped closer, an expectant look on her face.

"Ryan, I covered your shifts, and I didn't let you down. You've got to properly thank me when you get a chance," Teresa said, plopping down into Ryan's lap and giving her waist a playful twist.

That might not be entirely appropriate at the moment.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves; once I finish my work, you're going to be working overtime until your legs give out," Ryan said with a mischievous grin.

"I want to work overtime now," Teresa teased, continuing to tease him.

"I know you can't wait, but was the outfit necessary?"

"I wouldn't do something like that. I changed in the office right before coming in. Otherwise, when I walk down the street, and who knows who would ask me for my rates?" Teresa laughed.

...

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Teresa quickly stood, adjusted her skirt, and went to open it.

Standing at the door was Leona Lewis. Since the Carnival ended, she hadn't left. She had planned to vacation in Florida but received Ryan's call indicating Eminem needed a female vocalist, and she immediately came over.

As for Eminem, he had come to visit Ryan with his daughter, who adored Taylor and was a big fan of Ryan, almost forgetting her father. Eminem even thought about having Ryan be Hailie's godfather.

"How did the audition go?" Ryan eagerly asked as he anticipated seeing Leona.

"It went well," Leona grinned, showing her white teeth, clearly overjoyed.

"Honestly, I don't know how to thank you enough. You're my savior, forever my savior," she gazed directly at Ryan, only then noticing Teresa's office-ready outfit.

"There'll always be similar opportunities; it's all about seizing them," Ryan nodded.

"I...I can do this. Just call me tonight," Leona said, her gaze dropping slightly.

Ryan glanced at Teresa. Honestly, sleeping with someone wasn't unusual; artists often had fewer boundaries. Leona probably saw how Teresa was dressed and understood what the two were going to do, so she spoke directly.

If that had come from Halle Berry or Jessica Alba, Ryan would really think about it. But with Leona, he figured it was best to let it go.

"I want to manage your affairs in the U.S.," Ryan chose to skip the usual process and went straight to the point.

"To be blunt, your chances in Europe are slim; Adele will block your path entirely, and on the adult contemporary side, you'll never catch up to her. I think focusing on the U.S. is your best option, and I will help you transition," Ryan tapped his fingers on the table.

"You don't need to rush with your answer; I will give you time to think it through." Ryan understood she was feeling cornered and didn't mind extending that courtesy.

Leona didn't take long to answer, "I agree, but... for certain details, you'll need to discuss it with Simon."

Ryan nodded, cleared his throat, and said, "If there's nothing else, you're free to leave."

Leona looked over at Teresa, "You're sure you don't mind me leaving?"

It seemed like she wasn't just planning to make a deal but genuinely wanted to have a deeper musical exchange with Ryan.

"Actually, when I first met you... but at that time, I had a boyfriend." Leona said bashfully, avoiding Ryan's gaze.

Ryan hadn't expected her to be so forward, but he turned her down again, albeit gently.

Ultimately, Leona left feeling somewhat dejected. She would first return to London before heading to Los Angeles to finish Eminem's new song.

...

"Others struggle to find suitable partners, and here you are, lucky with all these female artists vying for your attention," Teresa shook her head, amazed.

She usually managed Ryan's social media accounts, and ever since taking on that role, dozens of love messages flooded in daily across his multiple platforms. The forums were even wilder, with fans sending him pictures. After Ryan and Taylor announced their engagement, the messages decreased, but there were still numerous daily requests.

As for Taylor, her core fanbase consisted mostly of women, leading to no such occurrences.

Ryan had even considered teaming up with sororities to establish grassroots fan organizations but feared it would lead to a major scandal he couldn't control.

The reason for Ryan's popularity extended beyond his well-known talent; his physique and looks contributed as well. His face had a way of making women unable to resist, turning him into an unwitting sofa magnet.

'If I were Taylor, I wouldn't dare leave Ryan alone in Florida while I went off to tour,' Teresa thought while eyeing Ryan's charming face.

He'd just gotten another wealthy man's daughter pregnant, and Teresa had overheard Ivanka mention it during a work handoff.

Did Taylor know? Wouldn't she be furious?

"What are you really thinking about? Are you actually considering keeping Ivanka around? If that bomb goes off, the consequences would be unimaginable," Teresa couldn't help but ask.

"The company needs her. If I send her back to New York, the situation could easily spiral out of control, and she doesn't want to go back either," Ryan shook his head.

"It's lucky Taylor is still on tour, but tours inevitably end. Then what?" Teresa continued.

"There's no need to wait. Her dad hasn't called me, which means he should already be on his way to Florida," Ryan said.

He had boldly entered Mar-a-Lago without even thinking about hiding it from Trump.

Some things were better said directly to her dad.

...

Ryan then called the DJ named Amelie to his office.

"The collaboration between sTray and Dior will be announced soon; you were a model for H&M before, interested in getting back into it?" Ryan focused on her cool demeanor.

Ryan had previously promised to help Karlie Kloss with her transition, arranging for her to guest star on 2 Broke Girls. This time, one of the sponsors for Bad Room Carnival had her featured in their ads, and the initial results were promising. Ryan had gained experience, looking to create a similar "DJ model" brand for Amelie to further her career.

"Me? I haven't thought about that in ages," Amelie immediately declined, her tone mild. "I think being a DJ is great."

She probably wasn't accustomed to how models made their money and wanted to distance herself from the profession.

"I'm not suggesting you switch careers; I just want to market you," Ryan clarified.

"Oh, I see... I can agree to that, but apart from ads and runway shows, I'll not do any other work. Please assure me of that," Amelie stated.

"I won't have you doing anything demeaning, and I certainly won't exploit you as a mere tool for entertaining," Ryan was direct.

"When does it start?"

"In the next few days; just wait for my call."

...

Once Amelie left, Teresa looked over the notebook Ryan had left on the table. "Our schedule for today is done; unless there are any last-minute tasks, should we be... working overtime?"

Teresa tilted her head and smiled.

"I had planned on talking to Eminem; he's leaving Florida tomorrow... but since you're in such a hurry, let's let you cut in line," Ryan stood, preparing to take Teresa next door to the audition room.

As they both entered the audition room, just as Teresa locked the door, Ryan was about to embrace her when a sudden phone ring interrupted their moment.

Ryan answered, quickly listening to the voice on the other end. "I'll be right there."

"Who called you?" Teresa asked, pouting, not wanting to let go of Ryan.

"Ivanka. Her dad has already arrived at Mar-a-Lago; her mom came too," Ryan said.

"The parents are here; they must be taking this seriously," Teresa said anxiously.

"Eventually, this was bound to happen. I actually wanted to have a word with them," Ryan made ready to leave.

Teresa also wanted to go with him, "Not that I mean anything by it, but I plan to be there to block her parents from overreaching while you can make a quick getaway."

Ryan let out a scoff, "He's more afraid than I am of making a scene."

...

Upon stepping into Mar-a-Lago again, nearly all the staff members regarded Ryan with cold, piercing glances, clearly frustrated. The news that the princess was pregnant had spread among Trump's inner circle. However, these were all Trump's loyalists, and they wouldn't spill to the outside.

Ryan walked straight into the parlor and found Ivanka seated at an oval table with her parents.

Trump didn't even glance at Ryan, but Ivanka's mother scrutinized him.

"Take a seat."

"Ryan..." Ivanka opened her mouth, wanting to speak, but was silenced by a stern look from her mother. She instead fell quiet.

"We're aware of your relationship with Ivanka. This has escalated to a point where both her father and I are in despair. These past few nights have been sleepless for us. Here, take this," Ivanka's mother said, pulling out a bank card from her purse and placing it on the table.

"Once you sign the non-disclosure agreement, the money on that card will be yours. I realize several hundred thousand isn't much to you right now, but having one less enemy is better than having one more. If this goes public, your losses will exceed that amount, and everyone who previously supported you and Taylor will turn against you. You'll become a pariah."

Ryan stood up and reached out his hand, but instead of taking the card, he moved it aside.

"I understand your feelings, but this situation has happened, and no one can change it. Ivanka has chosen to have this child, and I respect her decision. I hope you both can respect your daughter's wishes. And as for whether this matter will go public, I honestly don't care. For Ivanka, these potential losses are acceptable," Ryan said with a look filled with affection.

"Ryan," Ivanka murmured, her expression somewhat softened.

Seeing their threats weren't working, Ivanka's mother added, "Then fine, you will need to call off your engagement with that singer, and you can marry Ivanka. We'll erase everything from the past. Both her father and I will accept you as our son-in-law."

"The answer to that was what I told Donald before, and my feelings haven't changed; I won't be breaking off my engagement with Taylor," Ryan replied.

"It's unacceptable for that, and it's unacceptable for this. What do you want?" Ivanka's mother's furrowed brow deepened.

"I love both of them," Ryan immediately retorted.

"You... you've really have a good idea," Ivanka gave him an incredulous look.

Her mother immediately felt a wave of suffocation and shot a glare at Trump: "This guy is just like you; you both need to figure this out!"

*****

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