NOVEL NEXT Chapter 962 Rafael's Decision
The more Betty saw, the deeper the crease in her brow grew. She didn't waste a moment, marching straight to the Music Director's office. Without knocking, she pushed the door open and found Logan inside, locked in an intense conversation with the Director.
Both men looked completely absorbed in their discussion, their phones lying dark on the coffee table. From the black screens, Betty could only assume they had either silenced or switched them off.
"What's going on with you two? Hera's been trying to reach you, Logan, but you never answered. She sent me to check on you. Are you feeling alright?" Betty skipped any pleasantries, cutting straight to the point.
The moment Betty entered, both Logan and the Music Director turned toward her, startled to see her so early in the morning. For a brief moment, confusion flickered across their faces. Why was Betty here, looking so worried, and why would Hera be checking in on Logan?
Logan was the first to regain his composure. "Good morning, Miss Dwane. Why is Sister Hera calling me? Did something happen?" he asked as he crossed to the coffee table. Picking up his phone, he noticed the missed call and lifted his gaze to Betty, his expression questioning.
Seeing that Logan was unharmed, Betty let out a quiet sigh of relief before speaking. "Hera was worried about you because Lucas posted another taunt on social media. This time, he claimed your parents are supporting him, basically telling the world that you're guilty, and even your own family believes him."
She delivered the words plainly, but her eyes stayed on Logan, watching closely for even the slightest shift in his expression. It wasn't that she lacked tact or compassion, quite the opposite.
Betty knew it was better for him to hear it now, directly from her, rather than stumble across it online. If he saw it himself, he'd also see the flood of comments, and those might cut far deeper.
Better that she play the bad guy, breaking the news here in a controlled environment, where Logan had people like her and the Music Director beside him, people who cared enough to share the weight of his burden.
Surprisingly, Logan didn't look shaken. It was as if he had grown numb to these kinds of attacks, so familiar with them that they barely left a mark anymore. He only gave a faint, self-deprecating smirk before brushing it off, then quietly reached for his phone and typed out a message to Hera.
[Logan: Sister Hera, I'm sorry I missed your calls. I was discussing a new song I composed last night with the Music Director, we're thinking of adding it to my debut album.]
[Logan: I was so excited after finishing it that I rushed straight here to show him and ask if we should adjust the lineup. We're going over the details now.]
[Logan: Please don't worry, I'm really doing fine.]
[Logan: But… it means a lot to know you were worried. Thank you.]
Hera read Logan's message and finally let out a long breath of relief. Somehow, his struggles felt like her own. Maybe it was because they were both cannon fodders in the grand scheme of things, bound by the same fate, that she couldn't help but worry about him.
Or maybe it was simply because they were close in age, perhaps she was even a year older, which stirred a natural sense of protectiveness in her, as though she really were his older sister.
Knowing he was handling things better than she expected eased her mind, yet it also pained her. For Logan to smile so calmly despite his own parents not believing in him… it could only mean he had already endured enough disappointment to numb the hurt.
The thought that he had long buried his hopes for parental love was heartbreaking. No young man should have to feel that way.
Hera's heart ached, but it also strengthened her resolve. If Logan's family had failed him, then she would stand in their place. She silently vowed to support him even more, to make sure he never felt alone again.
[Hera: I'm so relieved you're okay. I can't wait to hear your new songs. I've heard your voice and the soul in your music, when others hear it too, you won't need to explain yourself. Your songs will speak for your heart better than words ever could.]
[Hera: ★>d(,,･ε´-,,)⌒☆]
[Logan: Thank you, Sister Hera!]
[Logan: (づ￣ ³￣)づ]
After comforting Logan and learning what he had been up to, Hera relayed the situation to Rafael. At once, his expression hardened, his silence heavy, as though he was already steeling himself for a difficult decision.
Hera and the others held their breath, waiting. Finally, Rafael exhaled a long, heavy sigh and pulled out his phone to call his assistant.
When the line connected, he wasted no time on greetings. His voice was calm but decisive:
"Cancel Lucas Freed's contract with our company. File it as a breach of contract, for failing to follow management's arrangements and for falsifying the qualifications stipulated in his agreement."
"Sir, are you certain about this?" the assistant asked cautiously. "If we cancel his contract now, we'll face backlash from the netizens, especially since the public is still divided. Some pity him, while others are waiting for official statements from both companies."
"Dropping Lucas at this moment could make it seem like we don't stand by our artists when they need us most. Worse, he could spin the attention to his advantage and drag our name through the mud."
"From every angle, it looks like we'll be the ones to suffer. And besides… we don't yet have concrete evidence to condemn him."
"I didn't say we'd cancel his contract immediately," Rafael replied, his voice steady and resolute. "I'll give you the signal when it's time. For now, just prepare everything quietly. Don't worry, I've thought this through. I won't allow Lucas to drag us down with him." His tone left no room for argument.
Even without Gerald's complete investigation report, Rafael's instincts told him that Lucas was likely the one who had plagiarized Logan's songs, twisting public opinion to force Logan into crumbling under the weight of pressure and cyberbullying.
If that was the case, then Rafael knew it was better to prepare now, laying out an exit plan before the situation turned irreversibly ugly.
How could he think this way? Pure gut instinct. After years of personally running his business and dealing with countless scheming people, Rafael had developed a sharp sense for deception, and he had sensed Lucas's cunning long ago.
Still, he reasoned at the time that anyone entering the entertainment industry couldn't afford to be too naïve or innocent, or else they would be swallowed whole by the competition. Even those who entered with purity rarely remained the same after some time.
Perhaps Hera was the rare exception, because with her solid backing, she didn't need to fear being dominated or schemed against by other artists.
"I understand, sir. I'll handle all the arrangements quietly without letting anything leak," Rafael's assistant replied, finally grasping the hidden intent behind Rafael's command.
After working with him for years, they had already built a tacit understanding. Though he had tried reminding Rafael earlier, he knew that as long as Rafael's temper wasn't clouding his judgment, his boss possessed a sharp eye for business and people alike.
Otherwise, Rafael wouldn't have been able to build his company to this level in just a few short years. And from the way he spoke now, it was clear Rafael had already weighed the pros and cons of keeping Lucas.
To him, Lucas was nothing more than a ticking time bomb he had no intention of holding onto. As his assistant, all he could do was follow Rafael's lead.
"Alright, just let me know once everything is ready," Rafael said before ending the call.
"Are you sure about this?" Hera asked, studying his expression carefully. To her surprise, Rafael didn't look upset; in fact, he seemed almost relieved.
"Shouldn't you wait for Gerald's full report before making a decision? What if you're making a mistake?" she pressed, her voice laced with concern.
Rafael smirked as he stepped closer, his dark eyes swirling with a whirlpool of hidden desire. Hera instinctively held her breath, only realizing it when he was already right in front of her.
"Little minx, did you really think you could fool me?" he murmured, his voice low but laced with amusement. "I know you were the one who pushed for Gerald to investigate, but you already knew the truth, that Lucas was the wolf crying wolf."
"You only gave me this chance so I could uncover it myself… so I would see with my own eyes what nearly slipped past me. If you hadn't set a trap, you wouldn't have been so calm and confident all this time."
He knelt before her, and instead of annoyance at being kept in the dark, his expression carried something else: amusement, pride, and a glimmer of admiration for how meticulously she had prepared from the very beginning.