Chapter 299
Chapter 299:
“Perfect,” Alistair said, handing her a cup of coffee.
They walked out to the balcony. The rain had stopped, leaving the city scrubbed clean. Skye took a sip of the coffee, looking down at the streets below. Somewhere down there, her phone was probably blowing up with missed calls from a frantic producer.
Alistair checked his own phone. “Vance Media stock is down another four percent this morning. Dominic is bleeding money p>
Skye leaned against the railing, the wind catching the oversized shirt. “Let them panic for a few more hours. I’m enjoying the view p>
The studio for “StarDust,” the city’s highest-rated variety show, was a cauldron of noise and nervous energy. Technicians ran cables across the floor like snakes, shouting instructions into headsets. The audience was already seated—a sea of impatient faces waiting for the show to begin.
But center stage was empty.
Producer Mark paced in front of the dressing rooms, sweating through his expensive shirt. “Where is she? Where is Sterling? We go live in twenty minutes p>
Liam Kensington stood near the monitors, arms crossed. He was there as a primary sponsor, a desperate attempt to keep his company’s name relevant in the entertainment sector. He checked his watch for the tenth time.
“She’s not answering,” Liam said, his voice tight. “I’ve called five times. It goes straight to voicemail p>
Dominic Thorne sat in a director’s chair nearby, looking entirely too comfortable. He scrolled through his tablet, a smirk playing on his lips.
“Maybe she quit,” Dominic drawled. “Maybe the pressure finally cracked her. Or maybe she’s realized she doesn’t have the talent for live TV p>
“She has more talent in her little finger than your entire roster,” Liam snapped, surprising himself with the defense.
Dominic looked up, raising an eyebrow. “Defending the ex-wife? Careful, Liam. People might think you still care p>
“I care about the investment,” Liam lied, turning his back.
But his stomach churned. Skye was never late. In their marriage, she had been punctual to a fault, always waiting for him. The idea of her missing something this important felt wrong.
Was she hurt? Was she sick?
𝖠d𝘥𝗶𝖼𝘁𝗂𝗏e 𝘯о𝘃еl𝘴 𝗈𝗻 b𝘦.𝘤𝗈𝗺
“Check the hospitals,” Dominic murmured to an aide standing behind him. “If she’s in a ditch somewhere, I want to be the first to know p>
Seraphina Miller, sitting in the guest area as a “special commentator”—a favor Dominic had called in before kicking her out—laughed. It was a brittle, high-pitched sound. “She’s probably sleeping off a hangover. Or maybe she’s with a man p>
Liam spun around. “Shut up, Seraphina p>
The venom in his voice silenced the immediate area. Seraphina recoiled, her eyes filling with fake tears, but Liam didn’t even look at her.
Suddenly, a text message pinged on the director’s phone.
“It’s her!” the director shouted. “She texted: ‘Unwell. Arriving late. Start without me p>
“Start without her?” The producer looked like he was going to have a stroke. “She’s the main draw p>
“Do it,” Dominic commanded. “Let Seraphina open the show. We’ll humiliate Skye when she finally deigns to show up p>
The lights dimmed. The music started. The show began.
But the tension backstage only thickened.
Meanwhile, a figure slipped through the rear loading dock door.
It wasn’t Skye.
Crystal, the fired trainee, moved through the shadows of the prop storage area. She wore a dark, oversized hoodie, the hood pulled low over her face. Her eyes were wide, pupils dilated, darting around with manic intensity. Her hands were shoved deep into the front pocket, clutching something hard and sharp.