Chapter 213



.

Freddie’s commercial performance was a concert along with the other singers in the company, and many attended. All the fans of the four most popular singers of the moment gathered here, and tickets were sold out as soon as they went on sale.

Freddie smiled helplessly after dismissing the two noisy little fans. The agent next to him urged him to hurry up with the makeup, “Gee, hurry up and sit down and get your hair done. Your show is next and you still have time to entertain those two little fans.”

“She’s not only my fan, she’s my niece, isn’t she cute?”.

The agent squeezed Freddie into a chair while the make-up artist took care of him.

“By the way, the investors are here today, so don’t make any mistakes. There will be a celebratory dinner after the show and you must attend. You are not allowed to leave this time, no matter what the reasons are.”

Freddie was disinterested. “I don’t want to go.”

“You have to go, even if you don’t want to.” The agent looked stern, “How do you think they, members of the same company, are doing so much more credit than you? How do you think they get it besides entertaining and drinking with those advertisers.Why don’t you go.Have a drink, delight them and you can get millions of deals easily.”

The words were bending Freddie’s ears. “Atwood, you can stop getting these kinds of commercial gigs and endorsements next time, I just want to concentrate on releasing my album.”

“Wow, haven’t you digested my words? The music industry is in decline because no one is buying anymore. Because of the video piracy that is rampant nowadays, even if we put the songs for sale on the Internet, we can barely make any money. It’s not bad if we can make up for the pre-production shortfall, I’m not opposed to you having artistic concerns and I’ve been looking for ways to make money for you. Can you make allowances for me?”

“Okay, fine. I’ll stop talking.” Freddie held up his hands in surrender.

It wasn’t realistic to remain untainted in the entertainment industry. Freddie used the money he made from endorsements and commercial gigs to write his songs. And this was the last thing he could do.

He was already burned out since he entered this industry in less than a year. He needed to keep going constantly so he wouldn’t decline.

The public would only see his glorious moment on stage or his embarrassing moments when he was knocked off the pedestal. No one cared about his feelings or his desires.

His agent came over to inform him of the time and place of the celebratory dinner when the show was over. He was staring at Freddie all the way to the hotel banquet room, not letting him get away.

“Quiet I won’t leave. Atwood, can you stop staring at me? It’s creepy.”

“Not until you meet with the head of Warner Corporation. After that, you can do whatever you want.”

“Damn, is it that beefy guy, Aldrich Jones, who likes to sexually harass others? Meeting him would be shortening my life.”

“A smile won’t kill you.”

The two were at a standstill when someone in the distance approached, wearing a brown suit with a dark blue bow tie. He looked extraordinary and held a glass of champagne.

“That’s odd. I hear Freddie never partakes in celebratory dinners.”

Freddie was suddenly dumbfounded, hearing these words. He instantly went pale, his back turned to Cleveland Sanchez.

“Oh, Mr. Sanchez?” The agent smiled, “This is a misunderstanding. Freddie wasn’t attending because he was sick and had to go back to the hotel, but he’s fine today and that’s why he came.”

“Oh?” Cleveland spoke with a meaningful tone.

“You guys chat, I’ll go say hello to the others.”

The agent was sensible as he left. Before leaving, he even patted Freddie’s shoulder, signaling him to take advantage of the opportunity. It seemed that his agent hadn’t learned of any ill intent from Cleveland until then.

Freddie was speechless to have such an agent, always putting him on the spot.

“Long time no see.” Cleveland’s voice sounded from behind him.

Freddie scoffed, forcing himself to smile, “It hasn’t been that long. Didn’t we see each other three days ago in P-Town?”

No one would believe that the two of them always happened to cross paths in such different places. Freddie even suspected that his agent, Atwood Bartley, had sold his Cleveland travel list.

“It’s a shame.” Cleveland held up the wine glass, gently swirling the champagne, “If we went in March or April to P-Town, then we could see the cherry blossoms bloom.”

“Mr. Sanchez, you’re really in a leisurely, carefree mood.” Freddie glared at him, “I travel for work and in no way get to choose my own itinerary. I’m not as free as you are.”

Cleveland didn’t deny it, but smilingly said, “I hear you have a grudge against the head of the Warner Corporation.”

Hearing that, Freddie gave him a dirty look and replied sourly, “What business is it of yours?”

Half a month ago, backstage at the P-Town Film Festival, Aldrich Jones, the Warner Corporation boss, who kept scandalizing the industry, groped Freddie’s ass in front of an audience in a workroom.

This disgusted him for a long time, and he still felt bad remembering it now.

He would have hit him but for the agent stopping him.

“It’s none of my business, indeed, but the Sanchez Group has been cooperating with Warner recently. I’ve shown Old Master Jones something and now the Warner Corporation is no longer with that pig Aldrich Jones.”

Freddie was stunned, looking at Cleveland in surprise. “What did you show him?”

“It’s just a picture of that pig cuddling with a prostitute. Old Master Jones nearly had a heart attack when he saw it, and made a call to remove Aldrich from office.”

It was not at all unusual for Cleveland to do this. Freddie hung on for a while, and finally couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“How about it, aren’t you going to take me out to dinner to thank me?”

“I didn’t ask you to help me.” Freddie raised his eyebrows as he set down his wine glass, “Since that’s the case, then I don’t have to stand here anymore, waiting to apologize to that pig. Mr. Sanchez, please tell my agent when I see him later. I’ll be leaving now.”

Freddie left with a flourish. Cleveland stood in place for a while, smiling, then followed him.

“You’re a menace! Why on earth would a person like that force others to pay for his dinner?” After walking down the street for a while, Freddie realized that Cleveland was following behind him, driving him crazy.

“I’m a businessman.” Cleveland looked idle, “A businessman’s interests always come first. So you have me to thank.”

“Is it that you’ll stop following me after I invite you to lunch?”.

“Of course.”

After hearing this, Freddie stared at the roadside food stand and said faintly, “You said so.”

.

.

.