Chapter 52

52 A Star’s Dilemma Bella’s agent, Carl, was in a quandary. He knew about the turmoil Hella had caused and understood that aiding her could jeopardize his own position in the industry. Yet, he was also aware that most of Bella’s entanglements were orchestrated by the company and himself. Bella’s relentless ambition to reach the top had led her into murky waters.

Carl wasn’t intimidated by Bella herself–a waning actress struggling to stay relevant. It was her potential to expose the secrets about their dealings with prominent musle producer, Alex, that worried him. But, if Bella could somehow collaborate with the renowned musician, Maxwell, there might be a chance to salvage her dwindling fame, Maxwell, known for his uncompromising nature, was a tough nut to crack. Carl pondered the idea of pairing him with Bella, a move Maxwell would surely find distasteful given her complete lack of musical background.

After much deliberation, Carl decided to contact Maxwell’s representative, Tom. In the cutthroat world of entertainment, agents frequently Interacted, and Tom was particularly influential due to his close association with Maxwell.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Tom answered, his tone less than welcoming.

Tom had risen from obscurity to become a top agent, largely due to his unwavering support for Maxwell.

“I hate to bother you, Tom. It’s regarding Bella’s desire to join Maxwell’s upcoming concert. Her influence in the industry could make this a mutually beneficial collaboration…” Carl began.

Tom interrupted him mid–sentence.

“Hold on. You’re mistaken if you think Maxwell is open to any showbiz personality Joining his show.

Maxwell has a strict policy – only seasoned singers share his stage. He isn’t running a charity show for fading stars.”

Carl, feeling the tension and sting of the insult, tried to justify as he stammered, “Actually, Bella began her career as a singer. It’s just that she found her true calling in acting…”

“Please, let’s be real,” Tom interjected sharply, “She realized she couldn’t make it as a singer. If that’s your pitch, we’re done here.”

Tom abruptly ended the call, leaving Carl frustrated. The audacity of thinking Bella could collaborate with Maxwell without meeting the fundamental criteria was laughable.

Annoyed, Tom threw his phone down. But Bella’s name rang a bell. He quickly searched her online and the flood of scandalous news made him understand her desperation for a comeback.

Tom immediately sought out Maxwell, who was busy composing new music. Tom knew about Maxwell’s sister’s recent divorce and was secretly pleased, belleving she deserved better.

“I got a call about a collaboration at your next concert,” Tom informed Maxwell.

52 4 Star’s Dilemma Maxwell, usually strict with his collaborations, asked, “Who’s interested? You know they have to be a singer.”

“It’s Bella.”

“Everyone’s trying to get a piece of me now? Who is this Bella?” Maxwell frowned as he tried to recollect where he had heard the name.

Maxwell was ready to dismiss the idea, but then it clicked and his features brightened. Bella was the one who had wronged his sister. His protective instincts kicked in.

“Oh, her. Let her join. I’m curious to see who dares cross my family.”

A dark smile crept onto Maxwell’s face, and Tom realized Bella was walking into a trap. He was almost eager to see Maxwell’s reaction.

“Should I arrange her guest spot? Anything else you need?” Tom asked.

Maxwell nodded, “Find out everything about her. If she’s involved in my sister’s troubles, she’s going to face the music publicly.”

Maxwell’s laugh sent chills down Tom’s spine. He knew well that crossing Maxwell had serious.

consequences. If not for his sister’s resilience, Maxwell would have intervened sooner.

Tom left to organize the details, calling their investigator, MacDuff, to gather information on Bella. The storm surrounding Bella was just beginning to intensify.