The mood in the room shifted instantly. The tension that had been thick in the air evaporated, replaced by the familiar buzz of business. Rachel let out a long, heavy sigh, the sound a mix of relief and fond exasperation. "Let me guess," she said, a small smile finally touching her lips as she looked at Landon. "You were thinking of letting her join the Echo family?"
Landon grinned, the look of exhaustion gone from his eyes. "You know me so well," he said. "Plus, I did promise you that I'll find you good artists." The two shared a look, a quiet understanding passing between them, before they both laughed.
Rachel leaned forward, her "mother figure" demeanor completely gone, replaced by the shrewd focus of a seasoned executive. "Okay, let's hear it. After all the trouble you've caused, this song better be good." Amala, a bundle of nervous energy, walked over to the laptop. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest, and hit play. The small apartment was instantly filled with the massive, polished sound of the track they had created.
The first few notes of the track filled the apartment, and Rachel's professional demeanor was instantly shattered. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and Emma gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. The sound was so massive, so polished, so completely radio-ready that it was impossible to believe it was created in this small, humble room just a few hours ago.
The beat was infectious, a cool, rhythmic pulse that made you want to move. Then came Landon's voice, a smooth and effortless vocal that had just won him four awards. But when Amala's voice came in on the second verse, a rich, melodic hum that was both delicate and powerful, the song elevated to a new level. Her voice blended with his in a perfect, unexpected harmony. It was raw talent and world-class production, a perfect storm of musical genius.
Rachel and Emma didn't move. They just stared at the monitors, their disbelief slowly morphing into awe. They weren't hearing a demo; they were hearing a hit. A genuine, undeniable, chart-topping song. Amala's unique tone was the missing puzzle piece, the "it factor" the world wasn'tready for.
When the last note faded, the silence in the room was deafening. Rachel and Emma just stared at the laptop, speechless.
Finally, Rachel turned to Landon, her expression a mix of bewilderment and utter excitement. "Landon," she whispered, her voice a little hoarse. "What did you... what did you just do?"
"I did what I always do best," Landon said, a quiet sense of pride in his voice. "I found a good artist."
Rachel turned her head, her sharp, professional gaze settling on Amala. The anger and worry were gone from her face, replaced by a genuine smile of admiration.
"Okay, Landon," she said, her voice completely changed. "I'll let you do the contract talks with her."
Amala's mind reeled. It had been less than eight hours since Landon had made that impossible promise. And now, sitting on the floor of her small apartment, she had just heard the woman who managed his entire career tell him to handle the contract talks. Just like that. The speed of it all was dizzying, a surreal whirlwind of events that had started with a scream and ended with a record deal. Landon saw the faint, disbelieving smile on her face. He knew she needed a moment to process everything. He got up from the floor, grabbing the garment bag Rachel had brought. " i'm going to the bathroom to change," he said to the group. "I'll be back in a few."
A few moments later, Landon stepped out of the bathroom. He had changed into the fresh clothes Rachel had brought, a clean hoodie and jeans. He looked over at the living room, and a genuine smile spread across his face.
The three women,Rachel, Emma, and Amala, were laughing together, the tension from earlier completely gone. Amala was gesturing animatedly with her hands, telling a story that had Rachel and Emma in stitches. It was a picture of easy camaraderie, and for Landon, it was the most beautiful thing he had seen all night.
"Sorry to interrupt," he said, his voice soft, "but I believe I've got an interview scheduled in two hours. I think we should get a move on."
Rachel, ever the observant one, saw the subtle shift in Amala's expression. The joy was still there, but it was now mixed with a quiet sadness. She knew what this meant,the end of a spontaneous, magical night and the beginning of a life that would never be her own again. Rachel reached out and placed a hand gently on Amala's arm. "You know what, Landon, Emma and I are going to wait outside," she said, her voice dropping to a low, comforting tone. She gestured to the box of pastries on the coffee table. "We brought you breakfast. We'll give you two a moment." She ushered Emma out the door, leaving Landon and Amala in a quiet, private space once more.
Amala's smile was fragile. "So... I guess this is it," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "Thank you. For everything. I'll never forget this."
Landon stepped closer, taking her hand. "Hey," he said, his voice soft. "This isn't goodbye. This is just the beginning." He gently squeezed her hand. "You're about to have the craziest, busiest life you can imagine. But I promise, I'll be in it. In fact," he said, a small, hopeful smile on his face, "I'll be seeing you. Soon."
A genuine, relieved laugh escaped her lips. "I hope so."
He nodded, giving her hand one last squeeze before releasing it. "I'll text you," he promised, before turning to walk out the door and into a new chapter of his life. As he closed the door behind him, leaving the peaceful world of Amala's apartment and stepping back into the reality of his life. Rachel and Emma were waiting patiently in the hallway. Rachel's expression was now a mix of exhaustion and weary resignation.
"Okay," Rachel said, not even waiting for him to speak. "Let's go. The car's downstairs."
The ride was silent at first, the only sound the hum of the engine and the quiet click of Rachel's keyboard as she checked her phone.
Landon sat in the back, the comfortable jeans and hoodie feeling like a uniform for his two separate lives. Finally, Rachel put her phone down and looked at him in the rearview mirror, her eyes holding his. "Do you have any idea the amount of panic you caused? The news went from celebrating you as a genius to speculating you'd gone crazy. You were a trending topic for a mental health crisis, Landon. We almost had to call the police."
Landon sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I just... I needed to get out."
"Needed to get out?" Rachel's voice was firm. "After you won everything? Why run from that?"
He looked out the window, the city lights a blur. "Liz... i found out she was seeing a guy since 2012. Then I thought about our connection the whole night... it felt like a lie. I felt like a fraud. It wasn't real." He paused, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Then I ran into Amala, and for the first time in a long time, something did feel real."
Rachel and Emma exchanged a look, and the atmosphere in the car softened. "Well," Emma said quietly, her voice full of relief. "We heard the song. So whatever it was, it was worth it."
"It's a huge problem, Landon, but also a huge opportunity," Rachel said, her business mind already racing. "I've rescheduled your interviews, starting in two hours. You're going to tell them you wanted to get out and celebrate with real people. You can sell this story. And you're going to talk about Amala. A lot."
Landon simply nodded, the car pulling away from the curb, leaving the apartment and the night's chaos behind him. "No," He said, his voice firm and unwavering. "I won't name-drop her."
Rachel's head snapped back to look at him in the rearview mirror, her eyes wide with shock. "What do you mean, you won't name-drop her? Landon, this is gold! The public is eating this up. The story of the superstar who ran off and found a real person after winning everything, it's perfect!"
"I know it is," Landon replied calmly, his gaze fixed out the window. "But she's not a celebrity yet. She's a normal person. I don't want to complicate her life with the media storm that's coming."
Rachel sighed, her frustration clear. Emma, however, smiled, a look of quiet admiration on her face. Rachel knew Landon well enough to understand that when he made up his mind, there was no changing it.
"Fine," Rachel said, her business mind already adapting. "Then we'll tell them the story, but we'll say you want to respect her privacy. It makes you look even more of a hero." She paused, a new idea forming. "And we'll allude to the song. We'll say you met a new artist and you guys are working together. The press will go crazy trying to find out who she is, but we'll control the narrative. I swear, the way you're protecting her, she better be worth it."
Landon nodded, satisfied with the compromise. A few minutes later, the car pulled up to the studio, the flashing lights of cameras and the shouts of the paparazzi a stark contrast to the quiet morning he had just left behind.