CHAPTER 19 – Deals and Decisions
"I'm done," Dayo said as he hit the play button.
The whole room went silent—three straight minutes of stunned stillness.
Lois slowly removed her headphones, her eyes wide. "That… was my voice?"
Dayo nodded. "Your voice. My mix. Our song."
Wayne was still amazed. "I truly lost this bet without a doubt."
"Oh, come on, Wayne, no need to be that hard on yourself. You know what, let's just forget the bet," Dayo said with a small smile, glancing at Valery.
"No. A bet is a bet. We lost, so we have to concede," Valery replied firmly.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. If we can't keep this little agreement between us, then I believe we've failed."
Dayo smiled knowingly. This was what he wanted to see. He had been testing them. Even though they'd only worked together for a few weeks, he knew that people's true colors often showed when there was something to gain. Greed crept in easily. He needed to be certain he wasn't working with money-hungry opportunists, especially since, very soon, he'd have to leave the company in their hands while he prepared for the competition and focused on other plans.
"Very well, then. We'll continue this later. Lois, meet me afterward, we're not done recording yet. There are still some errors to correct. Wayne, Valery… I want to see you both to discuss something."
***
Elsewhere…
"Paul, what's this I'm seeing?" Urich asked Vivian's manager, showing him a video of Dayo singing.
Paul's confusion was obvious. "S…sir, when I asked her, she told me he had a condition that wouldn't allow him to sing."
"And does this," Urich said, pointing at the video, "look like someone who doesn't know how to sing?"
Paul bowed his head, a mix of shame and anger stirring in him. Vivian had caused him more trouble than he had ever faced in his career.
"You do realize that with the attention he's getting, people will get curious… and start digging. That will bring a lot of unwanted attention at this critical time, especially with the her album in line now," Urich warned, taking a deep breath and drinking from the bottle of water beside him.
"So… go and confirm things with Vivian. Get more information about what he's doing."
"Yes, sir," Paul replied immediately, standing to leave.
"Uhh… Dayo, you're making things difficult for me," Urich muttered, pausing before deciding to make a call.
Back at Dayo's office…
The sound of typing filled the room until a knock interrupted him. "Come in," he called.
Wayne and Valery entered almost simultaneously.
"Dayo, you said you wanted to see us?"
Finally looking up from his system, Dayo gestured to the chairs. "Ah, yes please, sit down."
"The reason I called you in is to plan how things will run while I'm competing in the Global Stage competition. I want us to expand our media coverage to reach at least all U.S. states."
Both Wayne and Valery froze, eyes wide. That was nearly impossible in such a short time.
Reading their expressions, Dayo smiled. "I know what you're thinking—that it's impossible. Well, kind of… but not completely. I've done some research, and I'm allocating $100,000 to start. By then, Lois's album should be out, and we'll have some financial stability."
He leaned back. "For now, we need to expand our reach, not just for Lois, but because I'll need it when competing. You know how fierce the competition is and how much it relies on publicity. Even with judges, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Valery raised a hand. "Sorry to interrupt, but you sound so sure the fans will pick you. Not that I doubt you, but we all know it's mostly household record labels that control this. How do you plan to get a spot?"
"Ah, forgive me. I should have explained…" Dayo went on to reveal how Vivian had initially wanted to use him, how he had turned the situation around, and secured a deal with UC Records. He also explained that Urich owed him a favor and that this was how he planned to cash it in. He had already confirmed the label had no artist they wanted to push this year, making it easy for him to ask.
Valery nodded in understanding. They moved on to discuss other company issues, with Dayo offering solutions or temporary fixes—leaving both Wayne and Valery impressed.
While they were still talking, Dayo's phone rang.
Ring.
"Haha, Mr. Urich! Good day to you. I was just planning on calling you," Dayo answered.
"Dayo, good day to you as well. That's a surprise. And what would be the reason for your call?"
"Well, you do remember we had a deal, right?"
"Of course, how could I forget a deal that cost me more than half a million dollars?"
"Oh, Mr. Urich… we both know that deal favored you more than it did me, right?"
There was a pause before Urich sighed. "Yes… indeed. So, what's the reason for your call?"
"I'm here to redeem the favor you owe me."
"Oh? Okay, I'm listening."
"Well, Mr. Urich, I'm sure you're aware of the Global Stage competition?"
Silence. Urich's breath hitched before he calmed himself.
"Of course. This is the biggest and hardest singing competition in the world today, with an audience of over two billion fans."
"Haha, then I'll be straight with you. I want a spot for the raffle draw. I'm sure your label has one and no one to represent you, which is why I'm calling."
"Hmm, Dayo… you're putting me in a tight spot here, you know that?"
"Yes, I do. So, what's your condition?"
"How about joining my label? Don't worry, I'll offer you an A+ level contract with company shares."
"Mr. Urich, I'm flattered, but I have to decline."
"Eh? Why? I thought we parted on good terms."
"We did. But I'm already signed to a label."
"What?! How have I not heard about this? Which label? Is it one of the big six?"
"No, it's just a small label. No newsflash, no big announcement. And no, I wouldn't want to change."
"Hmm… well, I had to try. Anyway, my condition is simple, the matter with Vivian stays as it is. She had a strong debut with the song you created, and she's my cash cow right now, looking to release an album very soon."
"Of course, Mr. Urich. As long as she avoids stirring things up, I have no problem keeping it that way. But if she tries anything funny, I'll respond accordingly."
"Very well. Let's make this formal to avoid any misunderstanding and get the facts straight."
"Agreed."