A giant crane was pulling down Amelia's billboard when Marcus called.
She watched from her parents' car as workers wrapped chains around her smiling face. The huge poster that said "LIYA - AMERICA'S SWEETHEART" was being torn down piece by piece.
"Marcus, thank god," Amelia answered the phone. "Tell me you have good news."
"Amy, I need you to sit down."
Her heart sank. "I'm already sitting."
"Starlight Entertainment held an emergency board meeting this morning. They've decided to terminate your contract immediately."
Amelia watched her billboard crash to the ground. "What does that mean exactly?"
"It means you're no longer a Starlight artist. They're cutting all ties with you, effective immediately."
"But I've been with them for four years! I made them millions of dollars!"
"And you're about to cost them millions more. Every artist on their label is getting hate mail because of their connection to you. Three major sponsors threatened to pull out if they keep you."
Through the car window, Amelia could see workers loading the pieces of her billboard onto a truck. Like they were throwing away garbage.
"Marcus, you're supposed to be fighting for me, not giving up."
There was a long pause. "Amy, there's more."
"More what?"
"They're not just dropping you. They're suing you for breach of contract. They claim your actions have damaged their reputation and cost them future business deals."
Amelia felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. "How much?"
"Fifteen million dollars."
The number hit her like lightning. "Fifteen million? I don't have fifteen million!"
"They know that. They're going after your house, your cars, your savings, everything."
"This is insane! I didn't do anything wrong!"
"Amy, I've been in this business for twenty years. I've never seen a scandal spread this fast or hit this hard. It's like someone planned every detail."
Amelia's phone started buzzing with notifications. She put Marcus on speaker and checked her social media.
The top trending hashtag was #LiyaBillboardsComeDown. People were posting photos and videos of her posters being removed from buildings across the country.
"Look at how fast karma works!" one post said.
"Good riddance to bad trash!" said another.
Someone had made a video of children cheering as workers took down her poster from a toy store. The video had two million views already.
"Marcus, are you still there?"
"I'm here. But Amy, there's something else we need to discuss."
"What now?"
"I can't represent you anymore."
Amelia's world went completely silent. Even the sound of the crane outside seemed to disappear.
"What did you say?"
"My other clients are threatening to leave if I keep working with you. I have twenty-three other artists depending on me. I can't risk their careers for... for this situation."
"For this situation? Marcus, I'm not a situation. I'm a person. I'm your client. I trusted you!"
"You were my client. Past tense. I'm sorry, Amy. I really am. But I have to protect my business."
The line went dead.
Amelia stared at her phone in shock. In less than a week, she had lost her record deal, her manager, her friends, her boyfriend, and now fifteen million dollars she didn't have.
"Amy?" Her mother turned around from the front seat. "What did he say?"
"He quit. Marcus quit on me."
Her father pulled the car over. "What kind of manager abandons his client during a crisis?"
"The kind who cares more about money than people," Amelia whispered.
Her phone rang again. This time it was Selina Hart, her lawyer.
"Please tell me you have better news than Marcus," Amelia said.
"I wish I did. Amy, I just got off the phone with Starlight's legal team. They're serious about this lawsuit. They want a settlement meeting tomorrow."
"What kind of settlement?"
"Everything you own, plus a public apology admitting you bullied Selene and damaged the music industry."
"I'm not apologizing for something I didn't do!"
"Then you'll go to court. And frankly, Amy, with the evidence they have against you, you'll lose. The jury will see those videos and believe you're guilty."
"But those videos are fake!"
"Can you prove that? Do you have technical experts who can analyze them? Do you have witnesses who can verify your whereabouts when they were supposedly recorded?"
Amelia realized she had none of those things.
"Selina, you're supposed to be helping me, not convincing me to give up."
"I am helping you. I'm giving you realistic advice. Take the settlement. At least you'll avoid criminal charges."
"Criminal charges for what?"
"Harassment, defamation, possibly fraud if they can prove you knew the charity video was fake."
"What charity video?"
"Check your email. They just sent me a preview of what they're releasing tomorrow."
Amelia hung up and opened her email with shaking hands. There was a video file with the subject line: "Final Warning."
She pressed play.
The video showed her at a children's hospital charity event from three years ago. But the audio was wrong again. Fake-Amelia was talking to someone off-camera.
"These sick kids are so gullible," the fake voice said. "They actually think their donations are helping people. Half of this money goes straight into my pocket."
Then fake-Amelia laughed coldly. "The sicker the kids look, the more money people donate. It's like printing cash."
Amelia threw her phone down. "They're making me look like I steal money from dying children!"
Her mother picked up the phone and watched the video. Her face went pale.
"Amy, this video... it looks so real. How are they doing this?"
"I don't know, but if they release it, I'm finished forever. Nobody will ever believe I'm innocent."
Her father started driving again. "We need to get to our old house right now. Whatever's in that notebook, it's the only chance we have."
As they drove through town, Amelia saw more workers taking down her posters. Outside the music store where she had bought her first guitar, they were removing a cardboard cutout of her from the window.
A group of teenagers was gathered around, taking selfies with the workers.
"This is the best day ever!" one of them shouted. "Finally, someone's getting rid of that fake!"
Amelia slumped down in her seat so they couldn't see her face.
Her phone buzzed with a text from the unknown number: "Enjoying your farewell tour? By tomorrow, there won't be a single picture of you left in this entire country. You'll be erased completely, like you never existed."
Another message followed immediately: "Unless, of course, you bring us the notebook tonight instead of tomorrow. We're feeling generous. Miller's Bridge at midnight. Come alone, or your parents will be in the next fake video."
Amelia's blood turned to ice. "They're threatening Mom and Dad now."
Her mother turned around. "What did they say?"
"They want the notebook tonight. And if I don't come alone, they'll make fake videos of you and Dad too."
Her father's knuckles went white as he gripped the steering wheel. "Over my dead body."
"That might not be just an expression, Dad. These people have unlimited money, unlimited technology, and they've been planning this for fifteen years. They can destroy anyone they want."
As they pulled into the driveway of Amelia's childhood home, she saw something that made her heart stop.
There was a car already parked in their driveway. A car she recognized.
It was Marcus's black Mercedes.
"Why is my ex-manager at our house?" Amelia whispered.
Her father turned off the engine. They sat in silence, staring at the car.
Then the front door of the house opened, and Marcus stepped out.
But he wasn't alone.
Standing right behind him, smiling like she had just won the lottery, was Selene Williams.
"Hello, Amy," Selene called out sweetly. "We've been waiting for you."
A sheriff's deputy knocked on the car window while Amelia stared at Marcus and Selene standing in her childhood home's doorway.
"Ma'am, I need you to step out of the vehicle," the deputy said, holding a thick stack of papers.
Amelia's father rolled down the window. "What's this about, officer?"
"I have legal documents for Amelia Grant, also known as Liya. Court orders."
Amelia's hands were shaking as she got out of the car. The deputy handed her the papers.
"You're being served with multiple lawsuits. You have thirty days to respond or face default judgment."
Amelia's eyes scanned the first page. "Sunrise Cosmetics is suing me for twelve million dollars?"
"That's just the first one," the deputy said. "There are six more companies in that stack.
Before Amelia could process what was happening, her phone rang. It was Selina Hart.
"Amy, don't sign anything the deputy gives you. I'm on my way."
"Selina, Marcus and Selene are at my parents' house. Something's very wrong here."
"What? Marcus isn't supposed to be—" The line went dead.
The deputy was walking back to his car when Marcus approached from the house.
"Officer, I'm Marcus Delaney, Miss Grant's former manager. I can accept those papers on her behalf."
"No!" Amelia shouted. "You're not my manager anymore!"
Marcus smiled coldly. "Actually, according to our contract, I remain your legal representative until all outstanding business is resolved. That includes lawsuits.
The deputy looked confused. "Who do I give these to?"
"Him," Selene said sweetly, joining them on the lawn. "Marcus handles all of Amy's legal issues now."
Amelia felt like she was in a nightmare. "You can't do this!"
"Read your contract, Amy," Marcus said, taking the papers from the deputy. "Page forty-seven, section twelve. I have power of attorney in all legal matters until our business relationship is officially terminated."
"But you quit! You said you couldn't represent me!
"I said I couldn't represent you as your manager. But legally, I'm still responsible for cleaning up the mess you've made."
The deputy drove away, leaving Amelia alone with her parents, Marcus, and Selene.
"What are you two doing here?" Amelia's father demanded.
Selene stepped forward. "We came to help Amy find what she's looking for.
"I don't need your help."
"Oh, but you do," Selene said with a fake sweet voice. "You see, the notebook you're searching for? It was never in this house."
Amelia's blood ran cold. "How do you know about the notebook?
"Because I'm the one who's been texting you," Selene laughed. "Did you really think some mysterious enemy was after you? It's just me, Amy. Little old me."
Marcus opened the legal papers and started reading. "Let's see what you owe. Sunrise Cosmetics: twelve million for breach of endorsement contract. Galaxy Records: eight million for damaged reputation. Sparkle Jewelry: four million. Thunder Energy Drinks: six million."
"Stop," Amelia whispered
"Oh, I'm just getting started," There was an evil glint in his eyes as he started at her, with a smirk.
Marcus continued. "Crystal Phone Company: ten million. Moonbeam Fashion: seven million. And my personal favorite, Happy Pet Food: three million because their sales dropped after you became 'unsuitable for family advertising.'"
"That's fifty million dollars," Amelia's mother said quietly
"Actually, it's fifty-two million with interest and legal fees," Marcus corrected. "Plus the fifteen million from Starlight Entertainment we discussed earlier."
Amelia felt like the world was spinning. "Sixty-seven million dollars. I don't have sixty-seven million dollars."