Chapter 84

Carl's fists tightened without him realizing, the veins along his forehead standing out in sharp relief.

"Since you already knew the truth, why keep it from me and Rowell?" His voice was sharp and cold.

With her lips pressed into a thin line, Leyla replied, "Because the mastermind is someone I can't afford to offend."

"You-" Carl began, his anger ready to spill over.

But Leyla cut him off without hesitation. "Carl, enough of this back-and-forth. Just give me a straight answer. Are you going to take this deal or not?"

Grinding his teeth so hard it hurt, Carl teetered on the edge of losing control.

Leyla's tone shifted suddenly, soft and coaxing. "Only this once. I'm asking you."

He shut his eyes for a moment, feeling pulled apart inside.

He knew letting Leyla have her way was wrong, and Eliana would see it as a betrayal.

But Rowell's situation weighed on him. After a long pause, he said, "Alright. I'll do it. Tell me what you need."

Leyla's shoulders dropped in relief, and a faint smile appeared. "It's simple. Just convince Rowell to move to a different agency. If he refuses, then getting him a new agent will do."

Carl's eyes stayed locked on her. "Are you saying his agent is behind the problem?"

Leyla waved her finger. "A mere agent? Please. He's only carrying out orders from higher up."

Carl's brow furrowed, suspicion creeping into his tone. "Higher up? Are you talking about Pearson Entertainment's top brass?"

"You could call it that," Leyla answered, tilting her head. "But it's not exactly them. Ever heard of Paula Pearson?" Carl gave a short nod. "I know her. She's Tristan's cousin."

"That's right. She couldn't get Rowell to care for her, so she pulled strings through the company's executives to make his career miserable. That's why he's been buried in forgettable roles, always kept out of the spotlight," I.eyla explained.

Heat rose in Carl's chest, and his hands trembled with fury. He remembered Paula well-she'd come to his home a few years ago.

His parents had treated her with warmth, but Rowell had never given her the time of day.

After that visit, Paula had disappeared from their lives.

Carl had assumed she had moved on. It hadn't crossed his mind that she'd been quietly sabotaging Rowell all this time.

"You should have told me this a long time ago!" he snapped.

Leyla shrugged casually and replied, "And what would that change? Rowell's locked into a ten-year deal with Pearson Entertainment. Walking away means paying a massive breach penalty. Plus, I don't think he's clueless. He's just been enduring it. But it won't last forever. Three more years, and he can finally walk free."

Carl's rage flared even hotter. "Three years? Do you have any idea how mnuch that costs an actor's career?"

An actor's prime was tied to the glow of youth. At only eighteen, Rowell had handed Pearson Entertainment the golden years of his career.

Carl couldn't stomach the idea that Rowell had to pay such a steep price simply because he had refused to be Paula's boyfriend.

It wasn't as though Rowell had wronged her-he had only failed to return her affections.

"Why are you directing your anger at me?" Leyla shot back, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Paula's still a Pearson. Honestly, Rowell was an idiot. Even if he didn't like her, he could have dated her, used the connection, and broken it off later. Instead, he pushed her away and made her despise him. Tell me that's not a mistake in judgment." "There's no point talking to someone who thinks like that," Carl remarked before turning to leave.

Leyla's steps quickened until she was beside him. "I've told you what's going on, so don't you dare back out now.Plus, I need you to clear something up-tell everyone we've been practicing painting together, which is why our work looks alike. For the accusation of copying, tell them you just remembered wrong. Oh, and you'll need to step down from the competition voluntarily. Understood?"

Carl's eyes lingered on her for a moment before he moved past without another word.

Leyla's lips curled into a self-satisfied smile. For all their constant bickering, she understood exactly what kind of man he was. Once he made a promise, his straightforward nature wouldn't allow him to break it.

The tension in her chest eased at last. Ever since she'd spotted him at the venue, the encounter had weighed heavily on her; now, that burden had lifted.

Pushing stray strands of hair back into place, she lifted her chin and stepped forward with confidence.

It didn't take long before Jeffry and Hector came into view, searching for her.

They spotted her emerging from the direction of the conference hall and rushed over to meet her.

Hector was quick to speak. "Leyla, where have you been?"

Leyla answered without flinching, "Carl stopped me because he wanted to talk. Why? Did something urgent come up?"

Jeffry leaned in, eager to know more. "Have you heard the announcement? What's this talk about the championship being disputed? I thought you already secured it. Did something go wrong?"

Leyla had rehearsed her response long before this moment. "This competition is mainly for the Pearson Group to find a chief designer for their new energy vehicle project. But there can only be one chief designer,so the championship needs further discussion."

Jeffry's face tightened. "Wait, are you telling me you might lose the championship?"

Leyla responded, "Don't worry, I know where I stand. Carl just tried to convince me to drop out by playing on our history as siblings. He admitted he doesn't measure up to me, and that's why he wanted me to step aside. Of course, I refused. The fact that he resorted to that tells me he's already cracking under the pressure."

Jeffry scowled, his expression darker now. "I always thought the Murrays had the same integrity as Eliana.I never imagined Carl would act like this."

The mention of Eliana made Leyla uneasy, though she kept it hidden. She said, "I can't really blame him. His family is in a rough spot right now, as you're aware. This championship feels like their lifeline."

Jeffry gave a slow nod. "I get it. He does need this win. Still, there's a right way and a wrong way to handle things. With Eliana keeping their family steady, they won't collapse. Besides, we'll give them some support.You can tell Carl that even if you walk away with the championship, the Clarke family is willing to bring him on as a designer."

Leyla gave a curt nod, showing little interest.

There wasn't a shred of concern in her heart for what might happen to the Murray family.

In truth, she wished for their misfortune to stretch on endlessly.

For her, their ongoing downfall would stand as proof that breaking away from them was the right move, and that none of them would ever get the chance to laugh in her face.

Elsewhere, Eliana caught up to Carl. "Carl, where did you disappear to just now?"

A bit of nervousness flashed across Carl's face as he answered, "Leyla approached me and wanted to talk about something."

Eliana fixed her eyes on him. "What did she want to discuss?"

Carl paused before answering, "It's about Rowell."

He took a breath and told Eliana what had happened.

"Paula Pearson?" Eliana repeated, glancing over at Tristan.

The moment she looked his way, Tristan noticed and locked eyes with her. But she turned her attention elsewhere, refusing to let him catch her staring.

She asked Carl further, "How is she connected to Tristan?"

"She's his cousin," Carl responded.

That was all Eliana needed to hear to understand why Paula could so easily move the top executives at Pearson Entertainment.

After all, Pearson Entertainment, a powerhouse under the Pearson Group, managed a roster of major celebrities and ranked among the biggest entertainment companies in the nation.

"That explains it," Eliana replied, ner head nodding in understanding. "I'll take care of this myself."

Casting a wary look in Tristan's direction, Carl dropped his voice. "Lia, what are you planning? Are you thinking of turning to Tristan for help?"