My Amnesic Ex Married My Sister, So I Married His Uncle-Chapter 113: Our Umi Will Shine Wherever She Goes
For Jean Yates, that single morning had not only dealt a blow to her pride as a lady of the Yates Family but had also destroyed the two-year crush that made her heart flutter whenever she thought of Zion Shawcross.
’It was one thing for Zion Shawcross not to like her, but why did he have to defend Faye Rhodes at every turn?!’
Jean Yates, who had never been so wronged in her life, left with a final "You’ll regret this," and ran off in tears.
It wasn’t until Jean Yates was long gone that Faye Rhodes thought to defend herself.
"I don’t have the power to blacklist you. Who do you think I am, Owen Rhodes?"
’If I had that kind of power, I wouldn’t have had to stand here and listen to Jean Yates drone on and on today.’
With the farce finally over, Zion Shawcross quickly put Jean Yates out of his mind and ushered Henry Wright and Faye Rhodes into the conference room.
He was releasing a new album after a year-long hiatus, and public expectations were sky-high.
While this generated a lot of buzz for him after a year of silence, it also brought considerable pressure.
As the saying goes, the higher the expectations, the greater the potential for disappointment.
So, after several discussions, the studio decided to incorporate something new to divert some of the public’s anticipation.
This was also why Faye Rhodes’s proposal had been chosen.
The team had evaluated Umi’s art before. The artist, with her intensely personal style, and Zion Shawcross, with his equally distinctive musical style, were considered a perfect match.
After considering the timeline for the album’s production and subsequent promotion, they finalized the deadlines and other details. Once the contract was reviewed by the company’s legal department, the only step remaining would be the signing.
Faye Rhodes had admired Umi for many years, but the artist was shrouded in mystery.
Her only personal social media was an account on an overseas platform, and her updates were sporadic and rare.
If she hadn’t been keeping a close eye on news from the Moore Gallery and seeing Umi continuously release new paintings, she might have suspected the artist had retired.
"Henry, so when are we signing the contract? Will Umi be there in person?"
Hearing this, Henry Wright turned to look at her and couldn’t help but laugh.
The way Faye Rhodes’s face was filled with anticipation, her eyes practically sparkling, was a mirror image of how Jean Yates had looked when she saw Zion Shawcross arrive just a short while ago.
He squinted at Faye. "So, you really are using your position for personal gain, sneaking in a little something for yourself, huh?"
’I just got rid of one bossy woman abusing her ’power,’ and now I’ve gone and exposed myself.’
Faye Rhodes grew a little embarrassed. She touched her nose, wondering how she could talk her way out of it.
A lazy voice drifted over. "It wasn’t her. It was me. I’m a fan of Umi."
Henry: "...?"
’Wasn’t that just a line they’d used to convince the artist to collaborate in the first place?’
A bewildered Henry Wright looked from Zion Shawcross, who seemed about to fall asleep, to Faye Rhodes, who was now staring at the ceiling.
’Oh, whatever. As long as the collaboration goes through, that’s all that matters.’
Henry Wright said, "For a contract of this caliber, the person in question usually needs to be present for the signing. But if they’d prefer to send a proxy, we’d understand."
The implication was clear: it was up to the artist.
The light in Faye Rhodes’s eyes dimmed.
"Then, as the commissioning party, let’s require the artist to sign in person. We’ll cover any and all expenses."
Henry: "...? Huh? Is that really necessary?"
"I’m releasing a new album after a year. Shouldn’t we be taking this seriously?"
Henry Wright forced a smile.
’Yes, yes, of course. You’re the big shot, you call the shots.’
Henry: "Alright, I’ll communicate that to the other party."
After saying this, Henry Wright received a call and hurried out.
He was Vantage Entertainment’s ace agent, and Zion Shawcross wasn’t the only artist he managed.
Catherine Linden, up on the 28th floor, was another one of his clients.
Because of some recent comments Catherine Linden had made, a lead film role he had worked hard to secure had nearly fallen through. As a result, he’d been keeping a tight leash on her lately, terrified the newly crowned Best Actress would get carried away with her fame and lose her head.
Once Henry left, only Zion Shawcross and Faye Rhodes remained in the conference room.
Faye Rhodes wasn’t shy about it and thanked him directly.
"Nothing to thank me for," Zion Shawcross said in his usual lazy tone. "Like I said, I’m an Umi fan."
At that, Faye Rhodes’s eyes widened in surprise.
She had assumed he was just saying that to help her. ’Could it actually be true?’
She had actually been a little put off before. Given her status as a member of the Rhodes Family, far too many people approached her with ulterior motives, and she had suspected Zion Shawcross was just another one of them.
’I can’t believe he’s a fellow fan!’
Perhaps it was because she had felt so alone in her admiration for Umi.
In a burst of excitement, Faye Rhodes grabbed Zion Shawcross’s large hand with both of hers and shook it. "We’re fellow fans! Seriously, why didn’t you say so earlier! By the way, did you know Umi’s work is going to be exhibited at the Voss Art Gallery? Our baby is all grown up and so successful! Our Umi shines wherever she goes!"
Zion Shawcross watched her, his gaze languid.
’So she has a side like this, too, chattering away.’
Zion Shawcross stood up. "I’m heading to the recording studio. Want to come along?"
She, who had always refused his invitations before, nodded enthusiastically this time. "Yeah, definitely! Let me tell you, with Umi’s ’Tidal Reverse Flow,’ I knew it was going to win an award the moment I first saw it, and what do you know..."
Buzzing around him like a little honeybee.
...
After Vantage Entertainment drafted the contract, Ken was soon contacted by Henry Wright.
Starting with the pleasantries, Henry Wright politely made his request: they hoped Umi herself would attend the signing.
Ken replied that he would have to ask Umi herself before he could give a definitive answer.
After all, Stella Sterling wasn’t just a rising star in the art world; more importantly, she was Owen Rhodes’s wife.
He didn’t have the nerve to agree to something that required a personal appearance without her permission.
When Stella Sterling heard the news, she couldn’t help but feel a little wistful.
Before marrying Owen Rhodes, she had hidden her identity and used a pseudonym in the art world only because Ms. Jennings and Kiana Sterling had stood in her way.
Now that this obstacle was gone, and she had psychologically abandoned her craving for her family’s affection, there was no longer any point in hiding.
So, Stella Sterling quickly agreed to Henry Wright’s request. At the same time, she had Ken remind them that she was currently injured and that they were welcome to reconsider the collaboration if this gave them pause.
Both parties were approaching this collaboration with utmost sincerity, so Ken and Henry Wright quickly scheduled the signing for the afternoon two days later at Zion Shawcross’s studio.
This was her first formal commission, and Stella Sterling felt a strange thrill of excitement.
It felt just like the first time the owner of the general store had told her that one of her paintings had sold.
Clutching her phone, she shot up from the sofa.
An inexplicable impulse made her desperate to share her joy with someone.
After a moment’s thought, she dialed Owen Rhodes’s number.
Even though Owen Rhodes would be home in an hour at most, she felt like she couldn’t wait. She wanted to tell him the news right now.
At that moment, Owen Rhodes was sitting in his office at Kyros.
Ethan Rhodes, his head wrapped in gauze, sat in a wheelchair directly across from him.
The moment he saw the caller ID, Owen Rhodes’s expression instantly softened.
"Stella, what is it?"
