Behind The Spotlight Chapter 191
Stufedia thought about it seriously.
'If I meet Chantal and apologize, maybe I'll get more money from her if I cry hard enough and play the role of a regretful mother.'
Stufedia glanced at Collin and shuddered when she met his dark gaze directed straight at her. She was startled and quickly lowered her head, staring at the contract in her hands. That was scary. The paper suddenly felt heavier. Both sides held their own copies of the agreement.
'... $100,000 per month. That's $1.2 million per year.' She thought.
No matter how one looked at it, the amount was insanely huge. People would kill just to earn that much monthly, some would even sacrifice their morals. It would be stupid for Stufedia to destroy the contract out of pure greed. In the end, logic finally won over her desire.
For 18 years, exactly the same number of years the parents had provided for Princess Chantal, Stufedia and Simone would earn $1.2 million annually. Multiplied by 18, that amounted to $21.6 million in fortune. The couple could retire without a problem. In fact, they could retire this very year and simply live off the money in comfort, unless they chose to recklessly squander it without regard for the future.
Collin watched their greedy expressions.
'In my opinion, they don't deserve even a single coin from Princess Chantal. But her career needs careful planning and strict damage control. We can't let these people do whatever they want, they are too dangerous. We must chain them with legal contracts. Eighteen years of peace is worth it. As for the money... I honestly thought each of them would ask for at least $1 million per month. I can't believe I managed to lower it to $100,000. This is a win.'
Collin maintained his composure, but inwardly, he was satisfied.
This decision effectively saved Princess Chantal's career. Her parents had devious plans if they failed to get what they wanted. They could have involved the media and played the victims to gain public sympathy.
As for Alice, she was surprised that her sister had thought about her. They were not close, so the fact that Princess Chantal arranged a contract for her was both unexpected and touching.
"Let's end our negotiation."
"Of course," Simone replied with a grin, eagerly shaking hands with Collin. Unlike Stufedia, Simone understood reality better. He was an asshole, but he knew his position. He was already satisfied that his daughter was willing to pay them for 18 years.
With that, Collin and Quincy left the restaurant. Collin was pleased that Simone understood how the world worked. They couldn't expect anything grand when they had never shown Princess Chantal even an ounce of love.
Once the Beaumont family was alone in the private room, Simone turned to Stufedia, his tone serious.
"Don't do anything stupid. We should accept what we deserve. Think about it, we never really took care of Chantal. We barely spent money on her, only the bare minimum. Our expenses didn't even reach $1 million, yet the return on investment is more than twenty times that amount. We can live happily for the rest of our lives without ever working again."
The fact that Simone treated Princess Chantal like an investment was truly appalling.
"I know, I know. Don't worry, I'll keep my mouth shut. Besides, there's nothing bad about Chantal anyway, nothing scandalous. She's just a simple girl. She doesn't do drugs or indulge in vices. She's pure," Stufedia replied.
"Indeed," Simone agreed.
The couple then looked at Alice, silently evaluating her. For a brief moment, greed crossed their minds regarding her share. However, since she could only access it after turning 18, they abandoned the thought.
Alice bitterly smiled. It seemed that her remaining four years in that household would be torture. Now that the charade was over, her parents had no reason to pretend to care about her.
'... I have to learn how to live and stand on my own. If, if I have to contact Chantal and ask for help, then I'll do it as a last resort.'
Alice regretted not having Princess Chantal's contact information. To her, her sister was almost a stranger. As for Collin's business card, it was tucked inside Simone's pocket. She would search for it later when the opportunity arose.
Spoiler alert: Alice endured four difficult years, but once she turned 18 and was free from her parents, her life became much easier. Despite everything she went through, she never once asked Princess Chantal for help. She was already grateful for what her sister had done and never asked for more.
As for Stufedia and Simone, once the 18 years passed, they found themselves penniless. They became homeless and died miserably. Despite years of steady income, they never achieved a happy ending, proving that Collin's decision was correct, even though he would never know it.
Was giving them money worth it? Yes, because it ultimately led to their downfall.
...
...
...
"We really have to do this, huh?" a man asked nervously.
"Let's wait until the lights go off. It'll be harder to recognize us then."
The two men whispered to each other as they waited for the concert to begin, blending into the crowd. Princess Chantal had announced her first worldwide tour, and her first concert in Europe was held in her home country, France.
The two men, Bobo and Tanga, were wearing Princess Chantal's merchandise t-shirts, making for the perfect disguise. They appeared to be fans, but their intentions were far from innocent.
For this concert, they were hired by a record label to sabotage Princess Chantal's debut European performance. The record label, Velvet Harmony, didn't want her to succeed.
Velvet Harmony was actually the first label Collin had contacted to sign Princess Chantal. However, despite the attractive conditions offered by their music producer, Collin remained unmoved and declined.
It was a slap to their faces, a humiliation. The fact that Velvet Harmony failed to acquire Princess Chantal, only for her to become wildly successful, was deeply shameful.
In Velvet Harmony's eyes, Princess Chantal only had two possible futures: either she became their asset, or they would destroy her and ensure she never rose to fame.
This was a common tactic. Velvet Harmony had done it before, including sabotaging the boy band cultivated by Moonrise Music.
It was just business. Velvet Harmony was willing to sabotage competitors. Especially now, Princess Chantal's rise was too rapid, and they feared her influence would soon surpass theirs.
Not only Velvet Harmony, but other record labels were also wary. The music industry was vast, but profit was never guaranteed. Princess Chantal had to fail, and she had to fail spectacularly, before her rise became unstoppable.
Tonight, Bobo and Tanga were paid to throw rocks at Princess Chantal.
Yes, people threw dangerous objects at music artists during concerts. It was disturbingly common.
Fans once threw panties at Elvis Presley during his concerts. Aside from that, he was nearly struck by a stiletto. Some attackers were obsessive fans, while others simply wanted to hurt the performer.
It was a crime, but who gave a fuck? These artists were rich, and in the twisted minds of others, they deserved to be stoned.
It was a fucked-up ideology rooted in envy.
Corrupt politicians and rapists were the ones who truly deserved to be stoned to death.
Anyway, the concert venue gradually filled with excited fans. Most were Europeans, attending Princess Chantal's concert for the first time. Some paid $300 just to sit in the VIP and front-row sections. Others paid extra for backstage access and a chance to meet Princess Chantal herself. Of course, she also held a signature event for a select number of fortunate fans.
As the venue, capable of holding 50,000 people, filled to capacity, the lights finally went out.
The show had begun.
---
[You can read more on my Patreon.]