Chapter 46: An Offer

<🎧 Song Recommendation: Space Song by Beach House>

Normally, Von wasn’t the type to go chasing after people for collaboration. Especially after the cold contempt he had received from the blonde during their initial encounter at the hotel, he had been perfectly content keeping his distance.

But Von wasn’t petty enough to let a grudge derail his progress. A duet was a high-stakes gamble; without chemistry and coordination, they wouldn’t be able to deliver their best performance.

He walked down the quiet hallway and knocked on the door of Room 1 where Celine stayed. It was only on the second knock the door swung open.

But it wasn’t Celine. It was Aura.

"Uh, I’m looking for Celine."

Aura offered a small, tired smile. She was dressed in comfortable sweats, holding a paperback book with a finger marking her place. "She’s not here right now. She went down to the cafeteria to grab some food for both of us. But she should be back in a few minutes. You can come in and wait, if you want?"

"Sure. If you don’t mind."

Stepping inside, Von realized it was a carbon copy of his own room. Though their room were originally designed for three contestants, there were still four bed spaces. Seeing the two well made empty beds in Aura’s room felt like a mirror to the void Alex and Max had left in his.

Aura sat back down on her bed, leaning against the headboard. She had her attention on the book for a moment before closing it. "I haven’t had a chance to say it properly, but congratulations, Von. Your improvement... it’s surprised everyone. Including me, I must say. I’m happy for you."

"Thanks," Von said, leaning against the desk. He looked at her with curiosity. "Be honest, though. With the way things are going... do you feel threatened by Julian? Do you think you can beat him?"

Aura tilted her head. Her answer wasn’t the competitive fire he expected. "Like everyone here, I want to win. Julian is a formidable opponent so it won’t be easy... But sometimes, it isn’t always about the destination. The journey counts for a lot more than people realize. There will be no hard feelings if I don’t win, whether it’s in the semis or the finale."

Von found the reasoning surprisingly solid. It was a level of maturity that felt out of place in a cutthroat reality show. "So, what’s next for you? After Project: Star?"

"If I win, or if I do well enough to attract a label, I’ll take my shot right away," she said in a drifting tone. "And even if I don’t, the experience was worth the flight. I’ll probably go back home, maybe apply for a proper music academy or help my uncle with his business in Australia."

"You’re an Aussie?" Von asked in surprise.

She laughed softly. "Yeah. I came to Miami because my uncle’s friend has a small studio here. I wanted to see if my voice could carry in a bigger pond. I guess it did."

Von was about to say something else when the door clicked open. Celine walked in, balancing two takeaway containers in her arms. She was smiling, but her expression faltered for a fraction of a second when she saw Von sitting there. But it returned almost instantly with even more brightness.

"Oh, Von. You’re here?"

Von stood up from the edge of the bed. "Yeah. I wanted to talk about the Duet. Maybe we could arrange some time to meet and discuss how we’re going to handle it?"

Celine contemplated this, her eyes scanning his with a intensity. "Actually, why don’t we exchange numbers? I’ll communicate with you later today once I’ve looked over the arrangement. We can find a quiet spot to talk."

They swapped contacts quickly. Von waved them both goodbye, stepping back into the hallway with a lingering sense of unease. Celine’s friendliness was not something he had expected when he came over.

***

Later that evening, Von got the message of the location. Celine wanted to meet in a Black Room.

In the Star Mansion, everyone knew of the Black Rooms. They were the only spaces — aside from the bathrooms, of course — where cameras and microphones were absent.

Von was first to arrive where they agreed to meet. The room was ironically bright. It was simply a featureless, windowless white cube with a single, neatly made bed and a small table.

The walls were soundproofed — according to the show — and its location away from the hallways promised privacy.

’Wait, does she...’ A dreaded thought crossed Von’s mind regarding the privacy of the room and Celine, but he quickly shook it off. ’No. It’s impossible... There’s no way it’s about that.’

A few seconds later, the door opened and Celine stepped in with a sharp smile. She closed the door behind her with a soft click. "Oh, you’re here already?"

Von took an instinctive step back as she approached closer to him. "Why did you choose here of all places?"

Celine laughed lightly, attempting to touch his face. "Because it’s private, of course. Or would you like our business to be public? I’m fine with it, but you might not be."

Von frowned, and leaned back again to avoid contact. "Okay. What’s this about...?"

"Von Varley..." Celine interrupted, her voice dropping to a purr. She dropped her hands and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. "I’d always known there was something strange about you. Your song, Coming Home... it’s a very special song. But I have to ask... how did you do it? What was the inspiration? Or rather, what was the source?"

The question sent a jolt of panic through Von. But he kept a cool face. "I have no idea what you’re talking about. If you have nothing useful to say about the duet, I’m leaving."

"Don’t be so quick, honey," Celine said with a now mischievous smile. "You know exactly what I’m saying. That isn’t your song, Von. It’s an unreleased, incomplete demo. Yet, you passed it off as your own composition. Do you have any idea the kind of trouble that can land you in? Intellectual property theft is a career-killer before the career even starts."

Von had no defense. The song was a popular song from the past timeline, and there was no trace of it by this time. The idea it had something to do with Celine was baffling. He didn’t say a word, instead turning toward the door and reaching for the knob.

"I’ll lay down my offer before you go," Celine interrupted him. "It’s simple. Lose to me on Sunday. Throw the performance just enough. If you do, no one ever hears about this. Not the fans, not the judges, not even the original singers. But if you refuse..."

She pushed off the door, stepping closer and raising her legs for their foreheads to almost touch.

"I’ll make sure you’re eliminated and disgraced. I won’t lose anything. But your reputation will be ruined before it even begins. So, decide your fate, Von... The easy route, or the hard one?"

Von stared at her with nothing to say, but Celine didn’t wait for an answer. She reached past him, pulled the door open, and stepped out into the hallway.

Now outside the room, she looked back at him with a slow, seductive wink.

"We’ll start our training tomorrow, darling. Don’t be late."