The studio—and all the music she had created—was at stake.

Victoria's smile stiffened on her lips.

Alexander's words carried a hint of remorse toward Amy. Whenever he began to feel indebted to her, his loyalty would inevitably shift in her favor.

Victoria wasn’t foolish. She knew Alexander wasn’t completely blind to the situation, nor was she innocent in her actions. She was fully aware that what she had done was wrong.

But she had done it anyway.

When her final concert had collapsed, everything had to bend to her will.

If Alexander ever discovered her illness was a fabrication…

Everything she had built would be ripped away without mercy.

No. She couldn’t let that happen.

A cold glint flickered in Victoria’s eyes at the thought.

A few days later, Amy’s phone buzzed. It was Victoria.

"Ms. Sinclair, I spoke to my mentor about arranging a performance for you, but… he doesn’t have the best opinion of you, so he declined to help."

She let the words linger, heavy with implication.

"But since I gave you my word, I intend to honor it. I’ve spoken to Nathan and Arthur, and they’ve both agreed to sponsor a concert. So, Ms. Sinclair, would you be interested?"

Amy never turned down an opportunity. "Absolutely."

Victoria hesitated for a fraction of a second. "Perfect. Tomorrow, we’re filming promotional material for the event. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like."

"Then send me the address, Ms. Langley."

The moment the call ended, Victoria’s expression darkened.

She had practically spelled it out for her, yet Amy was still eager to step closer. Was it really about the performance—or was it about Alexander?

Lately, she and Nathan had been outplayed by Amy at every turn.

And Alexander, despite always claiming neutrality, was clearly beginning to favor her.

Otherwise, after everything Amy had done to him, she wouldn’t still be standing unscathed.

A sharp knock sounded at the door. Nathan strode in, frustration etched across his face.

"Victoria, that alumna you mentioned? Impossible. I even dropped Mr. Pendleton’s name, but they still acted like royalty! Honestly, forget about them as special guests. Just invite your fellow protégés—they’re more famous anyway."

Victoria snapped out of her thoughts. "Mr. Pendleton’s students are stars, yes. But the music world isn’t just his circle. The Solmaris Conservatory Hall of Fame has legends with even greater influence. If I could secure them as guests, my concert would be flawless."

Nathan scowled. "No matter what I offer, they claim they’re busy. Frankly, those foreign women are harder to deal with than Pendleton himself."

Victoria considered for a moment. "Perhaps they don’t think we’re sincere enough. Find out where they are. If necessary, I’ll fly to Solmaris myself."

She had won over Arthur Pendleton. She refused to believe she couldn’t sway a fellow alumna from the same conservatory.

Meanwhile, at Newhaven Airport.

Three stunning young women spotted Amy and rushed forward, enveloping her in a tight embrace.

"Celeste, we’ve missed you so much!"