Chapter 502 Notes in the Air, Secrets on the Wind

When Landon and Ms, Tessa arrived at TS Entertainment, Ysabel was in the middle of brecording/bb. /bbNathaniel /bstood guard outside the booth like a loyal watchdog–he hadn’t taken a single bstep away/b.

Ysabel was doing well. Her tone was clear, her control excellent–she really did have talentb, /band her bvoice /bbwas /ba natural gift.

When she noticed Ms. Tessa had arrived, she waited until she finished recording a segment bbefore /bbpulling /boff her headphones and stepping out of the booth.

“Tessa! You’re finally here–I thought you weren’ting!” she said excitedly.

“Why so clingy? Isn’t Nathaniel here with you?”

“How could Nathaniel possibly rece you in my heart? When you’re here, bI /bfeel way more grounded.”

“I just got held up a bit.”

Ms. Tessa walked over and tapped a few keys. The segment Ysabel had just recorded yed through the speakers.

It was the first time Ysabel had heard her own voice like this. She looked a little embarrassed.

It was only thirty–eight seconds long, but once it ended, she looked visibly anxious.

“So? Was it bad?b” /b

“Ysabel, I knew you had talent! Honestly, this bis /bthe best thing I’ve ever heard!” Nathaniel jumped in with over–the–top praise.

”

“1

iOkay/ii, /iithat /iiwas /iia /ibit imuch/i.

“Nathaniel, could you not exaggerate so much? I know where I stand–I’m not clueless.” Hispliments were making her cringe more than anything.

“I’m being serious. I don’t care what anyone else says. To me, you’re the best.”

Ysabel’s cheeks turned red.

She was so used to Nathaniel’s sarcastic jabs that hearing him say something like this actually made her ufortable.

“Nathaniel, do you ihave /ito be like this? bIt’s /bweirding me out.”

“What? You’re ufortable withpliments? So you want me to go back to being mean?”

He was trying so hard to change for her–wasn’t that worth something?

“You know what? You should just stop talking.”

She didn’t want to hear another word of nonsense from him.

Nathaniel looked utterly defeated.

bHe’d /bbbeen /bstanding outside bthis /bstudio for hours, waiting bwhile /bshe brecorded /bband /bbnow/bb, /bjust because M bTessa /bshowed up, she was tossing him aside like nothing. So unfair.

“bTessa/b, what do iyou /i

think? How did I do?”

Landon and Nathaniel weren’t professionals. She needed a real opinion.

“Not bad at all.”

Ysabel had a beautiful voice, and she’d clearly been putting in the effort. Her progress bthese /bbpast /bbfew /bbweeks /bhad been obvious.

When Tessa praised her, she finally rxed.

“Really?b” /b

“Really.”

“You did sing pretty well. When your album’s done, I’ll bring it to your father and let him listen,” Landon added.

“Thanks, Uncle.”

That was a rare thing–her uncle didn’t often hand outpliments like this. He must’ve genuinely meant it.

Satisfied, Ysabel’s confidence visibly lifted.

All her recent hard work hadn’t gone to waste.

“Alright, back to it,” Ms. Tessa said.

“Got it!”

Tessa and Landon stayed to watch for a little while longer. Once they were sure everything was running smoothly, they left the booth.

TS Entertainment was growing fast–with Avery Band, award–winning actress Camille, and soon, rising star Ysabel. Thepany was on the rise.

“You’re managing TS Entertainment well,” Landon said.

“It’s doing okay,” she replied.

Everything was progressing the way she envisioned.

Camille had been cast in a major new film and was deep into pre–production. Ysabel’s debut album bwas /bunderway. Avery Band’s final concert was in preparation. Every piece was moving into bce/b.

But for Ms. Tessa, the most exciting news of all was something much deeper:

A new lead had surfaced on the missing pages of the Wolf Codex.

Which meant–she was one step bcloser /bto breaking the blood contract bthat /bbound bher/bb. /b