The Billionaire's Authentic Daughter ▶️

9 0 | J U L I A

I threw open the doors to Astronomical Beats' very own studio, expecting the others to be in there, probably in the middle of a practise session that I'd rudely interrupt causing Imani's hatred for me to run deeper, but find it bare of anyone.

According to what I had observed, it was supposed to be a work day and they all should've been here. I searched the whole floor, peeking into every other studio to find other singers I would've been otherwise thrilled to see but I was too worried over where the five people that I was looking for went.

I called Braxton but as fifty times before that it said that he was outside network coverage area. He hadn't seen any of texts either.

Giving up, I rushed downstairs to the reception where a girl sat, constantly checking herself in a ceiling to floor panel of mirror on the wall opposite her. Right now, she was reapplying her lipstick.

"Can you please tell me where Braxton is?"

I startled her with my sudden appearance causing her lipstick to run across her cheek. She let out a horrified gasp and lunged for a couple of tissues. Dabbing at the smudges, she turned to me.

"I haven't seen you here before. May I see some identification? I can't tell you anyone's whereabouts without knowing you are a part of TalentNest and what business you have with who you're looking for."

"I came here a few weeks ago with Braxton. I don't work here, well maybe not yet. I'm his friend," I said helplessly.

"Nice try. I don't want to be responsible for any stalkers. I'd have to ask you to leave."

"No, I have his number. We're friends." I showed him in my contacts but she still looked skeptical.

"You seem a little familiar," she narrowed her eyes in the way I didn't want her to. She looked like she saw Juliet.

I tugged my cap lower over my eyes self consciously. "I'm just his friend."

Before she could reply another woman joined us. She was wearing a white jumpsuit with a cherry red lipstick which went really well with it. Surprisingly, she turned to talk to me.

"Are you Braxton's friend?"

"Y-yes."

"Name?"

"Julia."

Her eyes brightened in recognition. "So you're the girl he's been hiding in his house for all these months?"

I balked at the fact that Braxton had told her about me. "You must be close to him. Do you know where he is?"

"Of course, I'm their manager after all," she replied.

It clicked at once. "You're Maggie Form," I said.

"We talked briefly once," she said, an amused smile on her lips.

I felt my face go hot. I had spoken to her on the phone when Braxton was away on tour, thinking he'd be the one to pick up but it was her instead, I had managed a small pathetic-"Uh, I-no," when she had asked me if I wanted to talk to him urgently. And then had hung up on her, an embarrassing moment which would forever torment me.

"I'm sorry. It was rude of me to just hang up like that."

"It's fine. Braxton told me you're a little...shy." She nodded to the receptionist and led me away. "Let's talk in my office."

I was more than glad to be away from the receptionist's curious gaze. She showed me into a nice room with a nameplate on the door bearing her name. Her entire office was a combination of white and mustard. It gave off a relaxing vibe. She went and sat down on her seat behind a desk and told me to take a seat as well, then called for two coffees when I stated my preference.