Limelight

Chapter Thirteen

Aaliyah was starting to regret that she didn't argue more with her. "Mr. Pearson, with all due respect I'm sure that, that is a gross exaggeration," Malcolm said shooting Aaliyah a sympathetic look, "And she had already made it clear that she didn't know she was a ghostwriter. It was an honest mistake that I take full responsibility for. I should have ensured she got a hold of the updated contract."

"The thing about hindsight, Malcolm, is that it doesn't absolve us from any consequences. Madison's career was jeopardized, along with the reputation of this label. These are mistakes that we cannot afford to make," said a stout middle-aged man with a greying beard and sharp eyes, "That is bad PR we don't need over our head right now."

"I agree with Trevor," Uriah added, his narrowed eyes on Aaliyah as he spoke making her feel two feet tall, "It was already enough that you signed on another artist whilst we're having a financial downfall, slip-ups like these are exactly why we all agreed that your pity project is putting us all in jeopardy. She's still a child—"

"Xavier Adams was fifteen years old when we signed him, and we still have yet to regret it. Madison is the same age as Aaliyah—"

"With twice as much experience and professional training," Uriah snapped back in a cool voice, sitting back in his seat, "Madison is absolutely low risk. You decided on a whim to sign on a completely inexperienced seventeen-year-old child without thinking about how this would impact the company. Your judgment might have been off, with this one, Malcolm."

Aaliyah could hardly breathe, the thick tension in the room almost impossible to cut through choking her. She felt as though the world was closing in on her, the room spinning. She hadn't felt this alone at this moment since she was back in San Diego locked in her attic room, her dream nothing but smoke and mirrors.

But she was here. It wasn't smoke and mirrors, this was no illusion. This was real life, and maybe it wasn't perfect, but it was all she had.

"Aaliyah is right here, Uriah. Feel free to address her when you want to speak so badly about her." She looked over to Malcolm with surprise at his hard voice. He was peering at Uriah with dark narrowed eyes. "And maybe you've forgotten Uriah, but this is my company. You may own fifteen percent, and the rest of my shareholders may own some as well, but I still have the majority. And I built this company alongside Lionel from nothing but my will and my vision without any of you." He said looking around the room with cold scolding eyes like he was the principal of a high school, "There is no one here in this room that has more invested in the success of this label than me. There is no one here who has its best interests closer to heart than I. You all need to remember that before you question my motives again."

The silence that followed pressed against Aaliyah's skin like she was in a pressure cooker. Malcolm was kind and gentle and seemingly unbothered by most things. But he was also the CEO of a huge international record label that he built on his own. A layer of hard steel is necessary to have survived all his struggles to lead a thriving and growing company like the one he has today. And Aaliyah didn't think she ever really saw that until now. A certain authoritative air around him made everyone yield against their better judgment. Malcolm didn't always seem it, but he was a force to be reckoned with.

Uriah was the first to break the silence. He cleared his throat sitting up in his seat looking at Malcolm in a much more respectful approach as just the sound of his voice had humbled him greatly. "Duly noted Malcolm," He said in a low voice, "But, I do suppose we keep Aaliyah from having interviews or answer any questions regarding Madison's single or her upcoming album. There is just too much at stake."

Another long silence and everyone was looking to Malcolm for his judgment. "For now, I agree," He said and it was like all the breath had escaped Aaliyah's lungs, finally letting herself relax. "This meeting is adjourned." And then with that, he got up and stalked out the room. Aaliyah wasn't going to let herself stay for any longer with a room full of sharks who wanted so bad to tear her apart with no backup so she got up, slinging her bag over her shoulder, and hurried out the room after Malcolm.