Life Without You

Chapter 77 - Leaving the Dream

The tension in the air felt heavy after the playing of the demo ended. Everyone in the boardroom, including Sheldon Avon, Arnold, the head music producer, a songwriter and a publicist remained silent. The rings of smoke from Sheldon's puffing from his cigar and his other hand tapping on the table as he leaned back against his leather swivel chair only exacerbated the taut atmosphere.

Ariel coughed at the repulsive woody cigar smoke that fogged up the room despite the ventilators working full speed. The full-height windows showed a breath-taking view of the city skyline and the walls of the boardroom were filled with awards and plaques with vinyls on the wall from Avon's collection of best-selling artists. Leon's awards filled the majority of the walls.

Ariel loved the song after hearing it. It was the first Leon Waltz song that she really liked and she could hear the depths of his heart in this song. Yet, she could tell from the disappointing faces of the Avon Music team that they were not impressed. Ariel was already feeling uncomfortable by the intimidating presence of Sheldon Avon, whom she finally met in person for the first time after hearing mentions of his name here and there when she was Leon's chef. But she knew she had to be there for Leon who refused to take his hand away from hers since entering the office. Ariel felt like the odd one out since she was the only person who was not part of Avon Music nor have any professional experience in music. She knew from Leon's occasional squeezes that he was really nervous, and all she could do was to be his support.

Sheldon let out a peal of throaty laughter with erupted puffs of smoke, yet his stern eyes showed that he was not finding it funny. It was that kind of laugh that Leon knew straight away that his demo was rejected. Ariel felt that tight squeeze once again.

"Do you think you're still a teen who first walked in here?" Sheldon said sarcastically. "Your last album may have charted well, all thanks to your scandal and your negative publicity, but it still failed to reach our sales target. Your multiple absences mean performance cancellations, and cancellations mean no money coming in. The album would've been of much greater value if you're dead, which in this case you're not. You've ruined your image for this woman. Now, you're giving us material that is equally subpar with cheap lyrics that complain how miserable we make your life out to be."

"What did you just say?" Ariel seethed. She couldn't believe what she just heard from this insensitive jerk that she felt like bashing him, but Leon squeezed her hand as if he was calming her down rather than the other way round.

"Mind your own business," Arnold told her off. She tightened her jaw.

"Have you forgotten that you're a brand?" Sheldon continued speaking to Leon.

"Well, if you guys did not re-edit so many of my demos, then this album would've done better. Blame it on the songwriters, not me," Leon's argument spurned a defensive look from the songwriter who said, "Must I remind you that if we did not cancel our partnership with Mia Marlene last year, perhaps your album could've exceeded expectations?"

"I agree, if it were not for a certain someone," Arnold hinted with a disapproving look at Ariel.

Ariel narrowed her eyes at him and squeezed Leon's hand, resisting the temptation to rearrange his face.

"With or without Mia Marlene, it wouldn't make much of a difference. There are new singers and bands that I'm coming up against, including those from South Korea and -"

"Jake Miliano's not Korean, yet he can top the charts," the head music producer interrupted.

Leon blew out his cheeks. He scanned the pictures of Jake Miliano which crept a wall space he occupied, a sign that he was no longer Sheldon's favourite cash cow. Even Jake's first teen awards plaque hung right next to Leon's teen plaque.