Mastermind || Charles Leclerc

Zoe

It has been one and a half year since I started touring around the world non-stop with the consequence of not having a life outside of my career and not being able to see my family often. The pressure of being a world-famous singer is getting to the point where I just can't take it anymore.

It was my last concert in Asia after performing around the continent. I went backstage after I was done performing and I was greeted by my manager, Trish. "You did well tonight, Zoe. Could've put more effort into your dance moves but I guess the dancers are helping a lot since you didn't give it your all."

One thing to know about my manager is the fact that she likes giving backhanded jabs at you. Sometimes it could drive you up the walls but usually I just block her out. After all these years she has been my manager, I just feel like I've had enough of her constant nagging that I could never be good enough.

I looked at her with a straight face, "Leave me alone, Trish."

Her face went red, "Oh you want me to leave you alone? So you can do what? Slack off?"

I sighed because I knew that she's going to start ranting, "Tonight your performance was not up to my expectations, Zo! Now I want you to start practice your dance routine with more energy and enthusiasm whilst you're on your break! For the next six months of your break I also want a new album for the lack of work that you're going to have!"

My ears are getting hot whilst she keeps rambling on what I have to do when I take a long and deserved break after my world tour. In my head, I've been thinking of ways how I'm gonna break it to her that I want to leave the record label. After those sentences she said to me I finally snapped.

"Just shut up for once, Trisha! You're driving me insane with all these demands! You know what? I want to quit! I don't care what you're going to say about me! Call me insane, immature, dumb and all those other bullshit, but I am done with your stupid demands and all the bullshit that you've put me through!"

I left her standing there, stunned. I walked outside to my car with my assistant right behind me and told my driver to go back to my hotel. Whilst I was in the car, I told my assistant to arrange my private jet so we could fly back home at that night.

Once my assistant-Natalie, has helped me pack my stuff, we went straight to the airport whilst I'm calling my lawyer to sort out the legal stuff that needs to be sorted out. After dealing with my lawyer I decided to call my brother, Carlos. After a few rings he answered, "Hello, Zo?"

I smiled upon hearing his voice, "Hey, Carlos. Where are you at right now?"

He chuckled at my question, "I'm the one who is supposed to ask you that question. Where are you at right now?"

I sighed, "I'm sorry I haven't been contacting you and everybody else back at home as often as I should be, but work has been keeping me so busy. And with the time difference, it's just so hard to call you guys without bothering you all."

"You could never bother me and everybody else here, bebé." Yes. He calls me baby. So are the others in my family since I'm the youngest.

"Thanks, Carlos. I just wanted to inform you that my plane's about to board in a minute and I'm flying back home, I'm taking a break from singing for awhile I think and I just want to spend more time with mamá, papá, Blanca, Ana, and obviously you."

Carlos chuckled for a moment, "I can hear in your voice that you're not telling me something. So I need you to tell me everything once you're here, bebé."

I smiled seeing how well my brother knows me, "Of course, Carlos. I'll talk to you later then."

"Have a safe flight, mi amor."

"Gracias hermano."