Byron was certain the legendary Al expert, Shadow, was standing on the other side of the door. A moment later, it swung open, and a woman with a face smeared in a riot of garish colors emerged.
He’d seen her once before, and just like last time, her makeup was shockingly ugly.
“Hello. If I’m not mistaken, you’re Shadow?” Byron asked.
Despite her outrageous makeup and the heavy eyeliner that made her eyes unsettling to look at, Byron didn’t feel any repulsion. It wasn’t just because of her incredible Al skills; there was also a strange sense of familiarity about her.
“Yes,” Sylvia said, deliberately pitching her voice low and raspy.
Since she was comered, there was no point in denying it. Besides, with her current disguise, it didn’t matter if Byron knew she was Shadow.
“Why did you help my sister?” Byron asked, genuinely curious.
Angel’s song was now playing everywhere in Silverton. Whether she won the competition or not, she was already a star, and it was all thanks to the woman standing in front of him.
“Because I think your sister is pretty decent,” Sylvia replied flatly.
Byron was slightly taken aback. “That’s it?”
The Al genius that companies everywhere were desperate to court had taken a special interest in his sister for such a simple reason. It was not what he had expected.
“Yes, that’s it.”
With that, Sylvia walked past him. She wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible before he saw through her disguise.
“Are you just going to leave, Ms. Shadow?”
Byron’s voice was cold. “While I appreciate you getting my sister’s song on every screen in Silverton, don’t you think you went a little too far? You even hacked into the Blair Group’s network!”
Sylvia glanced back coolly. “So what are you going to do about it?”
Byron smiled. “Ms. Shadow, I hope we can collaborate on an Al project.”
“It’s simple if you want to work with me,” Sylvia said with a small laugh, handing him a business card.
A smirk touched Byron’s lips, but Sylvia immediately added, “However, you don’t qualify. Have your sister call me.”
She just couldn’t stand the sight of him and said it to spite him.
Byron’s expression darkened instantly. A strange feeling washed over him; this woman seemed to hold a serious grudge against him.
His sister had just moved out of the family home. Getting her to put in a good word for him wasn’t going to be easy.
Sylvia dropped that bombshell and disappeared into the elevator.
Frowning, Byron walked toward the studio where Angel, Liana, and Joanna were waiting
None of them could believe that Angel’s performance had just been broadcast all over the city.
Joanna was seething with jealousy. She dreamed of the day her songs would be heard on every street corner
1/3
Chapter 182
“Liana,” Joanna began, “I was just looking on social media. Angel is a huge hit. She’s going to have a lot of admirers. You have to be careful and keep the wrong kind of people away from her.”
Joanna’s words made Liana’s brow furrow. The last thing she wanted was for her daughter to get tangled up with unsavory characters, which would tarnish the Blair family’s reputation.
Joanna knew exactly which buttons to push, and every word she said played on Liana’s deepest fears.
“Angel, I forbid you from going into show business,” Liana said coldly. “I’ll contact the platforms and have your videos taken down. You should be learning how to run a business from your brother.”
“Mom, why do you always listen to her?!” Angel shot back, furious. “I don’t need Joanna telling me how to live my life!”
“Angel, you’re misunderstanding me again,” Joanna said, her voice laced with false sincerity. “I’m only trying to look out for you. I’ve been in this industry for years, and I’ve seen it all. I just don’t want you to go down the same path…”
Angel almost laughed in her face. She’d never realized just how two–faced Joanna was, and her mother fell for it every single time.
Just then, Byron strode in, his gaze sweeping coldly over Joanna.
“Byron, you’re here!” Joanna’s eyes lit up as she greeted him warmly.
Liana quickly chimed in, “Byron, talk some sense into your sister. Tell her to get out of the entertainment industry and learn business from you.”
They both assumed he would be on their side, but his reaction was completely unexpected.
A sarcastic smile played on Byron’s lips as he looked at Joanna. “If you think show business is so bad, why don’t you quit?”
His words left Joanna speechless, her face burning with embarrassment as she stammered, unable to form a sentence.
“And you, Mom,” Byron continued, his tone icy and firm. “Why are you letting a few words from Joanna dictate Angel’s future? This is a complicated industry, but with the Blair family behind her, who would dare to mess with Angel?”
Even Angel was shocked that Byron was defending her. Her eyes widened, and then a huge smile spread across her face as she grabbed his arm. “Byron, thank you for supporting me! You’re so right!”
Initially, Byron hadn’t been keen on Angel entering show business either, but he had to keep his sister happy if he
expert.
That woman would only take a call from Angel.
*ed to land a deal with the Al
However, his perspective was genuinely starting to shift. He looked at Angel and said seriously, “If you love this, then stick with it. Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. If anyone tries to bully you, I’ll make them pay.”
Angel’s eyes welled up with tears of gratitude. She squeezed his hand, her voice soft. “You’re the best, big brother!”
Seeing that Byron had made up his mind, Liana sighed in defeat. “Eine. Spoil her. I’m done trying to talk sense into you.”
Joanna stood by, growing more unsettled by the second. She bit her lip, a dark look flashing in her eyes.
If Angel entered the industry, she would be a formidable rival. Joanna had neither the resources nor the connections to compete with the Blair family’s backing.
But since Liana was staying out of it, she couldn’t say another word and had to swallow her resentment.
Byron completely ignored Joanna and led Angel out of the TV station.
Once they were outside, he pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to her. “You’re representing the Blair Group now,” he said coolly Call this number and set up a meeting to discuss a partnership.”
2/3
Chapter 182
“Liana,” Joanna began, “I was just looking on social media. Angel is a huge hit. She’s going to have a lot of admirers. You have to be careful and keep the wrong kind of people away from her.”
Joanna’s words made Liana’s brow furrow. The last thing she wanted was for her daughter to get tangled up with unsavory characters, which would tarnish the Blair family’s reputation.
Joanna knew exactly which buttons to push, and every word she said played on Liana’s deepest fears.
“Angel, I forbid you from going into show business,” Liana said coldly. “I’ll contact the platforms and have your videos taken down. You should be learning how to run a business from your brother.”
“Mom, why do you always listen to her?!” Angel shot back, furious. “I don’t need Joanna telling me how to live my life!”
“Angel, you’re misunderstanding me again,” Joanna said, her voice laced with false sincerity. “I’m only trying to look out for you. I’ve been in this industry for years, and I’ve seen it all. I just don’t want you to go down the same path…”
Angel almost laughed in her face. She’d never realized just how two–faced Joanna was, and her mother fell for it every single time.
Just then, Byron strode in, his gaze sweeping coldly over Joanna.
“Byron, you’re here!” Joanna’s eyes lit up as she greeted him warmly.
Liana quickly chimed in, “Byron, talk some sense into your sister. Tell her to get out of the entertainment industry and learn business from you.”
They both assumed he would be on their side, but his reaction was completely unexpected.
A sarcastic smile played on Byron’s lips as he looked at Joanna. “If you think show business is so bad, why don’t you quit?”
His words left Joanna speechless, her face burning with embarrassment as she stammered, unable to form a sentence.
“And you, Mom,” Byron continued, his tone icy and firm. “Why are you letting a few words from Joanna dictate Angel’s future? This is a complicated industry, but with the Blair family behind her, who would dare to mess with Angel?”
Even Angel was shocked that Byron was defending her. Her eyes widened, and then a huge smile spread across her face as she grabbed his arm. “Byron, thank you for supporting me! You’re so right!”
Initially, Byron hadn’t been keen on Angel entering show business either, but he had to keep his sister happy if he wanted to land a deal with the Al
expert.
That woman would only take a call from Angel.
However, his perspective was genuinely starting to shift. He looked at Angel and said seriously, “If you love this, then stick with it. Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. If anyone tries to bully you, I’ll make them pay.”
Angel’s eyes welled up with tears of gratitude. She squeezed his hand, her voice soft. “You’re the best, big brother!”
Seeing that Byron had made up his mind, Liana sighed in defeat. “Fine. Spoil her. I’m done trying to talk sense into you.”
Joanna stood by, growing more unsettled by the second. She bit her lip, a dark look flashing in her eyes.
If Angel entered the industry, she would be a formidable rival. Joanna had neither the resources nor the connections to compete with the Blair family’s
backing.
But since Liana was staying out of it, she couldn’t say another word and had to swallow her resentment.
Byron completely ignored Joanna and led Angel out of the TV station.
Once they were outside, he pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to her. “You’re representing the Blair Group now, he said coolly. Cal this number and set up a meeting to discuss a partnership.”
213
08:55 Fri, 4 Jul
Chapter 182
Angel stared at the unfamiliar number, confused. “Byron, whose number is this? I don’t know them.”
Byron’s eyebrow arched in a half–smirk. “That’s the number for Shadow, the leading expert in Al. You’re telling me you don’t know who she is?”
“Shadow?” Angel’s eyes lit up, a mixture of shock and awe in her voice. “Of course I’ve heard of her! She’s a legend! But… I don’t actually know her.”
