Taylor and Leia sat side by side in the front row, their sequinned dresses catching the light and sending tiny rainbows dancing across their skin. Georgie, seated next to Leia, fidgeted with the hem of her designer dress, still not quite used to the weight of so many eyes upon her.

Riven had let Leia know that the seating arrangements had them sitting in the front row - because of Taylor, of course - having been given the heads up by the event organisers that they would be sitting the friends next to each other. He got it, he knew that the fans loved seeing Leia and Taylor interactions and since Taylor was getting the award for best tour, it made sense to have one of the opening acts front and centre as she accepted that award.

Tree leaned in from Taylor's other side, her voice barely audible over the din of the crowd.

 "Remember, you're both on camera constantly. Every smile, every whisper, every glance will be scrutinised," she murmured, covering her mouth so that the cameras couldn't pick up the movement of her lips. "Georgie - that means you too."

Georgie nodded, knowing that she'd already stuck her foot in it a few times on the carpet prior to entering and taking their seats. She'd slipped up and mentioning listening to Taylor and Leia sing each other unreleased songs, which in turn would likely cause articles about new music coming for both of them. 

Tree hadn't been too upset since they were already teasing a departure from the reputation era, but Riven hadn't been overly pleased and told her she'd be getting more media training soon.

As the host took the stage once more, Leia's eyes couldn't help but scan the crowd, searching for a face she both hoped and dreaded to see. Dylan's unexpected addition to the guest list had cast a shadow over what should have been a night of celebration. She felt Taylor's hand briefly squeeze hers, a silent gesture of support that spoke volumes.

She hadn't seen him on the carpet or inside, so she'd almost hoped Riven had been wrong until she had caught Georgie looking up his instagram from the corner of her eye. Seemed her little sister was just as uncomfortable about the idea as the rest of them.

The air in the theater crackled with anticipation as the host announced the next award category - best tour. Leia could feel the tension radiating from Taylor, even though Tree had informed her already that it was coming. She leaned in close, her lips barely moving as she whispered, "You've got this."

Taylor's smile softened for a moment, genuine gratitude replacing the polished facade.

The theater erupted in cheers, the sound washing over them like a tidal wave. Taylor's face lit up with genuine joy and surprise, even though they had all known she was the frontrunner. As Taylor pulled her into a hug after turning and hugging Tree, Leia caught a glimpse of a familiar face over her shoulder who was standing in her peripheral vision. Her breath caught in her throat, seeing him clapping along with the crowd but eyes fixed firmly on their group.

Everyone else was blissfully unaware as Taylor headed up to the stage, the smile on her face causing Leia to momentarily forget where they were and look at her with such love in her eyes that she knew the camera pointed in their direction was going to be lapping it up.

Taylor bounded up the steps to the stage, her pink-tipped ponytail swinging behind her. The spotlights caught the sequins on her dress, making her shimmer like a human disco ball. As she reached the microphone, her eyes swept across the audience, lingering for a moment on Leia's beaming face.

As Taylor started her speech, Leia felt a prickle of unease. She could sense Dylan's gaze boring into her, even from across the room. She resisted the urge to turn and look, instead focusing on Taylor's words, the way her hands moved expressively as she spoke, the slight quiver in her voice when she mentioned her family.

"...and lastly, I want to thank my tour family," Taylor was saying, her eyes finding Leia's once more. "To Charli, Camila, and Leia - thank you for making every night on that stage feel like magic."

Leia grinned as Georgie nudged her shoulder, very aware of the camera that was pointed only at them and Tree, capturing their reactions to the entire speech. She was sure that Riven was somewhere backstage chuckling in delight at the exposure. 

The audience erupted in applause as Taylor finished, clutching the award to her chest. As she made her way backstage, the host announced a commercial break. The tension in the room immediately dissipated, replaced by a buzz of conversation and movement.

"I'm going to grab a drink," Georgie announced, standing up and smoothing down her dress. "Anyone want anything?"

Tree stood as well, her phone already in hand.

 "I'll come with you. I need to make a quick call anyway and get Taylor." She turned to Leia. "We'll be right back. Azul...?"

"Azul can you go with Georgie?" Leia muttered, her eyes not really that focused on her sister who was already walking away. The man who had came over as soon as the break had been announced looked like he wanted to argue but nodded instead, walking off behind the other two.

She wanted to ask them to stay, to not leave her alone, but the words wouldn't come. As they walked away, she saw Tree being pulled aside by a group of industry executives, their faces alight with congratulations and small talk as Azul and Georgie disappeared out of sight.

And then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him. Dylan was moving through the crowd with purpose, his eyes locked on her. Leia's heart began to race, her palms growing clammy. She should tell someone, call Georgie back, signal to security - anything. But she remained frozen in her seat, watching his approach with a mix of dread and morbid curiosity.

He was close now, close enough that she could see the predatory gleam in his eyes, the slight curl of his lip that passed for a smile. Leia gripped the armrests of her chair, her knuckles turning white. She was alone, surrounded by hundreds of people, as Dylan Redcrown closed the final few steps between them - and there was nothing she could do in front of thousands of spectators and cameras. And he knew that.

"Well, well. If it isn't the rising star herself," he drawled, his voice low enough that only she could hear. "You're looking ravishing tonight, Lei."

Leia's skin crawled at the use of her old nickname. She forced a tight smile, hyper-aware of the cameras that could swivel their way at any moment. 

"Dylan. I didn't expect to see you here."

He chuckled, the sound devoid of warmth. "Surprise. I've got some new connections in the industry. Thought I'd come support my favourite little songbird."

His words dripped with condescension, and Leia felt her anger rising beneath her fear. She opened her mouth to retort, but Dylan cut her off.

"Now, now. Let's not make a scene," he murmured, his eyes darting around the crowded venue. "We wouldn't want to tarnish that squeaky-clean image of yours, would we?"

Leia's heart hammered in her chest as she realized the precarious position she was in. One wrong move, one outburst, and she'd be splashed across tomorrow's tabloids. Dylan knew it too, reveling in the power he held over her in this moment.

"You see..." Dylan murmured, his breath scorching against Leia's ear as she kept her fake smile on her face, very aware that thousands of fans and other industry peers had perfect views of their position right now. "You and I both know your little PR bitch made things look pretty poor after we broke up, and I don't think that's very fair."

Leia's grip tightened on his arm like a vice as she leaned back, her eyes boring into him with a ferocity barely masked by the slight upward curve of her lips, hiding the teeth she longed to bare at him.

"I don't think you're in any position to approach me, at a public event, and call Riven a little bitch or make any demands about who or what I speak about in the press," Leia replied, her voice edged with venom as she tilted her head slightly, her blood boiling as her gaze dropped to the hand he still had resting presumptuously on her waist.

A few days ago, I'd have thought the same, you know?" Dylan chuckled darkly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her eyes with a casualness that belied the tension crackling between them. Leia's mind raced, wondering furiously where the hell Taylor—or at least Riven or Azul—had vanished to now. "But I got a really fun tip-off, seems I'm not the only one you've pissed off..."

Dylan finally released her waist, his eyes locking onto hers with unwavering intensity as he reached into his suit jacket and retrieved his phone. He glanced down for a fleeting second as Leia considered storming away, but when she sensed him angling the phone tightly between them and motioning for her to look, a flood of irritation surged through her.

"You might want to take a step closer to cover that... would hate for anyone to catch of a glimpse of..."

She was pretty sure her world stopped the second she looked down. 

"How... where did you..." Leia stammered, her voice barely above a whisper as she fought to maintain her composure. The cacophony of the event faded to a dull roar in her ears, all of her focus zeroed in on the damning image before her.

A wave of nausea washed over Leia as she fought to maintain her composure, her fingers trembling against Dylan's arm.

The soft lighting cast a warm glow on Georgie's bare skin, her auburn hair tousled as if she had just woken up. Her sister's familiar freckles were visible across her shoulders, and there was a tender, unguarded expression on her face that Leia had rarely seen. Georgie looked gorgeous - and in a intimate and vulnerable in a way that was clearly never meant for Dylan's eyes.

"How... how did you get that?" Leia hissed, her voice barely above a whisper as she tore her gaze away from the phone, meeting Dylan's smug expression with a mixture of fury and panic.

Dylan's smirk widened, a predatory glint in his eyes as he watched Leia's reaction. 

"Like I said, you've pissed off more than just me. Seems your little sister's taste in men aren't as careful with her internet security as you'd hope they should be."

Leia's mind raced, trying to process how this could have happened. Niall wouldn't have saved and sent that to Dylan - she knew him well enough to know that wasn't something he'd do. Who else would Georgie have been sending these to? Where had Dylan got this...?

"Delete it," Leia hissed, her fingers digging into Dylan's arm with bruising force. "Delete it right now, or I swear to God, Dylan—"

"Smile, princess," Dylan reminded, strategically resting his hand on the side of her face to hide the scowl on her lips from the cameras that were beginning to set up after the commercial break. "Ruin this moment for me, and I'll ruin your little sister's life. Seems like a fair deal, huh?"

Leia's heart pounded in her chest, but she forced her features into a mask of calm, her lips curving into a practiced smile that didn't reach her eyes. The cacophony of the event swirled around them - the clink of champagne glasses, the murmur of conversations, the occasional burst of laughter - all of it a stark contrast to the tension crackling between her and Dylan.

"What do you want?" she asked through gritted teeth, her voice low and controlled despite the fury coursing through her veins.

Dylan's eyes glittered with malicious delight as he leaned in closer, his cologne - a scent that once made her heart race but now turned her stomach - enveloping her.

"Oh, Leia," he purred, his fingers trailing along her arm in a mockery of affection. "I want so many things. But for now, let's just say you owe me a favor. A big one."

She could feel the heat of the nearby cameras, the curious glances of onlookers who were surprised to see the once-couple that had such a turbulent breakup standing next to each other in a very close embrace. To the outside world, it almost looked like tense flirting.

Leia's smile never faltered, though her eyes hardened to chips of ice. She tilted her head, appearing to listen intently to Dylan's words as if they were sharing some intimate secret.

"You're a sick fucker," she replied, her voice low.

"Maybe," Dylan shrugged, not a care given.  

Leia's mind raced, imagining all the horrible things Dylan might demand. Her career? Her reputation? Her very soul? She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could utter a word, a looming presence appeared beside them. 

"Is everything alright here, Ms. Hudson?" Azul's deep voice rumbled, his dark eyes scanning the situation with practiced efficiency.

Dylan's demeanour shifted instantly, his predatory grin morphing into a charming smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Just catching up with an old friend," he said smoothly, releasing his grip on Leia's arm. "No need to worry, big guy."

Her security guard's imposing figure cast a shadow over Dylan, who had visibly tensed at the interruption. 

"We were just catching up, weren't we, Leia?" Dylan said, his tone light but his eyes cold. "I'm afraid I must be going now. Don't worry, though – my people will be in touch about our little... arrangement."

With a final, knowing look at Leia, Dylan turned and sauntered away, effortlessly blending into the glittering crowd. Leia watched him go, her fake smile still firmly in place even as she felt like screaming.

Azul leaned down, his voice low and concerned. "Ms. Hudson, are you-"

"Where were you?" She snapped.

"You asked me to keep an eye on Georgie-"

"Yeah," Leia murmured, tension still taking over her body. "Yeah, sorry, I forgot, sorry. Thanks. Where is she?"

"I assume she is me, and I am here," Georgie interrupted, smiling widely as she tapped the drink in her hands. "I went to grab a drink after Tay's win for you and me - I told you, remember?"

Leia wanted to punch her. She wanted to scream in her face. She wanted to grab her shoulders and shake some sense into her - to grab her tight into a hug and not let go. She wanted to go back in time and tell Georgie to not take those, to not send them. She wanted to tell her sister that her entire life was on the brink of ruin from one moment of well-placed trust.

Instead she just smiled.

"Thanks."

Leia's hand trembled slightly as she accepted the drink from Georgie, forcing herself to take a sip. The sweet champagne tasted like ash in her mouth. She swallowed hard, fighting the urge to grab her sister and run far away from this glittering, treacherous world.

She glanced around the room, her eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of Dylan. He had vanished, but she could still feel the weight of his threat hanging over her like a storm cloud.

"Oh my god, there's our award winner!" Georgie squealed, tugging on Leia's arm as Taylor and Tree walked towards them, the thirty second countdown from the commercial break echoing around the arena as they were all asked to take their seats.

Taylor grinned, wrapping her arms around the two sisters as Tree placed Taylor's drink down, thanking Azul and Taylor's security before the three turned to depart. Taylor squeezed Leia's hand three times before dropping it, noticing a camera heading directly towards them in the front row as the show slowly went to start back up.

Leia couldn't help but watch as Georgie chatted animatedly with Taylor as they sat down, her sister's face alight with excitement. The contrast between Georgie's innocence and the dark undercurrents swirling beneath the surface of the night was stark.

She would do whatever it took to protect Georgie, to shield her from the harsh realities of this world. Even if it meant making a deal with the devil himself.

The award show continued around them, a swirl of laughter, music, and performances. But for Leia, it all felt hollow, a glittering façade hiding the rot beneath. She took another sip of her drink, steeling herself for whatever was to come.

Because one thing was certain: this was far from over.

___

It was bad enough that Dylan had even been born, let alone somehow given the power and cockiness that he seemed to possess inside him. He had this absolutely infuriation quality of knowing that he was easily able to be the one in power of any situation, and Leia guessed that's what came as a side effect of having utterly no morals and just being a downright despicable person.

He'd left it almost two days with radio silence, knowing that she'd have been squirming every second of the day in fear of what favour he was wanting from her in order for her to save her sister from the trauma of having her nude photos published all over the internet.

Almost two whole days before sending a cryptic text at 8:33am, telling her that 'the password is dominion'. She really didn't want to know what could possibly be requiring her to know a password for, and when Adrian called her and Riven into an 'urgent emergency meeting' at the office in the Upper West Side that morning, she knew she was about to have to do a lot of explaining to the two men.

"Hey kiddo," Riven said as she stepped out of the car, smiling at Azul who barely met his eyes. Riven's smile dropped a little, unsure why there was such a bad vibe between Leia and his boyfriend that morning. Usually, everyone was all smiles. He made a note to ask Azul what that was about later.

Leia didn't reply to him as they stepped into the building and headed towards the elevators.

"Did you see this?" Riven muttered after a moment of silence in the steel box, turning his phone around to show the TMZ article that was plastered across the screen. Her heart jumped for a second, immediately thinking the worst before realising that it had nothing to do with topless photos of Georgie.

Until it sunk in.

"Looks like Niall was one of victims of that iCloud hack from the other week," Riven continued, completely obviously to the way Leia's fists were clenched at her sides. "Says here that nothing personal has been released, just a few snippets of some old demos..."

Leia zoned him out. 

He continued to yapper as they exited the elevator and walked along the corridor towards Adrian's office. Leia knew there were in for a shit-show when Adrian's usually bubbly personal assistant immediately cast her eyes downwards once she saw the duo walking towards the door. Leia felt heat rise up her neck and into her face.

Who else had seen what Dylan had showed her? Who else knew about the burden she was carrying?

Adrian's usually composed demeanor was shattered, his face flushed with a mixture of anger and confusion. He slammed the door shut behind them, the sound echoing through the room like a gunshot.

"What the hell is going on?" Adrian demanded, his voice a low, controlled growl that sent shivers down Leia's spine. She'd never seen him this agitated before. "I just received an email from Dylan Redcrown's personal address. Dylan fucking Redcrown, Leia. Care to explain why that bastard is contacting me?"

Leia's mouth went dry as she struggled to find the words. The plush carpet beneath her feet suddenly felt like quicksand, threatening to swallow her whole. She could feel Riven's questioning gaze boring into her, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

Adrian paced behind his desk, his expensive tennis shoes that Leia knew he'd spent months hunting down online were wearing a path in the carpet.

"There's a password-protected file attached," Adrian continued, his voice rising with each word. "And get this – he's requesting an NDA be sent to his attorney. An NDA! As if he has any right to demand such a thing from us!"

Riven, usually quick with a joke or a reassuring word, remained uncharacteristically silent. His brow furrowed as he glanced between Leia and Adrian, clearly trying to piece together the puzzle before him.

Adrian grabbed at a stack of magazines on the table, flinging them down one by one and now glaring at Riven in annoyance.

"And do you want to tell me why there seems to be a story currently running rampant about Leia and Dylan 'heating up' their relationship at the music awards that YOU promised me would bring good press?"

The glossy covers flashed with images of her and Dylan at the awards show, their faces close together, his hand on her waist. To an outsider, it did look intimate - even romantic. The reality couldn't have been further from the truth.

"It's not what it looks like," Leia said, her voice barely above a whisper. She could feel Riven's eyes on her, confusion and concern radiating off him in waves.

Adrian's laugh was sharp and humourless. 

"Oh really? Because what it looks like, Leia, is that you've been cozying up to your abusive ex-boyfriend at a very public event, completely undermining everything we've worked for over the past year. For the SECOND time now - the first on the fourth of July and again now."

"It's not reconciliation," she said, her voice stronger now. "Dylan... he has something. Something that could ruin her life, and I have a gut feeling I know exactly what's in that password protected file and I'd really rather you let me check that before I even let you touch it."

The room fell silent. Adrian's pacing stopped abruptly, and Riven leaned forward in his chair, his eyes wide with concern.

"What are you talking about?" Riven asked softly.

Leia closed her eyes, wishing she could disappear. But there was no running from this. "He has... photos. Private photos that were never meant to be seen by anyone else."

"I swear to God, Leia, that if you open that file and I see photos of you and Taylor doing-"

"It's Georgie," Leia snapped. Her voice sharp as she tried to calm herself down. "This isn't about me and Taylor - it's her, okay?"

She heard Adrian's sharp intake of breath, felt the weight of Riven's gaze. When she opened her eyes, she saw a mixture of shock and anger on both their faces.

"How the hell did he get those?" Adrian demanded.

Riven's mouth dropped slightly, almost as if it all clicked together. The way she'd ignored him that morning, how she'd not made any quip when he told her about Niall's music being leaked...

"Niall's iCloud?" Riven muttered, and the side glance from Leia was enough of a confirmation that that was most likely how Dylan had somehow ended up with those photos. How he'd got them from the leak and the press hadn't - well, that was still another story to find out.

Adrian's face softened slightly, the anger in his eyes giving way to concern. He ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair, exhaling slowly.

"Alright," he said, his voice measured. "Let's see what we're dealing with."

With trembling fingers, Leia typed in the password Dylan had sent her. 

"What was the password?"

"Dominion," Leia muttered back, biting her fingernails as she waited on the file to load. "It means sovereignty or control. I googled it when he sent me it just to make sure - don't know what else I expected really."

The file unlocked with a soft click that seemed to echo through the tense silence of the room. As the contents loaded, Leia's heart sank. It wasn't just a single file, but an entire folder, its contents laid bare before them.

The first thing that caught their eye was a subfolder labeled "Georgie." Leia's breath hitched, her hand hovering over the mouse. She couldn't bring herself to open it, knowing what lay inside. Instead, her gaze drifted to another folder, this one labeled "LH&TS".

Oh fuck.

With a sense of dread, she clicked it open. A series of photos filled the screen, each one more damning than the last. There they were, huddled close at a party, Taylor's lips brushing Leia's ear as she whispered something. Another showed them holding hands backstage, their fingers intertwined in a way that seemed far too intimate for just friends. A third captured a moment of unguarded affection, Leia gazing at Taylor with such naked adoration that it made her cheeks burn to see it now.

"Jesus," Riven muttered, leaning in for a closer look. "These are..."

"Problematic," Adrian finished, his voice tight. "Very problematic."

Leia couldn't speak, her throat constricting as she scrolled through the photos. How long had Dylan been collecting these? How many more did he have?

But it was the final items in the folder that truly made her blood run cold. A template NDA, its legal jargon stark and unforgiving, and beside it, a contract.

Adrian reached over, gently moving Leia's hand from the mouse. "Let me," he said softly, opening the contract.

As his eyes scanned the document, his face grew increasingly grim. Leia watched, her heart pounding, as Adrian's jaw clenched and unclenched, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the edge of the desk.

"This is..." Adrian began, then stopped, shaking his head. "This is honestly evil beyond anything I've seen before - and I've been in this industry for longer than either of you have been alive."

"What does it say?" Leia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Adrian looked up, his eyes meeting hers with a mixture of anger and pity. 

"He wants control, Leia. Control over your career, your public image, everything. He's demanding final approval on all your public appearances, interviews, even your social media posts. He wants everything you do for the next twelve months to be to aid the rebuilding of his public image after your breakup tanked it... and he's threatening to release everything if we don't comply."

Leia and Riven moved to read over it together as Adrian returned to pacing around, clutching at his tie and loosening it as he tried to keep himself steady and grounded.

It demanded regular "private meetings" between Leia and Dylan, ostensibly for "career mentoring." It required Leia to make public statements praising Dylan and retracting any negative comments she had made about their relationship in the past. There were clauses about social media posts, public appearances, even stipulations about who Leia could and couldn't associate with - in her public life AND her personal life.

But the most chilling part came near the end. A section that, in cold, legal language, gave Dylan the right to "release or withhold" certain "private materials" at his discretion. It was blackmail, pure and simple, dressed up in legalese.

"He's not just trying to control your career, Leia. He wants to control your entire life to benefit his own."

Leia felt lightheaded. The room seemed to spin around her as the full weight of Dylan's leverage became clear. He didn't just have ammunition against Georgie – he had the power to potentially destroy multiple careers, multiple lives.

"This is... my God," Riven muttered, running a hand through his hair. "He's thought of everything...exclusive rights to produce and distribute a minimum of three (3) songs written and performed by Leia Hudson... what the fuck-"

Leia's eyes were rested on the sixtieth stipulation in the contract.

LH will hereby cease any personal and private relationships of a romantic nature, to avoid any doubting of the perforative relationship that will be formed between LH and DR.

If she didn't break up with Taylor, Dylan was going to release those images - not just the ones that would put heavy media and press speculation on Taylor's sexuality, but the ones of Georgie.

"Holy shit," Riven started again, taking it a lot more vocally than the other two. "This is bad like, really really-"

Adrian cut him off, his mind clearly racing. 

"Okay. Okay, we can handle this. We'll get our legal team on it, threaten him with everything we've got. He can't just-"

"He'll just release them anyway," Leia muttered, and Riven wasn't sure he'd ever heard her sound this emotionless. "The second we file anything or contact anyone... he'll release them. I won't do that to her. She didn't ask for this life. She's a kid."

"She's twenty-one-"

"Don't," Leia snapped, her eyes flickering up to Riven with a newfound anger in them. "Those photos are NOT being released. I don't care what she did or who she sent them to - I am her sister and she is my responsibility as long as she's in this life with me."

"Well, my responsibility is to protect your reputation," Riven argued back, his hands grabbing at loose curls on his head. "Ruining your friendship with Taylor AND going public with Dylan will kill it."

"Well as long as you're paid, does it really matter?" Leia snapped.

It seemed that struck more of a chord with Riven than she expected it to do so.

"Do you know why I took this job?" He breathed out, Adrian watching them both silently and allowing them to get this out their systems. "It certainly wasn't because of the pay - which if you remember was bare when I first signed on. It was because I believed in you. A good person with a good heart. I've spent my entire career now just focused on making sure the world sees the Leia Hudson we see, and you're asking me to allow that to be destroyed."

"Okay, then let me ask you this," Leia fired back with no hesitation. "As a friend - not my publicist - if this was me, and you had to do this to stop the world from seeing me at my most vulnerable... would you?"

Riven's jaw clenched, his eyes flickering with a mix of frustration and understanding. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply before meeting Leia's gaze. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken emotions. Finally, he let out a long, defeated sigh.

"Of course I would," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'd do anything to protect you."

Leia's shoulders sagged with relief, the fire in her eyes softening. "Then you understand why I have to do this for Georgie."

Adrian cleared his throat, reminding them both of his presence.

"We need to consider all angles here. Dylan's not just asking for a public relationship - he's demanding control over your career, your image. This could have long-lasting consequences."

Leia nodded, her fingers absently tracing the edge of her phone.

"I know. But I don't see another way out of this. At least not one that keeps Georgie safe."

Riven paced the room, his mind racing. "What if we get ahead of this? Release a statement about a potential hack, warn the public-"

"They already know about a hack," Leia cut him off firmly. "We can't risk it. Dylan's smart - he'll have fail-safes in place. One wrong move and those photos are out there forever."

Leia's gaze drifted to the window, watching the bustling city below. Her voice was quiet when she spoke again.

"I never wanted this for her," Leia said softly, her eyes still fixed on the city lights below. "I thought I could protect her from all of this. This is exactly what our parents were worried about when I chose this life - that I'd somehow drag her into it and hurt us all."

Adrian stepped closer, his voice gentle but firm. "Leia, you can't shoulder all of this alone. We need to consider bringing in legal counsel, maybe even-"

"No," Leia interrupted, turning back to face them. Her eyes were rimmed with unshed tears, but her jaw was set with determination. "The second we involve anyone else, we risk those photos getting out. I won't gamble with Georgie's future like that."

Riven ran a hand over his face, the weight of the situation etched in the lines of worry across his forehead.

"Okay, let's say we do this. We need a strategy. We need to control the narrative as much as possible."

"And we need to talk to Georgie," Adrian interjected. "She needs to be prepared for what's coming."

"I'm not telling her."

"Leia-"

"No," Leia snapped. "Georgie cannot know about this. If she knows that all of this is because she trusted Niall, which she was perfectly within her right to do, then she'll beat herself up. She cannot know a single thing about this and if I find out either of you have told her, this is the end of our relationships - friendly and professionally."

Riven and Adrian exchanged a heavy glance, the weight of Leia's ultimatum hanging in the air. Riven opened his mouth to protest, but Adrian subtly shook his head, silencing him.

"Alright," Adrian conceded, his voice low and measured. "We'll keep Georgie in the dark. But Leia, you have to understand the pressure this will put on you. Lying to your sister, pretending to date someone you despise... it's not going to be easy."

"Leia," Riven began cautiously, "I understand your need to protect Georgie, but keeping her in the dark could backfire. She's going to notice the changes, breaking up with Taylor suddenly, the jump into a relationship with Dylan-"

"I'll handle it," Leia cut him off, her voice steely.

"And Taylor? You're just going to call things off and except no retaliation?"

"Well, at least now she doesn't need to worry about coming out."

"Leia, that is NOT fair."

Leia's eyes flashed with a mix of pain and frustration. "None of this is fair, Riven. But I don't have a choice."

Leia sank into a nearby chair, the weight of her decision settling over her like a heavy cloak. The room fell into a tense silence, broken only by the soft ticking of the clock on Adrian's desk. She took a deep breath, smoothing her hands over her face. When she looked up again, her expression was composed, almost eerily calm.

"So what's our next move?" Riven finally asked, his voice quiet but firm.

"Here's what we're going to do," she said, her voice steady. "I need you guys to start working on a new contract with Dylan's team. If we're going to sell this... reconciliation... to the public, we need to do it right."

Adrian nodded reluctantly, already tapping notes into his phone. Riven looked less convinced.

"Leia, I still think we should consider other options," Riven pleaded. "Maybe if we approach Taylor's team, explain the situation-"

"No," Leia cut him off sharply. "Taylor can't know about this. None of it. As far as she's concerned, I'm ending things because... because I can't handle the secrecy of us anymore."

Adrian frowned. "And Dylan? How do we explain that sudden reconciliation?"

Leia's eyes hardened. 

"We don't. Not right away. We let the rumors circulate for a bit, maybe stage a few 'chance' encounters. Then we'll release a statement about how we've both grown and decided to give things another try."

Riven shook his head in disbelief. "This is insane. You're talking about lying to everyone - your sister, your girlfriend, your fans."

"I don't have a choice," Leia snapped, her composure cracking for a moment. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Look, I know this isn't ideal. But it's the only way to keep Georgie safe. And right now, that's all that matters."

This was the price of fame, of success. And she would pay it for Georgie, no matter the cost to her own heart. She turned to him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. 

"There's already no going back, Riven. The moment Dylan got those photos, everything changed. At least this way, I can protect the people I love. Taylor won't get it and she's going to hate me but I can't let this happen to Georgie. It's my fault she's even having to be in this position at all."

Adrian cleared his throat. "What do you want us to tell the team? They're going to have questions about this sudden change in direction."

"Tell them whatever you need to. Creative differences, a change in image, I don't care. Just make it believable."

Leia stood up, grabbing her jacket and turning to leave. She moved towards the door, her hand on the knob when Riven's voice stopped her.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to now try and convince Taylor that I don't fucking worship the ground she walks on."

With that, she stepped out of the office, leaving Riven and Adrian staring after her, the weight of what was to come settling heavily over the room. As the door clicked shut behind her, Leia leaned against the wall, taking a shaky breath. 

She had a heart to break, a deal to make with the devil, a lie to sell, and a sister to protect.

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