"Yes—I'm selling you away," Hazel whispered casually, as if she were commenting on the weather.
Billy immediately cleared his throat so hard it felt like he was trying to cough out his entire soul. "Ahem! Miss Hazel… decorum."
Hazel didn't even blink. She simply leaned forward, eyes sharp and sparkling with unsettling enthusiasm as they locked onto Fiona.
"Fiona," she said crisply, "StarTalents Media is offering you a monthly retainer of $25,000."
Fiona's brain visibly stalled for half a second.
Hazel continued, unfazed.
"On top of that performance bonuses, brand endorsements, special project incentives… honestly, if you don't faint, you could easily cross six figures in a single quarter."
She tapped the folder lightly. "In short? This isn't a contract."
A beat.
"It's your ticket to the big leagues."
Fiona swallowed hard.
The numbers weren't just big, they were offensive. Like they personally walked up and slapped her dreams into reality.
