"Don't worry about the other members. I'll take care of them," Ethan said, putting away the contract.
Sophia and Vanessa were both a little dazed at this point. Everything felt a bit surreal.
Especially for Sophia—she had only just decided to reform VibraMyst a few days ago, and now it was already happening?
Sure, her own efforts in all this were practically negligible. It was entirely thanks to Ethan that things had come together.
But that's life sometimes. What seems like an insurmountable problem for one person can be nothing for someone else.
Ethan's presence was like a game-changer for both girls.
They could understand why Ethan was doing this. It was mostly because of that animated series about them, and the fact that they had become friends. That's why he was helping them.
Of course, they still had to put in the effort themselves. Ethan was just giving them the opportunity.
But no matter how you looked at it, Sophia felt like this was something to be happy about. If it had been up to her alone, there was no way she could have convinced Vanessa.
Just as Vanessa was about to ask Ethan what they should do next, the apartment door suddenly swung open.
The three of them turned to see a middle-aged man in a suit.
Vanessa's face immediately changed when she saw him. It was her father.
She was shocked. Why was this deadbeat dad of hers wearing a suit? Had he finally pulled himself together?
But in the next second, she saw her father drop to his knees in front of her, without even taking off his shoes, like some kind of dramatic movie scene. It looked like he was begging for forgiveness.
"I'm sorry, Nessa! It's all my fault. I know I did some terrible things, but please forgive me!"
The suddenness of it all left the three of them stunned.
Vanessa was at a loss for words. "Wait—"
Did her dad not even notice the situation? Her friends were right here! And he just barges in and starts apologizing? What the hell!?
Meanwhile, Sophia and Ethan, in a rare moment of unspoken understanding, quietly moved to the side, leaving the stage to Vanessa.
Vanessa's father, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there were other people in the room, continued his apology. "I've managed to get back all the money I lost, and I even bought back our old house. Nessa, please forgive me. From now on, I'll love you ten times—no, a hundred times more. You're my precious princess."
Under the watchful eyes of Sophia and Ethan, Vanessa's face turned bright red.
"Why should I?" Sophia retorted, stubborn as ever.
Ethan was momentarily thrown off by her response. "Because I'm your boss now."
"Uh..." Sophia hadn't even realized that.
But the idea of treating Ethan better? That felt like asking too much.
"Think about it," Ethan continued. "Your attitude toward me is entirely based on your own misunderstandings. This is all on you."
He explained further, "You should consider the fact that I've been putting up with your little tantrums all this time. You should be grateful."
"..."
Sophia gritted her teeth at his self-righteous tone. But maybe because he was technically her boss now, she held back and changed the subject. "So, about this whole debut thing—what exactly are we supposed to do?"
"That's up to you guys. If you don't perform well, I'll just disband you and form a new group."
Sophia's eyes widened. Was this guy a demon!?
After that, Sophia flagged down a taxi, intending to head straight home. Naturally, since she'd already called the cab, Ethan hopped in with her, sharing the ride.
The trip back to the apartment was silent. Once they got out of the elevator, Ethan noticed that Sophia had followed him all the way to his door.
"Sophia, your place is on the other side. Why are you coming to my apartment?" Ethan asked, confused.
"Are you saying I'm not welcome?" Sophia crossed her arms, glaring at him.
With that attitude? I'd have to be crazy to welcome you, Ethan thought.
Still, he was curious about what kind of trouble she was up to this time, so he let her in.
In the living room, Sophia looked at Ethan seriously and asked, "Are you really planning to date Vanessa?"
"And what if I am?" Ethan asked, intrigued by the hypothetical.
Sophia's expression was dead serious. "What kind of boss dates his artist? That would turn into a scandal!"
"I see," Ethan said, pretending to think deeply. "So what if I just, you know, use my position?"
Sophia froze. Isn't that still a scandal!?