Jax Ryland was still dealing with confusing guilt and desperate care when the first consequence of the confrontation hit him: absolute silence from Vance Global.
He was sitting in the executive planning room at Zenith Publishing, preparing for the next round of album promotion. Silas Trent walked in, holding a secure tablet with a look of severe confusion.
"Jax, we have a major problem with Vance Global," Silas stated, his voice tight. The entire security chain has been pulled. All primary contacts for the Eclipse Tour have been changed. Every communication log related to Aria Vance has been wiped.
Jax felt a cold, sinking feeling. He knew immediately this was Elias Vance's doing, the execution of his threat.
"What exactly happened?" Jax asked, forcing a calm tone.
"Elias Vance just started a complete lockdown," Silas explained, tapping the screen. All direct communication with the Vance team now goes through one anonymous manager, who uses the code name 'Vigilance.' They won't even provide a name or a face. It's a complete black box. Aria Vance has been entirely removed from the contract. It's unprecedented. They've gone completely dark on their end. Jax stood up and walked toward the window, looking out over the city. Elias wasn't just enforcing a boundary; he was trying to erase Aria's connection to the contract. He was protecting her by making her completely invisible to Jax.
Jax thought: Elias is serious. He took away the one professional excuse I had to contact her. The only way left is through the game.
The immediate professional crisis was real. Jax knew he needed to plan with Zenith's top leaders. He immediately called for an emergency meeting with Damian Reed, the CEO of Zenith Records, and Silas.
Minutes later, they were in the main boardroom. Damian Reed, a shrewd, focused executive, sat at the head of the table.
"Damian, I need to tell you about the Vance situation," Jax began, keeping the details of the punch and the kiss strictly private. Elias Vance had suddenly started a full security lockdown, purging all direct contact with Aria Vance. This is a direct response to a... corporate disagreement between myself and Ms. Vance regarding work limits.
Damian's expression hardened. A corporate disagreement that requires them to isolate their lead security officer? Jax, this is unacceptable. It jeopardizes the tour's stability and exposes us to liability. We pay Vance Global a massive sum for personalized, responsive security, not a fortress of silence.
"The new system, Vigilance, is fully operational," Silas interjected. They assure us the protocols are more secure than ever, but the lack of human contact is the issue. We have no one at all for immediate decisions.
Jax cut in, knowing he needed to stop Damian from immediately deciding to fire Vance Global. Damian, we can't fire them. Their security infrastructure is the best in the world, and they're already integrated into every aspect of this tour. Firing them now would cause a six-month delay and cost us hundreds of millions in penalties.
"So, what is the plan, Jax?" Damian demanded. "We have a single drop, the tour launching, and our security chief has literally disappeared."
Jax leaned forward, his mind already shifting to damage control. We need to stabilize the story before our shareholders see this chaos. Elias Vance has effectively given us a new rival to worry about: Vigilance. We publicly approve the change. We say that Vance Global is acting ahead of a problem.
Before they could formulate their counter-narrative, the boardroom monitors flashed with breaking news alerts.
Soverkis Volkov had launched her media attack, using Chloe Thorne as the source.
The news alerts screamed across the screens:
'Shadow Heir' Lyric Inspiration: Sources Claim Executive Rivalry Threatens Zenith
Chloe Thorne Associates Link Aria Vance to Corporate Instability
Is Aria Vance's Private Vendetta Distracting Jax Ryland?
Damian Reed slammed his hand on the table. There it is! Soverkis Volkov just used this internal chaos to launch a direct attack! They are positioning Aria Vance as a dangerous liability, a reckless executive whose personal drama is hurting the tour.
The news segments highlighted the connection between Aria Vance, the security chief, and the Eclipse tour, juxtaposing her image with quotes from "sources close to the Thorne family" claiming Vance Global's management was unstable and prone to personal vendettas.
On the main boardroom monitor, below the flashing headlines, Damian pulled up a live feed of the Aether Army discussion threads.
@Jax_4ever: Who is this Aria Vance? Get her away from Jax! She is clearly trying to distract him from the tour with her drama. #TeamJax
@Eclipse_Babe: Six months delay?! If they fire Vance Global, the tour is dead. Aria Vance is a wrecking ball. Zenith, protect Jax!
@ColdDefiance: 'Vigilance' is totally the perfect, cold defiance lyric coming to life! But if this Aria person is making Jax tense, she needs to go.
Damian rubbed his temples. See, Jax? They're already hating her. They view her as a direct threat to the tour and to you. We need a statement now.
"This is aimed at the shareholders, Damian," Jax said, his voice calm despite the churning rage inside. He saw Soverkis's cold, calculated move: eliminate Aria as a professional asset in one shot. They want us to panic. They want us to fire Vance Global.
"We need a statement now," Damian declared. "And it needs to come from me, the CEO, with the full backing of Aether."
Jax had his plan ready. He couldn't defend Aria personally, but he could defend the integrity of her work and the security of the tour.
"Damian, we use the lockdown to our advantage," Jax proposed. The fans are already obsessed with the 'perfect, cold defiance' lyric. We lean into the mystery. Your statement must be absolute.
Jax's strategy was clear: turn the negative into a marketing triumph.
Jax dictated the points for the official statement:
Acknowledge the New Reality: Confirm that Vance Global has transitioned to a new, fully anonymous security management system, Vigilance.
Highlight Security: Emphasize that this move is a proactive, unprecedented step toward absolute digital security in the entertainment industry.
Defend Aria's Work: Defend Aria Vance's service, stating that she has successfully implemented the most robust, high-value security structure in Zenith's history, and the new system is the ultimate finalization of her work.
Issue a Warning: Have Damian issue a clear warning to Soverkis Volkov, stating that any attempt to destabilize the tour will be met with immediate legal action from Zenith.
Damian Reed agreed. It's a tightrope walk, Jax, but it stabilizes our stock and leverages the fan narrative. I'll draft the release immediately.
While the corporate world was imploding around her name, Aria Vance was moving forward with her escape plan. Her new design studio was her focus, her single point of control.
She was reviewing the first batch of job applications when Talia Hayes arrived, looking worried, holding her phone.
"Aria, look at the news," Talia said, handing over the device. Volkov Global and Chloe Thorne are launching a full-scale media attack on you. They're saying you're unstable and that your private life is wrecking Jax Ryland's tour.
Aria read the headlines with a calm she didn't feel. The attack was predictable. Soverkis was trying to kill two birds: eliminate Aria as a professional threat and make Jax doubt her. "It's noise, Talia," Aria said, handing the phone back. They're trying to force Zenith to break the contract. It won't work. Elias is too deeply embedded.
Just then, Aria's secure tablet chimed with a Zenith Publishing Official Media Alert.
Aria opened the alert and read the statement from Damian Reed, CEO of Zenith Records. She read the strong defense of her work, the confirmation of the anonymous Vigilance system, and the public endorsement of her strategic vision.
The statement read, in part: Ms. Vance successfully implemented the most robust, high-value security structure in Zenith's history. The new Vigilance system, which she personally oversaw the implementation of, is the ultimate finalization of her strategic vision, ensuring an unprecedented level of digital security for the Eclipse Tour. Any attempt to exploit this proactive measure for competitive gain will be met with immediate legal action.
Talia whistled softly. That's a huge vote of confidence. Jax Ryland clearly pushed that through. He's defending you publicly, even while Elias is locking him out.
Talia pulled up the Aether Army fan threads again. The tone had completely flipped.
@EclipseStan97: OMG! Zenith is fighting back! Vigilance is officially the future! Chloe Thorne is a liar!
@JaxsGirl: So the actual threat is Volkov Global, and this Chloe Thorne person is just a paid distraction. BASH THEM! Aria Vance is a security genius.
@ColdDefiance: Jax Ryland's security is untouchable! Volkov is trying to ruin the tour! #CancelChloeThorne
Aria felt a strange mix of relief and renewed confusion. Jax had apologized in the game and now defended her in the corporate arena. He was honoring the truce, even under extreme pressure.
"Jax is defending the contract, Talia," Aria insisted, but the conviction in her voice was weaker. "He needs Vance Global to succeed."
"Maybe," Talia said, unconvinced. "But he's risking a full corporate war with Volkov to do it."
That evening, after Talia left, Aria was alone with her laptop. She needed to check her game, to see if Jax had made another move.
She logged into Valkyrie. Nick was online, frantic with questions about the press junket.
MoodMaker: Valkyrie, the day was insane. Jax is so tense. Did you see the news? Volkov is attacking your... I mean Vance Global's management. It's a mess.
Aria felt the full weight of the danger. She couldn't afford a distraction. She had to shut down Jax's access.
Aria thought: I can't reject the truce, but I can't let him use Nick.
Valkyrie: Focus, MoodMaker. The current threat requires strong defensive action. We are moving to the final stage of the Northern Sector sweep. We need your highest level of discretion.
MoodMaker: My discretion is absolute. What's the objective?
Aria typed a coded message, referencing a game objective that was actually an elaborate trap.
Valkyrie: The objective is simple: total silence. Do not engage in any unscheduled communication for the next seventy-two hours. No new private messages. Absolute focus on the main mission. Any deviation will compromise the entire perimeter.
It was a direct order, delivered with the absolute authority of Valkyrie, aimed squarely at Jax Ryland. She was testing his sincerity. If he respected the coded demand for silence, she would know his apology was genuine. If he tried to circumvent it, she would know the hunt was back on.
Aria closed the game, satisfied with the move. The board was set.
Jax was back in his penthouse, watching the stock market stabilize after Damian's swift statement. He had won the corporate battle, but the real war, the one for Aria, was still raging.
He walked over to Nick's room, knowing Nick would be logging into the game. He had to send another message.
He saw Nick sitting at the desk, focused intently on the screen.
"Hey, Nick," Jax said, standing in the doorway. "Did you hear anything back from Valkyrie?"
Nick turned, his expression serious. Yeah, I just got a new directive. An intense one. Total silence for seventy-two hours. No unscheduled private messages, total focus on the main mission. Any deviation compromises the perimeter.
Jax felt a jolt of understanding. Aria wasn't silent; she had issued a command. She was testing his sincerity. She was giving him a choice: respect her boundaries, or prove he was still the same controlling hunter.
Jax's instinct, the raw, possessive urge that had led to the kiss, screamed at him to override the command, to push Nick to send a single, simple message: I know about the kidnapping.
But the image of the raw fear in Aria's eyes, and Elias's cold rage, stopped him. He had triggered a profound trauma. He had to prove he was changing.
Jax nodded slowly, meeting Nick's gaze. Understood, Nick. If that's the operational directive, we respect it. Valkyrie is absolute. Focus on the main mission.
Jax walked out of the room, leaving the digital perimeter intact. He had chosen silence. He had chosen to honor the truce, proving that his obsession was transforming into respect.