Betrayed Spotlight

At exactly two o'clock, Mason's car pulled up in front of the Stellar Entertainment Group building in downtown. Sarah stared up at the tall glass tower, feeling her stomach flutter with nerves and excitement.

"Ready?" Mason asked, adjusting his tie.

Sarah nodded, smoothing down her professional black dress. She had chosen it carefully - elegant but not too flashy, confident but not arrogant. First impressions mattered in things like this.

The lobby of Stellar Entertainment was impressive. Marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and gold-framed photos of famous clients lined the walls. Sarah recognized most of the faces - movie stars, musicians, and celebrities she had only dreamed of working alongside.

"Mr. Liu," the receptionist smiled brightly when she saw Mason. "Mr. Wen is waiting for you on the top floor."

They rode the elevator in comfortable silence. Sarah could feel Mason's presence beside her, solid and reassuring. Whatever happened in this meeting, she knew he would support her.

The elevator doors opened to reveal a luxurious office space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. A tall, well-dressed Asian man in his forties approached them with a confident smile.

"Mr. Liu!" Zachary Wen extended his hand. "Good to see you again."

"Zachary," Mason shook his hand firmly. "Thank you for making time for this."

Zachary's attention turned to Sarah, and she felt herself being evaluated by sharp, intelligent eyes. This was a man who had built careers and destroyed them with equal skill.

"And you must be Sarah Chen," Zachary said, offering his hand. "I've been following your situation closely. Very impressive how everything turned out."

"Thank you, Mr. Wen," Sarah replied, shaking his hand with as much confidence as she could manage.

"Please, call me Zachary. We're going to be working very closely together." He gestured toward a seating area with comfortable leather chairs. "Shall we discuss your future?"

They settled into the chairs, and Zachary pulled out a tablet loaded with information.

"First, let me say that what happened to you was unfortunate," Zachary began. "But it's also created a unique opportunity. The public loves a comeback story, especially when someone has been wronged."

Sarah leaned forward. "What do you have in mind?"

"Complete image reinvention," Zachary said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "We're going to turn you from a victim into a survivor. From someone who was broken down into someone who built herself back up stronger."

He swiped through images on his tablet. "New look, new sound, new message. We'll start with an exclusive tell-all interview on prime time television. Then a new single that addresses everything you've been through."

Sarah felt her pulse quicken. "What kind of song?"

"Something powerful. Something that shows your strength. We'll get the best songwriters in the business to work with you." Zachary paused and looked at her seriously. "But I need to know - are you ready to be completely honest about what you went through? The public will want to see real emotion, real vulnerability."

Sarah thought about Hannah's cruel smile, Daniel's betrayal, and all the nights she had cried alone. Then she thought about Mason showing up in her life at the cemetery, standing up for her, calling her his wife in front of everyone.

"Yes," she said firmly. "I'm ready to tell my story."

"Excellent." Zachary made notes on his tablet. "We'll also need to address the elephant in the room."

Sarah frowned. "What do you mean?"

Zachary glanced at Mason, then back at her. "The marriage claim. Mason calling you his wife at the charity gala. The internet is going crazy trying to figure out if it's real or fake."

Sarah felt heat rise in her cheeks. She hadn't thought about how that moment would affect her career comeback.

"We can use it to our advantage," Zachary continued. "Mystery creates buzz. We neither confirm nor deny anything. Let people speculate. It'll keep you in the headlines."

Mason spoke for the first time since they'd sat down. "Sarah's personal life should remain private."

"With respect, Mr. Liu," Zachary said carefully, "privacy is a luxury in this business. Sarah needs all the attention she can get right now."

Sarah looked between the two men, feeling torn. Part of her wanted to keep her relationship with Mason away from the public eye. But another part of her knew Zachary was right. She needed people talking about her for the right reasons.

"What if we do it gradually?" Sarah suggested. "Start with the interview and the new music. See how people respond. Then maybe later we can address the other questions."

Zachary smiled approvingly. "Smart thinking. Build the foundation first, then add the intrigue."

He spent the next hour outlining his plans in detail. Photo shoots with top photographers, collaborations with Grammy-winning producers, appearances on major talk shows, and a concert tour that would take her around the world.

"This is all incredible," Sarah said when he finished. "But can I ask - why are you taking such a big risk on me? I mean, a few days ago I was career suicide in this industry."

Zachary's expression became serious. "Because I believe in talent, and you have it. Also because Mr. Liu doesn't make requests lightly. When he asks me to work with someone, I pay attention."

Sarah glanced at Mason, who was watching her with those intense dark eyes.

"There's one more thing," Zachary said, pulling out a contract. "This comeback is going to be intense. Long hours, constant pressure, media scrutiny of everything you do. Are you prepared for that?"

Sarah thought about everything she had already survived. The lies, the betrayal, the public humiliation. If she could get through that, she could handle anything.

"I'm ready," she said without hesitation.

"Then welcome to Stellar Entertainment, Sarah Chen." Zachary stood up and extended his hand again. "Let's make you a superstar."

"Sarah Liu." Mason said to Zachary and the latter nodded with a knowing smile.

As they shook hands, Sarah felt something shift inside her. This wasn't just about getting her old career back. This was about becoming someone completely new. Someone stronger, more powerful, and more in control of her own destiny.

"When do we start?" she asked.

Zachary grinned. "How about tomorrow morning? We have a lot of work to do."

As they left the building, Sarah felt like she was walking on air. Mason was quiet beside her, but she could sense his satisfaction with how the meeting had gone.

"Thank you," she said as they reached his car. "For all of this. I know you made it happen."

Mason looked at her for a long moment. "Don't waste this chance." was all he said.

"I won't," she smiled even through the coldness. "I'm going to show everyone exactly who Sarah Chen really is."

"Sarah Liu." Mason corrected with a straight face.

She nodded, blushing. "Sarah Liu."