Page 60 of For The Record

“No, I need you to promise not to go anywhere near him.”

“I promise, gosh. Anyway. I’m going to sleep. Good night, Leo.”

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@RedRobin: #IStandWithAlina I can’t believe Leo Perez turned out to be such a jerk

@RyderBlackFanOfficial: @RedRobin #IStandwithAlina Why is everyone so surprised? Look who the guy’s dad is @BTS4eva: @RyderBlackFanOfficial wdym??

@RyderBlackFanOfficial: @BTS4eva didn’t you know?? leo perez’s dad is antonio perez, basically another harvey weinstein

@BTS4eva: @RyderBlackFanOfficial NO WAY

@RyderBlackFanOfficial: @BTS4Eva it’s on Wikipedia… there are RECEIPTS

Chapter 28: Leo Perez

“Thank you, everyone, for coming,” I say, standing in the boardroom. A few employees gawk and whisper at my black eye, but I ignore it. Thankfully, it’s faded to more of a yellowish-green colour by now, but it’s still pretty hard to ignore. “I’m sure you know why you’re here. All of you were present in the room when Ryder Black recorded the song that was leaked to the public and subsequently stolen by Naoya Sugawa.”

Skye and Alina are both present. I can’t believe the latter would have the audacity to show up here after everything that she’s done.

“So you think one of us could have done it,” says Piper Oliveira, a sound engineer. She fiddles with the end of her braid, her brown eyes sullen behind black-rimmed glasses.

“Effectively, yes,” I say. “I’ve called up somebody from HR and he’ll take over from here. None of you are to leave until this investigation is finished.”

A chorus of protests rises up around the room, a hand shooting up. Mark Leong’s. “And how long is this going to take?”

“As long as it takes all of you to cooperate, so I suggest you do so.” I fold my arms across my chest, trying not to think about Alina. I don’t know if she was in the room when Ryder was recording, so someone else might have helped her. Now, something twists in my stomach at the thought that I have a mole in the company.

With that, I let the professionals take over. The HR man I asked for, Beckett Anderson, a wiry man with thinning gray hair that stands out against his deep brown skin, cuts an imposing figure, causing the boardroom to quiet down almost immediately.

“Who would like to go first?” His baritone voice booms throughout the room. “Nobody? Great.” He points at Mark. “You’re up.”

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Transcript of Beckett Anderson’s interview with Mark Leong

December 12, 10:15 am.

BA: Before we begin, I want to assure you that unless it pertains to the investigation, this interview will remain confidential.

ML: I didn’t do anything

BA: I haven’t asked a question yet, but it’s nice of you to offer an answer, anyway

ML:

BA: Were you in the room when Ryder Black was recording his single on April 4 at 3:15 pm?

ML: Yes, I was

BA: Then there’s reason to suspect you

ML: What if I told you the leak was from someone who wasn’t in the room

BA: That’s not possible

ML: Look at the findings. Volume traced the leaks to a computer that was outside of the recording studio when it happened

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