Page 62 of Discover Me
"There's nothing to salvage." Jordan speaks up before I can. "We're here to formally dissolve our contracts with the label, effective immediately. All four of us."
The room erupts. Tom shoots to his feet, his face going red. The legal representatives start talking over each other. The PR managers look like they might faint.
"You can't be serious!" Tom's voice rises above the chaos. "You're throwing away everything we've built over some Beta you've known for two weeks?"
"We're serious." Liam's voice is calm but firm. "We found the clause in our contracts that allows simultaneous termination with minimal penalties. We've all discussed it, had our lawyers review it, and we're unified in this decision."
"This is because of the timeline changes," Jordan adds. "The way you manipulated Kellan and Micah's relationship for publicity. The constant control over our creative direction. We're done being products you can manipulate."
I lean forward, my eyes locked on Tom. "You would have ripped the one good thing that happened to me away from me. For what? Album sales? A narrative that fits your vision? Fuck that. I have a good, strong man at my side and I want to keep him. I'm choosing him over this."
"He signed the contract!" Tom slams his hand on the table. "A legally binding agreement that he's now in violation of!"
"That you conned him into," I shoot back. "You told him it was an NDA and had him sign before he could read it properly. Then you soft-launched our relationship with a stolen security camera photo before he even knew what was happening. You manipulated both of us."
Tom opens his mouth to argue but the CEO holds up a hand. "Gentlemen, let's not make this uglier than it needs to be. If you're determined to leave, we can't stop you given the contract language. But let's discuss the logistics."
"You've had three years to make things better," I say, my voice hard. "Every time it came down to money or our desires, you chose money. Every time we pushed back on creative direction, you overruled us. We're done compromising. So yeah, we're leaving. Bye."
The CEO's expression hardens. "You realize as part of this contract termination, you lose everything the label provided, right? The houses we bought for you, the cars we lease in your names, any equipment or instruments that belong to the company. You walk away with your earned income and nothing else."
I immediately pull my car keys from my pocket and throw them on the conference table. Rex, Jordan, and Liam do the same, the metallic clatter loud in the tense silence.
"I'll move out of the apartment by the end of the week," I say. "Pack my personal belongings and leave the rest. Same with any company equipment."
"Wait, let's not be too hasty!" Tom's tone shifts, desperation creeping in. "We can renegotiate. Adjust the terms, give you more creative control. There's no need to blow everything up over one relationship."
"Too late." I stand, done with this conversation. "But I do expect the entirety of my final check by the end of the month. Not a penny short. That money was earned, not gifted, and I want every cent I'm owed."
My bandmates stand with me, a united front. The legal representatives are already pulling out paperwork, probably figuring out damage control and how to process simultaneous contract terminations.
I walk out of that conference room feeling lighter than I have in years. Yes, I'm losing my apartment and my car and the financial security the label provided. But I'm keeping Micah. I'm keeping my integrity. I'm keeping the music that actually matters to me.
Outside, the morning sun is bright and warm. I head for where I left my car—except it's not my car anymore, I guess. Just the car I drove here that belongs to the label now.
Micah stands against it, and I notice he's holding a small flower he must have picked from the landscaping and a Dr Pepper he brought from his house. The sight makes me grin despite everything. He waves as I approach, that soft smile on his face that makes everything worth it.
Then I notice a few people approaching him, fans who must have recognized him from social media. He looks suddenly overwhelmed, his shoulders tensing as they get closer.
I jog up, hearing their voices as I reach them.
"You're Micah, right? Kellan's boyfriend?"
"Oh my god, you're so pretty in person!"
"Can we get a picture with you both? You guys are literally perfect together!"
"Kellan's never been this open about a relationship before. You must be really special."
The attention clearly flusters Micah but he's handling it well, smiling and nodding. I slide my arm around his waist, pulling him close.
"We'd be happy to take some pictures," I say, and we pose for a few quick photos with the small group of fans.
As they leave, practically bouncing with excitement, I turn to Micah. "How about a date? A real one, no contractual obligations. Just me taking out my boyfriend because I want to spend time with him."
"I assume the meeting went well?" Micah's tone is teasing but there's real concern underneath.
"Fuck no, it was a disaster." I laugh, the sound slightly manic. "They're definitely going to try and sue us. Tom's probably already on the phone with attack lawyers. But right now, I just want to eat down-to-earth food that I can pronounce with my boyfriend. Tomorrow, we'll tackle the hard stuff. Today, I just want to be with you."
