The city moved like nothing was wrong.
Cars passing.
People talking.
Life going on.
Everything was shifting.
Jayden sat in the back seat.
Quiet.
Focused.
Dressed simple—but clean.
His hand rested lightly near his side.
The wound still there.
Still real.
She glanced at him.
"You good?"
"Yeah."
A pause.
"…just thinking."
"Everything," he said.
"Don't overthink it," the producer said.
"Just be you."
Jayden looked out the window.
Streets passing.
Memories hitting.
One side—
Music.
Opportunity.
A future.
OTHER SIDE—
Enemies.
Blood.
Unfinished problems.
"We here," the producer said.
Building.
Clean.
Modern.
Quiet power.
Jayden stepped out slowly.
Looking around.
Taking it in.
Not the streets.
Not survival.
Something else.
They walked in.
Reception.
Glass walls.
People moving with purpose.
Some glanced.
Some didn't.
But Jayden felt it.
Everything here felt controlled.
Measured.
Door opened.
Inside—
Two people waiting.
Serious.
Watching.
"This him?"
One of them asked.
PRODUCER
"Yeah."
Not friendly.
Not cold.
Just… evaluating.
Jayden steps forward.
"Jayden."
"We heard your track."
A pause.
"You got something."
BUT—
"That don't mean anything yet."
Jayden nodded slightly.
"I know."
"But I can show you."
SAME TIME
Different part of the city.
Different energy.
Dre sat in the back of a car.
Not driving this time.
Not in control.
Two men in front.
Watching him through the mirror.
No escape.
Not now.
Jayden.
Amara.
His brother.
"Today," one of them said.
"You finish it."
Because he already knew what that meant.
...
"So what you want?" one of the label reps asked.
Jayden paused.
Thinking carefully.
"A way out."
Interesting.
"And what you willing to give for it?"
Jayden leaned forward slightly.
Eyes steady.
"Everything."
...
Door opens.
Dre stepped out slowly.
Looked up.
A building.
Clean.
Modern.
The label.
Dre's jaw tightened.
This wasn't random.
Because while Jayden was walking into his future…
His past was already waiting inside.