Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 314

*Take a break?* she thought frantically. *What about my assistants? My PR team? They don't take a break from their paychecks! I have massive expenses every month!*

"Lawrence, I'll get my PR team on damage control right now. Please, just give me a chance."

"Absolutely not. Not this time.

Just lay low. Once this blows over, I'll have the agency line up some new gigs for you."

"Alright," she whispered brokenly. "But please... make it fast."

*Play stupid games, win stupid prizes,* Lawrence thought coldly. She had brought this entirely on herself.

Looking thoroughly defeated, Quinn shuffled toward the front door.

Her two assistants saw her emerging and quickly hurried to her side.

Just as she stepped out into the courtyard, a luxury town car rolled through the gates. Quinn stopped and stared as a stunning, heavily dressed young woman stepped out.

The woman was flanked by two imposing bodyguards and a man who looked like an assistant.

Quinn's instincts instantly flared. Was this Lawrence's shiny new starlet?

Was he benching her just to replace her with this girl?

She narrowed her eyes, scanning the woman's face, but she didn't recognize her from any A-list circles.

Just then, Zachary stepped forward, offering the new arrival a polite, sweeping gesture toward the house.

"Miss Mercer, right this way."

A name suddenly clicked in Quinn's brain.

*Mira Mercer!* Yes, that was it. The famous singer from Melvion City.

She had only released a handful of tracks, but each one was a massive hit. Word was she was also some kind of genius.

"Are you Mira Mercer?" Quinn snapped, stepping into her path.

Mara cast a disdainful glance at the disheveled woman and completely ignored her, continuing her walk toward the mansion.

*How irritating,* Mara thought. *I just get out of the car, and the first thing I hear is that bitch's name shouted at me.*

Was Mira really that famous now? While she, Mara, remained a total nobody?

"You're just some small-town singer. What gives you the right to act so arrogant?" Quinn sneered to her retreating back.

Shrinking back, the assistant had no choice but to follow at a safe distance and pray for the best.

Meanwhile, Mara followed Zachary into the sprawling, opulent living room.

"Miss Mercer, this is Mr. Lance," Zachary introduced.

Mara looked up and was instantly struck. The man sitting before her was devastatingly handsome. He wore a sharply tailored black suit that screamed old money and refined power.

He had a predatory gaze that faintly resembled Owen's, though his features were sharper, more aristocratic, lacking Owen's rugged edge.

*The head of the Lance family?* Mara thought. *He must be even more powerful than Owen.*

If she could capture this man's heart, she would finally have the absolute power she needed to grind Mira into the dirt. Or, at the very least, secure a highly lucrative partnership.

*So what if you clung to Owen, Mira?*

*I managed to get you kicked out of the Mercer house, and now, I'm going to ruin you all over again.*

Just as Mara was lost in her grandiose fantasies, Quinn came violently bursting into the room.

"Lawrence! Do not trust a word she says! I literally just saw her with Owen a few days ago!"