Chapter 236: A Better Launch Idea

The SUV rolled through the iron gates of the estate, the soft hum of the engine cutting through the evening quiet.

As we pulled along the winding driveway, the headlights swept across the private track on the east wing.

There was May, completely locked in. Dressed in her sleek training kit, she was hitting her stride on the straightaway with pure, effortless power.

Her form was flawless—mentally, she was already in the Grand Prix, dialed into the same terrifying focus that produced her world record run.

I signaled the driver to slow down to a crawl, cruising alongside the track perimeter for a moment. Lowering the tinted window, I leaned my arm on the frame.

"Looking sharp, May!" I called out with a smirk. "Don’t burn up the synthetic turf before race day!"

May didn’t even break stride, just flashed a quick, confident grin sideways at the SUV. "Just keeping the engine warm, boss! Save me a drink inside!"

We pulled up to the main mansion and parked. I stepped out first, extending my hand to help Chloe out of the high vehicle.

Parked near the secondary entrance was a massive, custom luxury tour bus, glittering with sleek vinyl wraps and road-crew equipment being stowed away by production assistants. That could only mean one thing: Ruby’s album launch was officially dropping tonight.

Chloe glanced at the bus, adjusting her blazer with a soft chuckle. "Ah, popstar time," she murmured, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "I’m going to head upstairs, take a hot shower, and grab a quick power nap before the night gets crazy. Join me in a bit?"

"Definitely," I smiled, kissing her cheek as she headed up the grand staircase.

Heading down the polished corridor toward the media wing, I passed by Ruby’s private recording studio. Through the soundproof glass panels, I could see Ruby hunched over a master mixing console with her sound engineers, adjusting the final acoustic tweaks for her midnight drop...

I pushed open the heavy, soundproof door to the studio, and the moment the handle turned, Ruby spun around from her console.

Before I could even take a full step inside, she sprinted across the polished floor and leaped right at me, throwing her arms tightly around my neck. I caught her effortlessly, wrapping my arms around her waist as she clung to me, giggling into my neck.

"I missed you!" she gushed, pulling back just enough to look at me with those bright, sparkling eyes, a gorgeous pout on her lips.

"Ruby, I was literally gone for an hour," I laughed softly, holding her close. "And we literally saw each other this morning."

"Doesn’t matter!" she declared, nuzzling her cheek against mine with a soft grin. "An hour without you feels like a week! Besides, the house felt too quiet while you were taking down companies."

She slid down to her feet, though she didn’t let go of my hand, practically dragging me over to the main mixing chair in front of the massive studio monitors.

"Everything is set," she said excitedly, her usual energetic self buzzing with pure adrenaline. "The streaming counters are already live, the global pre-saves hit four million, and the midnight drop is completely locked in. But before the rest of the world gets to hear it... I want you to listen to the master cut."

I said slipping a heavy pair of high-end reference headphones over my ears, then pressed play on the main board.

Every track transitioned seamlessly into the next, showcasing her vocal range in a way that made it clear this wasn’t just an album—it was a career-defining masterpiece.

When the final note faded into quiet reverb, I slipped the headphones down around my neck.

"Ruby..." I looked at her, offering a genuine, proud smile. "It’s perfect. Absolute perfection."

Her face lit up like a Christmas tree, a proud, radiant smile spreading across her features as she threw her arms around me again. "If you love it, then I already won tonight!"

A slow, mastermind grin spread across my face as I looked down at Ruby sitting comfortably in my lap.

"I’ve got an even better idea for midnight," I said smoothly, running my fingers through her hair. "Why host a standard digital livestream from a sterile studio when we can turn the countdown into a massive live event?"

Ruby tilted her head up, her eyes wide with curiosity. "What are you thinking, Ethan?"

"We take the entire countdown to Lumen, out in the countryside," I said. "We set up a surprise pop-up live stage right at the estate’s surrounding grounds. We go live thirty minutes before midnight. The sudden venue announcement will draw thousands of local fans straight to the countryside, drive insane foot traffic to our local luxury venues, generate massive extra revenue on the spot, and give the fans a legendary, once-in-a-lifetime show."

Ruby’s face completely lit up as the genius of the move sank in.

"Oh my god, Ethan... that is brilliant!" she squealed, clapping her hands together in excitement. "A real countryside pop-up concert for the midnight drop?! The energy is going to be absolutely insane! The fans are going to lose their minds!"

"It’s a win on every single level," I smiled, pulling out my phone to tap Sarah. "More money, massive publicity, an unforgettable experience for your fans, and a giant flex to the entire music industry."

Within seconds, Sarah had the event production teams on the line, dispatching stage crews, lighting rigs, security detail, and private shuttles to transform Lumen countryside into the ultimate midnight album launch experience.

"We have two hours until midnight," Ruby grinned, planting a quick, energetic kiss on my cheek before sliding off my lap. "I need to get into my full stage fit and prep the vocal warm-ups!"

Leaving Ruby to warm up her vocals with her sound crew, I headed upstairs to the master suite to join Chloe. Taking a hot, relaxing shower together was the perfect reset after a long, high-stakes day of corporate buyouts and auction traps.

By the time we stepped out dressed in sleek, effortless evening attire, the estate’s helipad was already humming.

Chloe and I boarded the private luxury chopper, gliding smoothly through the night sky toward Lumen in the countryside. The aerial view below was stunning, but the energy at the venue was even higher. Patricia had already arrived hours earlier to oversee the business operations, and as our chopper touched down on the pad, the side doors slid open to reveal a bright, familiar face running across the lawn.

"Ethan! Chloe!"

It was young Emiliana, practically bouncing on her toes with pure, uncontained excitement. The moment Ruby stepped down behind us, Emiliana’s jaw dropped.

"Ruby!" Emiliana gasped, clutching her hands to her chest. "I—I’ve been practicing my chorus part every single day! I still can’t believe I’m actually a featured track on your album!"

Ruby let out a warm laugh, opening her arms and pulling her youngest fan-turned-collaborator into a tight, proud hug. "You earned that feature, sweetie! Your vocals on that track are going to make the entire world cry tonight. I’m so proud of you!"

Patricia walked up with a thrilled smile, greeting us warmly before turning toward the main countryside complex. "Ethan, while you were taking down Sterling Co., Emiliana’s mom and I came up with a massive promotional crossover. We designed a brand-new special Lumen combo meal specifically tailored for the launch night!"

"Music, high-end food, and a countryside festival vibe," I said with a approving smirk. "Putting those together is going to break revenue records tonight."

I immediately called up Ruby’s head management team on the line. "Hold the main gates and secure the perimeter till our motorcade secures the perimeter... then launch the official listening party right here at Lumen."

With a single tap, Ruby’s official social media accounts dropped the surprise location pin to millions of waiting fans online:

"Ruby Long Awaited ALBUM: MIDNIGHT LAUNCH & LIVE PERFORMANCE AT LUMEN COUNTRYSIDE. DOORS OPEN NOW."