章節 42: Listening Party II

The sleek black car glided up to the front entrance of a luxurious five-star hotel, the grand venue for Ethan's highly anticipated listening party. The evening sun cast a warm golden glow on the towering building, its glass facade glimmering with elegance. As the car slowed to a stop, Ethan adjusted his turtle neck, taking a deep breath. Confidence radiated from him as he prepared to step into the spotlight.

The moment he opened the door and stepped out, cameras flashed wildly. Reporters and fans surged forward, their voices rising into a chorus of excitement and questions.

"Ethan! Over here! How does it feel hosting your first listening party?"

"Ethan, what can we expect from the album?"

"Ethan, who inspired this project?"

Fans added their voices to the frenzy:

"We love you, Ethan!"

"Ethan, you're a legend already!"

"Is that your family with you? They're gorgeous!"

Ethan smiled, offering a few polite waves before turning to help his mom, Emily, step out of the car. She looked as elegant as ever, her cream dress glowing under the hotel lights. Precious followed, stepping out with a poise that rivaled her mother's. Ethan couldn't help but grin when the cameras turned their focus to his sister, who appeared both flattered and overwhelmed by the sudden attention.

The guards for the event quickly moved in, parting the sea of fans and reporters as they guided the family toward the entrance. Inside the safety of the hotel, the noise dimmed to a low hum. Bill and Rebecca appeared moments later, joining the group.

Adam offered Bill a curt nod as a greeting. "Good to see you, Bill."

Rebecca, ever polished in her professional demeanor, stepped forward with a friendly smile. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Adams. I'm Rebecca, Ethan's PR manager."

Emily smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you. Thank you for everything you're doing for Ethan."

As the group moved toward the venue hall, Rebecca checked her watch before turning to Ethan. "I'm so sorry, but we need Ethan to greet a few people before the event kicks off. You can all head in and enjoy the party. Ethan will come find you as soon as he's free."

Ethan turned to his family with a grin. "Save me a drink or two. I'll catch up soon."

"Don't keep us waiting too long," Emily teased, as Adam and Precious followed her inside.

The hall was breathtaking. Chandeliers hung like cascading crystals from the vaulted ceiling, casting a soft glow across the room. The walls were adorned with sophisticated accents of black and gold, matching the sleek furniture and decor. At the center of the room, however, was the showstopper: a massive black-and-white photograph of Ethan himself. It captured him mid-recording session, sweat glistening on his forehead, his expression raw and passionate. The photo was striking and perfectly reflected the energy of the music about to be unveiled.

Rebecca led Ethan through the crowd to a group of powerful-looking men in tailored suits. Among them, Ethan instantly recognized Jessica, the no-nonsense head of his team at Universal Music Group.

One of the men turned, and Ethan's eyes widened. It was the CEO of Universal Music Group.

Ethan blinked, stunned. "Sir… what are you doing here?"

The CEO's face broke into a smile. "Of course I'm here. You think I'd miss the first listening party of our future superstar?"

Ethan smiled, humbled, but his surprise doubled when his gaze landed on Julia—the executive who had first discovered him. It was she who had sent that life-changing message on YouTube.

"Julia," Ethan said warmly, offering a handshake. "None of this would've happened without you."

"I just opened the door," Julia replied with a grin. "You walked through it, Ethan."

They shared a few minutes of light conversation, discussing the album and its potential impact. Before long, Rebecca returned, tapping Ethan on the arm.

"Sorry, Ethan, but there's a couple more people you need to meet," she said.

"Of course," Ethan said, excusing himself politely.

This time, Rebecca guided Ethan toward the section where his most dedicated fans stood. A handful of lucky supporters had been invited to the event, chosen at random from thousands who entered the lottery. One young woman in particular caught Ethan's eye. Her enthusiasm was contagious, her grin nearly splitting her face.

"You're Bella Turner, right?" Ethan asked, stopping in front of her.

Her jaw dropped. "You know my name?"

"Are you kidding? You're Bella T—the superfan who's always liking my posts and leaving comments. I'm glad I finally get to meet you."

Bella practically glowed. "It's not luck! I entered the lottery over 600 times to be here!"

Ethan laughed, genuinely impressed. "Well, persistence pays off, huh? I'm glad you made it."

The fans fired off eager questions:

"Ethan, what's your favorite song on the album?"

"Will there be a tour soon?"

"How do you stay so grounded with all the fame?"

Ethan answered each question graciously before excusing himself once again. The night was far from over.

For the next hour, Ethan mingled with industry giants—executives from Nike and Hermès, producers, and celebrities. He greeted his producer, Max, with a hug and shared laughs with other icons, including P. Diddy, whose clinginess left Ethan slightly uncomfortable. The highlight, however, was meeting Tom Cruise.

"I can't believe it," Ethan gushed, shaking the actor's hand. "I'm a huge fan of Mission Impossible. Like, huge."

Tom chuckled. "I'm honored. Can't wait to hear the album, Ethan."

As Ethan finally grabbed a quiet moment with Rebecca, he leaned in and whispered, "I knew you said this was going to be big, but this is crazy."

Rebecca laughed. "Get used to it, Ethan. If this album blows up the way I think it will, this is small compared to what's coming."

Across the room, Adam and Bill stood near the back, chatting quietly.

"Where's Precious?" Bill asked, glancing around.

Adam chuckled. "Ditched us for some influencers she follows on Instagram. Emily went after her to make sure she doesn't get into trouble."

Bill shook his head fondly. "Kids." Adam paused, his expression turning more serious. "How's Ethan coping with all of this? It's a lot, you know."

Bill smiled, his voice confident. "The kid's a natural. The way he handles the fame, the pressure—it's like he was made for this. You've got one hell of a son, Adam."

Adam smiled softly. "Thanks, Bill."

Suddenly, Ethan's voice echoed through the room, silencing the chatter.

"Good evening, everyone."

All eyes turned toward the stage, where Ethan stood with a microphone in hand, his expression full of pride and gratitude.

"First of all, I want to thank all of you for being here tonight. To my fans, my family, my team, my label, and my friend and producer Max—this wouldn't have been possible without you. So thank you."

He paused, a grin breaking across his face.

"Now, get ready. I'm about to play my album. It's called… One of a Kind."

The room erupted into applause, but as the first notes of music filled the air, a palpable hush settled over the crowd. This was the moment everyone had been waiting

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