Chapter 432: Tango

Debra offered Edgar her hand, a challenge gleaming in her eyes. He accepted without hesitation. Henry signaled the broadcast room, and the sultry rhythm of the tango soon filled the practice field.

Edgar wrapped an arm around Debra's waist, whispering, "No one, not even Juan, can let you go. If you were mine, I wouldn't either."

"Is that so?" Debra's response was swift and painful—a stomp on his foot. Edgar winced, but she wasn't finished. Another stomp sent him reeling back.

"I heard you're backing Juan's investment in this trainee program. Is it true?"

"Juan likes you so much. Even with the divorce, he still shares everything with you."

"You've invested several billion. Aren't you afraid of losing it all?"

Edgar shrugged. "Juan's investments are solid. I'm not worried."

"Who said Juan's investments are always safe?" Debra looked up, a sly gleam in her eyes. "Believe it or not, I can make that program bleed money within three months."

Edgar chuckled, unconcerned. "If you can pull that off, I'll be impressed. But a program worth billions? It's not that easy to sink—"

"Oh, but it is," Debra retorted. "Make life difficult for the trainees now, and you're sabotaging your own investment. They're going on a show the day after tomorrow. If they're all too sick to perform, the ratings will tank, and no one will care about the trainee program anymore. In this industry, the rewards are high, and so are the risks. Without funding, you can't produce new stars, and it's bound to be a loss."

Edgar's smile faded. "You're forgetting about breach of contract fees."

Every trainee signed an agreement; breaking it meant paying millions—a huge sum for ordinary families. No one dared breach the contract; they endured the company's demands. Those with poor qualifications were sidelined and forced to breach the contract. Ultimately, the company profited more from breach fees than it lost. The potential revenue from successful stars was immeasurable; as long as the investment was backed by a large company with personnel, technology, and funds, it wouldn't be a loss.

Debra grinned. "What if someone poaches the entire batch of trainees?"

Edgar raised an eyebrow. "There are always more."

"True," Debra said, "but training a new batch takes time, money, and momentum. It's a gamble, isn't it?"

"Do you think Potter Entertainment will let them leave?"

"It's hard to say."

Edgar was unaware of Debra's connection to Andrew or her stake in the program. Publicly, only the McKinney Group's involvement was known; Debra's ownership remained a secret.

Edgar released Debra, stepping back. His shoes were covered in footprints, but he remained composed. "Let them stop," he said.