"Welcome to Limitless Talent, Ms. Sommers."

The tall blond woman greeted her with a nervous smile— one in which she returned kindly. Alana exited the car, standing up to her full height before the trembling woman.

"My name is Noelle and I'll be giving you a brief tour of the building before we head up to the conference room," her voice was shaky and she had no idea why she was feeling so nervous. It might be the fact that standing in front of her in all her glory, was the world-famous singer that may be potentially signing with them.

Despite being a few inches taller than the singer, Alana still managed to intimidate the fuck out of her. It didn't help that Noelle was a big fan of Alana's, so her feelings of nervousness were doubled. She desperately wondered why she was the one her boss had chosen to give Alana a tour of the building.

Noelle couldn't help but stare at the beautiful woman in front of her. The aura Alana emitted enchanted and rendered her speechless. Glancing down at her outfit and comparing it to the one Alana wore, Noelle was sure that the beautiful one-shoulder satin Isabella Knight dress, Gucci belt, and high waisted boots that Alana had on was probably all worth more than her paycheck.

"It's nice to meet you, Noelle," Alana's soft voice broke the woman out of her trance. "You can just call me Alana."

Noelle gave her a nervous smile. "Of course, Ms. So-" She stopped herself, looking embarrassed at her slip-up. "Sorry, I mean, Alana. Mr. Pierce apologizes for not being able to give you a tour himself— he got caught up with a meeting with the board."

"It's fine. And no need to be nervous, Noelle," chuckled Alana, as they made their way to the grand glass double doors, a stark contrast to the basement parking lot they had just emerged from.

Noelle let out an anxious chuckle. "Of course. I'm just-" She took a deep breath. "I'm a big fan and I really loved your last album— it's been on repeat these past few months."

Matt walked in front of them as he opened the door for both Alana and Noelle with Daniel trailing after them.

"Thank you so much," Alana smiled gratefully. "Just think of me like I'm your friend and you're giving me a tour of your workplace."

"I'll try," promised Noelle, taking a deep breath to try and calm her nerves. She took the key card that hung around her neck and scanned it on the side of a large glass door, directly opposite to the set of elevators on the left side.

"Great— and I'll try to be on my best behavior, too," winked Alana, with a teasing hint in her voice. "I've been told I seem hard to approach, but I swear I'm nice. I don't have an RBF. Right, Matt?"

"Of course ma'am," answered Matt swiftly, holding the door open for Alana.

"Do you think I have an RBF?" Asked Alana, pausing to look at her bodyguard who had his signature stoic expression on his face.

Matt hesitated. "I'm...not quite sure I know what that is, Ms. Sommers."

His answer had Daniel snickering in the back as Noelle tried her best not to burst into laughter.

"A resting bitch face," Alana replied with a stoic expression of her own.

"It's kind of difficult to see your expression with your sunglasses on, Ms. Sommers," Matt answered truthfully. "But, no, you usually don't have an... RBF."

"Usually," repeated Alana as she tilted her head to the side, wanting to desperately laugh. Instead, she shrugged and continued. "Huh. I must seem more intimidating with my sunglasses on, then."

With that, she walked on, with Noelle quickly following after in an attempt to catch up to the quick-paced girl. How Alana was so fast with her 4-inch heeled boots was a mystery to everyone. But to Alana, it was nothing compared to dancing on stage with them.

"So, the basement floor is where all the company employees enter from— they usually go up to the offices through the elevators we saw earlier. As you can see, only those with a specific key card can access this area of the building," Noelle introduced as Alana took a look around.

Everything was a sleek modern design with florescent lights illuminating the marble floors. In front of them, there was a white marbled receptionist table with the company logo written on the surface, where a woman sat typing away on her computer.

"This is Darlene, and she basically manages this area, making sure everyone who's not supposed to be in here stays out. We always have security outside the doors to ensure the talents' safety," said Noelle.

Alana nodded, smiling at the middle-aged woman. "It's nice to meet you, Darlene."

"Pleasure to meet you as well, Ms. Sommers," replied Darlene with a kind smile on her face. Alana could hardly imagine this kind-looking woman kicking anyone out.

"Don't let her sweet facade fool you," whispered Noelle, as she led Alana to a different set of elevators to the left of the reception. "I've seen her personally throw out crazy fans who managed to sneak in through security. She even gave the security a piece of her mind for doing a shitty job. Let's just say they found themselves jobless the next day."

Alana giggled, as she nodded in understanding. "So, stay on Darlene's good side. Got it."

"Oh, don't worry, Darlene loves us like she loves her own children. She's like the Godmother of everyone who works here," reassured Noelle, before pressing the elevator button. "While we're waiting for the elevator, I should tell you that this is where most of the photoshoots happen. We have dressing rooms and equipment all ready and set up through those doors over there," Noelle pointed to the double doors to the right of Darlene.

"Why is it on the basement level?" Alana asked, following Noelle into the elevator with Matt and Daniel walking in closely behind. It was completely built out of glass, but equally as grand as the rest of the building.

"It's easier for all the staff to access through the underground parking without bringing all their equipment up the elevator. Also, the space is much bigger and can hold a bunch of shoots at the same time," answered Noelle, scanning her keycard before pressing the 10th floor, as Alana nodded in understanding.

"So, we're going up to the 10th floor, but the reason why everyone enters in from the basement is because the first two floors are completely open to the public. There's a cafe and restaurant where fans can dine at— you're welcome to try it whenever you'd like. And the menus are based on some of the talents' personal favorite dishes and drinks. On the second floor, we have a little museum space where the history of all the artists and talents that have signed with us over the years are displayed," she explained, as Alana listened with interest. She loved how interactive Adrian and Asher had designed the building, and she was sure fans were in for a treat whenever they visited the building. "I'm assuming that if you do sign with us, Alana, that you'd get a section dedicated to you as well."

"I think that's an amazing idea for the fans," Alana looked down through the one-way glass and watched the people, whom she assumed to be fans, look around the tall ceilings with awe.

"It really is. Both brothers made it so that the fans could feel closer to their idols," agreed Noelle, feeling a sense of pride when talking about her bosses. "Apparently Mr. Pierce is very good friends with Liam Smith of Smith Architects, and he had the famous Aurora Knight help with the interior designing. I believe the younger Mr. Pierce personally worked with Aurora to bringing his vision to life."

The elevator dinged as Alana processed the information being learned. It wasn't a surprise to her that Asher had personally helped with the interior designing process. While Adrian was always more into producing music, Asher was more of the artsy type.

"Welcome to the 10th floor. So, this is where the brand new recording studios are. They just finished renovating this floor as it used to be an office space. We have top of the line producers working here at the moment and even Mr. Pierce can be found in here sometimes," Noelle paused to let Alana look around.

There were around 4 large recording studios, all modernly designed to match the rest of the building. Peeping her head into one of them, she noted how large and posh the room was, with a glass window separating the control room from the live recording area. Black leather couches allowed for a comfortable session and she could practically see herself living here as she lost herself in the world of music.

"Why did they completely remodel this?" Asked Alana curiously.

"We originally only managed actors, actresses, and models, so a recording studio wasn't necessary. But after merging our company with Mr. Gilligan's, these studios were added with the help of Mr. Gilligan himself," answered Noelle.

"I see," nodded Alana with an understanding. "You seem to know a lot about all of this."

"I am Mr. Pierce's personal assistant, so I was very lucky to have been a part of this whole planning process," Noelle led Alana back to the elevator, before scanning her card again, this time pressing the 11th floor.

"I think you're doing a great job, Noelle," complimented Alana, leaning back against the rails. "How is it working for Adrian?"

"He's a great boss, a bit picky about certain things, but only because he likes perfection," Noelle was a bit hesitant, but answered truthfully, causing Alana to laugh at her honesty. "Please don't tell Mr. Pierce I said that."

"My lips are sealed," Alana promised. "It's nice to know he hasn't changed."

"I heard you grew up with Mr. Pierce," murmured Noelle, walking out of the elevator with Alana following.

"I did— our families are friends," smiled Alana. "Adrian always liked to nitpick on the smallest things and him being germaphobic didn't help. He's a nagger and I'm sure you know that, but he always likes things neat and tidy."

"Don't tell him I told you this," Alana continued, a smile making its way onto her face as she remembered a particular memory. "But back when we were younger and we were at his family's lake house, Marianne and I decided it would be funny to prank him with melted chocolate on his bedsheets while he was asleep. When he woke up, we pretended we were eating it, and let me tell you, I've never heard a guy screech so loud like a girl— he really thought he took a shit on the bed in his sleep. I swear I almost died laughing."

Noelle laughed, feeling more comfortable with Alana. "I can practically imagine his horror."

"Oh, it was hilarious," giggled Alana, her mind taking her back to that memory. "I bet he'd still freak out if we did it to him today."

"He probably would," agreed Daniel, having just gotten off the phone with Gucci's PR team. "The people at Gucci are asking if you'd be willing to bump up the photoshoot to next week."

"Do I have time in my schedule?" Asked Alana, giving Noelle an apologetic smile for the interruption.

"Wednesday," answered Daniel. "They feel bad for bumping it up and promise it won't take long. You'll still have plenty of time for dance practice."

"Okay," Alana nodded.

"Great, I'll let them know and I'll add it to the schedule," replied Daniel, pulling out his phone again. "I'll let the dance team know as well."

"Thanks, Daniel," Alana gave him a squeeze on the arm in appreciation at how on top of things Daniel was, before turning her attention back to Noelle, who was waiting to the side patiently. "Sorry about that, Noelle."

"No worries," nodded Noelle, before bringing Alana further into the space through the wooden double doors. "Speaking of dance practice, this is the dance studio, which was also just renovated recently."

This was probably Alana's favorite part of the tour. As much as she loved the recording studios, she loved the dance studios even more. A big part of her performances and music videos involved dance and this was where she was able to bring her songs to light.

It was a grand room and she looked around in awe at the large mirrors that completely covered one side of the wall from top to bottom. In the back, there were long benches built into the walls where dancers and other staff could rest as well as a large booth where the music would be played.

Noelle led her to the side where an opening led to a small snack area with a large couch. "This is where you can take breaks between practices. Anything taken from here would be free of charge."

God, it was like this was made for her. She wondered if they built this for her, knowing she would be spending large amounts of time in here practicing. She knew that idea was probably not likely, but damn was she in love.

Noelle showed her around the floor, where 2 other practice studios were, including one for band practice. It was equally as grand and she just knew Cameron and the boys would love it.

"Now, that's basically the end of the tour. I'll lead you up to where both Mr. Pierces' offices are as well as the conference room," Noelle brought her back into the elevator and hit the top floor.

The top floor was probably the fanciest of them all. It was decorated very sophisticatedly with a modern hint that matched the rest of the building. The elevator opened up to a hallway, where actors, actresses, and models' photos that were signed under the agency were aligned.

She paused at a familiar photo, feeling the reason why she was hesitant to sign in the first place, rise.

"That's Tiffany Burke," answered Noelle, seeing the photo that caught Alana's attention. "She's a rising model."

Alana nodded slowly. "I see."

"Her dad's apparently tied to the Pierces, but in all honesty, people seem to be wary around her, especially the brothers," added Noelle. "I've also heard some nasty stories from some of her staff— I doubt her career in this industry will last very long." Noelle blurted before covering her mouth quickly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to blurt that part out loud."

Alana laughed, giving Noelle a reassuring squeeze on the hand. "Again, my lips are sealed, Noelle. But I do appreciate the honesty."

"Damn it, I really need to watch what I say," Noelle muttered, silently scolding herself for being so careless. "But enough about her. We're going to be passing Mrs. Pierce's office soon. Well, it's less of an office and more of a mini studio. This is where she arranges all of the outfits and has her fittings. Mrs. Pierce and her staff usually convene in this room, but their offices are all on the lower levels."

They passed by a clear door, that had 'Helen Pierce' written on the gold nameplate on it. Alana immediately took notice of the grand room with a large selection of cloth and outfits on hangers. There was a circular platform in the middle of the room and an adjoining changing room to the side.

Noelle continued to lead her to the reception area before the offices. "And this is where you'll find me most of the time." She pointed at the desk. "Both of the brothers' offices are to the left and the conference room is to the right. You can also find most of the directors' offices on the floor below us. We have conference rooms on every floor, but this one is usually used for the most important meetings regarding the talents."

Alana nodded, as she took a look around the room. As usual, 'Limitless Talent' took a big space on the wall with its fancy white font with fluorescent lights coming from behind. As she turned around, she caught Noelle staring at her stoic bodyguard.

The entire room was silent with only the sound coming from Daniel speaking on the phone, most likely arranging her schedule.

"He's good looking, isn't he?" Asked Alana, with a teasing hint in her voice, as she walked up beside Noelle.

Noelle blushed, looking down at the papers on her desk, wanting to hide away in a dark corner from getting caught staring at Alana's bodyguard.

Alana stifled a giggle. "You know, he's single."

"No need to keep tormenting my employees," chuckled Adrian, suddenly appearing with a small smirk on his face. "Sorry for not being able to give the tour myself, munchkin." He reached forward and gave Alana a quick hug. "I was stuck in a virtual meeting with the board."

"Again with that nickname," tutted Alana. "Besides Noelle and I, here are getting along quite well. Right, Noelle?"

"Of course, Alana," blushed Noelle, giving Alana a small smile.

"Great, let's head over to the conference room, then," suggested Adrian, before leading Alana to the right.

"Thank you, again, for the tour, Noelle," Alana thanked, giving Noelle a sincere smile. "It was lovely meeting you and I hope to see you soon."

"Of course, Alana it was an honor," replied Noelle, returning the smile as she let out a sigh of relief.

"She's a great assistant," Alana told Adrian as he led her towards the conference room. "I like her."

"She does an amazing job," He agreed. "I hope she gave you a thorough tour of the building."

"She did," nodded Alana, walking with Adrian. "It's a beautiful building. I'm so proud of you, Adrian, both of you."

"Thanks, munchkin," He put his arm around Alana in a brotherly way before chuckling. "I'm sure Asher would die knowing you said you were proud of him as well."

Alana rolled her eyes, before elbowing Adrian right on his side. He feigned pain as he rubbed his ribs, giving her a teasing glare.

"Shut up."

★ ★ ★

Alana pushed her sunglasses up to her head as she glanced down at the contract. A beautiful black pen, one that had the record label's logo inscribed onto it, sat perfectly aligned to the right of the typed documents, waiting to be used.

The conference room was perfectly silent— the only sound came from her flipping through the pages with her perfectly manicured fingers.

It was a great deal— one that was worth millions. Yet, there was still a small part of her that was still unsure.

"Can you give me a few days to think about it?" She asked, looking up from the pages to meet Adrian's eyes. "I want to go over it with my lawyer."

Adrian was taken aback as he shared a look with his brother, before giving her an assuring nod.

"Of course, take all the time you need, munchkin."

Both of them had thought Alana was for sure going to sign today, but Asher could see the hesitation in her eyes. Was it because of him— he wasn't sure.

But truth be told, the real answer lied on the villain whose photo was still on the wall. Alana needed to properly make sure Tiffany and her father's ties to the Pierces were completely severed before making her next move.

After all, she didn't want the Pierces to suffer from any collateral damage because she still cared for them deeply, especially the beautiful brown-eyed man who stared at her with sorrow written in his eyes.

★ ★ ★

Thank you so much for reading, commenting, and voting. I really appreciate you all and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Merry Christmas, stay safe, and eat lots of yummy food