Chapter 88 Part 88

Chapter 88 Part 88
A&R Music Studios

At 06:12 a.m. the article went live. By 06:15, it had been forwarded internally. By 06:20, three department heads were reading it at the same time, in three different cities, each of them arriving at the same conclusion within seconds. This wasn’t just an article. This was chaos meant to destroy and dismantle.

The senior VP of A&R Music Studios, Glenda Morrison, stood at the head of the glass-walled conference room, tablet in hand, her eyes scanning rapidly as she scrolled. It seemed neverending. Comments flooded the screen and that damn article was everywhere.

“Get Lindy on the line.”

Around the table, Chris Powell from Legal perused the article again. He was reading for exposure, for what could be substantiated, implied, and what would be impossible to disprove once it entered the public’s bloodstream.

Headlines glared back at them: From trailer trash to chart-topper. Violent past resurfaces. Missing woman linked to rock star. Axl’s secret child?

“This is tabloid garbage,” one of the legal advisors said. “But it’s structured and they did their homework. Travis is already talking to their legal department.”

At 06:32 sponsors wanted answers. Axl Reynolds had always managed to avoid the limelight even while living in the headlines. 

Glenda looked up. “Has anyone spoken to him?”

At 06:39, Lindy finally called in. “I’m trying to reach him. His phone goes straight to voicemail.”

“Don’t we have check-in protocols for artists?” someone from Marketing asked.

“No, Joel. They’re people, not prisoners. Axl told me he was going off-grid. He did it for a week two years ago when they had their first break. Axl isn’t careless and he’ll be somewhere he’s not easily recognizable or somewhere remote where he doesn’t have to go out.”

“I understand his need for privacy and going off-grid, but the timing really isn’t ideal,” Glenda said.

By 06:42, Axl Reynolds was trending in fifteen countries. By 06:45, Blunt Pain’s fan accounts were splitting into factions. Defenders, skeptics, and amateur detectives. By 06:47, sponsor relations began forwarding emails. They weren’t cancellations, not yet. Just questions they didn’t have all the answers to.
The VP exhaled slowly. “This is the first time his name has been attached to something like this.”
“That helps,” Powell said. “He’s been scandal-free since his name first made headlines.”
“The band hasn’t,” Marketing added.
“But Axl has,” Lindy said firmly.
“Let’s go line by line,” the VP said. “Facts only.”
Legal took point. “Trailer park upbringing—confirmed. It’s public record. We know, the band knows. It’s not a secret.”
“That’s not a liability,” Marketing said. “That’s a rags to riches story.”
“He’s never hidden it,” Lindy added. “Neither has the band.”
“High school assault,” Legal continued. “No charges filed. Witness statements confirm it occurred during school hours on school grounds.”
“Was there a girl involved?” the strategist asked.
“Merit Rossini,” Legal said. Everyone knew her name now and what that could mean for Axl.
“That part is accurate,” Lindy said carefully. “Merit was involved. She and Axl were in a relationship at the time. Witnesses confirmed that the altercation happened after another student assaulted her.”
“That doesn’t make him violent,” the VP said.
“No,” Legal replied. “But it ties her to his past.”
“And she’s tied to the Florida concert,” the strategist added.
“Yes,” Legal confirmed. “We’ve verified she attended a Blunt Pain show two years ago. Ticket purchased online. Bank statements confirm it.”
“And the pregnancy?” Marketing asked.
Legal nodded. “Medical records in Florida confirm she was pregnant at the time.”
“That still doesn’t establish paternity,” Legal said quickly.
“No,” the strategist replied. “But it creates continuity. Same woman. Different timeline. Could Axl be the father of that baby?”
“That’s what makes it sticky,” Marketing said and sighed. “First there’s the mystery baby when he was a teen. The whole town knew he was raising a daughter and now this pregnant woman is missing and the other child also disappeared. This isn’t looking good from where I’m standing.”
Lindy leaned forward, hands flat on the table. “I don’t know the truth about that pregnancy,” she said. “Axl never told me anything about it” She paused and took a deep breath. “He raised his sister from the time he was seventeen. Peyton lived with him in a trailer park until she was adopted. He didn’t walk away then. Axl is not the kind of man to walk away.”

“Is that documented somewhere?” Legal asked.

“Yes, she was legally adopted. I know Axl still has contact with her adoptive parents. There will be records of Peyton Reynolds being adopted.”

“Get on that,” Legal snapped at someone in the room.
“So the idea that he abandoned a child doesn’t align,” the VP said.
“No,” Lindy replied. “It doesn’t.”

By 07:15, Blunt Pain’s internal group chat suddenly came to life. Jack told them to mind their own business. Rihon sent one message that he was trying to reach Axl. Leon sent a text saying that they stood behind Axl, no matter what.
“Good,” the VP said. “Band unity matters.”
“Have we reached his security?” Marketing asked.
“Trying,” Legal said. “Calvin and CJ aren’t responding.”
“That’s unusual,” Lindy muttered. “He always takes them everywhere with him.”

“Could he have gone off-grid alone?”

“It’s possible,” Lindy said. “He values his privacy.”
By 08:00, a formal emergency meeting convened. Four executives, two legal advisors and one PR strategist. There was no reason to panic. They’d dealt with worse over the years. Artists caught with drugs, artists literally caught with their pants down in some foreign country.

“We’re not cutting him loose,” Glenda said immediately. “He’s the face of Blunt Pain. This label does not operate at this level without him.”

“We might need to consider it. Their contract is up in six months. We’re fighting for a man that might not even be with us when he returns from wherever the hell he’s hiding.”

“He’ll resign. Axl is loyal. If you throw him to the wolves now, you can kiss your Christmas bonus goodbye,” Glenda said.

By late morning, the internet had mutated. TikTok fans slowed his lyrics, creating meaning from songs where none existed. Reddit mapped timelines built on assumptions. A cropped video resurfaced—Axl striking a fan who rushed the stage. The knife had been edited out. Legal had their hands full getting it removed. It was slanderous and showed Axl as aggressive.

Another executive cleared her throat. “People are asking about the woman he kissed in the hotel lobby.”

Heads snapped up. “What woman? When did this happen? Are there photos?”

Lindy sighed. “That was Aspen and there are no photos.”

“Who?” 

“Aspen,” Lindy repeated. “The reason for his heartbreak phase.”

“That was a rough patch that paid off extremely well.”
“Two years ago,” Lindy continued. “She left. It broke him. That was the only period where he spiraled—and he pulled himself back together without a single public incident.”
“So this isn’t a random woman,” the VP said.
“No,” Lindy replied. “This is personal.”
“That actually helps,” PR said slowly. “It humanizes him. Old flame meets in hotel lobby, sparks fly.”

By early afternoon, sponsor emails had slowed. Decisions had been paused. There were requests for updates and answers. By evening, the question wasn’t what happened. It was where is he.
“Still no word from Axl?”
Lindy shook her head. “At this point, I have to assume that Axl doesn’t even know about the article. He would’ve reached out to me. I can only assume that he’s not checking social media at all. He rarely does, even when touring.”