Chapter 44: First Day
The first day of training arrived faster than anyone expected.
At six in the morning, the penthouse was already awake.
Well... Most of it.
Nathan looked half dead. Nicole was nervous. Rose looked calm. Liliana was quietly eating breakfast. Nicolo was admiring himself in the reflection of a spoon. Emily was threatening everyone with fashion advice.
And Robin was already regretting his life choices.
Again.
The company had prepared different schedules for everyone.
Different departments, trainers, futures.
For the first time, the Sterlings would begin their official journey in the entertainment industry.
"Good luck."
Mary smiled as she escorted Nicole and Rose toward the elevator.
Both girls immediately hugged her.
"Don’t die."
Nicole blinked. "What kind of encouragement is that?"
Mary shrugged. "Realistic encouragement."
The Rhythm trainees were assigned to one of the largest practice halls inside St. Claire Entertainment.
When they arrived, dozens of young women were already gathered.
Some had been trainees for years. Others had recently passed auditions. A few came from other entertainment companies.
The atmosphere was tense. Competitive. Everyone wanted the same thing.
A debut. A dream. A chance.
Then Nicole and Rose entered. The room immediately became quiet. Whispers spread almost instantly.
"Those are the girls from the press conference."
"The villa girls."
"The ones with Pulse."
"They’re prettier in person."
Nicole immediately wanted to disappear while Rose simply smiled politely.
Several trainees exchanged looks. Some appeared friendly. Others appeared threatened. A few looked annoyed.
Because everyone knew the truth. The two newcomers already had attention.
And attention was valuable.
The training director eventually entered.
"Let’s begin."
Everyone immediately straightened.
The auditions for Rhythm’s remaining members would begin shortly.
Before that, however, the company wanted to evaluate Nicole and Rose personally.
The director looked toward Nicole.
"You can sing, correct?"
A few trainees exchanged skeptical looks. They had already decided Nicole was probably one of those naturally beautiful girls who relied on visuals.
Nicole noticed.
And became slightly annoyed. "Yes."
The director smiled. "Show us."
Nicole took a deep breath. The room fell silent. Then she started singing.
The first note immediately caught everyone’s attention.
The second made people look up.
By the third, nobody was whispering anymore.
Her voice wasn’t loud. It wasn’t flashy. It didn’t need to be. Because it carried something far more important.
Emotion.
Every word felt sincere. Every lyric felt personal. Her voice was the kind that made listeners feel something.
The kind of voice that could tell a story.
The trainees stared. Even the staff members stopped what they were doing.
When she finished, the room remained silent.
Then, applause.
One trainee whispered, "Wow."
Another nodded. "I didn’t expect that."
Neither did the judges.
From the judges’ table, River couldn’t stop smiling or staring.
But mostly staring.
Aaron nudged him. "Close your mouth."
River immediately closed it. Then smiled when Nicole smiled at him.
Aaron sighed. "You’re hopeless." He whispered while shaking his head.
Then it was Rose’s turn.
She stood in the center of the room.
The music started. And suddenly, everything changed.
Unlike Nicole, Rose wasn’t a vocalist. But the moment she started dancing, everyone understood her strength.
She moved with natural elegance. Every motion flowed smoothly into the next. Every step looked effortless, graceful, and beautiful. She was mesmerizing.
The dance wasn’t aggressive. It wasn’t overly powerful. Instead, it possessed a unique charm. An alluring confidence that drew everyone’s attention.
People couldn’t stop watching. Not because she demanded attention. But because she naturally attracted it.
When the performance ended, the room once again erupted into applause.
Aaron smiled. A genuine smile that he rarely showed.
"She’s good." River nodded.
"Very." Aaron said while clapping his hands.
The judges looked impressed. The trainers looked excited. And suddenly, everyone understood exactly why St. Claire Entertainment had accepted both girls.
Elsewhere in the building, another department was experiencing a similar problem.
The modeling division.
When Liliana and Nicolo entered together, immediately, conversations stopped completely.
The room became silent. Dozens of trainees stared.
Some openly. Some discreetly. But most failed at being discreet. Because photographs had not prepared them.
Especially for Liliana.
Without the cameras, without the editing, without the lighting, she somehow looked even better.
Her beauty wasn’t intimidating. Nor was it artificial.
Instead, it felt effortless. Natural and elegant.
Her looks couldn’t be compared to other celebrities, because she was ethereal.
Several people whispered immediately.
"That’s Liliana Walker."
"The girl from the press conference."
"She’s even prettier in person."
"I thought the photos were edited."
"They weren’t."
Meanwhile, the male trainees had completely forgotten how to behave.
Several immediately introduced themselves. A few became suspiciously helpful. Others suddenly found reasons to stand nearby.
Nicolo noticed instantly.
Then remembered something.
Chris’s voice. The warning.
"Protect her."
"Don’t let any man near her."
"I’m counting on you."
Nicolo crossed his arms. Then quietly moved beside Liliana.
One male trainee smiled.
"Hello."
Nicolo smiled back. But a dangerous smile. "Hello."
The trainee immediately walked away.
Liliana sighed.."You are not my bodyguard."
"I was promoted."
"By who?"
"Chris."
"Of course."
Meanwhile, the female trainees looked equally interested.
Not in Liliana. But in Nicolo.
At the opposite side of the building, Nathan was having his own crisis.
The Pulse training room.
Leo stood in front of him. Arms crossed. His expression was serious.
Nathan suddenly felt like he was back in school.
"Sing."
Nathan obeyed.
A few moments later, Leo looked surprised.
"You actually have a good voice."
Nathan blinked. "I do?"
"Yes."
"I thought singing was just talking loudly."
Leo stared. "Please don’t ever say that again."
Nathan laughed awkwardly. But the truth remained.
His voice was really good. It was untrained and rough around the edges, but naturally pleasant.
Then came dancing.
Nathan immediately relaxed. Because unlike singing, this felt familiar.
Years of gaming competitions had made him surprisingly coordinated. Sports have helped too. His movements felt naturally confident.
Leo watched carefully, nodding. Impressed.
The trainers looked impressed too.
"He’s good."
One of them smiled. "Really good."
Nathan looked confused. "Is that good?"
Leo laughed. "That’s very good."
For the first time that day, Nathan smiled.
Because maybe. Just maybe, he actually belonged here.
Across the company, the first day continued.
Dreams were taking shape. New friendships were forming. New opportunities were appearing.
And for the first time in a long time, the Sterlings were no longer simply surviving.
They were finally moving forward.
Together.
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