Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 236: The Condemnation from DJ Magazine]

A man and a woman entered the room and immediately embraced each other. The woman kicked off her shoes and began lifting the man's shirt.

"You seem eager," the man said, pulling his mouth away and looking at her flushed face with interest.

"When was the last time?" he asked again.

The woman bit her lip, unsure how to respond.

"Three months? Or was it six months ago?" he whispered to her back as he pulled her closer.

Feeling the pressure, the woman blushed and admitted, "It's been almost a year."

"No wonder. How have you been handling it?" Ryan asked casually.

"Just don't ask," Anne Hathaway said shyly.

"Like this?" he said teasingly.

Anne let out a soft huff.

"Answer me."

"By... myself," she reluctantly admitted, feeling embarrassed.

'Oh God, why am I telling him this?' she thought to herself, filled with doubt.

"Then, do you need me?" Ryan asked again.

"..." Anne didn't know how to reply.

"Come on."

"I need...." she whispered.

"Louder."

"I need you! I need you to be like you did to Taylor!" Anne exclaimed, her face burning with embarrassment.

"I don't get it. What exactly do you need?"

Anne couldn't articulate it either.

Ryan decided to take charge and guided her toward the sofa.

...

"Wait... this won't do... let go... it's too risky," Anne stammered, her tone shifting dramatically.

Ryan released her arms, and Anne collapsed onto the table, knocking over a ceramic teapot that fell onto the soft carpet.

"So this is how Taylor lives every day," Anne murmured with her eyes closed, feeling her heart race as dopamine surged through her body, every pore open, a sheen of sweat forming on her pristine back, resembling melting ice.

"Are you envious?" Ryan teased.

"I want to find an athlete boyfriend," Anne confessed softly.

"Too late for regrets now," Ryan continued kissing her.

"Well, I'll always be your little bitch," Anne smiled with her eyes still shut.

"You've deepened my understanding of Hollywood," Ryan said playfully.

"Exactly, Hollywood actresses are a bunch of bitches," Anne Hathaway admitted.

...

The two fell asleep for a bit, and when Ryan awoke, he found Anne clinging to him like an octopus.

"What time is your flight?" Anne finally asked, slowly opening her eyes.

"Early tomorrow morning."

"Well, that means you have the whole night to fuck me." Anne reached for her phone to call her assistant for some emergency medications.

...

The next morning, Ryan drove to the airport.

"I'm off," he said, opening the car door to get out.

"When are you coming back to Los Angeles?" Anne suddenly asked from the car.

Ryan turned his head to look at her. "Didn't we agree not to fall for each other? And now you're already planning the next visit?"

"Your movie is starting soon; you've got to come. Plus, you're acting in it," Anne replied.

"So when do you want me back?" Ryan asked.

"Preferably by the end of the month... next week might work too, if you have time," she replied, her voice growing softer.

Ryan kissed her cheek but didn't say anything, just stepped out of the car.

'It wouldn't be good if she really fell for me,' Ryan mused.

...

The drive back to the record company on the top floor of Bad Room was incident-free, but Ryan found many staff members bustling around anxiously.

"Hardwell and Calvin Harris's new songs are already climbing the charts, and of course, so is your new track. Scott will be sticking around the record company during this time," Teresa told Ryan as she entered the office after learning of his return.

There was a mess to clean up over at Spirit Club, and legitimate record business was entering a busy promotion stage.

"Let Scott handle the promotions," Ryan agreed.

"Of course, but he's been in touch with several media outlets. You have quite a few interviews lined up, and some magazines are coming to Bad Room for visits. You'll need to be interviewed; this afternoon, the first outlet, DJ Magazine, will arrive. They've sent several staff members to do an in-depth feature on Bad Room, and they've confirmed that Bad Room will be on the cover of the next issue of DJ Magazine," Teresa said, handing Ryan her notebook.

As a top-ranking DJ evaluation body, DJ Magazine held a unique position in the electronic music scene. With such a large group coming, Ryan knew he had to play host.

"The highest-ranking member of the interview team is the deputy editor, named Ames. I've sent you his details via email. Also, I need to remind you that he identifies as queer, so please don't use male pronouns to refer to him; he might not appreciate that," Teresa added.

"Don't use him? Should I use it instead? There are only two genders in this world; that's a fact, just like the Earth is part of the solar system. It's objective and unchangeable," Ryan scoffed.

"You're not wrong, but we can't deny that there are people who uphold different values. Paula suggests we respect these individuals," Teresa replied.

"I respect this person, but does he respect me?" Ryan scoffed.

"To them, your demand for respect is seen as systemic discrimination," Teresa sighed.

"Well, that's unbeatable," Ryan said, shaking his head.

"Then for the interview with this person today, I suggest letting Sean take over instead. What do you think?" Teresa proposed as a compromise in case Ryan ended up clashing with him.

"Let's decide on that," Ryan nodded.

...

Ryan thought that would be the end of it, but soon a subordinate came in with news.

"Boss, a staff member from DJ Magazine is being kept outside," the subordinate reported.

Ryan stood up and walked to the window. From there, he could see a man with a bushy beard, dressed as a woman, applying makeup as he argued heatedly with Berwick. He couldn't hear the specifics of the argument.

"Is he positive?"

"No, Berwick thinks this person's outfit is inappropriate."

"Tell Berwick not to back down, regardless of their position," Ryan advised.

After a bit, the person took out his phone, and a little later, Sean arrived at the entrance, trying to smooth things over with numerous smiles.

Ultimately, the person was still kept outside, and a few interviewers managed to enter the nightclub.

...

Later that night, Teresa and Sean met with Ryan in his office.

"The in-depth interview has ended. I've had someone monitoring it; the content was typical, nothing out of the ordinary. All the new DJs were interviewed, with Hardwell and Calvin Harris as the main focus..." Sean updated.

Ryan nodded, satisfied that the deputy editor hadn't been allowed in, thus avoiding some controversies.

"I'll take my leave if nothing else," Sean said as he prepared to exit.

...

"Ryan, with three new songs releasing together plus DJ Magazine's coverage, Bad Room's reputation in the industry is surely going to soar," Teresa felt relieved.

"As long as they don't cause trouble, that's already good enough," Ryan replied.

Teresa walked around the desk and sat down beside Ryan, just like before.

"I didn't bring you with me to Los Angeles this time. Did you miss me?" he asked, noticing the ring on her left hand.

"I tried not to think about it; after all, Taylor was with you. She needed you more than I did. So, I just focused on working hard to not bother you," Teresa turned and offered her lips.

"Good girl, but I have other plans tonight, so I won't be able to keep you company," Ryan gently lifted her chin.

"Okay, then I'll call for a car," Teresa nodded, though clearly reluctant to let him go.

...

"What brings you here at this hour?" Ivanka yawned as she opened the door for Ryan.

"Just got off from the work in the nightclub," Ryan said, stepping inside and surveying Ivanka's current living space.

She had moved from New York to Fort Lauderdale, Florida's southernmost industrial city, where Spirit Club's office was located now.

The size here was comparable to Ryan and Taylor's home, with a massive sliding glass door overlooking the ocean from the living room.

A lavish array of food filled the dining room table, most of which hadn't been touched.

"Have you eaten? If not, I can get the staff to make something for you," Ivanka offered, wearing a black spaghetti strap nightgown that showcased her figure under the moonlight.

Ryan had seen quite a few stunning Hollywood actresses during his time in LA, but in terms of body, only Sofia Vergara could rival Ivanka. In terms of looks, Sofia leaned more towards sultry, while Ivanka was more elegant and poised; they both possessed their unique charm.

Ryan calculated in his mind that Ivanka's lavish lifestyle must cost as much each month as the income of an average family for a year or more.

Only a wealthy person could afford to date her.

Ivanka reached into her bag and handed Ryan an A4-sized booklet.

"This is the design draft from the design company, including the logo and exterior decoration renderings," she explained.

Ryan flipped through it; the logo featured a slanted font design that looked dynamic, using a white theme, while the exterior showcased a minimalist design with geometric elements, exuding a futuristic tech vibe.

"Design-wise, it's impressive. How much does this company charge?" Ryan closed the booklet.

Ivanka raised her hand and made a peace sign.

"That's too much; your dad won't accept that," Ryan replied, rephrasing.

"Are you planning to assemble your own design team?" Ivanka probed.

"Pretty much," Ryan nodded, having done that through fan forums in the past.

"And the other staff?"

"Also all publicly recruited. Your main job in the coming days will be interviews," Ryan adjusted the plan.

Ivanka nodded, her legs crossed, revealing well-defined calf muscles; she had a habit of working out.

"Any other plans?" Ivanka asked.

Ryan turned his attention back to her before standing up.

"What time will it be when you get home? How about you sleep at my house tonight? There are several bedrooms. You can pick any of the others except mine," Ivanka smiled playfully.

"Let's skip that," Ryan shook his head. "If your dad finds out I'm staying at your place, he might just come knocking."

Ivanka laughed, "He gets so nervous, but I won't tell him."

"Maybe next time," Ryan replied as he started to leave.

"By the way, where do you usually work out? Do you know of any discreet gyms nearby?" Ivanka suddenly asked.

...

A few mornings later, Ryan and Ivanka jogged along a path by the beach, both dressed in workout gear. Ivanka's blonde hair was in a ponytail, and she wore a black fitted tank top with matching leggings and running shoes.

Ryan also dressed for exercise as they kept up their morning run for nearly forty minutes.

For the past few days, Ivanka had been hitting the gym with Ryan; according to her, it was not only convenient for working on reports but also Ryan's unwavering dedication to fitness motivated her. It was as if she thought of Ryan as a personal trainer.

Ivanka gradually slowed her pace, hands on her hips, taking deep breaths while her cheeks flushed from the exercise.

"Almost there," Ryan checked the time and began to slow down as well.

"Since working out with you, I feel like my exercise has increased severalfold daily," Ivanka said, resting her hands on her knees; even bent over, not an ounce of excess weight was apparent; her figure was flawless.

"Compared to me, you're basically doing weight training; of course, it's tough," Ryan teased.

Ivanka's face turned slightly pink, though still visible given they had just finished exercising.

"The recruitment process has been going smoothly, but regarding designs... the proposals from other companies still fall far short of our needs," Ivanka continued, rising to keep pace with Ryan.

They parted ways, with Ryan heading back to Bad Room, while Ivanka went to her office.

...

As soon as Ryan reached the office, he spotted the latest issue of DJ Magazine on his desk.

The cover featured a photo taken during their recent performance, showing the silhouettes of a few dancers next to DJ booths, along with images of younger DJs. Ryan was on the cover but had been strategically placed in shadow, giving him an air of a behind-the-scenes boss.

The main headline read, "A Hidden Boss, a Distinctive DJ, and an Enemy of Electronic Music?"

Though it ended with a question mark, it felt more like an accusation.

Flipping to the interview section, the article began, "In just one year, this young American has gone from obscurity to being a hot topic within the electronic music scene, with a series of distinctive tracks and commercial ventures turning heads for a string of nightclubs. Businessman? Artist? Singer? He bears so many labels that we ventured to Florida's Bad Room to uncover the truth... and what we found was shocking..."

The first paragraph mentioned the young DJs Ryan had recruited, emphasizing their contracts in bold text to highlight them.

"The interviewed DJs revealed they had signed long-term recording contracts with Bedroom Records, meaning almost daily DJ performances... We noted that Ryan is considering launching a nationwide nightclub chain, causing worry among these young individuals that their lives would become filled with back-to-back performances. Under their contracts, they are bound to this arrangement, unable to collaborate with other nightclubs, effectively placing their entire DJ careers in a cage named Bad Room. We consulted relevant attorneys, who suggested this could involve unfair competition."

The contract didn't require them to work overtime!

Ryan detected a hint of bias in the article.

And that was just the first part of the in-depth interview.

The second part focused on the performers in the nightclub, with images aimed at highlighting their provocative outfits.

"Some interviewees reported frequent harassment from patrons, refraining from commenting on their relationship with Ryan. It's evident these girls had concerns. Others mentioned Ryan routinely invites external dancers, mostly cheerleaders, backstage where he often engages in intimate gestures, and following performances, he holds private parties with only one male present, Ryan. Young girls have become tools for drawing attention. We interviewed leaders from some British women's rights organizations, who believe Ryan is persistently exploiting them via his influence..."

If the first part subtly implied that Bedroom Records was a sweat shop, the second part didn't bother to conceal it, outright attacking Ryan.

If the first two segments merely splattered mud on Ryan, the third section depicted him as an enemy of the entire electronic music community.

"It should be noted that the deputy editor, who came to Bad Room for this interview, was denied entry by the guards, who stated, 'That outfit is disgusting!' Bad Room has been transformed into a male-dominated paradise. The club was rife with offensive remarks towards women. Years prior, electronic music and clubs were considered sanctuaries, places where individuals felt free to express their differences. This was the essence of electronic music; now, these liberal and open values face constant attacks.

Just as the guard at Bad Room said: This is Ryan's arrangement, this is his nightclub, and his rules are the law here. No one knows what Ryan's next 'law' will be, but we can say with certainty that he won't stop. We hoped to interview Ryan, but unfortunately, he remained absent throughout this process."

...

As soon as Ryan laid the magazine down, Sean rushed in.

"Ryan... those bastards! Acting all nice at first, but stabbing us in the back!" Sean raged.

"I'm calling them right now," he said, pulling his phone out.

"The report has already been published. Contacting DJ Magazine will only project a negative impression of us," Ryan shook his head, stopping Sean's actions.

Teresa arrived shortly afterward, having just read the report herself. "Should we contact Paula and draft a new statement to counter their claims?"

"These reports are filled with speculations and innuendos. Their writing is quite clever, leaving little to grab onto," Ryan replied, shaking his head.

What had worked before was no longer effective now.

"Shouldn't we do anything at all?" Teresa urged.

"Let's wait to see the latest Billboard results released today," Ryan suggested.

"That'll come in the afternoon," Teresa replied.

Ryan opened his computer and found many people were already posting evaluations on social media.

...

[Ryan's collapse had long been predicted; it's time for the public to see his true colors. He isn't a musical genius but a soul-sucking demon.]

[Perhaps Ryan will create a new 'law' to erase all negative discourse from the internet.]

[Does Taylor know about everything Ryan has done? Poor girl, she's been completely in the dark.]

[That serious incident at Ultra Music Festival? All the crew members involved were collected by Ryan, which is highly unusual. I believe further investigations are necessary.]

[I'm calling on those young DJs under Ryan; the nightclubs in Ibiza are always open to you and will provide legal assistance.] This was stated by Hugo Urgell, the owner of a nightclub in Ibiza.

Most of those leading the charge against Ryan happened to be Europeans.

"Is everyone jumping ship?" Ryan scoffed. He still vividly remembered how those nightclubs banded together to use their influence to have other DJs boycott Bad Room.

DJ Magazine had fired the first shot.

What seemed like an assault from European nightclubs against Bad Room also represented a battle for dominance in the electronic music dialogue between Europe and America.

...

That afternoon, Ryan received the Billboard results for the latest issue; his and Hardwell's and Calvin Harris's three new songs took the top three spots on the dance charts.

Seeing this result, Ryan found himself surprisingly less worried.

He called Teresa back into the office.

"Are we going to issue a statement?"

"No, I said no need for that. I'm exposing everything those European nightclubs have done to Bad Room, and I'm bringing forward all the upcoming interviews!"

*****

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