Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Two months after Brielle's wedding, she was all set to jet off on a honeymoon with Max, leaving Dustin to steer the ship at Stellar Stage Entertainment once again.

After slogging through a marathon of meetings and sorting through a mountain of emails from Infinity Brilliance, Donny walked in with another stack of documents for Dustin to sign off on.

"Mr. Lynch, here are the invites for the artists and hosts for this year's Stellar Stage Entertainment annual gala. But Emma mentioned she's not feeling well and wants to skip it," Donny reported.

Emma, the top host at Stellar Stage Entertainment, skipping out? That raised Dustin's eyebrows.

This was the first gala since the company revamped its culture, making it mandatory for all signed artists. They even had gifts lined up and a ton of media set to cover the big event. Emma's absence would definitely be noticeable. Rubbing his temples, Dustin wondered what could possibly be wrong with the young host as he dialed her number.

Emma, seeing an unknown number, hesitated to pick up the call.noveldrama

Meanwhile, Peyton was in the kitchen whipping up dinner. With their finances looking up, and Emma being pregnant and starting to show, they were focusing more on nutrition. Peyton, who used to be unsure about the local stores, had gotten used to going out shopping on her own, even if the prices still made her wince. But, with Emma's assurance that they could afford a more comfortable lifestyle, Peyton was slowly coming around.

As the chicken soup simmered in the slow cooker, filling the house with its comforting aroma, Peyton was also preparing a cucumber salad, one of Emma's cravings.

When Emma finally answered Dustin's call, she greeted him politely but tensed up at his question about skipping the gala.

"Mr. Lynch, I've already submitted a leave request due to health reasons," Emma said, keeping her tone steady.

Dustin leaned back, teasing, "What kind of health issue needs three months off? Are you hiding a secret lover's baby?"

Emma went quiet, prompting a chuckle from Dustin. "Come on, Emma. Earning what you do, is this really the path you're choosing? You know it could tank your career." Emma, after a moment, explained her situation, mentioning her mom's health as the reason she was staying home, with a promise to return once things got better. Dustin wrapped up the call by reminding her to let her Twitter followers know about her absence.

Emma logged into her Twitter account, where her follower count was already in the millions, mulling over Dustin's words about keeping personat decisions from wrecking her career. She was set on

Love

supporting her child on her own.

"Dinner's ready," Peyton called out, her recent weight gain a testament to their better circumstances. The news of Leona's family going bankrupt brought a hint of satisfaction to Peyton, considering past grievances.

Emma, realizing the struggles her

mom faced, reassured her, "Next time, speak up. We don't owe anyone anything. Stellar Stage

Entertainment is a great place net

and

they back us up if we ever face unfair treatment."

Peyton, still coming to terms with their newfound fortune, sometimes felt like it was all a dream, fearing she might wake up back in the village. But with Emma's success and the support from Stellar Stage Entertainment, the future was looking bright.