Rewind With A Superstar System-Chapter 91: Lawyer On Board!

<🎧 Song Recommendation: Life Is Beautiful by Lil Peep>

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Emily leaned forward from the backseat, resting her arms on the headrests. "Since Von insists on starting an independent record label instead of taking a massive corporate deal, we need an entire legal framework. Contracts, copyright filing, trademarking the label name, negotiating distribution... Have you worked at an entertainment firm before?"

"Nope," Zack said cheerfully, taking a right turn. "I just graduated, remember?"

Emily sighed and looked over at Von. "We’ll need someone with proper litigation experience."

"No, he’s seriously good," Von was quick to vouch for him. "He kept me out of jail and handled a copyright issue without even being a lawyer yet. And most importantly, he’s very close to me. So I trust him!"

Emily looked at the back of Zack’s head, analyzing him. She knew loyalty was a rare commodity in this business. If Von trusted him this much, there had to be a reason.

"Fine. But I’m going to hold you to that, Zack."

"I welcome the challenge," Zack grinned. "So, where are we heading first? The state office to file the LLC?"

"No, we need to switch cars," Von replied. "We’re taking our rented SUV, you can still drive though. We’re picking up my sister first."

***

They drove out of the sun-drenched areas of Coral Gables and headed toward the more working-class neighborhoods of Miami.

Von had been sending Naomi money ever since he got his first pay check, ensuring she didn’t have to go back working in that place.

They had spoken on the phone a few times, but hearing her voice over a phone didn’t mean nearly as much as seeing her face to face.

Zack pulled the black SUV up to a modest, slightly run-down apartment complex. Von pulled his mask up and jogged up the concrete stairs to the second floor, Emily right behind him.

He stood in front of the door with the number 2B on it. He took a deep breath and knocked.

A moment later, the deadbolt clicked. The door opened, revealing Naomi. She was wearing an oversized, paint-stained t-shirt, her hair tied up in a messy bun. She looked incredibly tired, holding a sketchbook against her chest.

She stared at the masked figures in confusion for a split second. Then, Von pulled his sunglasses down and lowered his mask.

Naomi gasped and the sketchbook slipped from her fingers.

"Von?"

"Heyy, Nana!"

Von smiled softly and tears instantly flooded Naomi’s eyes. She threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around his neck in a crushing hug. Von held her tight, burying her face in his shoulder.

"I can’t believe you’re here," Naomi cried, refusing to let go. "I saw everything. You did it."

"We did it," Von whispered back, pulling away just enough to look at her. "Now go put some shoes on. We have someone to visit."

She gave him a light peck on his forehead, before welcoming them inside and hurrying to dress up.

Twenty minutes later, Naomi was sitting in the back of the spacious SUV next to Emily.

"Alright," Von said from the passenger seat, turning around to face her. "I told you I was coming back to fix things. We’re going to see Uncle Ken right now to clear the debt."

Naomi visibly tensed at the name. She bit her lip. "Von... you shouldn’t go there. You don’t know what you’re walking into."

"I know exactly what I’m walking into," Von said calmly. "He claims Dad owed him three hundred grand. He took the house, and he threatened you for the interest. I have the money now, Naomi. I’m ending it today."

Zack, who had been listening quietly while navigating the Miami traffic, suddenly frowned. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel.

"Hold on a second," Zack interrupted, glancing at Von. "Three hundred thousand? To your Uncle Ken?"

"Yeah," Von nodded, the anger bubbling up in his chest just thinking about it. "My dad had a gambling problem. He borrowed from loan sharks, and Uncle Ken supposedly covered some of it or took on the debt. When the accident happened, Ken produced a stack of IOUs signed by my dad. He kicked us out and claimed the house as collateral, plus the three hundred grand."

Zack let out an incredulous laugh. He shook his head, looking over at Von.

"You see? This is exactly why you need me on the payroll, Von," Zack said. "Why on earth would you even consider settling a debt dispute of that magnitude without a lawyer?"

"Because it’s a blood debt I guess," Von tried to argue. "He threatened to send people after Naomi if we missed the interest payments. I just want him out of our lives."

"Whatever," Zack scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "You’re a celebrity now, Von. You don’t just hand over three hundred thousand dollars in liquid cash to an extortionist because he has a few pieces of paper. Listen to me very carefully. Was your uncle a licensed lender?"

"No," Naomi answered quietly from the back. "He ran a used car lot, but mostly he just... hustled."

"Exactly," Zack smiled, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of a legal loophole. "In the state of Florida, the statute of frauds requires certain contracts to be in writing to be enforceable, particularly those assuming the debt of another. Furthermore, if he was charging you weekly interest without a lending license, that’s not a loan, Von. That’s usury. It’s illegal."

Von blinked, staring at Zack. "So... what are you saying?"

"I’m saying we aren’t giving that vulture three hundred grand," Zack declared, turning the steering wheel sharply to merge onto the highway. "We are going to walk in there, and I am going to legally terrify him. We’ll settle for pennies on the dollar just to get him to sign a non-disclosure agreement so he can’t go to the tabloids about your family history. Let the lawyer work."

Uncle Ken lived in a tacky, overly ostentatious McMansion in a gated community in North Miami. He hadn’t contacted Naomi once since Von went on reality TV, content to just collect his weekly interest checks.

Zack parked the SUV in the driveway. Von pulled his mask up, and the four of them walked up to the massive double doors.