The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 216

The fans were stunned into silence by his commanding presence, quieting down almost instantly.

It was only then that they realized just how out of line they’d been; one by one, they lowered their heads in embarrassment.

“Sorry, we just got a little too excited,” one fan murmured apologetically.

“I just really love them so much,” another chimed in, her voice equally soft.

Michael looked around at the crowd, his tone softening. “I get it, I really do. But there’s a limit, okay? If you want autographs or photos, line up nicely—one at a time.”

The fans obeyed, filing into an orderly queue. Only then did the four little ones finally relax and breathe easy.

Once the last autograph was signed and the last photo snapped, the fans left happily satisfied.

With the room finally quiet, the four kids collapsed onto the couch, completely worn out.

“Gosh, I am exhausted,” Ethan groaned.

“I seriously thought they were going to eat us alive,” Aiden said, patting his chest, still shaken.

“Guess being a celebrity isn’t as easy as it looks,” Evan sighed with feeling.

Michael let out a wry chuckle. “You kids are way tougher than your old uncle ever was.”

Evan blinked at him. “Uncle Mike, I never thought it’d be like this either.”

Michael grinned and teased, “Looks like you’re about to steal my job, Evan.”

Rebecca laughed. “Isn’t that the way of the world? The young always come up and push the old out of the spotlight.”

Michael pretended to be offended. “Oh, come on! I’m still at the top of my game, you know.”

Rebecca winked mischievously. “Relax, Michael, I’m just teasing. Evan’s still just a kid—he’s got a long way to go before he can compete with you.”

But Evan, arms crossed and chin high, protested, “Just watch! One day I’ll be an even bigger star than Uncle Michael!”

Michael burst out laughing. “Listen to you! Such a big ambition in such a small package—you’re already plotting to steal my spotlight!”

Before anyone could recover from the laughter, another wave of eager fans rushed toward them.

Aiden squeezed his eyes shut, clutching the guard’s shirt in a death grip, afraid to move.

Evan, ever the curious one, peeked through a gap in the jacket, whispering in awe, “There are so many people out there…”

After much effort, the bodyguards finally carved a path through the crowd and got the four kids safely to the car.

Meanwhile, Dylan arrived at the concert venue, only to be met with a sea of empty seats and a backstage area packed with screaming fans chanting, “Evan! Evan! Evan!”

He checked his concert ticket, utterly confused.

Evan? Weren’t these tickets for Michael’s show?

Did he get the wrong place?

But another glance at the signs and the Michael posters plastered everywhere told him he was definitely in the right spot.

As for the Evan everyone was shouting about—Dylan had no clue who that even was.

He caught sight of four bodyguards each carrying a child, their faces hidden beneath jackets, and before he could get a good look, the kids were bundled into a car and whisked away.