Media speculation about Lucas and Jennifer's appearance fee ran wild until Kobe's tweet stopped them cold:
"Huge thanks to @LucasXKnight and Jennifer for coming on the show. Lucas insisted their appearance fees go directly to cancer research and healthcare charities. Real ones know who they are 🙏"
The tweet silenced critics who'd claimed Lucas had "changed" or "sold out." He was still the same person who'd given away some of his earnings years ago.
But while the public marveled at the podcast's success and Lucas's generosity, they were unaware of what was happening at "Outstanding" - his mobile gaming company founded two years prior.
In a modern office space filled with developers, Lucas stood beside Vincent, his former agent turned business partner, watching their creation flourish.
The company, unlike Lucas's high-profile investments in Vine, Uber, and Airbnb, had operated quietly in the background. For two years, it had hemorrhaged money, testing even Vincent's faith in the venture.
Now, just weeks ago, everything had changed. The company was generating millions in revenue daily.
Vincent, now sporting a relaxed dad-bod and disheveled hair, watched the developers at work. "Good thing I kept my shares," he said, relief evident in his voice. "Almost gave up."
"Told you to trust the process," Lucas smiled.
"Who knew?" Vincent shook his head. "I was stuck thinking console games were the only real market. Mobile games seemed like a waste of time." He gestured at the busy office. "Shows what I knew."
Lucas smiled, understanding Vincent's earlier doubts. After all, just a few years ago, Rockstar's latest release had become the most profitable entertainment product in world history.
That success had transformed the gaming industry into an investor gold rush. While games had always been profitable, this particular title made the industry irresistible to big money.
The downside? Investors with no real passion for gaming started interfering. Games became loaded with DLCs and microtransactions - pure profit-driven decisions.
The mobile gaming landscape was different. While some games made money, they hadn't reached console-level success. Lucas knew from his previous life that mega-hits like "Candy Crush" and "Clash of Clans" hadn't materialized in this reality.
That gap presented an opportunity. Two years ago, Lucas founded Outstanding to develop games based on concepts he knew would work. The mobile market had less competition than he expected, with only a handful of successful titles to contend with.
Now their first two games - "Crystal Kingdom" and "Clash of Empires" - were generating substantial returns just a few months after launch. It was welcome news not just for Lucas and Vincent, but for all of Outstanding's early investors.
Walking down the corridor, Lucas and Vincent exchanged nods with passing employees before settling into a private room with fresh coffee.
Vincent stared at his phone, tapping through "Crystal Kingdom" levels. "It's crazy to think this game used to bring in just thousands a month - not even enough to cover our investment costs. Now we're hitting a million dollars daily." He shook his head in disbelief. "Hard to believe something this simple could earn so much."
Lucas took a sip of coffee, smiling. "You underestimated mobile gaming. Think about it - almost everyone has a phone now. The market's enormous. Mobile games are more accessible than console games, easier to update, simpler to distribute. The potential actually exceeds the console market."
"Fair point," Vincent conceded, setting down his phone. "But maintaining operations, especially for 'Clash of Empires,' isn't cheap. We upgraded our server system months ago, and now we need even more capacity with this user surge." He paused, calculating. "Sure, we're earning well now, but we're still recovering from two years of losses. Question is, can we maintain this million-per-day momentum?"
"Don't get too caught up in the technical details," Lucas leaned back, confidence evident in his smile. "Trust that the company will keep growing as long as management stays focused on the right priorities."
"Time's up!" Vincent's phone announced his game over.
He looked up at Lucas. "You know, you could just promote our games. One tweet from you and we'd explode overnight."
Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. "I could, but I won't. Think about it - if I made these games instantly successful, what would the company learn? How would our executives grow if everything came easy?"
"They might get complacent," he continued. "Stop innovating if success just falls in their lap."
"We could always push them to keep improving," Vincent suggested.
"True, but there's no teacher like experience," Lucas set down his cup. "Look, I'm just a founder and investor. I can provide ideas, make suggestions, but the management needs to figure out their own path. That's how you build a strong company."
Vincent nodded slowly. "I see your point."
"Let them handle the updates, maintain the games, grow the player base naturally," Lucas said. "They'll value it more if they build it themselves."
"Fair enough," Vincent paused. "But what about Vine and Uber? You promote those constantly."
"That's different," Lucas explained. "Those are essential services - transportation, content sharing. Games? They need to earn their success through quality. If players love the game, they'll spread the word themselves. That's more valuable than any celebrity endorsement."
Vincent studied Lucas, thinking how naturally he handled business decisions. Sometimes he wondered if Lucas should've focused on being a businessman rather than an actor. But as his former agent, he knew better - Lucas's passion for acting ran deep, and his talent was undeniable.
"Now that we're seeing success," Lucas continued, "endorsements might make sense. But that's for the Marketing Department to figure out."
"Actually," Vincent said, "Marketing's been asking about you. Since you're the founder, they're hoping for some free promotion."
Lucas shrugged. "They should focus on YouTubers instead. I'll promote the game when it hits 100 million downloads."
"By then," Vincent laughed, "they won't need your promotion."
"Exactly." Lucas smiled. "Crystal Kingdom has already at 38 million downloads. That number will keep climbing if management stays ahead of competitors trying to copy our concept."
"But we could get there so much faster with your help," Vincent pressed, his voice taking on a pleading tone. "Just one tweet..."
Lucas sighed. "I'll think about it. But right now, I want to see how our Marketing team and management handle this."
"Heard from Neil you're planning an experimental concert?" Vincent changed topics, giving up on the promotion angle.
"Yeah," Lucas nodded. "Neil's idea. I've recorded some new tracks for my 'comeback' with Warner Records. He's already talking with The Greek Theatre about organizing something intimate."
"Never thought you'd sign with a label again," Vincent raised his eyebrows. "Not after those previous label disputes."
Lucas took another sip of coffee. "Took months of negotiations. Warner finally agreed to my terms - full creative control, ownership of masters, flexible touring schedule." He smiled. "Neil and the team need their commission after all, so I gave in."
"How generous of you," Vincent said dryly.
***
The experimental concert had been meticulously kept under wraps. Neil and Warner Records executives conducted meetings behind closed doors, while discussions with The Greek Theatre were handled through private channels.
But even the most careful planning couldn't prevent human nature from taking its course.
A junior employee at The Greek Theatre, spotting Lucas's name on a confidential booking document, couldn't contain his excitement.
He snapped a photo and sent it to a friend who worked at TMZ.
Within hours, the entertainment site broke the story: "EXCLUSIVE: Lucas Knight Concert in Development at Greek Theatre."
The news caught everyone off guard. Lucas Knight, focused exclusively on his acting career lately, planning a concert? It seemed far-fetched.
Following TMZ's initial report, other entertainment outlets began digging deeper, with Variety eventually confirming through industry sources that Lucas had recently signed with Warner Records.
The internet buzzed with excitement as searches for "Lucas Knight signing a deal" and "Warner Records" skyrocketed on Google. Within just an hour of the announcement, thousands of people were eagerly seeking details, desperate to confirm the news: Lucas Knight had officially signed a deal with Warner Records.
For those who had followed Lucas's career and cherished his music, this was a moment of renewed hope.
Fans, who had spent years longing for his return, felt a spark of optimism reignite. Social media platforms were flooded with reactions, particularly from those who had held onto his past work as a source of comfort and inspiration.
On Twitter, a user shared their feelings with a tweet that paired a photo of Lucas's first album, Knight, signed with his autograph. The post was both humorous and dramatic, striking a chord with thousands:
"This album has been my emotional support relic for years. Every time I've been ghosted, lost a job, or tripped on the sidewalk, this album was there. But I was starting to lose hope—thinking, 'Is Lucas ever coming back?' Just as despair had me in a headlock, BAM! Warner Records swoops in like Gandalf on the third day, signing Lucas and hinting at his first concert. My soul is healed. My therapist is out of a job. Life is good again."
The post quickly went viral, amassing tens of thousands of likes, retweets, and comments. Fans jumped in to share their own thoughts and experiences:
"The concert isn't confirmed yet, but just knowing Lucas is back in the studio gives me life. I still have 'Viva La Vida' and 'Fix You' on repeat like it's 2012. My neighbors probably hate me, but they can deal."
"If Lucas doesn't perform Wonderwall, I'm bringing a giant boombox and playing it in the crowd. Mark my words."
"I just told my boss I'll quit if they don't let me take time off for this concert. Priorities, okay?"
Even skeptics couldn't resist the charm:
"I thought I'd moved on from my Lucas Knight phase, but this news pulled me back in like an ex texting 'I miss you.'"
---
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Lucas and his manager, Neil, were far from surprised by the leak about a potential concert. Despite their team's best efforts to keep the event under wraps, they weren't too concerned about the secret getting out.
Why? Because leaks served as a form of free publicity. Lucas's reputation for going quiet and then delivering massive surprises only added to the buzz. Neil had even joked, "A leak? That's just a poorly planned press release." Additionally, Warner Records had anticipated fan excitement and had already prepared a strategy to capitalize on the growing speculation.
Media outlets scrambled to contact Lucas's team for confirmation. Neil eventually addressed the rumors with a calculated tease during an interview:
"Yeah, it's true. Lucas signed with Warner Records, and we're working on something pretty exciting. Can't share too much just yet, but if you've been hoping for new music, you're definitely going to want to stay tuned."
This revelation sent fans into a frenzy, and anticipation skyrocketed.