"No! This song cannot be played at this kind of event!"
On the concert stage, a familiar figure, masked and elegant, sat at the piano.
On his chest was none other than my father’s brooch!
The McDermott's heirloom.
The audience eagerly awaited, hanging on every moment as Charles raised his hand and pressed down on the first note.
"No!" I shouted, desperate to stop him.
But the venue was enormous, and my voice didn’t carry far enough.
By the time I reached the VIP seats, the crowd had already broken out.
“What are you playing?” someone shouted.
"Don’t you know the composer of that piece insulted Mr. McDermott?"
Someone in the crowd even added, "Patrick McDermott was a groundbreaking musician! How could you play the enemy’s music at his memorial concert?"
"Yeah! This is supposed to be a tribute to Mr. McDermott, and as his son, you choose not to play his classics but instead play the enemy’s tune? What the hell are you thinking?"
Anger swelled within the audience, transforming their murmurs into loud shouts.
Had security not intervened, they would likely have stormed the stage by now.
Charles leapt up from the piano bench, visibly trembling. I could almost see the fear in his eyes, even behind his mask.
Meanwhile, Nicole rose from her VIP seat, giving a few swift commands to the bodyguards. In the next moment, her team stepped forward, forming a tight line and gently pushing the angry crowd back, keeping them at a distance of five meters from the stage. Then she stepped forward and shielded Charles, escorting him backstage.
I stormed forward, pushing aside the backstage curtain.
"Charles!" I yelled.
Without a word, I lunged at him for the brooch he stole from me, but a hand seized mine.
"Let me go!" I struggled, frantic to reach Charles.
Nicole’s voice rang out. “Have you lost your mind? Charles didn’t even care that you stole his identity, and yet you keep targeting him! He didn’t ask for anything valuable from you. He just wanted a simple apology and a broken brooch! For you, it’s just a meaningless concert, but for him, it’s a dream! Can’t you show a little heart?"
Ignoring her, I retorted, “Get out of my way!”
I shoved her, pushing her back without thinking.
She stumbled backwards, just managing to catch herself.
"Nicole!" Charles shouted as he lunged forward to catch her.
She stared at me in disbelief. "You... pushed me?"
Breathing heavily, I snapped, "First of all, this is a memorial concert for my mother. Second, that brooch is my family’s heirloom! Only a true McDermott by blood has the right to wear it!"
Nicole froze, caught off guard by my words.
Charles’s eyes turned red.
"You’re lying! If this was really about honoring him, why haven’t you held a concert before? Why now, when I’m holding a birthday concert, do you suddenly care? You can’t stand seeing me accomplish something you never gave me credit for! If you hate me that much, just say it! But don’t you dare lay a finger on her!"
I opened my mouth to respond in anger when a voice from the event organizers outside interrupted.
"Everyone, please calm down! There’s been a misunderstanding. The man on stage wasn’t Mr. McDermott’s son; it was a mistake by the staff. Please, don’t be upset."
"That's impossible!" someone yelled.
The furious voices from the audience echoed through the speakers:
"He’s wearing the McDermott's insignia! I recognized it instantly!"
"Exactly! No one outside the McDermotts could have that brooch!"
"Unless you bring the real one out here, we won’t believe you! Do you dare? Do you?"
The organizers, clearly in a panic, scrambled to respond, "We’ll sort this out, we’ll sort this out..."
"Nicole..." Charles’s voice shook slightly.
I glared at him, my tone cold. "Nicole, make him leave.”
"Nicole..." Charles pleaded, his voice trembled even more.
"Nicole!" I snapped, clenched my teeth, anger swelling in my chest. "This is his fault!"
Nicole hesitated for a moment. Then, with a reluctant sigh, she raised her hand.
