“Do you really think of the company as your home? That’s hilarious.”
She put Zachary’s earrings back on, her movements so gentle that they seemed uncharacteristic of her.
I leaned against the wall, took out a cigarette and a chill settled within me.
Stanley handed me his lighter and carefully lit it for me.
“Mr. Nicholson, is it worth it?”
I lowered my head and exhaled, then, amidst the mist, touched my chest.
For Scarlett, despite being the heir to a wealthy financial family, I devoted myself to becoming an entertainer, just so she could have a place to begin her dreams.
When she was in the early stages of uremia, I anonymously matched myself with her and donated a kidney, even going into surgery without leaving my name.
The scars of that surgery were hidden beneath the layers of scars from the fire.
But she would rather embrace and kiss a man who only flirted with her than even glance back at me.
I chuckled softly.
“Let’s arrange a debut ceremony for the new artist.”
“Yes.” Stanley nodded.
That afternoon, the opening audio of “Zachary’s Birthday Special” came through.
Hearing the familiar melody, my face completely changed.
That song was the love song I wrote for Scarlett when we were young. It had never been released publicly and there was no record of it being uploaded.
But on the program’s audio tape, the song had been remixed, the credits removed and the lyrics altered.
It had become Zachary’s original track.
I thought I’d be angry, but I felt strangely calm.
I called Stanley, explained the situation and then blocked Scarlett on my phone.
This time, I’d let everyone know who truly rules this circle.
But I didn’t expect the blocked Scarlett to come to me, clutching a thermos.
“Don’t you love this ginger and jujube soup? I made it especially for you.”
There was a time when I coughed and she’d get so anxious she’d insist on going into the kitchen to make soup, leaving a mess.
Back then, I believed every word she said. But now, looking at the thermos with the takeout label still attached, I felt a sense of unfamiliarity.
Seeing that I didn’t answer for a long time, her expression visibly stiffened.
“Calvin, why are you giving me such a hard time just because of one of your songs? I advise you not to be so shameless.”
I smiled, not bothering to respond.
Night fell and Zachary’s birthday party arrived.
The LED skylight was ablaze with fireworks and a series of light and shadow cameras captured the scene in real time.
The industry’s top MCN team was busy collecting materials and the marketing copy was ready, just waiting for the trending searches to go live.
And Scarlett, dressed in a silver off-shoulder dress, holding Zachary’s arm, looked as beautiful as if she were attending her own wedding.
A reporter approached with a smile.
“Ms. Townsend, I heard you’re getting married soon?”
She was slightly startled, her eyes darkening for a moment, as if marrying me were some kind of humiliation. But upon seeing Zachary, she smiled again.
“No rush. Today is Zachary’s night.”
The atmosphere gradually heated up and Zachary deliberately walked up to me and raised his glass.
“Senior Calvin,” his eyes gleamed with uncontrollable defiance, “thank you so much for your generosity. You gave me a new song.”
Seeing that I didn’t even raise my eyes, his smile grew even more smug. As he walked away, he accidentally tipped over his glass, spilling his drink.
I reacted quickly and took a step back.
He lost his balance and slammed into the sound control!
The camera whipped around, its flashbulbs exploding like an explosion.
Zachary fell to the ground, his nose bleeding profusely and his sound control equipment completely destroyed.
The whole audience was in an uproar. “Calvin, are you crazy?! What if Zachary’s face is ruined?”
I chuckled softly.
“You should ask him if he considered the consequences of hurting someone.”
Scarlett trembled with anger.
“Apologize.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Say it again?”
She stepped forward, her eyes full of warning. She raised her glass and slowly poured it down on me.
“I asked you to apologize!”
The strong alcohol poured down on me and extinguished the last vestiges of warmth in my heart.
I stood there, closed my eyes for two seconds and when I opened them, my vision was completely clear.
Under Scarlett’s stunned gaze, I walked onto the stage. My voice was soft, yet piercing the entire room.
“Tonight, I have a few announcements. First, today isn’t Zachary’s birthday party. It’s our company’s newest member’s debut ceremony.”
The large screens on either side of the stage immediately projected photos of newcomer Hazel. “Secondly, Vivid Entertainment artist, Zachary, plagiarized someone else’s original song and is officially banned. His agent, Scarlett, has also been fired.”
The audience began to commotion.
“Third…” I glanced somewhere below and landed on Scarlett’s stunned and embarrassed face. A sneer curled my lips.
“My engagement with Scarlett is off.”
