5
As soon as the first note of the new album emerged, I had anticipated this outcome.
Since the case spanned two cities, I used this as an excuse to inform Ms. Albright in advance.
“Ms. Albright, let them handle this album first. We’ll find a way to take it over.”
“Do you have confidence?”
“Absolute confidence.”
“Ms. Albright, you should know that music speaks, but not everyone understands its language. A confident glint flashed in my eyes.
Chloe Davis simply couldn’t understand my composition report. I wanted to see if her so–called innate musicality was real or fake.
Not long after, public opinion began to boil.
Stellar Entertainment’s handling of the case was heavily questioned by the public, with widespread condemnation online.
It seemed Chloe Davis’s innate musicality was nothing but a complete gimmick.
Reporters flocked, besieging Stellar Entertainment’s building.
Facing the cameras, Mr. Knight forced himself to appear at the press conference, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.
Under a barrage of questions, he saw black and collapsed straight to the floor.
The moment I heard, my heart was racing with anxiety.
Mr. Knight had treated me like a half–daughter all these years. Although he still favored his own son, he had always treated me well.
I sighed and rushed overnight to the Capital City to visit him.
In the hospital room, Mr. Knight lay in bed. The moment he saw me, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.
He trembled as he reached out, gripping my wrist tightly, his voice hoarse and pleading: “Scarlett… the Knight family wronged you, we were
blind…”
I watched him quietly, saying nothing.
Mr. Knight’s lips moved, wanting to speak but holding back. I knew what he wanted to say. He wanted me to return, to produce the new album for the plagiarism scandal, to salvage the company’s reputation.
But in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
I smiled, gently patting his hand: “Mr. Knight, please rest well. I need to go back to work.”
As soon as I finished speaking, I stood up to leave.
Just as I reached the hospital corridor, a familiar voice called from behind me: “Scarlett Hayes, wait.”
I turned to see Mason Knight striding towards me, a hint of urgency in his eyes.
“Let’s talk.”
<
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I replied flatly, continuing to walk.
Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed my arm, and the next second, I was pulled into a nearby stairwell.
With a loud *thud*, my back hit the cold wall.
Mason Knight placed his hands on either side of me, trapping me between him and the wall, his dark eyes locking onto mine.
“Come back. Help me produce the new album. If you agree, I’ll marry you.”
I scoffed, my eyes full of mockery: “What, can’t hold onto your singing career anymore?”
His breath hitched abruptly, a dark, unreadable emotion swirling in his eyes.
The next second, he suddenly lowered his head, his hot breath pressing towards my lips.
“Slap!”
The crisp sound of a slap echoed loudly in the empty stairwell.
“Mason Knight, I never realized how utterly disgusting you are.”
“Whether can keep your singing career or not, what does it matter to me?”
“If Stellar Entert.c
t can’t handle this plagiarism scandal, then Galaxy Music from the capital will naturally take over.”
With that, I pushed him away, ready to leave.
But Mason Knight snatched my wrist, not letting me go. His eyes were pleading, trembling: “Scarlett, I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry… Please, help me one last time, for the sake of all these years we’ve known each other…”
I raised an eyebrow, looking at his pathetic state, my heart completely unmoved.
When he spoke of “all these years we’ve known each other,” I found it utterly laughable.
All these years of knowing each other?
When had he ever cared about such a connection?
In my previous life, he caused me to be reviled by thousands, my career ruined, and finally driv any regard for our past then?
His own students, whom he’d mentored, hated me so much they wished I’d die.
out of the company in disgrace. Did he show
Even when I was bullied online to my death, did b
feel even a shred of pain?
Now, to save his singing career, to save the Knight family’s reputation, he suddenly remembers our past connection?
I fought back tears, looking straight into his eyes,” tut
Mr. Knight, don’t make me call the police for harassment.”
But he stubbornly blocked my way, his eyes bloodshot, refusing to let go.
We stood there, stalemated in the narrow stairwell.
Just then, a clear female voice, accompanied by the click of high heels, came from beyond the fire door. She seemed to be on the phone.
It was Chloe Davis’s voice!
Mason Knight’s face instantly changed. He Instinctively tugged my arm, pulling me deeper into the shadows of the stairwell corner.
He really did care about Chloe Davis, so afraid she’d see him with me.
<
“Sis, what do I do? I’m going crazy, I can’t make this album!”
“Sis, did I really think I had some innate musicality?! I only knew those composition details because I secretly listened to the production team’s demos beforehand!”
“I just wanted to fool Mason Knight and see if he could get me resources. Who knew he’d actually believe me! He even thought! was some music genius!”
She walked further and further away, the sound of her high heels and her frantic voice growing fainter in the hallway.
With the sound of the fire door opening and closing, silence returned to the stairwell.
7
