Chapter 3 I Am Shocked

Anthony's words hit me like a truck, shattering every ounce of courage I had built since my rebirth.

'Why, even with a second chance, can't I change anything? Will I never be able to pursue music again? Am I destined to live forever under Lucas' shadow?' I mused in despair.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, I left my usual phone on the balcony this time, and I didn't use my computer to compose. How did Lucas still get his hands on my original song?

On Twitter, Lucas' back-to-back release of two original singles dominated the trending list for three days straight. His tracks soared to the top of every major music chart, taking the number one and two spots.

His popularity even eclipsed the superstar whose secret marriage had been exposed recently. Fans flooded the comments beneath his new song, asking him why his style had suddenly changed.

"My previous song was plagiarized. Fortunately, I released it ahead of schedule, or I wouldn't have been able to defend myself. This new release is a warning to those who steal others' hard work. Talent is the backbone of a true songwriter, and I am someone you could never hope to catch up to!" he responded.

His bold proclamation caused a storm on social media.

Someone found my Twitter account following my company's previous promotion of my new song and repeatedly commented below.

"You're the copycat Lucas mentioned, aren't you? You kept saying you'd release a new song. Well, where is it?"

"And you call yourself a talented songwriter? I bet even your old albums were ghostwritten."

In this lifetime, I hadn't even released any music, yet Lucas still managed to brand me as a thief. But without hard evidence, my fans weren't ones to back down easily. They fought tooth and nail in the comment sections against those accusations.

Lucas, who had only debuted recently, had mostly casual fans. He barely had any real die-hards. The backlash from this conflict actually damaged his reputation rather than boosting it. At this point, Winnie couldn't hold back any longer.

"You have to come to Lucas' celebration party tomorrow!" Her tone left no room for argument.

I laughed bitterly. "And why should I?"

"How dare you ask why? Your fans have been attacking him online, and he's been drowning himself in alcohol for the past two days because of it!" she snapped. "If you still want to be my boyfriend, you'll attend the party and set things straight!"

'Lucas steals my music, and I'm the one who has to attend his celebration?' I thought bitterly.

Even though resentment simmered within me, I had no choice but to swallow my pride. I needed to uncover the secrets he was hiding.

On the day of the party, Winnie clung to Lucas' arm, and they were surrounded by a crowd of people.

"Lucas' two original singles have broken KK Music's records and topped the charts for a whole week!"

"Lucas' ballads move people to tears, but his rock songs are just as soul-stirring. Truly, he's a rising star of songwriting!"

One of his staff members cast me a disdainful glance. "Unlike some people who flaunt the title of songwriter yet engage in theft."

I forced a smile. "Lucas is certainly a rare talent. Since that's the case, could you tell us why you chose a minor key for your first original piece?"

Lucas didn't answer immediately. Instead, he exchanged a look with Winnie.

"Matthew, enough!" Winnie defended him, her face red with anger. "Lucas graciously invited you to this party, and yet you're adamant about causing trouble!"

In that instant, clarity struck me. Winnie must have known the truth all along.

"Isn't he a talented songwriter? Why can't he even explain his own reasons?" I challenged.

Pushing Winnie aside, Lucas finally spoke up. "There's nothing to hide. Major keys are light and cheerful, while minor keys convey sadness and tenderness. 'A Flicker in the Dark' is meant to be played at 0.75x speed. When you slow it down, you'll see it's not a joyful tune at all. Hence, a minor key suits the mood of the song better."

My heart pounded. Lucas' explanation matched my thought process exactly when I wrote the song, especially the 0.75x speed adjustment. This was a hidden detail I had embedded in the track. How could he possibly know about it?

A sense of darkness washed over me.

"Thank you for the explanation. I have some matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave." I turned to exit the private room.

The moment I stepped out, Winnie hurried after me.

"What did you mean back there? Why did you have to embarrass Lucas in front of everyone?" she demanded.

I stared at her, feeling a wave of disappointment. I no longer wanted to be caught up in her web.

"Let's break up. I'm kissing the music industry goodbye and heading back home. I wish you and Lucas all the happiness in the world."

"Why are you being jealous again?" she scoffed, her eyes flashing with mockery. "What are you going to do back home? Do construction work with your dad, the contractor?"

"Do you really think your dad can afford to pay off your penalty fees?" she mocked.

I shrugged and smiled, indifferent to her jabs, as I walked away. She had no idea that I was a real rich kid.

Sure, my father may have been a contractor over a decade ago, but he had struck gold at the right time and was now a prominent real estate mogul. The hefty penalty fees she mentioned? Those would only cost him a few properties.

Even if I couldn't continue making music, I still had a family business waiting for me to inherit. I was looking forward to seeing how Lucas planned to maintain his so-called "creative genius" without my work to steal.