My dad had arrived in Terak ahead of us and had arranged for someone to pick us up from the airport."You've definitely been set up, Matthew. I've asked around, and no one has heard of this kind of spell. Then, a businessman told me that he knows a master who understands these things. We'll meet him tomorrow to find out more," he said.I nodded silently, thinking that there was no need to rush.When we reached the hotel, there were only a few hours left until dawn. I started scrolling through short videos. Just then, a music blogger I followed posted a new video. When I clicked on it, it turned out to be an expose about Lucas.The blogger claimed that Lucas was not a student at a prestigious international music academy but attended a diploma mill where anyone could get in by paying."I took a close look at his social media. He hasn't posted anything related to music and only follows a bunch of rich kids who flaunt their lavish lifestyles. I suspect that his so-called original song
"At exactly noon today, your new song will be released. Don't stress. With how good it is, the Best Songwriter award at the Golden Melody Awards is practically yours!"Anthony patted my shoulder reassuringly. I was breathing heavily as if I had just woken up from a nightmare. Glancing around at the familiar living room and Anthony's concerned expression, I finally realized that I had been reborn on the day of my new song's release."You've worked hard these past nights writing this song, so I won't schedule any promotions for now. Get some rest," he added, starting to leave."Wait a minute!" I called out, stopping him at the door. I shifted my gaze to the clock on the wall, watching the minute hand tick forward. When the minute hand hit ten, I unlocked my phone and found Lucas Zacker's Twitter account. Just like in my past life, he had posted a link to a music platform, accompanied by the caption: "My original solo track 'A Flicker in the Dark' awaits your listen."I clicked
"The company invested a fortune in this single, and you want to cancel it just like that? I can't explain this to the higher-ups!"Look, I'll investigate the song theft for now. In the meantime, you need to write a new song as soon as possible to make up for it."After Anthony left, I sat alone on the couch, lost in thought for a long time.Lucas had always been close to my girlfriend, Winnie Summer. They grew up together and had been practically inseparable ever since they were children. After graduating from an international music academy, Lucas entered the entertainment industry with Winnie's help. With her, a renowned actress, as his backer, he signed a contract with Haven Entertainment, the country's biggest entertainment company. As soon as he debuted, he sang the theme song for an internationally acclaimed director's film. That was a privilege that I, her actual boyfriend, had never enjoyed. Winnie was always so good to him that I was always jealous and sulking. Howev
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
When I got back, I went straight to Anthony. The moment he heard I wanted to leave the music industry, he started panicking."The company isn't going to just let you go like that. You still have three years left in your contract. Are you sure about this, Matthew?"I nodded in silence, and Anthony sighed heavily. "Alright then, the sky's high, and birds must fly free. I won't stop you. I just hope we get a chance to work together again someday."I grasped his outstretched hand, and a smile of relief spread across my face as I finally felt a burden lift. A few days later, the company put out a statement on Twitter announcing our contract termination. Shortly after, I posted my own message, declaring my departure from the entertainment world.The haters who had trashed me online were overjoyed."It had to be him. Lucas said there was a plagiarist. Who else would back out so quickly unless they felt guilty?""At that celebration party, he tried to act all high and mighty toward Lucas
Three days later, my mom and I went on a trip.First, we went to Estania and visited the pyramids and the Sphinx. Then, we headed to Murrock to see the city of Casabulaca. In winter, we even watched auroras in Nornia.Under the vast sky full of stars with blue and pink lights swirling around, I felt a surge of inspiration. However, I no longer dared to create any more music.Noticing my mood was foul, my mom patted my shoulder and said, "Life isn't just about that one thing in front of you. Sometimes, you need to look back and see what's behind you. Just remember that your dad and I are always here to support you."After four months of traveling, I had adjusted my mindset and committed to working at my dad's company. The overwhelming workload left me barely any time to catch my breath, but my dad seemed to be in high spirits every day.One night, while my dad and I were attending a dinner with some suppliers, I got a call from Winnie."Matthew, don't you think it's time for you t
"Anthony, you know that my dad is going to retire soon, so my plates are full. I don't have any more energy to write new songs even if I want to."Anthony's face grew gloomy after hearing that. Then, I carefully probed, "Tell me the truth, Anthony. Are you here on a mission?"Hearing my words, Anthony glanced out at the busy employees through the glass and pursed his lips. "Fine, I'll be straight with you. Sarah's contract with her former agency is about to expire, and she said that she'll only sing the songs you write. She'll sign with whichever company that gets your original songs. This is a huge opportunity for the company, so there's no way they will give up on this. That's why they sent me here."His words helped me piece things together.Sarah and Winnie were best friends, and she always thought I wasn't good enough for Winnie. Hence, there was no way she would ask me to write songs again out of the blue. Something was fishy!"Why don't you just write a song, Matthew? It do