Chapter 1

Tags: Rational Male Lead, Biased Female Lead, Toxic Ex, Satisfying Revenge, Betrayal, Music Industry

On the eve of the music awards, an audio recording of my girlfriend accusing me of plagiarism blew up online.

She demanded that I make a public apology to her golden boy. "You had the nerve to plagiarize him, but you don't have the guts to apologize?"

I did owe someone an apology—myself, for blindly loving her all those years.

I decided to let her go and never see her again.

Four years later, at an industry gala, our paths crossed once more.

I was laughing and chatting with my lyricist.

My ex, now a mega-pop star, stood under the flashbulbs, looking at me with red, tearful eyes. "Chase... did you come back for me?"

Reporters swarmed the red carpet. Their glances were packed with gossip and open disdain.

Who could have guessed that I, a classically trained composer from a renowned musical family, would be accused of plagiarism by my own girlfriend on the eve of the awards?

The supposed victim was Julian, an overnight indie sensation from the wrong side of the tracks.

People always eat up an underdog story. The second the scandal broke, the court of public opinion convicted me.

Because of my family's wealth and prestige, people assumed I looked down on Julian’s raw talent. They believed I had used my industry clout to crush him simply because my girlfriend, Bianca, had publicly praised his work.

Julian, playing the fearless young prodigy, had supposedly triumphed over all odds six months ago, narrowly beating me for the top spot in a major competition.

The audience finally got the grassroots victory they craved. They celebrated Julian’s win over me.

Even though everyone knew Bianca was my girlfriend, people actively shipped her with Julian, painting me as the bitter obstacle standing in the way of true love.

"I can't believe Chase is actually like this."

"All these so-called elite composers just buy their talent with daddy's money."

"We won't bow to industry privilege!"

"Corporate money will never defeat genuine passion!"

I wanted to fight back, to yell the truth into their faces, but a roar of cheers cut me off.

Bianca stepped onto the red carpet, her arm draped through Julian’s.

Together, they looked picture-perfect.

I was left holding a dried-up Sharpie, ushered off the carpet before I could even sign my name on the media wall.

"The copycat actually showed his face? Shameless."

Julian stood outside the camera frame, nodding at me with humble grace. He casually gestured for me to sign the wall, as if granting me permission.

"Julian is pure class, inside and out! Some people need to just get lost and stop hogging the spotlight!"

Julian's fans screamed so loudly that a wave of secondhand embarrassment washed over me. I just wanted the ground to swallow me whole.

Julian stepped forward, pressing a finger to his lips. "Guys, shh. Please respect all the artists here tonight. Focus on our music. We'll handle personal matters privately."

With one polite sentence, he showed off his magnanimous image while subtly confirming to the crowd that the plagiarism rumors were true.

I turned to Bianca, hoping she would set the record straight in front of the press and the fans.

She didn't even bother to look at me. Instead, she clung tighter to Julian’s arm, her eyes full of tenderness and adoration.

"I'm so sorry, Julian," she whispered softly. "I never thought he was this kind of person. You're too generous, still trying to protect him."

We had known each other for years. When her family fell apart and her parents died in an accident, I begged my parents to sponsor her.

She had a natural gift for singing. I wrote lyrics and composed melodies tailored specifically for her, pulling her out of obscure dive bars and putting her onto the main stage.

I thought we shared a deep bond. But the words she muttered as she brushed past me dragged me straight to hell.

"Being associated with a fraud like you is the biggest embarrassment of my life. If you apologize to Julian on stage tonight, maybe I'll still respect you as a man."

I grabbed her wrist, my heart tearing in two. I couldn't comprehend how years of shared history meant less to her than six months with a stranger.

"You know damn well I didn't steal anything."

Bianca yanked her hand back, her face twisted in disgust. "Drop the act. Stop looking like the victim. The only one wronged here is Julian."

My chest tightened painfully.

Facing the flashing cameras, Bianca urged, "Chase, just apologize. It's because I'm your girlfriend that I can't let you keep going down this path."

She turned and bowed deeply to Julian. "On Chase's behalf, I apologize to you. Julian, you've always been gracious. Please forgive him this once. He just couldn't handle his privileged ego losing to an unknown talent."

My hands clenched into tight fists. I stared at Bianca in disbelief. She was completely destroying my dignity in public.

"You're actually going this far for him?"