---- 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. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!