NovelBookChapter 400
"| overheard the assistant say that the boss wanted to pave the way for his beloved, so he threw down ten
million dollars just like that."
In elite circles, it wasn't unusual for wealthy CEOs to shower their lovers with money and opportunities, hoping to
give them a leg up. Stella had lost count of how many such requests she'd turned down over the years.
One of the main reasons she refused to compose for others was precisely because she didn't want them to use
her nfor hype.
She'd even suggested to those who begged her for a song that she was willing to write for them—so long as her
name, "Star," didn't appear anywhere on the credits.
Without exception, every single person had turned her down the moment she made that offer.
It was obvious what they really wanted had never been her music in the first place.
Abby asked, "By the way, are you and Antoney planning to play any original pieces at the concert this time?"
Stella nodded. "I've got five original scores on hand. If Antoney can rearrange them a bit, we can use them at the
concert."
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Abby looked at her. "And the composer credit? Are you going to put 'Star' on it?” Stella had been writing her own
music since she was sixteen-her musical talent was undeniable.
She shook her head. "No. | don't intend to use the n'Star' anymore."
Abby considered this and nodded in agreement. "You're right. That ndraws way too much attention.
Besides, there are so many jealous critics watching your every move; anything you do gets blown out of
proportion and twisted into something ugly."
Back when "Star" was at her peak, she was practically a national sensation. Of course, with all that praise came
plenty of backlash.
People accused her of being an attention-seeker, of playing mysterious, of hiding in the shadows. Seven
spread rumors that she was in it for the money, that she only cared about cash.
A few so-called composers had even claimed to spend millions hiring "Star" to write songs, only to accuse her of
handing them garbage work. The speople who once sang her praises turned on her in an instant.
Worse still, swent so far as to spread plagiarism rumors, posting long-winded attacks online that quickly
went viral.
Many demanded that she cforward to defend her reputation-even a few major news outlets publicly called
for her to respond.
But Stella never paid them any mind.
She knew the truth: if she spent all her tcountering every rumor and slander online, she'd never get
anything else done. If there were? re any real evidence of her being a fraud or a thief, the authorities would've
locked her up by now-instead of
these people just stirring up on the internet.
Most of it was just noise, people trying to grab attention by riding on her fame.
She knew if she ever responded, it would only escalate into a mudslinging free- for-all. No matter how loud the
gossip got, "Star" never once replied—and, eventually, the chaos died down.
The only reason Stella had even
entered composition competitions in the first place wasn't for for money. She just couldn't stand the
arrogant attitudes of sof the foreign contestants.
She'd never expected to beca sensation overnight.
Abby chimed in again, "Just because you beat those foreigners, now the haters
think you shouldn't make a doff your work-they want you to give it all away for free!"
Every profession is about earning a living, after all.
But after Stella had won big on the international stage, self-righteous critics demanded she give her music away
for free, as if charging money was somehow a betrayal of the
honor she'd earned. '
Thankfully, Stella had her own career plans-she never relied on licensing fees.
So, in the end, she really did make her work free for everyone.
It didn't bother her. Instead, she said, "If | ever appear as 'Star' again, people will
start digging for my real identity. It's just not worth it."
No sooner had she finished speaking than her phone rang.
Stella pulled it out.
Foreman Richards.
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