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Novel Catalog
Chapter 75: The Plagiarized Song
Cecilia remained calm, her voice smooth as she confronted Stella. “You really think so highly of yourself, don’t you? Have you ever taken a single step on your own? Would you have even survived without the Smith family’s help? Would you have become an A-list celebrity if it weren’t for Nathaniel?”
Leaning in, Cecilia whispered in Stella’s ear, her voice dripping with venom. “Don’t think I’m unaware of the schemes you were involved in overseas after graduation. Do you honestly believe Nathaniel and his family would accept you if they knew?”
Stella’s breath hitched. Her eyes widened in shock, her mind racing to find an explanation. She thought she had buried her past well, but it seemed that wasn’t the case. Cecilia had been preparing for this moment long before her return.
“You really didn’t lose your memory, did you?” Cecilia pressed, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of mockery and triumph. “Believe it or not, I’ll tell Nathaniel everything.”
Stella faltered, the weight of the threat sinking in. She hadn’t expected Cecilia to be so sharp-tongued, so calculating. “You’re threatening me?”
Cecilia tilted her head, almost amused. “Oh, really? Do you honestly believe Nathaniel would just overlook those videos? Would you like me to show them to him tomorrow?”
Stella’s face drained of color. She hadn’t expected Cecilia to come back so forcefully.
“Cecilia… What do I have to do for you to let me and Nathaniel be happy?” Stella’s tone shifted to one of desperation. She played the pity card, her eyes brimming with tears. “Apart from Nathaniel, I haven’t done anything to hurt you. Please, I beg you… let him go. You’ll be doing both of us a favor.”
Cecilia’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “Did you spare me back then?” Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Stella standing there, the tears in her eyes now completely gone—replaced by a fearful, anxious expression.
The fear was real. Stella was terrified of Cecilia revealing her past to Nathaniel. If he found out… she knew she would lose everything.
“No way. Absolutely not!” Stella muttered to herself, shaking with fear. “Cecilia, you’re the one who forced me!”
Later that evening, Cecilia was at home, trying to process everything that had transpired when she received a call from Vivian.
“Ceci, did you sell your song to Stella?”
Cecilia was momentarily confused. “Central Media, where Stella used to work, approached me before. They offered to buy the rights to my music, but I turned them down.”
Vivian’s voice was sharp with anger. “Ceci, have you seen the news about Stella’s new song? ‘Ray of Light in the Dark’—she plagiarized your music!”
Cecilia’s eyes narrowed, and she quickly opened her laptop to search for the song. She listened to it again, and immediately, a sense of familiarity flooded her.
“Oh my god…” Cecilia whispered under her breath, realizing what had happened. The melody was almost identical to a song she had composed a few years ago—something she had uploaded on a niche platform but never really pursued.
Vivian scoffed in disbelief. “She barely changed the name! Your song was ‘Ray of Light,’ and now she’s calling it ‘Ray of Light in the Dark.’ How much more obvious could she be?”
“I remember just posting it online but never really caring about it,” Cecilia said, her tone frustrated and angry.
Vivian didn’t hold back. “When Stella couldn’t buy your song, she just stole it. What a crafty tactic!”
Cecilia nodded grimly. “I never thought she’d go this far. I knew she had an eye on my songs before, but I never imagined she’d go to this extent.”
Vivian’s anger flared. “It’s ridiculous! She’s risen to fame on the back of your hard work. I can’t stand it. I’ll have my lawyer send her a letter right now, demanding a cease and desist!”
But Cecilia stopped her, holding up a hand. “Hold on,” she said, her voice more measured now. “We can’t just sue her like that.”
Vivian gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean? She’s stolen from you, Ceci. You deserve compensation!”
Cecilia’s eyes darkened with thought. “It’s not that simple. If we go straight to the lawyers, she’ll just deny it, and it’ll turn into a long, public legal battle. And we both know how good she is at manipulating the media. No, we need to be smart about this. I have a plan.”
Vivian raised an eyebrow. “A plan?”
Cecilia’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “Just trust me. We’ll make sure she pays for this… but on our terms.”
