As a washed-up genius composer, I hid it from my husband and sold the rights to my last few masterpieces—my magnum opuses—to a rival company just to scrape together the money. But one hour before the surgery, the payment window showed "Insufficient Funds." I called my husband Julian frantically, only to be hung up on and blocked. Until the LED screens across the city lit up, a two-million-dollar drone light show illuminating the night sky. The screen boldly read: [May the great artist Scarlett's inspiration never dry up — Gift from Julian] I stumbled into the light show venue, but Julian frowned and pushed me away: "Scarlett is in a creative bottleneck. These two million can buy her a masterpiece handed down for generations. What do you know about art?" "Is our son's life not as important as a painting?" Julian sneered: "Don't use the child to emotionally blackmail me. The doctor said it's just the early stage, he won't die." Under the brilliant lights filling the sky, news came from the hospital that my son's heart had stopped beating. And in Julian's eyes, my breakdown at this moment was just jealousy of his "true love." Chapter 1 Just when Julian threw a few thousand dollars at me, just when Scarlett shouted "Inspiration is here." My Leo, the little angel who would lie in my arms calling Mommy and asking for chocolate cake, stopped breathing on the operating table. When he left, Mommy wasn't there, Daddy wasn't there. Only the exploding lights outside the window, worth two million, belonging to the fireworks his dad gave to another woman. "Leo said, the fireworks are bright, but the sky is too dark, he can't find Daddy." This sentence suddenly echoed in my mind. After huge grief, it wasn't hysteria, but a heart-palpitating dead silence. I slowly lowered my hand, slowly raised my head, looking at the two people still flirting in front of me. Meeting my gaze, the smile on Julian's face froze. He subconsciously took half a step back, inexplicably shivering. "E... Evelyn, why are you looking at me like that?" He frowned, masking his inner unease, scolding sternly. "I tell you, don't think acting mysterious will make me forgive you! Here's your phone, get out!" Snap. The phone was thrown on the ground by him, screen cracking. I didn't pick it up. Nor did I kneel and beg for mercy like just now, nor did I scream in anger. I just looked at him quietly, looking at this man I loved for seven years, to whom I gave all my youth and talent. "Julian." I spoke. Voice very light. "You don't need to forgive me." I bent down, picking up those few bills stepped on and dirty on the ground. That was the few thousand dollars he gave me like charity just now. I patted the dust off them one by one, then folded them neatly, putting them into my inner pocket. This is Leo's funeral expense. Even if only a few thousand, I want him to leave with some dignity. "Evelyn, you..." Watching my unusually calm actions, Julian's uneasiness grew stronger. "What? Playing tricks again?" Scarlett said sarcastically on the side. "Took the money, why not leave?" I didn't pay attention to the barking dog. I just looked at Julian deeply, for the last time. No love, no hate in that look, only the pity of looking at a dead person. "Julian, you won." After saying this, I turned around, dragging my bare right foot, step by step, walking into the darkness. Behind me, the fireworks continued. Boom—! Another brilliance exploded. That was the elegy sending off my son. Chapter 2 When leaving the riverside, a fine rain began to fall. I don't know how I got back to the hospital. Only remember the nurse guarding the operating room door, handing me a death certificate with red eyes. "Mrs. Evelyn, the child went quietly... didn't suffer much." Didn't suffer much. These three words cut my heart a few more times. I pushed open the door to the morgue, a chill hitting my face. Leo lay on the iron bed in the center, covered with a white cloth. I walked over, gently lifting a corner of the white cloth. He was really quiet, like having a dream he didn't want to wake up from. His little face was pale, body stiff. "Leo, Mommy is here." I took out that stack of bills with body warmth from my pocket. That was the few thousand Julian gave as charity. "Mommy is useless, couldn't snatch the money back..." "Although not much, it's enough to buy Leo a beautiful new outfit, and a small house." I wiped the residual blood from his face bit by bit with a towel, movements gentle as if washing his face. At this time, the phone in my pocket vibrated. It was a WeChat message from Julian. Not asking where I was, nor asking how our son was. But a photo. In the photo, a luxurious celebration party. Huge champagne tower shining under crystal lights, Scarlett standing in the center, holding a painting tube, smiling triumphantly. Julian stood beside her, face glowing with happiness. Caption: [Congrats to Scarlett for finding inspiration! Not going home until drunk tonight!] This is my husband. While I was dressing my son in grave clothes, he was popping champagne for another woman. While I was wiping my son's body, he was hugging another girl laughing endlessly. I didn't reply, nor was I angry. I silently turned off the phone, dressed Leo in the slightly large grave clothes, then leaned down, planting a last kiss on his cold forehead. "Leo be good, wait for Mommy here for a few days. Mommy has a little bit of trash left to clean up." After finishing simple cremation procedures, I walked out of the hospital. The villa late at night was empty. Julian hadn't returned, probably still celebrating Scarlett's "rebirth" in that gold cave. I didn't turn on the light. Borrowing moonlight, I walked into the music room at the end of the corridor again. Locked here was my entire seven years of blood and sweat. Dozens of thick composition notebooks, hundreds of unreleased master tapes, and that violin Julian gave me back then, now covered in dust. These things used to be the only capital I had to stand tall in this wealthy wife identity. Relying on them, Julian turned the nearly bankrupt Starlight Entertainment into an industry giant. I also naively thought, as long as I kept writing good songs, he would always love me, would leave a place for me in this home. But now it seems, I am a complete joke. I opened the safe, hugging out those stacks of manuscripts. "Silent Wind", "The Last Farewell", "Echo of the Deep Sea"... Every song here could sell for a sky-high price on the black market. Especially "Nirvana", the core soundtrack needed for Scarlett's so-called "synesthetic painting." "All trash." I whispered, throwing them all into the fireplace. Scratch. A match broke the darkness, flame landing on the paper pile. Dry paper ignited instantly, tongues of fire greedily swallowing the staves. Notes twisted in the flames, turning black, turning into smoke. Firelight reddened my face, also illuminating Scarlett's poster on the wall. He looked melancholy. I sat on the carpet in front of the fireplace, holding a bottle of red wine, drinking gulp after gulp. Watching this fire, my heart was surprisingly calm. Burn. Burn it all clean, and I can leave cleanly. Just when the fire was at its peak, noisy footsteps and laughter suddenly came from the entrance. "...Scarlett slow down, don't break the painting tools." "Julian, tonight was so happy! I feel inspiration still surging endlessly!" "Quick, to the music room, I want to try if 'Nirvana' can change key again!" "Okay, whatever you say. As long as you are happy, change however you want." The door was pushed open. Julian held Scarlett, walking in with the smell of alcohol and cold wind. The smiles on their faces hadn't had time to converge before they saw the soaring fire and smoke at the end of the corridor. "Fire?!" Scarlett screamed, hiding behind Julian. Julian's face changed instantly. He smelled that familiar burnt scent—the smell of special music paper burning! "My songs!!" He let out a sharp scream, stepping in leather shoes, rushing towards the music room like crazy. Standing at the door, seeing the half-burnt manuscripts in the fireplace, he screamed. "Evelyn!! What are you doing!!" Ignoring the high temperature, he pounced on the fireplace, reaching out to grab those burning papers. "Stop! Stop it! Are you crazy?! Do you know how important this song is to Scarlett?!" "Ah—!" Flame singed the back of his hand. He cried out in pain withdrawing his hand, but still firmly protected those few remaining pages, turning his head, staring at me with eyes wanting to eat people. "Evelyn! I see you really don't want to live!!" Chapter 3 "Evelyn! You are crazy!!" Julian screamed, reaching into the fireplace recklessly to grab those burning papers. Tongues of fire licked his fingers. He withdrew his hand in pain, but still wouldn't give up, turning around and pouncing on me like a madman, raising his hand and slapping me hard on the face. Slap! My head was beaten to the side, cheek burning with pain, a trace of blood taste in my mouth. "Do you know how much these manuscripts are worth?! Do you know how important this is to the company?!" Julian grabbed my collar. "This is the trump card I saved for Scarlett to win awards! How dare you burn them?! You just can't stand seeing Scarlett do well, right?!" He cursed while scratching and clawing at me. Sharp nails cut my neck and arms, leaving trails of blood. I didn't dodge, nor fought back. I just held that small blue box tightly against my chest, even when pushed into the corner by him, I didn't loosen a bit. That was Leo. I can't let him hurt anymore. "Julian! Julian don't do this!" Scarlett only rushed up to pull him fake-heartedly then. She glanced at the manuscripts turned to ashes in the fireplace, a flash of pleasure in her eyes, but mouth showing heartache for Julian. "Oh my, burned is burned, beating her is useless. Don't hurt your hand, I'll be heartbroken." She stepped forward hugging Julian, looking at me in a mess, sighing with feigned magnanimity. "Actually I can understand Ms. Evelyn." "After all, I heard she felt she had no status at home these years," "Maybe she wants to get your attention this way." "Get attention?" Julian sneered. He looked at me, eyes full of disgust. "Is she worthy? If I didn't raise her these seven years, she would have starved to death long ago!" "Now daring to burn my things to demonstrate to me? Evelyn, you are simply an ungrateful wolf!" He didn't know at all. These seven years, who raised whom. Those golden songs that sent Starlight Entertainment public, those hits that made him earn buckets of money, which one didn't come from these hands? Which one wasn't written by me draining my heart's blood? Now, he takes the money I earned, raises another woman, and calls me an ungrateful wolf. Too laughable. I hugged Leo's urn tightly, slowly sliding down the wall to sit on the floor, mouth curling into a sarcastic arc. "Yes, I am an ungrateful wolf." I looked up at him, voice hoarse and calm. "So President Julian, since I am this kind of person, what are you waiting for?" "I've already signed the divorce agreement on the table. You sign it, we are even." Hearing the word "divorce," Julian's body stiffened. He seemed not to expect that Evelyn, who used to obey him and loved him like life, dared to mention divorce so resolutely. And at a time when he thought I was "making trouble without reason." "Divorce? Dream on!" Julian suddenly sneered, eyes becoming more sinister. "Burned my manuscripts worth tens of millions, want to leave just like that? No such cheap thing!" "How to calculate those losses? How to calculate Scarlett's mental damage?" Scarlett rolled her eyes, suddenly interjecting. "Julian, actually it's not that serious." "Ms. Evelyn is in the circle after all, although not famous, she knows a bit about music." She walked to me, looking down at me, wearing a hypocritical smile. "Ms. Evelyn, my charity gala is starting tomorrow night," "Originally 'Nirvana' was to be played by me personally as the finale." "Now the score is burned, can only use that unfinished draft." "How about this, you come to the gala tomorrow night too." "Apologize to Julian in front of the whole city's media and celebrities, and help me turn pages on stage, be an assistant." "As long as you are willing to admit in public that you burned the manuscripts out of jealousy, and willing to be my assistant," "This debt, we can write off." Make me an assistant? Make me, a former candidate for Vienna's principal violinist, turn pages for this idiot who can't even read all the staves? And admit jealousy in public? Julian's eyes lit up, seeming to think this was a good idea to humiliate me and vent for Scarlett. "Scarlett is right. Evelyn, this is your last chance to redeem yourself." He pointed at me, tone unquestionable. "Tomorrow night at seven, The Peninsula Hotel." "Clean yourself up, don't embarrass me looking like a beggar!" "If you dare not come, or play tricks at the banquet, I'll make you spend the rest of your life in jail!" With that, he took Scarlett's arm, stepping over the mess, walking out of the music room without looking back. "Scarlett, let's go to another room, the air here is too dirty." "Okay, whatever you say..." The voices of the two drifted away. The music room returned to deathly silence. Only the remaining embers in the fireplace occasionally made cracking sounds. I looked down at the blue box in my arms. Luckily, Leo wasn't woken up. "Leo, did you hear?" I whispered, eyes gradually turning cold. "They invited Mommy to the gala." "Good." I looked at the charred score fragments in the fireplace, only black corners left. On them, vaguely visible notes scorched by fire, seeming to cry, seeming to scream. "Just right, Mommy also wants to send their 'art' off for the last time." "This last performance, Mommy will definitely make them... remember for life." Chapter 4 The ballroom of The Peninsula Hotel, crystal chandeliers projecting brilliant light. I wore an ill-fitting black dress, standing in the shadow at the side of the stage. This was specially requested by Scarlett. She said my existence would affect the visual beauty of the stage, only worthy of staying in the gutter turning pages for her. Below, celebrities gathered, flashes of cameras blinding. Julian sat in the center of the first row, in a haute couture suit, like a king. He looked at Scarlett on stage, eyes full of pride and expectation. "Good evening everyone." Scarlett sat in front of the Steinway piano worth millions, speaking affectionately into the microphone. "Tonight, I want to play my original farewell work for everyone — 'Rebirth'." "This piece was born under last night's fireworks, a collision of my inspiration and soul." Thunderous applause. Scarlett raised her chin at me triumphantly, eyes full of provocation. I looked at her too, mouth curling into a sneer. Start. Let your ugliness have nowhere to hide under the spotlight. Music sounded. As soon as the prelude came out, the whole venue was quiet. That was the prelude of 'Nirvana', written by me using complex syncopation to match Leo's heartbeat. However, listening further, the brows of knowledgeable musicians below furrowed tighter. At the chorus climax, the melody that should have been soaring suddenly became strange and twisted. Scarlett didn't understand the modulation processing at all. To cover up her fingering that couldn't reach, she forcibly added an inexplicable glissando. Harsh, abrupt, extremely ugly. "This is... the master's synesthesia?" Someone whispered below. "Why does it feel a bit out of breath?" Scarlett obviously realized something was wrong too, cold sweat on her forehead. She panicked trying to make up, but played more chaotically, finally even playing a wrong note directly, making a loud CLANG. Scarlett's hand froze on the keys, face pale as paper. Just then, I walked out of the shadows. "Can't play anymore? Master Scarlett." I walked to the piano, in front of everyone, pulling out the blurry photocopied score from her music stand. "Because this fragment can only support you to play till here." I held up that paper, facing all media and guests below. "This is Ms. Scarlett's so-called 'Original'?" "Holding a few burnt pages, not even understanding the rest rests on them, dare to call it a collision of souls?" "The modulation in the twelfth bar, that is compassion only C major can reflect," "You forcibly changed it to E flat major to show off skills, ugly!" "Evelyn! Shut up!" Scarlett turned angry from shame, standing up abruptly wanting to snatch the mic from my hand. "Security! Where is security! This crazy woman is jealous of me! Get her down quickly!" Uproar below. Reporters' flashes flashed crazily, shutters clicking continuously. "Jealous?" I sneered, just about to continue exposing her. "Enough!" Julian rushed onto the stage, face iron green. He didn't question why Scarlett played wrong, nor looked at that fragment score, but rushed directly to me, raising his hand— Slap! Another loud slap. Harder than the one in the music room last night. Half my face swelled quickly, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of my mouth. "Evelyn, have you made enough trouble?!" Julian pointed at my nose, announcing loudly to all guests: "Everyone, really sorry." "This woman is my ex-wife. Because she has been raised by me, her mind is twisted," "She can't stand Scarlett being better than her, that's why she deliberately made trouble tonight!" "Scarlett's talent is obvious to all. This song is indeed her inspiration last night." "As for the mistake just now, it was completely because this crazy woman affected her mind!" Final verdict. He is the President of Starlight Entertainment, he is the capital. He says black is white, then it is white. Public opinion below reversed instantly. "So it's a gold digger jealous of a genius, disgusting." "How can such a person have the face to live in the world?" Seeing this, Scarlett immediately put on the face of an aggrieved victim. She clutched her chest, eyes red. "Julian, forget it... Ms. Evelyn followed you for seven years after all, has credit if not hard work. I don't blame her." "Just..." She changed the subject, a trace of viciousness flashing in her eyes. "Since Ms. Evelyn looks down on my art so much, and values money so much. How about this." "Heard Ms. Evelyn studied music before too, those hands even won some Vienna 'Golden String' award." Scarlett pointed at my long hands, mouth curling into a cruel smile. "Since you ruined my premiere, why not bring out your trophy for charity sale to atone." "Or... 'donate' these hands, maybe I can forgive your rudeness."
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