Hearing that, Leia felt a buzzing in her mind. She found Noelle’s speech ridiculous and outrageous, and anger got her the next second.
Was Noelle out of her mind?
How dare she tell Leia not to learn from Reyna?
Wasn’t her jealousy too conspicuous?
Leia was mad at Noelle because her good mood had been ruined. Angry, she wished to slap Noelle and question Noelle for such stupid advice.
“Noelle, what do you mean?”
Kimberly was surprised and puzzled by Noelle’s speech.
Why did Noelle throw cold water on the good news that Leia had been chosen by Reyna?
Leia noticed the puzzled looks of her family members.
After the flash of a shrew look, she had conspicuous grievance and sadness on her face.
She said, “Noelle, Reyna is a diva. It is my honor to be chosen to be her student. You are outstanding, but you shouldn’t pick on me with your jealousy of my progress. That’s awful.”
This complaint steered Noelle to controversy again.
Charlie looked at Noelle coldly. He said nothing, but his expression did.
It was clear that he was dissatisfied with Noelle’s words.
Frowning, Damon glanced at Noelle and asked, “You deliberately threw cold water on the good news when we feel happy for Leia, didn’t you? Does it have anything to do with you that Leia will learn from Reyna?”
Eli worriedly pulled Noelle when the latter was targeted. “Noelle, what are you doing?”
Nobody liked the killjoy, so Noelle was asking for trouble.
“What did I do?” Noelle didn’t understand why she got targeted all of a sudden.
She blinked at Leia and then said, “Leia, why do you think that I am jealous of you? I just tried to warn you that Reyna isn’t as good as you think. It is not a good choice to be her student.”
Noelle thought, “She made a name with my song, but she claimed to be its composer.
“As Nick said, she is a bad woman.”
were
Nick had promised Noelle to break the truth about The Shadows to the public after her new songs were released. When that day came, Reyna would be in trouble.
In recent years, music, critics thought that Reyna didn’t make any progress.
Reyna would lose popularity sooner or later if she couldn’t compose a good song like The Shadows.
Out of kindness, Noelle had given Leia that piece of advice.
She knew that Reyna would get in trouble soon.
Why was her family so resentful to her kindness?
Hearing Noelle belittle Reyna, Leia was convinced that Noelle was jealous of her.
She thought, “Noelle is jealous of me because she didn’t get chosen by Reyna.
“How dare she belittle Reyna?
“Shame on her!
After the flash of a smirk, Leia winked at Noelle and then ridiculed, “Noelle, Reyna is one of the most popular singers, and nobody can clock the record of her song. The Shadows, yet. Who is good if she isn’t?”
Noelle asked, ‘Does she have any good songs, apart from The Shadows?”
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“Of course! Love over a Century, Moonlight, The Reflection, and so on. They’re all pretty good songs.”
“More popular than The Shadows?” Noelle pressed.
“Well…” Leia became hesitant,
All the songs she had mentioned couldn’t beat The Shadows in popularity.
Right then, Charlie didn’t keep his mouth shut anymore.
After one glance at Noelle, he said coldly, “Inspiration is precious, and only a handful of people can leave some great songs remembered by the world. Reyna is one of those people. That is why she is a diva. Before you speak ill of others, think whether you can achieve something like them.”
Instantly, Leia sided with Charlie. “That’s it. Noelle, Reyna has the song, The Shadows. What do you have? Without her achievement, you are unqualified to belittle her.”
Charlie’s cold look and Leia’s indignation made Noelle’s cheeks puff up.
Unhappy, Noelle said candidly, “I’m qualified because I’m the composer of The Shadows.”
Silence fell.
After the shock, Leia saw Noelle’s confession as a joke.
After a while, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Leia scoffed, “Noelle, you are killing me! The composer of The Shadows? Come on!” She laughed out loud again.
“Don’t talk nonsense like that when you are out; otherwise, the fans of Reyna can drown you with their spit.”
Charlie felt speechless.
He lost his interest in continuing this talk with Noelle.
“Noelle, you…”
Both Vincent and Kimberly were stunned.
They knew that Noelle was outstanding, but they found it hard to believe her this time.
Young, Noelle was already a racing car driver, a chef, a doctor, and a composer with a classic song.
In less than twenty years, she had achieved something that cost most people several hundred years to complete.
Was that possible?
Damon remained silent, and his gaze at Noelle was complicated.
In his eyes, there was no sarcasm or disdain.
Damon wouldn’t be surprised no matter what Noelle said.
He found Noelle amazing.
The Anderson brothers were excellent, but Noelle outshone them a lot. One couldn’t explain the divergence just by genetics.
What had Noelle been through?
Eli was the only person who reacted with excitement and joy. Looking at Noelle, he exclaimed, “No way! Noelle, did you compose The Shadows for Reyna?”
Noelle felt flattered.
She quickly shifted her gaze to Eli, her eyes bright. She raised her chin and said proudly, “Yes, that’s my work!”
“If so, why were you unfamous?”
The Shadows made Reyna a household name.
If Noelle was its composer, she was supposed to make a name as Reyna did.
“Well, I learned that I could sell my songs for money. I sold The Shadows when I was short of money.”
“How much did you get?”
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“One thousand dollars.”
“Oh my! What a bad bargain! Reyna has earned about one billion dollars with this song
“One billion dollars? Wow, is it so lucrative?*
Noelle learned from Nick that the commercial value of that song was high, but they did not know how much Reyna had earned.
Eli rolled his eyes. “Nonsense! Do you know the value of a household name? Whoever wants to cover the song needs to pay Reyna. Thanks to this song. Reyna became a diva.”
“Oh…
The explanation from Eli stunned Noelle.
Noelle thought, “Oh my! What a lucrative business singing is!
“Being a singer is more profitable than being a killer.
“One assassination mission brought me tens of millions of dollars at most while one song helped Reyna earn about one billion! How outrageous!”
It seemed Eli was convinced that Noelle was the composer of The Shadows.
Leia’s face darkened slightly. With a skin–deep smile, Leia asked, “Eli, do you really believe that Noelle is the composer of The Shadows? Come on!” Hearing the question, Eli looked back at Leia.
Didn’t Leja say that Noelle was jealous of her? Her reaction to Noelle’s being the composer of The Shadows was violent.
Wasn’t she jealous of Noelle?
Eli replied calmly, “Yes, because Noelle is outstanding. Leia, why are your reactions so violent? Are you jealous of Noelle for her talent?”
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Chapter 94
Eli sounded harsh and cold.
Leia’s face darkened.
Leia bit her lip and said aggrievedly, “Eli, that’s not what I meant. You misunderstood me!”
Eli sneered and asked, “Did I? Didn’t you just say that Noelle picked on you with jealousy? What did you mean then?”
“I…”
Leia didn’t know how to answer Eli.
She looked pitiful and fragile with her head down and her eyes red.
Damon sympathized with Leia, so he looked at Eli unhappily and asked in an unfriendly tone, “Eli, what’s wrong with you?”
“What?”
Eli glanced at Damon and asked, “Did I say anything wrong?”
“Are you insane?”
“Yes. Do you have any medicine?”
“Come on! No fight. We can talk things over.”
Sensitive, Kimberly stopped her sons from fighting.
Charlie silently glanced at his two younger brothers.
He found a subtle change in this family during this return.
It was obvious that Eli now sided with Noelle.
Damon supported Leia when it came to something important. However, his attitude towards Noelle was different from before. Not long ago, he had clamored to kill Noelle.
Now, his words toward Noelle were no longer as malicious as before.
Only one month had passed.
How could Noelle bring such a drastic change in Eli and Damon?
Charlie did not come to any conclusion after deliberation. He found Noelle staring at him when he came back to his senses.
After the shock, Charlie frowned slightly. “What?”
Noelle blinked her beautiful eyes and asked in a crisp voice like that of a lark, “Charlie, do you believe that I composed The Shadows?”
Charlie was speechless.
To be honest, he felt that Noelle needed a doctor for her hypochondria.
However, Charlie was a rational man.
Thinking that the probability of Noelle as the composer of The Shadows was less than one percent, he asked objectively and neutrally, “Do you have any evidence for your assertion?”
“No.”
Noelle shook her head and said, “I composed the song a few years ago. Back then, I didn’t take it to heart, so I have no evidence.”
*If so, your assertion is groundless.”
Charlie looked at Noelle coldly and said, “You claim to be the composer, but you have no evidence. Nobody will trust you.
“Leia is right about one thing. You can shoot off your mouth at home, but don’t bring this matter up to the outsiders. Otherwise, you will get abused by Reyna’s fans. To make things worse, Reyna can sue you for this slander. When that happens, your punishment will contain more than one public apology.”
“Oh…
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Chapter 89
A loud voice rang through the classroom, drawing the attention of several students who turned to see what was going on.
Leia quickly reached out to cover her friend’s mouth, looking embarrassed. “Lucy, keep it down! Everyone’s staring at us.”
“What’s the big deal? This is amazing news!” Lucy, completely unfazed, continued in her booming voice, as if she had a built–in megaphone. “Phoenix Entertainment is one of the top three entertainment companies in Reniam City, especially when it comes to music. Every talented aspiring singer dreams of getting in!”
Leia blinked at Lucy’s over–the–top reaction and deliberately played innocent. “Oh, but I’m nowhere near those geniuses! Charlie was the one who sent my recording to the producers. They only gave me this chance as a favor to him. I couldn’t have done it on my own.”
“Are you kidding me? That makes it even better!” Lucy was practically vibrating with excitement. “Leia, your brother is Charlie! With him backing you, breaking into the entertainment industry should be a walk in the park!”
Leia, of course, knew this all too well. She enjoyed hearing Lucy hype her up, but she still put on an exaggeratedly flustered expression and pleaded. “Lucy, please! I’m begging you; stop talking about it. Everyone’s listening! This kind of attention isn’t good.”
But no matter how much Leia pretended to protest, it was already too late. With Lucy’s booming voice, everyone in the class had heard every word loud and clear.
The whispers started immediately.
“Leia got invited by Phoenix Entertainment to record a song? Does that mean she’s really going into the industry?”
“Not necessarily. Didn’t she just say it was all because of Charlie?”
“That’s exactly the point. The fact that Charlie is her brother is a massive advantage.”
“Seriously, Leia has it made. First, Eli cleared up the rumors about her, then her world–champion fourth brother, Damon, rushed to defend her. And now, Charlic is introducing her to Phoenix Entertainment. Her brothers spoil her rotten.”
Ever since the rumors were dispelled, everyone knew that Noelle was the true daughter of the Anderson family while Leia was the one who had been switched at birth. But when it came down to it, Leia’s relationship with the Anderson brothers was far better than Noelle’s.
Even if Leia wasn’t their biological sister, her connections and resources were undeniable. In contrast, Noelle, the real heiress, their actual little sister, seemed almost pitiful.
Leia could feel the shift in the way people looked at her, the admiration, the envy, the respect. And she loved it.
‘So what if Eli has set the record straight? Four out of my five brothers stand firmly on my side. Noelle can never compete with that,‘ she wondered. ‘Noelle would never be able to shake my standing, not in the Anderson family, not at school, not anywhere!
Across the room, a small group of girls had been listening in. One of them turned back to Noelle and whispered, “Wow, Noelle, Leia is one hell of
an actress.”
“Huh?” Noelle looked up, confused.
The girl lowered her voice. “Lucy is loud as hell, and Leia knew exactly what she was doing. She brought up the recording just to make sure everyone heard about it but then acted like she didn’t want the attention like she was trying to keep it a secret. Classic fake modesty. She’s a natural.”
Hearing this analysis, Noelle was momentarily stunned. ‘Oh my god. Leia doesn’t just act. She lives it, she thought.
Whenever Noelle had to perform, she still needed to rehearse and recall the techniques Nick had taught her. But Leia did it effortlessly as if it was second nature. In a way, Noelle actually kind of admired her for it. Leia might as well be her personal acting coach.
Leia, meanwhile, was basking in the attention when she casually glanced in Noelle’s direction, fully expecting to see her looking jealous and furious. But when she turned to look. Noelle was staring at her with wide, shining eyes, eyes full of admiration.
Leia froze, completely thrown off. She even blinked a few times, thinking she might be seeing things. But no, Noelle was still looking at her with that same starry–eyed, awestruck expression.
Leia felt like she had just punched a pillow. All her momentum and all her satisfaction were gone. ‘What the hell? Is Noelle insane?‘ she wondered.
“Noelle, Charlie has introduced connections for Leia, but why hasn’t anyone thought to do the same for you? With your looks, you’d definitely be a sensation in the entertainment industry.” The girls surrounding Noelle spoke up in her defense.
Noelle took the last sip of her milkshake, then looked up and admitted honestly, “Charlie and I aren’t close. He wouldn’t introduce me to anyone.
To be fair, Noelle had only met Charlie a handful of times.
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Charlie was always busy. He had his own place outside and rarely came back to the Anderson residence unless something major happened. The only reason Noelle had seen him before was because Leia had collapsed and been hospitalized.
Just Noelle coming back to the Anderson family wouldn’t have been nearly enough of a reason for Charlie to return.
“That’s so unfair! You’re their real sister,” a classmate complained, confused.
Noelle, however, had long since come to terms with it. She replied calmly, “But Leia’s the one who’s been with them every day for over ten years.”
She had never once thought about taking the Anderson family’s love away from Leia. All she wanted was to be treated equally just like how they treated Leia. That would make her mission a lot easier.
But at the beginning, no one in the family had cooperated with her at all. Leia, especially, had seen her as an enemy.
Noelle couldn’t quite understand it. The whole Anderson family seemed to have a weird way of thinking.
Still, she had no choice. For the sake of her mission, she had to build good relationships with them and make them like her.
“Noelle, I’m so sorry,” the girls murmured, unaware of what was really going through her mind. Hearing her speak so openly, they couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.
Leia had taken over more than a decade of Noelle’s life, hogging all the love from their parents and brothers.
If it had been anyone else, they probably would have resented Leia by now or even wallowed in self–pity. But Noelle was still so optimistic, so composed. She was incredibly strong.
Off to the side, Harley glanced at Noelle, his gaze flickering. He, too, felt a pang of sympathy for her.
The Anderson family really is a bunch of heartless people. Noelle is so wonderful; she deserves the best things in the world,’ he wondered.
After a moment, Harley spoke up, offering, “Noelle, if you want to enter the entertainment industry, I can help you.”
The Parker family had a stake in Phoenix Entertainment. They weren’t major shareholders, but arranging for a newcomer to enter the industry was effortless for them.
Noelle shook her head with a smile. “Thank you, Harley, but I don’t need it.”
Her classmates immediately sighed in disappointment. “Why not, Noelle? This is such a great opportunity!“/
Noelle rested her chin in her hands, her eyes curving into a playful smile. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Nick had already planned out everything for her. The release of her new song was the perfect opportunity.
Once the song became a hit, she would establish a persona as a musical prodigy. And since Charlie had always admired the composer of The Shadows, once he found out that she was the one who had written it, he would surely see her in a different light.
Nick had said that interest was the first step to liking someone. If things went according to plan, this would be her way in.
Harley stayed quiet, watching Noelle’s bright, confident smile as if she had already thought of a way out. He couldn’t help but feel a little unsettled.
ง
Even though he was standing so close to her, he still knew nothing about her.
‘What does she mean by ‘you’ll find out soon enough? Does she have another plan? But the Anderson family doesn’t treat her well; there’s they’d give her resources. As for Nicolas… he thought,
Harley didn’t even consider that man a possibility. Nicolas was best known for being a notorious flirt.
no
way
The entire Sawyer Group was controlled by Nicolas‘ two older brothers. Nicolas was just a figurehead with no real power in the company, let alone the ability to provide Noelle with any resources.
‘So, Noelle… what other secrets are you hiding?‘ Harley wondered.
12/2
Over the weekend, Leia made her way to the headquarters of Phoenix Entertainment. From a distance, she could already see a large group of young women gathered outside the main entrance.
Many of them were holding banners and merchandise, all featuring the same person, Charlie.
Leia mused to herself. ‘Charlie really is a sensation. Anywhere he might appear, his fans are bound to show up in droves.
She walked past the eager crowd without drawing attention to herself, watching as they stared longingly at the entrance. A wave of smug satisfaction surged within her.
These women can only dream of seeing him in person, while if I wanted, I could see him every single day, she wondered.
Sure, Charlie wasn’t as warm or protective toward her as Damon was, but after all, they had grown up together for over a decade. Their bond was real. If she ever needed anything, Charlie rarely refused her.
That was the privilege of being his sister.
With a lighthearted step, Leia entered the building, only to be stopped by security in the lobby. “Excuse me, ma’am, do you have an appointment?” one of the guards asked.
Leia flashed a confident smile. “I’m here to see my brother.”
“Your brother?” The guard eyed her skeptically. “And who might that be?”
Leia lifted her chin slightly, her voice laced with pride. “Charlie.”
The guard’s eyes widened in surprise as he gave her a once–over. ‘Charlie’s sister? She’s certainly pretty, but she doesn’t bear much resemblance to him, he wondered.
Leia relished the astonishment on his face. “That’s right. If you don’t believe me, feel free to check.”
“Please wait a moment,” the guard said quickly before turning to the receptionist to confirm her claim. The receptionist wasted no time making a call.
Moments later, the elevator doors in the lobby slid open. A man in his mid–to–late twenties stepped out, his sharp eyes scanning the room. The moment he spotted Leia, he hurried over with a friendly grin. “Hi, Leia.”
“Hello, Zick.” Leia greeted him just as brightly.
This was Charlie’s assistant, Zick.
Zick reached her side and spoke with enthusiasm. “Hope you didn’t wait too long. Come on; let’s head upstairs. Charlie’s already in the recording studio.”
Leia raised a curious brow “What’s he doing there so early?”
A gleam of excitement flashed in Zick’s eyes. “Oh, you don’t know yet? Phoenix Entertainment is planning a collaboration with Lighting Media’s top star, Reyna, the queen of pop herself. You know how much Charlie admires her. Now that she’s here, of course, he wouldn’t miss the chance to meet her.”
Leia froze for a second, suddenly feeling uneasy. “Wait… will it be okay if I go in now?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Zick chuckled. “In fact, this is a golden opportunity. Haven’t you heard the rumors? Reyna’s been looking for an apprentice. If she takes a liking to you, you could rise to the top overnight.”
Leia’s heart skipped a beat. Her eyes lit up. “You really think I have a shot?”
“I’ve heard your recordings, and honestly? I think you do,” said Zick.
Hearing that, Leia felt an undeniable surge of excitement.
Tthe legendary Reyna were to take me under her wing, that would be far more valuable than just relying on my brother’s connections,‘ she wondered. And when that happened… When I make it to the top, what will Noelle have left to compete with me?‘
Leia followed Zick into the recording studio, where a sizable group of people had gathered. But among them, two figures stood out the most.
One was Charlie, his cool, refined features exuded an air of reserved elegance. His striking appearance, combined with his distant, almost untouchable aura, only added to his mystique.
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The other was Reyna. With a breathtakingly sultry figure, she commanded attention with effortless confidence. She could have built her career on looks alone, yet her talent was undeniable.
Her song The Shadows cemented her status as a pop legend, and even now, the royalties from that one track continued to pour in. She was, without a doubt, an icon.
“Charlie, I brought Leia,” Zick announced.
Charlie’s cool gaze landed on her. His voice was even, almost indifferent. “Leia, come here.”
“Sure, Charlie.” Leia obediently stepped up beside him.
+
Turning to Reyna, Charlie made the introduction. “Ms. Goodwin, this is my sister, Leia, the one I mentioned earlier.”
Leia smiled politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Goodwin.”
Leia flashed a bright, sweet smile at Reyna. “I’m a huge fan of yours! I always buy every album you release and keep them in my collection.”
Reyna’s lips curved into a polite smile. “Oh? That’s very kind of you. Charlie mentioned that you’re interested in pursuing a music career. Are you here today to record a song?”
“Yes.” Leia nodded and playfully winked. “I just didn’t expect to run into you today. Looks like my luck is finally running out.”
Reyna raised an eyebrow. “And what do you mean by that?”
Leia grinned mischievously. “Because I must’ve used up all my good luck just to meet you today.”
Reyna couldn’t help but laugh. She turned to Charlie with amusement. “Mr. Anderson, your sister is quite charming.”
Charlie, as always, remained composed and indifferent. “She’s just a kid who doesn’t know any better, Ms. Goodwin. Don’t mind her.”
“Oh, I don’t mind at all. In fact, I rather like her.” Reyna studied Leia with a glint of something unreadable in her eyes as if she were calculating something.
With the same warm and friendly smile, she continued, “Leia, would it be alright if I just call you by your first name?”
Leia beamed. “Of course!”
“Well then, Leia, I’ve been considering taking on an apprentice for some time now. I listened to your recording earlier, and I think you have tremendous potential. Would you be interested in becoming my last and only disciple?” said Reyna.
The moment those words left Reyna’s lips, Leia could hardly believe her ears.
Leia had spent so much time thinking about how to win Reyna’s favor, how to prove herself worthy of being taken under her wing. And yet, without her even making an effort, Reyna was the one extending an invitation.
Is this what they call a miracle?‘ she wondered.
{
Charlie’s brows furrowed slightly at Reyna’s proposal. He was just about to speak when Leia blurted out without hesitation, “I’d love to!”
ง
Reyna watched Leia’s excited expression and smiled. “Is that so? In that case, I’ll send you an address later. Come find me there, and I’ll have my agent draw up the contract.”
“Contract?” Leia blinked in surprise.
Reyna explained matter–of–factly, “Since you’ll be my apprentice, it’s only natural that you sign with Lighting Media. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
As she spoke, she turned to Charlie and gave him a playful wink. “I hope you won’t mind parting with such a talent, Mr. Anderson?”
‘Leia has already agreed. What else could I say?‘ Charlie wondered.
He looked at her again, his tone neutral but firm. “Leía, are you sure about this?”
Leja could sense that Charlie wasn’t entirely pleased with her decision. But this was her chance. To be personally recognized by Reyna was her achievement. It wasn’t because of her brother, or because of the Anderson family’s influence,
For once, she could stand tall and say that she had earned something on her own.
Even though she knew Charlie wasn’t happy, Leia still nodded decisively. “Yes, I’ve made up my mind. I want to join her company.”
Charlie studied her for a moment, his gaze unreadable. He knew exactly why Leia was so determined. She believed Reyna had chosen her for her talent. That this was purely about music. But that wasn’t the case at all.
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Chapter 90
One song, especially one with subpar production quality, would never be enough for someone like Reyna to take notice.
What Reyna truly valued was Charlie and the power behind Phoenix Entertainment.
If Leia became the bridge between the two companies, any future collaborations would inevitably be influenced by her. That meant Charlie would have to make concessions for her sake.
He saw through it all. But he chose not to expose the truth. Charlie had never been particularly close with Leia, but when necessary, he still looked out for her.
He understood that Noelle’s return had left Leia feeling insecure and vulnerable. If she believed this was her moment to shine and if it gave her confidence and kept her from drowning in self–doubt, then why not let her have this illusion?
With that in mind, Charlie finally relented. “Do as you wish.”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.