The doctor told me I couldn't test for any STDs yet, not until the window period passed. I left the clinic and headed for the studio.
In my past life, today is the exact day the thief was born. Today is the day she had stolen my music and made it hers.
And worse, this was the day the world had branded me a liar. A plagiarist.
Now, in this life, the same storm was gathering.
The scandal of this morning was already everywhere. Headlines piled on top of each other, spitting my name like venom. Even though no one had proof, they still called me a cheater. A whore. They tore at my reputation, and I hadn't even caught my breath.
My phone buzzed with endless calls from my manager, my publicist but I ignored them all.
And I knew it was only the beginning.
If the world found out Fred Orchard and I were over, if they discovered the truth of our divorce, the names they already called me would be nothing compared to the ones waiting just around the corner.
The moment I stepped into the studio, I didn't even sit. I locked myself in, disconnected every possible device from the room, and made sure there was nothing connected. Because in my past life, I had no idea how she stole my music when we never recorded any music together.
Maybe the problem was my label. Maybe they told her about my music. Maybe Fred gave my music to them. But not anymore, I will never let them sell my hard work off anymore.
I recorded new songs, discarding the old ones. I wrote from the experience of the past, the pain I had felt today, and everything I had been through.
I even cried mid-recording.
"Ashes of Me"
(Verse 1)
You held my hand, then let it burn,
Promised love but gave no return.
In your shadow, I lost my name,
Branded a liar, drowning in shame.
(Chorus)
But I won't break where you left me torn,
I'll rise from the night like a bitter dawn.
Your love was a blade, it cut me deep,
But out of the ashes, I'll learn to breathe...
Once I was done recording, I grabbed my phone and called Mr. Margin. He was my manager, a man who loves me like his own child.
"What's going on Maeve, everyone is looking for you, where are you?"
"I just sent a track Mr Margin, listen and tell me how you feel." I sent just the first verse to him with the chorus so that no one would be stealing it.
"Are you going to ignore the scandal you created. What is going on Maeve?"
"Please listen to the song Mr Margin and tell me what you think," I repeated to hear him sigh.
"Alright, I'll get back at you."
After a few seconds, Mragun called back, "What is this Maeve? Are you trying to show me how fast you are at stealing people's music?" What the hell was he talking about?
"What do you mean?"
"It's okay if you have no inspiration after what happened. But stealing music from the new artist we just signed is diabolical. The song is already released Maeve, if you keep this up, we might drop you." He hung up.
It's the first time Mr Margin has ever sounded so disappointed. I quickly turned on my cellphone to check the new artist he was talking about and there she was.
The birth of my arch nemesis. The one person I never got to see but stole all of my music. She didn't just release the first verse and chorus, but she had miraculously released the second verse and chorus.
(Verse 2)
Stolen songs, a voice not mine,
A thief wore my soul, called it divine.
They called me whore, they called me wrong,
But pain is the ink of my next song.
(Chorus)
No, I won't fall where the world believes,
I'll carve out the truth that no one sees.
Your lies tried to bury the heart in me,
But I'll turn this pain into melody.
This was my music and she had stolen everything again. I couldn't believe it.
Who the hell is this woman and how did she get my music?