CHAPTER 31: A SONG

"You can wait here. We are not allowed to bring anyone inside," Elara said to Antonio once they reached the building of Star High Productions.

The entire building was actually a commercial building. While the second floor of the building was acquired by Star High Productions, Nate’s company, the third and fourth floors were acquired by Dream Love Enterprises, owned by none other than Nate’s brother, Noah Tin.

Not only that, the fifth floor was acquired by Li Productions, one of the famous drama producers, the company whose drama Beatrice starred in as the female lead.

The thought of meeting anyone from that family made her a little uneasy, but there was nothing she could really do about it since she needed to give her the song and show them the recording in the studio.

Honestly, it was her fault. She shouldn’t have told Nate she already had a song. She should’ve instead called him to a rental studio and made him listen there.

Now there was nothing she could do about it.

Besides, it wasn’t like she could avoid meeting them when she was entering the same circle as them.

"Are you sure about it? Personal safety should be prioritized, and Nate already met me once," Antonio reasoned.

Elara nodded at him.

As much as she didn’t want to be in that place alone, she didn’t want to appear a wussy either. This was her fight, and she needed to get over it herself.

All her life, she had been protected by people around her, and when she wasn’t, she suffered terribly. This time, she wanted to build this confidence on her own and beat this social anxiety—the one reason she never mingled with anyone and was alright with staying at home, even when she was with Andrew.

"I’ll call you if I can’t take it," she said resolutely.

Elara took a deep breath before entering the building, immediately dialing Nate’s number.

"Where are you? I am at the entrance," Elara said.

"That’s good. Come to the second floor. The receptionist will lead you to my office," Nate said.

Elara made a beeline for the elevator, not even looking around to avoid meeting those troublesome people.

Once she was on the second floor, the receptionist took her straight to Nate’s office.

It turned out the man was busy listening to a song by an artist.

Elara looked around the office, which was a perfect blend of professionalism and warmth.

The record CDs of the artists displayed on the walls indicated how much he cherished his people.

As Elara turned to move closer to a painting, the office door opened, and she looked at the familiar man who entered, raising her brows.

"Elara?" Noah, Nate’s brother, asked.

Elara nodded briefly before she continued what she was doing.

Noah initially came to mock his brother and ask him to join the family business, since this stardom in the music industry wasn’t for him.

But after seeing Elara standing here, that one girl he had once fought his brother over to have under his company because of her beautiful voice and great compositions, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

Elara never officially appeared on stage. They met her in a club where she had sung a song while playing the guitar. Her appearance, lyrics, stance—everything screamed rookie and a lack of knowledge—but there was just something about her voice that hooked them in.

He wouldn’t say she was exceptionally talented because he had heard many better singers, but her beauty, paired with her melancholic voice, was unbeatable.

"W-what are you doing here?" Noah cleared his throat, trying to catch up with her.

"What do you think?" Elara asked, keeping her cold facade.

She didn’t hate this man but hated the fact that he always pushed his younger brother to join the family business, pressuring him to let go of his dreams so that he could follow his.

Everyone should be allowed to follow their dreams, right?

Besides, when it came to assets, he always demanded a larger share because he was the elder one.

It’s like he wanted the entire meal from a posh restaurant to himself, even though he didn’t buy the ingredients or pay for it.

"You are here to meet Nate?"

"Hmm," Elara said.

"Where were you all these years?" Noah asked, trying to continue the conversation, but her short answers made it difficult.

"Busy," she said.

"You really hate me that much? Even back then, when I had more potential to make you a star, you took my brother’s side over mine. What did I ever do to you?" Noah asked.

The genuineness in his voice made Elara look at him finally.

She couldn’t tell him that she hated small talk and had social awkwardness; thus, she came up with the best answer she could muster.

"He is easy on the eyes," Elara said.

Nate, who opened the door at the same time, felt heat rise to his cheeks and ears at her words.

She had said the exact words before, but must she say it so bluntly? She could’ve called him talented at least once.

Nate sighed.

"What are you doing here, brother? Did you enter the wrong floor?" He asked.

Noah smiled stiffly.

"I didn’t know Elara was coming. Why didn’t you tell me?" Noah asked. His accusing eyes made Nate a bit uncomfortable.

They had indeed discussed this before and decided to split 50-50 whatever Elara would earn, because they had found this artist together at the club where they had gone to drink.

But he went forward and signed the agreement with Elara alone.

Seeing him feel so guilty, Elara suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. She thought only she was the dumb one who couldn’t fight for her rights, but it appeared that there were more people like her.

"Who are you to decide who I will sign with? My father?" Elara asked.

Noah shook his head.

"I didn’t mean to say it like that. It’s just—"

"Would you like to hear me sing? I came up with a song," Elara cut him off mid-sentence.

"I was about to send Sasha to call you for that. It was meant to be a surprise," Nate quickly picked up.

Elara, who wanted to disperse the matter, sighed at the man’s dumbness but didn’t comment. She had no right to call someone a fool when she was in the same people-pleasing category, or even worse, a couple of days ago.

Noah didn’t say anything, and they walked to the studio. Elara pulled out a paper from her purse and walked behind the partition, which was a soundproof area.

Elara took a deep breath.

’Mmm, mmmm, mmmm

Ohh, I fell, and you call it my defeat.

My defeat, lala lala.

But the finale is yet to come true.

Come trueeeee trueee trueeee

You stood there, watching my hopes burn.

And I’ll return, but I won’t watch you burn; I’ll light you up like firecrackers myself.

Because the finale is yet to come true.

Come trueeeee trueee trueeee,

Mmmm,’

Elara sang with all her heart.

Noah sat behind the partition, his mouth agape. The lyrics were so-so for now, but the strength in her vocals, the emotions in her voice, and that time...

Just what had she been doing these past years for her to come back with such a voice?

Nate, too shocked to speak, didn’t know what to say.

Elara looked at her phone, which was on the other side and lighting up repetitively, indicating an incoming call, and furrowed her brows.

She took off her earphones and walked to them.

"I need to take this," she said to the two men, not even waiting for their judgment on the song, when she saw it was a call from Xylon.

If he was calling him like this, it had to be important. She walked out of the second door.

At the same time, Andrew, who was accompanying Carla and Beatrice and had heard Elara’s voice because of how loud Nate had been playing it to understand the depth of her vocals and where it needed improvement, walked to the second floor, feeling attracted to the familiar voice.

He opened the door to the recording studio, only to see Nate and Noah sitting there.

Noah turned to see who had interrupted them, and his expression changed immediately.

"Mr. Lloyd. You must’ve been looking for me. I’ll be there shortly," Noah said.

"It’s okay. Take your time," Andrew said, confused.

Was he seriously losing his mind? How could he find that voice similar to that of Elara?

Her strategy of catching his attention by staying away was starting to work for real. Andrew thought.

"Hey, what are you doing here? Didn’t you say you wanted to talk to the producer about some investment?" Beatrice asked.

Andrew nodded and followed Beatrice to the elevator since they had to go to the fifth floor.

Meanwhile, Elara, who was still on the call and had climbed the stairs halfway, froze, sweat beads forming on her forehead from excruciating pain, when someone placed their hand on the same shoulder that was wounded.

She quickly turned around, ready to scold whoever it was, but stopped when she saw who it was.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Carla asked, seething.

The girl’s eyes widened.

"Wait. Don’t tell me you are here to tell the director you have been writing songs for me. How dare you?!" Carla screeched.

She had come out to smoke in hiding, but who would’ve thought she would meet this bitch here?