Chapter 178
Joanna’s heart leaped into her throat when she heard Sylvia wanted the notebook back. Her palms started to sweat.
“Liana, I really love these songs,” she said, looking at Liana with pleading eyes.
“Don’t you worry, Joanna. I gave it to you, and no one is taking it away.” Liana said firmly.
Liana then shot a disappointed look at Angel. “Angel, how could you treat Joanna this way? Have you forgotten what good friends you were? Has Sylvia turned you against her so completely that you’ve forgotten how good she was to you?”
“Good to me?” Angel snapped, her mother’s words lighting a fire under her. She pointed an accusing finger at Joanna.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you did. I was this close to getting scouted by a music studio back in school, but you passed yourself off as me and stole my spot. How else do you think you got into the entertainment industry?”
Joanna looked genuinely stunned that Angel knew.
“I stood by and let it happen because we were friends, and because of you and my brother. But don’t think for a second you can take anything else from me,” Angel seethed.
“And another thing–you used to whisper poison in my ear about Sylvia all the time, calling her a country bumpkin and saying people would laugh at me for being seen with her.”
Joanna’s face flushed, her eyes darting around. “Angel, it was a misunderstanding,” she stammered. “That studio did pick you, but I was worried they had ulterior motives. I just wanted to test the waters for you first. I never meant to get into the business myself, and by the time I did, it was too late to
turn back.”
t
Liana nodded along, siding with Joanna. “Angel, you know what kind of person Joanna is. How can you accuse her of something like that? Besides, do you really think I would have let you sign with a studio and put yourself in the public eye like that?”
Liana turned to Joanna, her voice softening. “You go on, Joanna. I’ll handle Angel. And I won’t be allowing her to pursue a career in entertainment anymore.”
“Thank you, Liana,” Joanna said with a grateful nod, clutching the notebook and turning to leave.
Though furious, Angel was silenced by her mother’s ultimatum.
But Sylvia stepped forward, her voice cutting through the air. “Take one more step, Joanna. I dare you. You think I’m bluffing about calling the cops?”
Joanna scoffed. With Liana backing her up, what was there to fear?
Just as Joanna reached her car, two police officers approached.
“Who called in a disturbance?” one of them asked.
“I did,” Sylvia said, raising her hand and pointing at Joanna. “She stole my original musical compositions, valued at 3 million dollars. I’d like to press charges.”
Joanna’s eyes went wide in disbelief. She spun around. “Sylvia, what are you talking about? When did I steal your original songs?”
“Isn’t that what you’re holding?” Sylvia’s smile was frigid. She addressed the officers. “You can arrest her. The compositions are copyrighted. What she’s doing is theft, and she should be prosecuted.”
Joanna’s face went pale with fright. “Sylvia, it’s just a little notebook! I was only going to look at it. How can you say it’s worth 3 million dollars?*
Sylvia let out a cold laugh. “It’s based on a market appraisal. I’ve already turned down an offer of 3 million for those songs. The intellectual property value could easily be proven to be worth even more than that. You can enjoy rotting in a jail cell.”
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Chapter 178
At Sylvia’s words, the two officers moved swiftly, taking hold of Joanna’s arms.
Panic seized her. “Liana, you have to help me! I had no idea it was worth so much!”
“Let her go, officers,” Liana commanded, stepping forward and snatching the notebook from Joanna’s hand. “I’m the one who gave it to her. if you’re going to arrest someone, arrest me.”
The officers hesitated, looking to Sylvia for direction.
“Miss,” one of them asked, “is that how it happened?”
Sylvia frowned. Indeed, it was Liana who gave the original songbook to Joanna.
Angel tugged on Sylvia’s sleeve, her eyes wide with fear. Sylvia understood. She didn’t want Angel to see her own mother get arrested.
“Just give me back the notebook,” Sylvia said, holding her hand out to Liana. “And we can put this all behind us.”
Liana tossed the notebook at Sylvia. “Like anyone actually wants it. Here, take it!”
“Sorry to trouble you, officers,” Sylvia said apologetically.
Sylvia had wanted them to take Joanna away, but with Liana taking the blame, she had to let it go.
These officers might not recognize Liana, but if the news broke that the matriarch of the esteemed Blair family had been arrested, they’d be in hot water.
And Byron would never let his mother see the inside of a jail cell anyway. The situation would only escalate.
After giving Liana and Joanna a stern warning about breaking the law, the officers got in their car and left.
“Joanna, don’t you let this get to you,” Liana said, taking her hand as they walked away. “As long as I’m here, no one can hurt you.”
Angel stared after them, her expression a mix of emotions. Tears welled in her eyes as she turned to Sylvia. “Sylvia,” she said, her voice choked with emotion, “I’m so sorry…”
‘I used to be just like Mom,‘ she thought, ‘treating Sylvia so horribly, believing all of Joanna’s lies.‘
Angel now saw the truth, and she prayed her mother would see it soon too.
“Come on, let’s get home,” Sylvia said gently, taking Angel’s hand.
Sylvia couldn’t resist a small lecture. “You’re the star of a movie now. Your profile is only going to get bigger. You can‘ anymore. Think about your image.”
“Okay,” Angel agreed. Far from being annoyed, she felt a wave of warmth.
‘If only Sylvia were still my sister–in–law,‘ she mused.
But that was just a fantasy. Her brother, Byron, had hurt Sylvia too deeply for there to be any going back.
etting drunk on the street
Sylvia drove Angel to her house.
The moment they opened the door, Ruby came scampering down the stairs and threw herself into Angel’s arms.
“Angel! You’re finally here! I’ve been waiting for you!”
Angel’s gloomy mood vanished the instant she saw the little girl’s cherubic face. She hugged Ruby tightly, a powerful feeling washing over her.
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08:09 Inu, 3 Ju W
Chapter 178
Here, with Sylvia and Ruby, she felt like she had a family. She wasn’t abandoned after all.
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