Chapter 3

3: 3

3

A few days after Rex Swanson moved out of my place, people spotted him moving into Lucia Harding's building, and the internet went straight to the obvious conclusion: they were living together.

"Rex Swanson's got some game, huh. Doesn't even have to buy his own place."

"His songs are all obscure and pretentious, and somehow two gorgeous women are fighting over him? Make it make sense."

Rex was so furious he posted a photo online: a property deed with his name on it.

"Open your eyes and look. I own my place! Please stop making baseless guesses about me and Ms. Harding. We simply admire each other's talent!"

Lucia went one better and tagged me directly, hoping to clear up any misunderstanding.

"Annie, I know we're not as close as we used to be, but I also know you've held a grudge against me all this time. I was too immature back then. If you're still angry, would it make things right if I wrote you a song myself, as an apology?"

Just like that, I was shoved into the eye of the storm.

The gossip accounts never mind stirring the pot, so they dug up every old thing between the two of us.

I turned it over in my head and gave one simple reply.

"Thanks, but no. I don't sing sweet pop."

I didn't expect Rex to fire off online in a passion, riding to Lucia's defense.

"Ann Pruitt, we ended things cleanly. Why take it out on her? Lucia offered to write you a song out of the goodness of her heart, and instead of being grateful you snipe back at her? Do you have any idea how many times she listened to your songs just to write for you? She sings your songs in her sleep!"

I let out a scoff. Nothing like a man losing his head over a pretty face, saying anything that comes to mind.

"Oh? Mr. Swanson knows what Ms. Harding says in her sleep? By the way, all these years I swallowed my disgust and sang those songs you wrote, just to keep from bruising your confidence. Time I went back to being myself. Threw together a few little demos. Here you go, everyone."

To my surprise, the next day a lot of well-known musicians extended offers, inviting me to write songs for them.

Only now did people realize I could arrange and write lyrics, and they kept saying I'd made the right call cutting ties.

When Rex saw it, he stayed up all night churning out song after song and posted them, only to be met with everyone's mockery.

"Please, stop feeding us garbage!"

"Without Ann's voice, the stuff you write is worse than garbage."

Rex completely lost it, deleting the comments and blocking people.

"Fine, then. This year I'll win Lucia the Grammy, and a certain someone had better not come crying to me to write her a song!"

I gave a contemptuous little laugh and dropped a comment.

"Congratulations! When the two of you get married, I'll gift you a song."

I couldn't be bothered with this pair of clowns. All I wanted was to finish my new songs and give the audience the most perfect performance.

Because of all this, Rex kept popping up in the trending topics, and somehow the misfortune turned lucky: plenty of shows started inviting him on.

One of them was a dating reality show that wanted him and Lucia together, and they invited me to come on as an observer.

The moment the news broke, everyone lost it, all asking whether I was really going to watch the two of them date on the network's dime.

The next day I officially confirmed the show. Something this entertaining, of course I had to get a front-row seat.

But Rex panicked. That very night he was staked out downstairs at my building, bundled up in disguise, and the second he saw me he charged over, grabbed my arm, and demanded an answer.

"Ann Pruitt, are you doing this on purpose? We've already broken up. All I want now is to build my career. Can you please stop coming near me!"

I yanked my arm free and scoffed.

"You really do flatter yourself. All I can say is you're reading way too much into it, because it's definitely not that I still like you. I just want to see how the two of you date. Oh, and one more thing: I'm an investor on this show. So don't you go raising your voice at me."