Chapter 187

Evans Entertainment kept Millie's identity as Eva locked under a strict confidentiality agreement.

To shield her from exposure, all contact with Eva was routed through Charles' team, ensuring nothíng about Eva would lead to Millie.

Once, Millie had asked Charles about Vivian's string of phone numbers.

Vivian maintained several external lines, but the one she'd used to reach Serena-the same she used to call Eva now-was registered under someone else's name. Vivian clearly took her precautions seriously.

Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Millie answered the call.

Vivian's voice crackled through the line. "Eva? It's Vivian."

Coughing lightly, Millie feigned a lingering cold,pitching her voice low and scratchy.

"What is it?" she rasped, shooting Ari a quick look before slipping onto the balcony.

"Have you checked out the trending topics today?"Vivian's tone brimmed with self-satisfaction, as if she'd been waiting all day to gloat over her handiwork. This had clearly been a plan in the making.

Millie slid the balcony door shut behind her and spoke in a rough voice, "I saw everything."

Vivian's tone sharpened, brimming with self-assurance. "So, are you finally willing to hand it over?If you're smart about this, I'll see to it you get paid handsomely-and I'll even help you launch your own brand."

Not once did Vivian mention "credit" directly. She skirted the word, talking only in careful code.

Millie saw right through her.

With a low, scratchy laugh, Millie remarked, "If you mean credit, just say it. Why bother with all these charades?"

川 never said anything about credit. If you want to twist my words, there's nothing I can do about that,"Vivian deflected without missing a beat.

She quickly circled back, laying on the enticement."Let's get back to the point. Eva, you must realize-Charles and Millie are thick as thieves. Evans Entertainment is only going to pour resources into her.Helping Charles will get you nowhere.Partnering with me, though, that's your boest move. And about your contract drama with the Evans? Watson Group can make all that disappear."

She spoke as if the deal was already done, certain Eva would cave.

But Millie's ragged voice cut in coldly, "I told you, l'm not selling it. No means no. Vivian, are you even aware that you're breaking the law?"

Vivian let out a cool laugh.

"I'm not breaking any laws, she replied her voice dropping to a low, confident pitch. Let's be blunt-who actually cares what you say online? None of it matters."

She paused, her tone growing a shade sharper."Besides, I haven't done a thing wrong."

Millie instantly caught the subtext.

By now, Eva's name had already been tacked onto the official credits for both lyrics and melody of "Glimmer of Love." With Vivian's relentless PR blitz,public opinion had shifted-most people believed Eva had made a minor contribution, while Vivian was celebrated as the true genius behind the song.

Vivian's PR machine was ruthless. If Eva ever tried to defend herself, Vivian could easily paint her as a grasping nobody who wanted all the glory despite barely helping at all.

That was how the weight of the public opinion could suffocate a lesser-known musician like Eva.

The moment the line went quiet, Vivian's lips curled in a smug smile.

She'd already mapped out every angle-if Eva dared produce evidence of copyright, Vivian could just insist the recording originated in Evans Entertainment's studio, and that, as a clueless newcomer, she'd only invited Eva to help her rehearse.

She would then claimed Eva had handled the copyright registration for her. As for why Vivian's name didn't appear on the paperwork, she could always accuse Eva of exploiting a loophole.

Such dispute would have to be settled in court, and that kind of legal battle dragged on for ages. By the time the truth came out, Eva would've missed her chance to turn things around.

Vivian spoke with a slick, practiced confidence. "So,have you made up your mind? If you're willing to work with me, you can still walk away with something. Wait too long, and you'll get nothing."

Millie only laughed. "Not interested."

Vivian seemed genuinely surprised. "Eva, come on.Even if you take this to court, at worst, I pay a penalty and move on. The lawsuit will take forever. Why not just take the money and the resources I'm offering?It's a win-win."

Millie didn't bother replying. She ended the call, her smile lingering as she stared at the screen.

Millie knew Vivian was relentless, and she also knew Vivian wouldn't back down so easily.

Part of her was almost eager to see what reckless move Vivian would make next.

At first, Vivian could plausibly argue she hadn't intended to infringe-that she believed she'd bought the song and had every reason to call it her own.

But now, Vivian was well aware she was in the wrong.She still refused to admit fault or apologize, doubling down and scrambling to muddy the truth by tacking Eva's name onto the credits.

That was a crucial distinction-deliberate infringement meant far steeper penalties.

Millie considered Brandon's temperament. If he sensed any real threat to a project, he'd cut his losses without hesitation. But what if Vivian insisted on charging ahead regardless?

Millie's lips curved in a cold, inward smile. "Fine,then. You're asking for whatever comes next, Vivian."

She pressed her right hand into a tight fist, steadying herself, and then slipped back into the hospital room and forced her mind back to the task at hand.

In just a few days, the Elliott Group's first wave of new products would hit the shelves. She had a launch to orchestrate-and she intended for it to be a resounding success.

After several days of rest and treatment, Brandon's strength had finally returned.

He sat up, the lines of fatigue on his face graduallying, and tapped his index finger against the tablet in his lap-a new version of "Glimmer of Love" filling the screen. Vivian hovered beside him, all innocence and wide-eyed charm.

"So what exactly are you trying to pull?" Brandon's voice was low, edged with exasperation.

Vivian met his gaze, a mask of sweet innocence firmly in place.

"Brandon, I already added her name, didn't l?" she said, blinking as if genuinely baffled. "Didn't you say there were issues with infringement? Well,now that her name's there, isn't it resolved?"

Brandon pressed his fingers to his temple, already feeling the dull throb of a headache.

"That's not how it works. The right of authorship is rightfully hers and hers alone, Vivian. This isn't about simply tacking her name on after."

Vivian paused, and then slipped her arm through his and gently guided him to sit on the couch beside her. Listen, Brandon," she began, her tone soft but determined. "You're missing the point. If we leave only Eva's name on the credits, it's basically admitting the infringement was real in the first place."

Her tone turned grave as she went on, "If I do that,everything I've worked for-my entire public persona -will go up in smoke."

She hesitated, her gaze unwavering. "And it means lose."

Brandon knew exactly what she meant. That was why he'd tried to persuade Eva into signing a non-disclosure agreement. But with Eva refusing, the issue remained a ticking time bomb.

To Brandon, the only way to cut their losses was to pull the plug on the "Love of Vivian" project entirely.

Vivian, however, wouldn't budge.

The whole mess left Brandon massaging his temples,exhaustion in his eyes.

Vivian studied him, lips curling into a measured smile. "I've added Eva's name now, haven't l? I'm not shutting her out-I'm giving her credit for her work."

Her voice carried a brisk finality. "We pay her, we offer her some resources. With her name on the song and money in her pocket, there's no reason for her to feel slighted anymore."

Flashing a practiced smile, she stated firmly,"Brandon, this is the best possible outcome-for all of us."

Brandon's gaze flickered with unease as he studied Vivian.

He could see her entire scheme teetered on one condition-Eva's cooperation. Without it, they were wide open to accusations of infringement.

"So, are you still set on pushing ahead with the 'Love of Vivian' project?" he asked, his tone careful.

Vivian's answer came without hesitation. "I am." Her chin lifted, her defiance unyielding. "Brandon, I'm not backing down. Even if you walk away, I'll keep moving forward on my own."

For her, "Love of Vivian" wasn't just another project-it was her one shot at making it big.

Eva, on the other hand, was nobody important-a struggling singer forced to hawk her songs for a living, even enduring the sweltering heat in a suffocating mascot costume justto scrape by. The image flashed in Vivian's mind and only hardened her resolve.

As far as Vivian was concerned, Eva was just stalling,angling for a bigger payout before she caved. This drawn-out battle of wills was nothing more than posturing for leverage.

In Vivian's mind, there was no real threat here.Sooner or later, Eva would fold.

Handling her would be a breeze.