-At Vanessa''s vi.


    Vanessa stood before her jewelry cab, arms crossed, selecting pieces for her uing performance in Kingston. She had a particr quirk: she never wanted to wear the same piece of jewelry twice. Not only did it make her feel less unique, but she also had to guard against the media making a story out of her wearing old pieces on stage.


    Just as she was holding a diamond ne up to the mirror, her phone rang. She nced at it and saw it was the organizer''s number. She answered elegantly, "Hello, Director Wells. Are you calling to confirm the performance schedule?"


    "Miss Shannon—" Director Wells''s voice was hesitant. "I''m very sorry to inform you that after a re-evaluation, themittee has decided to cancel your performance." The smile on Vanessa''s face vanished instantly. "What did you say?"


    "This was a collective decision by themittee," Director Wells continued in a business-like tone. "We will pay the fifty-thousand-dor penalty for breach of contract, as stipted."


    "The reason?" Vanessa''s voice turned cold. "I need a reasonable exnation for this cancetion."


    There was a moment of silence on the other end. "Miss Shannon, it''s like this. We received some... unfavorable reports about you. And the person who filed them did so under their real name."


    "Under their real name? Who? What''s their name?" Vanessa asked through gritted teeth.


    "I''m sorry, I''m not at liberty to say." Director Wells then hung up.


    Vanessa squeezed her phone tightly. Even if Director Wells didn''t say, she knew who it was.


    It had to be Serena.


    She threw her phone onto the sofa. The "Goddess of the Piano" image she had painstakingly built for years had been destroyed by Serena just like that.


    Vanessa went to a drawer, took out another phone, and dialed Serena''s number.


    Serena clearly didn''t recognize the number, answering in a gentle tone, "Hello, who is this?"


    The moment the call connected, Vanessa demanded coldly, "Serena, it was you, wasn''t it?"


    Serena recognized Vanessa''s voice and let out a coldugh. "It was me. So what? I''m not afraid to admit it."


    "I knew it was you," Vanessa''s voice rose in anger. "Serena, what gives you the right? I have nothing to do with the Goodwin family anymore. Why are you trying to ruin my career?"


    Serena scoffed. "For what you did before, Ellie couldn''t be bothered to settle the score with you, and my brother was too busy. But I''m different. I have plenty of time."


    Vanessa took a shaky breath and softened her tone slightly. "Serena, we were together for a while. Let''s not take things too far."


    "Now you''re asking me not to take things too far? When you were breaking up my brother''s marriage did you ever think you were going too far? If you had just donated your blood and taken the money ording to the contract, I would have considered you a benefactor. But you''re vicious and maniptive, and I will not forgive you."


    "Serena, what do you want?" Vanessa seethed, knowing Serena''s personality. If she


    was a target, her life would be miserable.


    "I don''t want anything. But as long as


    you try to perform on stage, I''ll report you. And stay away from my brother and Ellie unless he says otherwise," Serena threatened.


    f.ne


    ned.Cor


    else, won''t hesitate to let everyone see what the so-called Goddess of the Piano'' is really like."


    Serena hung up first. Vanessa copsed onto the sofa, trembling with rage.


    She never imagined that Serena would one day try to destroy her career.