The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 400

“I overheard the assistant say that the boss wanted to pave the way for his beloved, so he threw down ten million dollars just like that.”

In elite circles, it wasn’t unusual for wealthy CEOs to shower their lovers with money and opportunities, hoping to give them a leg up. Stella had lost count of how many such requests she’d turned down over the years.

One of the main reasons she refused to compose for others was precisely because she didn’t want them to use her name for hype.

She’d even suggested to those who begged her for a song that she was willing to write for them—so long as her name, “Star,” didn’t appear anywhere on the credits.

Without exception, every single person had turned her down the moment she made that offer.

It was obvious what they really wanted had never been her music in the first place.

Abby asked, “By the way, are you and Antoney planning to play any original pieces at the concert this time?”

Stella nodded. “I’ve got five original scores on hand. If Antoney can rearrange them a bit, we can use them at the concert.”

Abby looked at her. “And the composer credit? Are you going to put ‘Star’ on it?”

Stella had been writing her own music since she was sixteen—her musical talent was undeniable.

She shook her head. “No. I don’t intend to use the name ‘Star’ anymore.”

Abby considered this and nodded in agreement. “You’re right. That name draws way too much attention. Besides, there are so many jealous critics watching your every move; anything you do gets blown out of proportion and twisted into something ugly.”

Back when “Star” was at her peak, she was practically a national sensation. Of course, with all that praise came plenty of backlash.

People accused her of being an attention-seeker, of playing mysterious, of hiding in the shadows. Some even spread rumors that she was in it for the money, that she only cared about cash.

A few so-called composers had even claimed to spend millions hiring “Star” to write songs, only to accuse her of handing them garbage work. The same people who once sang her praises turned on her in an instant.