Chapter 364
Leo pondered the question his sister had posed to him as soon as he got back, wondering if there was any chance his tune had bumped into another on the charts. Looking up at Mirabella, he inquired with a casual smirk, “You knew about the Twitter fiasco already, didn’t you?”
Inevitably, the truth would surface, so there was no point in keeping secrets. Mirabella nodded. “Caught wind of it scrolling through Twitter last night.”
“So, that’s what you and Collins were whispering about yesterday?” It all clicked for Leo in an Instant. No wonder they had skirted around him during their conversation.
“Yeah.” Mirabella rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then offered her version of a pep talk with earnest conviction, “Leo, don’t let those online trolls get to you. Keep your chin up. The truth will come out sooner or later.” Consoling others really wasn’t exactly her strong suit.
Leo watched his sister with a mix of amusement and exasperation. Setting his phone aside, he shrugged, “I’ve been down this road before, Mirabella. I’ve learned to take it in stride.”
After a brief pause, he continued, “What really throws me for a loop, though, is how Jay’s leaked audio could be an exact match for the tune I just polished off today.” Sure, he had shared early drafts with the band, but even if Jay was out to nick his tune, an exact copy was beyond the pale.
Was it some kind of clairvoyance? Or had they just hit that one–in–a–million melody match?
The more Leo mulled it over, the stranger it seemed. Standing up, he grabbed his phone and strode out.
Mirabella was still processing Leo’s unexpected composure when she saw him heading for the door. She quickly asked, “Leo, where are you off to?”
“I’m going to get some answers from Jay,” he called back without turning around.
After a moment’s hesitation, Mirabella got to her feet and declared, “Count me in.”
Half an hour later, Leo pulled up to Jay’s upscale neighborhood. Standing at Jay’s front door, he felt a twinge of nostalgia. There was a time when the band would regularly huddle up in Jay’s living room, brainstorming tracks and plotting their future. Those days, it seemed, were long
gone…
A shadow of sadness flitted across his eyes, but he quickly pushed the doorbell. Mirabella stayed back, waiting in the car.
Soon, the door swung open, revealing not Jay but his assistant.
“Oh, Juztin? What brings you here?” The assistant propped herself against the door frame, clearly taken aback.
10:28
Lee locked cast her into the house. “I’m here for Jay.”
The assistant’s eyes darted away. “Jay’s not here right now.”
Leo’s brow furrowed. “Cut the crap. I know he’s in there. Just let him come out and talk to me.”
Tim sorry, Juzon, but Jay really hasn’t come back yet.” The assistant paused, then added, “But he did say if you came by about the Twitter thing, all you need to do is post a sincere apology online. After all, we’re all friends here, right?”
At that Leo let cut a scoff. “I’m curious. How does he have the gall to lift my tune, play the victim on Twitter, and then expect me to apologize? Where does that confidence come from?”
The assistant touched her nose awkwardly, her response muffled and unclear, “I’d like to give you the benefit of the doubt, but the evidence… Well, it’s a mess, and it’s got everyone all
twisted up.”
The insiruation was clear just own up to it, and let’s not make it worse for everyone.
*Juztin, just head out, will you? Jay’s not here, and honestly, this whole Twitter debacle’s got him feeling pretty low. too.” Jay’s assistant sighed again.
