Chapter 2

2.

Outside, the roar of the crowd grew deafening. They weren't just demanding refunds; they were shoving against the barricades, nearly overpowering the security guards.

My manager and assistant rushed onto the stage to calm the mob.

The moment they stepped into the spotlight, half-eaten fruit and plastic bottles rained down on them.

These people had stood by me for years, and now they were suffering public humiliation because of me.

All of this misery traced back to Carina.

Given a choice between me and Caleb, she chose him without a second thought.

I forced myself to walk out under the glaring stage lights, and the crowd erupted in venomous jeers.

"Die, you narcissistic homewrecker!"

"You make me sick! Using your celebrity status to bully an innocent guy like Caleb!"

"Look at your phones, everyone! Caleb just posted online―Carina went to save him!"

Listening to the venom spilling from the crowd, I felt completely drained.

Not long ago, these same fans claimed to worship my voice and my art.

Yet the slightest rumor was enough to turn them into a bloodthirsty pack of wolves.

What in this world ever truly lasts?

My manager rushed up and whispered in my ear, his face pale.

Not only had Caleb posted an update, but Carina had also shared a message with three words: "Caleb, wait for me."

The crowd screamed louder, shaking their fists in the air.

"We made you who you are, and the moment you got famous, you used your power to destroy ordinary people!"

"Without us, you're absolute garbage, Tristan!"

"Get off the stage and get out of the music industry forever!"

The final thread holding my sanity together snapped.

I had climbed to the top of the charts fueled by their love and support.

They had placed me on a pedestal, only to gleefully shove me off the edge into an abyss.

I raised the microphone to my lips and spoke in a steady, hollow tone. "I am stepping down from music."

"I will never sing for any of you again."

The arena fell deathly silent for a brief second.

"You think threatening to quit scares us? We don't give a damn about you!"

"Good riddance, loser!"

"Get lost so we never have to look at your face again!"

I placed the microphone gently on the stage floor, turned my back on the crowd, and walked away.

My manager sprinted after me. "Are you out of your mind? You worked eight years for this, and you're throwing it away over some internet drama?"

I asked myself the exact same question.

Was walking away after so many years of blood, sweat, and tears worth it?

Remembering the spite in the eyes of both Carina and the fans, I knew the answer.

I wasn't giving up on the dream I loved.

I was simply cutting all ties with the people who had betrayed me.