After all, ‘Knowing Me’ wasn’t only my effort.
It was something Zion and I built from zero, the core of the company, and the shared memories and feelings of countless players.
Because I was pregnant and tired, the one who was supposed to stand onstage today and face the audience was Zion.
During the practice two weeks earlier, everything went almost flawlessly.
I thought today would go the same way.
The host’s voice rose with energy as he introduced the main guest of the night.
The lights brightened, and the person who should have stepped forward was a newly popular actor we had paid a huge fee to bring in.
Instead, Zion showed up, holding Maeve’s hand, slowly lifting from the platform.
I felt like my whole body was fixed in place.
In my earpiece came the backstage staff’s lowered but tense voices. Several people kept asking “what happened,” but no one dared to run onstage and stop it.
The audience went quiet for one second.
The next moment, angry shouts rose like a wave.
“Where is he? We came for the superstar!”
“Who is that? Walked onto the wrong stage?”
“Get off!!”
Maeve held the mic, her voice shaking, going off-key as soon as she tried to sing.
Her already weak singing collapsed even more in this situation, every line harder to listen to.
My head rang, and ignoring all formality, I nearly rushed to the backstage area, coldly telling them to cut the music right away.
But someone blocked me.
He looked uneasy. “Ma’am… this was President Payne’s plan.”
I was stopped by Zion’s people and kept from getting onstage.
That song was forced to the end by Maeve.
The shouting in the venue grew even louder.
Based on the planned schedule, next was Zion’s speech.
In front of countless cameras, he began, “These past few years, for ‘Knowing Me’ to reach this point, it also needs to thank one person.”
“If not for Maeve’s livestream support, the rise of ‘Knowing Me’ wouldn’t have happened this fast.”
“Today’s growth of ‘Knowing Me’ is thanks to Maeve.”
The audience burst out again.
I shut my eyes, my chest tightening again and again.
My phone shook nonstop in my hand.
The PR team, investors, partners, core staff… calls came one after another.
Yet Zion stood on that stage, openly protecting his mistress.
He treated everyone’s hard work like a tool to please a woman.