Reclaiming My Throne The Genius Composer's Revenge

On the very day our label's artist went viral and the company's stock skyrocketed, my husband, Ethan, decided to publicly announce our marriage. Then, his first love, Mia, showed up with tears shimmering in her eyes. "Leaving you back then made me realize just how much you mean to me. I'm willing to give up everything to pursue you again. Will you give me another chance?" Ethan broke down in tears. On the spot, he announced he was handing over all of my stock dividends to Mia—his so-called "one that got away." The crowd erupted in wild applause, and our colleagues cheered them on. Mia kicked me while I was down, and instead of stopping her, Ethan snapped at me, calling me petty and jealous. Instead of getting angry, I smiled. I handed over my dividends without a fight and tossed my title of Music Director right at her feet. "Why stop at dividends? With talent like yours, you deserve to be the head of this whole department!" Everyone thought I had lost my mind. What none of them knew was that I was the mastermind behind every hit song. Every single signed singer had joined because of me. Without me, every artist would pack their bags and leave. The entire label would collapse overnight, and Ethan would be left with nothing. Inside the executive suite, Ethan held Mia's hands, eyes glistening with emotion. "Mia, our stock is at an all-time high, and our new release is breaking charts everywhere. You are the real hero behind this success." "From now on, Scarlett's share of the profit dividends belongs to you." With that, Ethan handed an exclusive Black Card straight to her, his face full of devotion. Mia clasped his hand, gazing at him tenderly. "Ethan, the money doesn't matter to me. All I care about is being by your side and helping you." Our colleagues crowded around, shamelessly kissing up: "The moment Mia joined, we got a chart-topping hit! Even the stock prices are soaring. Ethan and Mia are practically made for each other!" "Seriously! Scarlett has been dead weight as Music Director. Just a useless freeloader taking up space." "If I were Ethan, I would've fired her ages ago!" I stood by the doorway, feeling as though an invisible hand had gripped my chest, choking the air right out of my lungs. I instinctively stepped back. Today was supposed to be the dividend payout for our breakout track. Just an hour before the announcement, Ethan had called me in a panic, telling me an artist's recording session was in crisis. Because of our years of marriage, I trusted him blindly. Thinking an artist was in trouble, I took a cab across town and spent the entire afternoon running under the scorching sun. Only when I arrived and saw Ethan handing my hard-earned bonus to Mia, who had just joined the company days ago, did reality hit me like a slap in the face. The "crisis" at the studio was just an excuse to get me out of the way. Mia glanced toward the door, noticed me standing there, and feigned pure shock. "Scarlett? You're so late!" "I thought you weren't coming, so I went ahead and accepted your bonus for you. I hope you don't mind." As she spoke, she wrapped her arm around Ethan's, her eyes flashing with smug defiance. Ethan turned his gaze on me, his face twisted in disgust as he reprimanded me coldly: "Scarlett, what is wrong with you? Do you expect the entire company to wait on you?" "You caused that massive copyright blunder earlier and cost us millions! If Mia hadn't stepped in to save us, I would have fired you on the spot!" "Now that you're here, hand over all the artists' contact details to Mia. Since you clearly lack the talent, you can be her assistant from now on." I clenched my fists. My blunder? My lack of talent? The disaster he was talking about happened because Mia had pushed our artists to plagiarize foreign tracks! Our reputation was in the gutter, and cease-and-desist letters flooded our inbox, costing the company millions and nearly bankrupting us. To clean up her mess, I had worked around the clock for a whole month without proper sleep, rewriting every single lyric and melody from scratch to suit each artist's unique style. That was the only reason our release succeeded today. Yet Ethan trusted Mia completely. With a single breath, he turned black into white, making me the scapegoat while crowning Mia as the company's savior. Now that our artist was famous and the stock was soaring, Mia merely stood on stage, and Ethan stripped away all my sweat and tears to hand them to her on a silver platter. A wave of bitter cold washed over me. Seven years ago, when Ethan wanted to launch this music label, I gave up a promising solo career. I poured all my life savings and musical talent into helping him build it from the ground up. Ethan knew nothing about music. He couldn't manage a studio, let alone grow a label. For years, the entire creative burden rested entirely on my shoulders. I slaved away every single day, never daring to slack off, just to bring this company to where it was today. And now, Mia simply walked through the door and snatched away everything I built. Seven years of marriage couldn't beat his nostalgic obsession with the ex who dumped him. Whatever love remained between us died in that exact moment. "Fine," I said, my voice completely numb. "Whatever you want." Mia's eyes lit up with triumph, though she still put on her little modest act. "Scarlett, I'm still new here. Every artist has their own vibe—I'm not sure I'm qualified to manage them all." "I just wanted to help out when I heard we hadn't had a hit in years. I guess I just got lucky." Ethan gently patted Mia's shoulder, his voice melting with tenderness. "Mia, you're a prestigious producer who trained abroad. You gave us a chart-topper the moment you walked through the door. Who else could be more qualified?" A bitter laugh escaped my lips. A prestigious producer? Mia had been here for weeks; did Ethan really not know how incompetent she actually was? To lift her up, he wasn't just stealing my credit—he was willingly driving his own company off a cliff. Before I could say anything else, Ethan stepped up and slapped me hard across the face. "What are you laughing at, Scarlett?" "You've been here for years and couldn't produce a single star! Look at Mia—she made our artist go viral right away!" "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even have a job in this town!" "Is that so?" I looked at him, my heart turning to ice. Ethan seemed to have forgotten who walked the streets day and night, discovering raw talent in underground bars and signing them one by one when we started with nothing. Now that the company was thriving, he treated me like a useless freeloader. I pushed the door wide open and stared coldly at Mia. The whole office held its breath, expecting a screaming match. Instead, I took off my Music Director badge and flicked it right onto the floor before Mia's feet with a mocking smirk. "If that's the case, why settle for a little dividend? With talent like yours, you should be the Music Director!"The entire room froze. Everyone knew that at least eighty percent of the label's talent had been scouted and signed personally by me. Without me, this label would never have gotten off the ground. Mia quickly snatched the badge from the floor, her eyes glowing with undisguised greed. Ethan's face darkened, his irritation flaring up. "Scarlett! I pointed out a few facts and now you're throwing a tantrum?" I met his glare with ice in my eyes. "Ethan, isn't this what you wanted? Your dream girl gets my position. You should be throwing a party." Mia clutched the badge and put on her best saintly face. "Scarlett, this is the most critical role in the company. Don't throw it away over bruised pride." "Ethan is just doing what's best for the label. I'm still learning, and I'll need your guidance." I stood by the doorway and offered her a sweet, chilling smile. "Why would you need my guidance? You're a world-class producer from abroad, remember? Having you here is our greatest blessing." Ethan looked slightly confused by my attitude, but his frown quickly gave way to a smug grin. "Mia, since Scarlett knows her place and stepped down willingly, take the job." "Since everyone is here, let's make it official right now!" Mia pinned the badge to her chest, putting her hands together in a polite bow of gratitude. But beneath the facade, her smirk was dripping with arrogance. I watched her with cold amusement. When I signed those artists, every single one had a special clause in their contract: If I ever leave the label, they have the unconditional right to terminate their contracts and walk away with all their master copyrights intact. I couldn't wait to see how long Ethan's precious company would last once I handed the reins over to Mia. Those singers came for my compositions and my vision. Without me, eighty percent of the roster would walk out the door. Ethan saw me lingering near the exit and assumed I was regretting my decision. In a tone of mock generosity, he said: "Alright, Scarlett, drop the attitude." "Moving forward, you can assist Mia with artist management. Consider it a free masterclass for your career." Looking at his self-righteous expression, I let out a dry laugh. Mia chimed in sweetly, rubbing salt in the wound: "Yes, Scarlett. If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me." The rest of the staff eagerly chimed in, showering Mia with endless praise. Ethan ordered me, "Scarlett, Mia is offering to mentor you. The least you can do is come over and say thank you!" I walked steadily toward Mia, my face calm and unreadable. Mia held up the Black Card, casually waving it in front of my face. "Scarlett, we're partners now. Work hard, and maybe one day you'll earn a bonus like this too." I snatched the Black Card from her fingers. Before Mia could react, I snapped my wrist and flung the heavy metal card straight across the bridge of her nose. The sharp edge caught her hard, and she let out a shriek of agony, clutching her face as blood trickled through her fingers. "Oops. My hand slipped," I said smoothly. "Are you okay?"Mia stared at me in absolute horror as blood dripped onto her white dress. Ethan scrambled for napkins to wipe her face, bellowing at me in fury: "Scarlett! Are you out of your mind?!" "Mia was just trying to help you! Are you so sick with jealousy that you're resorting to violence?!" A few brown-nosing colleagues joined in, yelling and pointing fingers at me. I swept my gaze over the room before locking eyes with Ethan. "You don't have the right to tell me what to do anymore." "I quit." Ethan flushed with rage, but before he could speak, I had already turned on my heel and walked out. His furious shout echoed down the hallway behind me: "Remember what you said today, Scarlett! Don't you dare come crawling back begging for your job!" I walked out of the corporate building and wandered aimlessly down the avenue until I found myself standing outside our old university campus. Stepping onto the grounds, I watched students laughing and running across the lawn. A wave of memories washed over me, pulling me back ten years. Back then, I had entered university early on an accelerated music scholarship. I remembered the first time I saw Ethan—standing on the sunlit field, wearing an open white suit, singing with a guitar in his hands. When his song ended, he caught me staring, smiled warmly, and invited me to sing a duet with him. A young girl's first crush is often that simple, and that reckless. From that day on, we talked constantly, and my feelings grew deeper with every passing day. Until Mia showed up. All Mia had to do was bat her eyelashes and flash a flirtatious smile, and Ethan's heart was completely hooked. She was his untouchable goddess, his perfect first love. Later, when Mia landed an overseas exchange program, she dumped him without a second thought. I was the one who stayed by Ethan's side through his heartbreak. I poured my savings and my music catalog into launching an indie label after graduation and handed the CEO seat directly to him. As the company grew, we naturally ended up getting married. Everything changed two months ago when Mia returned. Ethan suddenly grew distant, spending every waking hour clinging to her side. I reached into my coat and pulled out a vintage white microphone I always kept with me, shaking my head with a self-deprecating chuckle. This was the very microphone Ethan had handed me all those years ago. "Well, well. Weren't you acting all tough back at the office, Scarlett?" "Now you're standing here like a stray dog, reminiscing about the good old days?" I turned around to find Ethan and Mia walking toward me, looking smug and triumphant. They had apparently come to campus for a walk down memory lane—and maybe scout some cheap student talent while they were at it. Mia tugged gently at Ethan's sleeve, putting on her sweetest voice. "Scarlett must realize she made a mistake, Ethan. She's just too proud to admit it, so she came here hoping to run into you and make amends." Mia stepped closer, looking at me with pity. "Scarlett, you don't need to play games. If you want to come back, just say the word. I have plenty of openings on my team. I'll find a spot for you." Ethan scoffed coldly. "A talentless hack wants to come back? Fine. Go buy two iced lattes for Mia and me right now, and maybe I'll consider forgiving you." He wrapped his arm around Mia's waist, looking down his nose at me. Without a word, I flicked the power switch on the vintage white microphone. A deafening, high-pitched screech of feedback tore through the air. Ethan winced in agony, clamping his hands over his ears. "Scarlett! What the hell are you doing?!" "Are you trying to deafen me?! Turn that damn thing off!" I let out a low laugh and tossed the microphone right into his chest. "If you want coffee, send your side piece to fetch it." Ignoring his furious curses, I turned around and walked away.I headed straight home. I hadn't even sat down on the couch for ten minutes when the front door was kicked wide open. Ethan stormed in, his eyes blazing. "Scarlett, who gave you the nerve?!" "I said a few words to you and you humiliated me in public?!" "Ethan is right, Scarlett," Mia said, slipping in behind him with a troubled look. "You really crossed the line today. Ethan is the CEO, after all!" She paused, feigning guilt. "If I'm the reason you're so unhappy, Scarlett, I can leave..." She said the words, but her feet stayed firmly planted. Panic flashed across Ethan's face. He grabbed her arm immediately. "Mia, don't you dare leave! You don't have to cater to her nonsense! You did nothing wrong! If anyone is leaving, it's her!" Ethan glared at me, his chest heaving. "Apologize to Mia right now, Scarlett! Otherwise, we're getting a divorce, and you can get the hell out of my house!" I let out a sharp chuckle. In the past, whenever Ethan threatened divorce, I would panic, terrified of losing him. No matter whose fault it was, I had always been the one to bend, apologize, and keep the peace. Not this time. "Fine. Let's get divorced." Ethan froze. The breath seemed to catch in his throat. Whenever he played the divorce card before, I would instantly yield to whatever he demanded. He was so used to having me wrap my entire life around him that he genuinely believed I would cave again. Mia chimed in with subtle malice: "Scarlett, isn't that a bit selfish? The company is finally hitting its peak. If you divorce Ethan now and try to take half his wealth, you'll ruin the company!" Ethan snapped back to reality, his face twisting in rage. "You really think you're clever, don't you, Scarlett?" "You figured I wouldn't divorce you because of the company's valuation, so you're calling my bluff?" "Let me tell you something: if you want a divorce, you walk away with nothing! Don't even dream of touching a single penny of my assets!" I smiled coldly. "Deal. I'll take nothing." I walked over to the desk, pulled out the pre-drafted divorce agreement I had already printed, and slammed it straight into Ethan's chest. Ethan skimmed the terms—full waiver of spousal support, division of assets, and stock shares. He grabbed a pen and signed his name with a harsh scribble. "You've got guts, Scarlett." "Let's see how long you survive out there on the streets with empty pockets!" Mia's eyes flashed with ecstatic triumph, though she kept up her sugary facade. "Scarlett, there's really no need to be so dramatic. If things get tough, my door is always open. You can be my assistant anytime." "The company built our careers. We owe it to the label to give back." I rolled my eyes and gave a dry laugh. "This company is where it is today because I built it with my own hands. The company didn't give me a career—I gave the company its life!" Ethan looked at me with pure disgust. "You really are delusional, Scarlett." "All your artist contacts belong to Mia now. Just sit back and watch how Mia turns this label into an empire!" Mia held her head high, looking completely smug. "I haven't been here long, Scarlett, but I'm confident I can handle things. Don't let your stubbornness ruin you. Come work for me, and we'll take this company to the top together." Ethan snorted. "Save your breath, Mia. Let a washed-up loser like her hit rock bottom out there. Only then will she realize how generous we were." Ring... ring... Ethan's phone started buzzing. He flashed the screen in front of my face with a triumphant smirk. "Look at that, Scarlett. A call from our lead investor. I bet another one of our tracks went viral, and the stock is soaring again." He answered the call and deliberately hit the speakerphone button so I could hear every word. "Ethan! Where the hell are you?! Get back to the office right now!" "Most of our signed artists just walked out and took their master copyrights with them! We're facing an immediate loss of at least five million dollars!"