Chapter 338: Where Did This Kid Pop Up From?!

Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Where Did This Kid Pop Up From?!

The girl clearly hadn’t expected to be overheard, much less that Arabella Donovan would take the initiative to ask her about what she’d said.

She froze for a good while before finally answering, her scalp tingling under the intense stares of everyone in the room, "Shar... Sharon Thorne."

"Thorne," Arabella repeated, her voice low and thoughtful. "As in...?"

The girl didn’t dare to say another word. She turned to her friend beside her for help, her eyes pleading. ’Don’t you have some kind of history with Master Donovan?’

Sharon Thorne was also a bit baffled by the sudden turn of events. She pursed her lips but stepped forward to rescue her friend nonetheless.

"The ’Thorne’ represents hardship, Miss Donovan. The ’Sharon’ is for the Rose of Sharon, a flower that blooms beautifully in spite of it."

Her suspicions confirmed, Arabella Donovan couldn’t help but gasp.

’It’s really her! Cousin, what did you ever do to deserve this? How is a tiny little entertainment company like yours hiding both a crouching dragon and a fledgling phoenix? And I mean the *real* deal!’

Zane Lynch’s eyes lit up. ’So, she’s a massive talent, too?’ he thought.

As everyone knows, while the melody of a song is important, the lyrics are an indispensable part.

This was especially true for a singer.

If, over the next decade, Joseph Hale’s compositions were to become the pinnacle of melody in the industry, then Sharon Thorne’s words would be the pinnacle of lyricism.

However, compared to a melody that can be instantly appreciated by the listener, it was much more difficult to move people with lyrics alone.

This meant that Sharon Thorne became famous much later than Joseph Hale. Lacking any reputation, she could initially only write lyrics online for simple, catchy, but ultimately shallow pop songs.

She wrote in obscurity for four or five years before amassing a following of her own. It was then that the original singers and composers of those simple tunes discovered that by simply changing the lyrics, the entire mood and style of a song could be transformed, creating a night-and-day difference.

Gradually, people began to seek her out specifically to write lyrics. After that, her reputation slowly grew within the industry, to the point that years later, she and Joseph Hale became known as "Thorne of the South, Hale of the North."

This was because, more than a decade later, for various reasons, one of them moved south while the other moved north, separated by thousands of miles.

But who could have imagined that, over a decade earlier, they had once worked together in this very company!

’One is the soul, the other is the flesh and blood. Apart, they’re each a royal flush. Together, wouldn’t they be unstoppable? Cousin, oh, cousin, what kind of bullshit luck do you have? All this talent is just flocking to your doorstep.’

Zane Lynch almost burst out laughing. This was the kind of luck you just couldn’t fight. When your luck is this good, even the heavens open a door for you. What could he do? Accept it all, of course!

One look at her brother’s infuriatingly smug expression and Melody Lynch could guess what he was thinking. She tried to restrain herself but couldn’t help rolling her eyes heavenward.

’What’s so funny? Your greatest luck wasn’t finding these two talents, it was meeting our little angel. Otherwise, it wouldn’t matter how much talent you were given; it would all go to waste. You’d find a way to squander these two money-making machines who walked right through your door, letting someone else get rich. People could hand you cash and you still wouldn’t be able to hold on to it. And you have the nerve to laugh!’

Arabella was so shocked she wanted to laugh, but then she worried someone would notice something was amiss and tried to rein in her smile.

This caused the expression on Arabella Donovan’s face to twist into something rather strange, frightening Sharon Thorne and her friend enough that they both instinctively took a step back.

Only then did Arabella Donovan realize she’d overreacted. She quickly composed herself and asked as a matter of routine, "Are you two also in this department?"

"N-no, we’re from the department next door."

Zane Lynch chose that moment to lean in and explain to Arabella Donovan, "The department next door is the Music Department. They’re responsible for composing songs for the company’s artists and rearranging classic tracks."

"...Your company is surprisingly comprehensive."

Zane Lynch rubbed his nose, looking slightly embarrassed. "Well, when I first started the company, I was full of ambition. Got a little carried away and thought I should try to have a hand in everything."

"Well, now you actually can give it a try," Arabella Donovan said, giving Sharon Thorne a pointed look. She was being suggestive, just as she had been with Samuel Foster. "Don’t let true talent languish in your company."

Her words about unrecognized talent caused another stir among the onlookers.

Who was it that could have their talent languish? Obviously, someone who was talented to begin with.

With that one sentence, Arabella Donovan had essentially certified the woman’s status, guaranteeing she would receive preferential treatment in the company from then on.

After saying her piece, Arabella Donovan left. Zane Lynch and Melody Lynch followed close behind. Zane only glanced at Sharon Thorne, not even sparing the time to say a single word to her.

But even so, everyone understood: Sharon Thorne was about to hit the jackpot.

Once they were out of the artist department, Zane Lynch had his assistant rush down a cup of milk tea. In a display of pure sycophancy, he personally poked the straw through the lid and held it to her lips.

"You must be thirsty after all that talking. Here, have some milk tea."

Standing behind them, Melody Lynch looked as if she couldn’t bear to watch.

Arabella Donovan was taken aback for a moment, but she’d grown accustomed to being doted on by her family, so she didn’t think much of it. She took a sip from the straw, her mind already wandering.

’Did I really say all that much back there?’

Zane Lynch, still holding the milk tea, froze for a second. He’d just realized that while Arabella Donovan had been thinking up a storm, she had only spoken a few sentences out loud, perfectly maintaining her persona as a reserved, otherworldly master.

Fortunately, Arabella Donovan didn’t seem to notice his little slip-up. She was soon lost in the sweetness of the milk tea, the matter completely forgotten.

"Cousin, your company doesn’t seem to have many artists, especially male artists."

"Most of our artists are already on assignment with various productions; only a few are still at the company. If you’re interested, I can pick a day to call them all back and let you have a proper look."

"...That won’t be necessary. If we’re meant to meet, we will. There’s no need to force it."

But what Zane Lynch said was true. Although artists were signed to the agency, the ones who actually made money were rarely just hanging around the office. For example...

’The Samuel Foster my dear cousin is interested in isn’t at the office today.’

Zane Lynch: "???"

’So, you came here for Samuel Foster today? Wait, since when was my sister interested in Samuel Foster? How come I didn’t know?’

Melody Lynch couldn’t stop herself from facepalming. ’If I said I only mentioned him offhandedly that one time, would anyone even believe me?’

It just goes to show: you really shouldn’t talk about people behind their backs, even if it’s only in your head.

Arabella had just been lamenting that a certain someone wasn’t in today, missing the opportunity for him to meet Melody Lynch so she could observe them. And just then, the very person she was thinking of appeared at the end of the hallway, holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Miss Donovan, long time no see. Happy New Year," he said, holding out the bouquet.

Zane Lynch: "?!!"

Melody Lynch: ’Where did this guy come from?!’