SHATTERED MELODIES
Adrian Cole thought he had hit the big time when world-famous sensation Damian Knight asked him to tour as the opener for his world tour. But just as his dreams were in reach, one phone call wrecked his future—he was accused of plagiarizing the songs of other people, branded a thief, and discarded. On the walk home from the recording studio, Adrian was ambushed, struck by a car, and arrested on false drug charges, betrayed by the person he most trusted: his husband, Ethan Cross.
After being blinded, silenced, and forgotten, Adrian spends years behind bars until Sebastian Cross, Ethan's estranged younger brother, shows up as a messiah in the most unlikely of ways. Sebastian rescues Adrian, gives him a new identity, and sets him on the path to retribution using his wealth, power, and personal hidden agendas. Adrian's rage increases as he learns more lies, such as the fact that his former best friend Marcus Hale killed him to atone for their transgressions, that Ethan and Marcus were lovers in the closet, and that Marcus stole his music and called him a bully. But revenge comes at a cost. When Ethan finds Adrian still alive, an intense battle leaves Sebastian injured by a bullet meant for Adrian.
Pinned down by love and loyalty, Adrian inherits Sebastian's business as he gets his own life back as a musician. They navigate betrayal, lying, and phantoms of the past. Adrian not only clears his name but also discovers love that eclipses the one which had nearly killed him.
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Chapter: Chapter Five – First Night Adrian's POVThe first night in jail is kind of hell no one prepares you for.The ring of steel doors reverberated in my head long after they closed on me. The cell was clammy, the air thick with sweat, rust, and a foul something I couldn't name. Eyes followed every move I made in every direction—hungry, snickering, sizing. A stranger's environment, and already vulnerable prey.Whispers circulated in the block.That's him, the singer.The imposter.Pretty face.Wagers he won't last the week.When the guards took us line to shower, I could feel it growing. The glares were too pointed. The jokes were barbs, slicing through the silence with a blade.Steam filled the bathroom, but it didn't hide me. Scars drew eyes, silence taunting."Sing us a song, superstar," someone jeered. "Oh wait—you can't."The rest screamed. Hands shoved me hard, my back against the dripping tiles. A piece of soap slid on the floor, inches from me. The largest one was on his knees behind me, his hot and rotten breath on the b
Last Updated: 2025-08-22
Chapter: Chapter Four – The Shattering GavelAdrian's POVThe chill in the air was metallic, cold, as I walked out of the holding cell. Two officers accompanied me, their arms pinning mine as if I would suddenly fly away, although my legs weighed far too much for me to carry myself anywhere. My throat ached with restraint, my voice still absent, and each movement caused the recollection of the scars cutting across my face. It had been only days ago that the attack, and now the world desired for me to be buried under a different type of wreckage.As the courthouse doors opened, flashes erupted like a storm. There were reporters pushing forward, their microphones held out for me to answer them."Adrian, was it true you were dealing drugs?""Did you steal music from Marcus Hale?""Were you ever actually married to Ethan Cross?The last question cut the deepest. My heart pounded so hard I almost stumbled. They didn't know. Not really. But they suspected.And then, as if fate wanted to twist the knife, a black car pulled up. The crow
Last Updated: 2025-08-22
Chapter: Chapter Three – A Voice StolenAdrian's POVMy phone jolted me awake. I answered, fumbling."Adrian." My boss sounded grave. "It's awful. Awful. The piece's already come out. Blogs, socials, forums—it's everywhere. They're accusing you of being a fake. That you've been lying to everyone."My heart clutched, the steering wheel slick in my palms. "Please tell me we can fix this."Silence. Then, a sigh. “I’ll try. But right now… you’re toxic.”The call cut off.I sat frozen, the word toxic reverberating in my skull until it drowned out everything else. My pulse roared in my ears. My breaths came shallow. Everything I’d built, everything I’d bled for—gone, shattered like glass on pavement.With shaking hands, I tried to call Ethan. He'd know something. He'd know what to do, which string to pull, whom to call.But before I could shift the car into gear, a burst of headlights swerved across my windshield. Tires screamed. A black van cut and pinned me in.Before I could get out from under it, doors slammed open. Figures c
Last Updated: 2025-08-22
Chapter: Chapter Two – Shattered NotesAdrian's POVThe cafe buzzed as I opened the glass doors, but nothing else came in. Just the buzzing in my head, the gruff sound of my manager's voice in his phone call: We need to talk. No music, no laughter, no clinking glasses. Now. Slouching over in the booth in the corner, his phone in his ear, his suit jacket still on, his tie loose, he could not be ignored.He wasn't himself. The nervous drumming of his fingers on the top of the table took the place of the assured authority that preceded him wherever he went. "Yes. I heard it." He spoke in a rough, tight tone, and I saw something that made my feet lock as his snapped up and banged into mine: concern. Harsh, unforgiving concern. What's that all about?" He waved his hand hastily, slammed the telephone down on the desk, and hung it up. "Sit."It constricted tighter around my chest. I sat in my chair, slick-hands, attempting to find normalcy in my voice. "What's wrong?"He just stood there for a moment, quietly staring at me as if
Last Updated: 2025-08-22
Chapter: Chapter One – Fractures in the LimelightAdrian's POV"Good morning, Rob," I said, picking up and tucking the phone under my shoulder and ear as I adjusted my shirt cuffs."You don't sound like a man set to take the biggest opportunity of his life," Rob goaded. His voice was abrupt, coffee-fueled as always. "Damian Knight's tour is coming up in a few days. Ready?I let out a slow breath, forcing confidence into my voice. “I’m ready. More than ready.”"Good." Rob's tone eased slightly, but the tension persisted. "Adrian, you have to catch this. Damian is no fluke star—he's one of the greatest musicians of our generation. If you tour with him, you're not going to play a gig, you're stepping into the spotlight that could make or break your career. We're talking exposure, buzz, fans, real money. This is it."I smiled feebly, but he couldn't see that. "I know, Rob. Trust me, I've waited my entire life for this moment. I won't mess it up. I promise.”"Good man," he said, satisfied. "I'll handle the last-minute details. Just make s
Last Updated: 2025-08-22
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