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A Stranger on Her Stage
A Stranger on Her Stage
Steam & Honey

Chapter 1

Steam & Honey
The studio felt like a freezer, the air conditioning on full blast.

I zipped up Noelle's jacket as she buzzed with excitement. Her cheeks were rosy with anticipation. I let out a resigned sigh.

"Daddy, is that the Super Babies Dash Forward track? It looks super easy!"

Noelle pointed at the stage's centerpiece, her eyes alight with the thrill of the challenge.

I tousled her hair gently. "Noelle, let's make a deal. Once we're done here, we'll head straight home. Your mom's waiting for us to have dinner."

I would not have dreamed of entering that world if Noelle had not been glued to the TV, watching the show's trailer. She begged to take part, right after we had landed and were still shaking off the jet lag.

Especially since it meant running into the last person I wanted to see.

I had heard Jennifer Shaw had become a celebrated actress, her trophy shelf heavy with awards, her calendar booked solid. A family variety show like that should not have been on her radar.

However, then the host's voice boomed, saying, "Let's welcome our Special Observer, Jennifer Shaw."

My hands froze as I adjusted Noelle's collar.

Jennifer ascended on the platform, stunning in a wine-red gown, her presence commanding, her red lips a bold statement. The audience's screams threatened to tear the roof off.

Instinctively, I lowered my cap, hoping to blend in with the crowd of non-celebrity guests.

I was there for my daughter, nothing more. I wanted to stay under the radar and get through the recording; that was the plan.

However, Jennifer's gaze cut through the sea of faces, zeroing in on me with laser precision. I saw the shock ripple through her, quickly replaced by a look I knew all too well, one of contempt and derision.

"It's been a while, Cedric."

She blatantly disregarded the host, who was mid-speech, grabbed a mic, and called out to me from across the stage.

Her voice boomed through the speakers, dripping with condescension.

I inhaled deeply, stood tall, and met her gaze with calm resolve.

"Ms. Shaw, you've got the wrong guy."

Jennifer scoffed and said, "Wrong? Cedric, I'd know your phony, pretentious act anywhere, even if you were turned into ashes."

She strutted toward me in her towering heels, her commanding aura making the crowd shrink back.

"You promised to vanish when I kicked you out of the villa. So, what happened?"

She stopped in front of me, looking down as if I were nothing but trash.

"Now, here you are with some kid from who knows where, crashing the variety show I'm on. Who's this little act for?"
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  • A Stranger on Her Stage   Chapter 10

    Three days later.The verdict was in.Melanie slapped the report against Jennifer's face.Jennifer's hands shook as she turned to the last page.[According to the DNA test results, Melanie is confirmed to be Noelle's biological mother with a probability of 99.99%.]"No... It can't be..."Jennifer crumpled to the floor, her energy sapped. "How could she be hers... The timing doesn't add up...""You want to know why?" Melanie towered over her, dropping another document in her lap.It was a hospital diagnosis from four years prior."On a stormy night four years ago, Cedric collapsed on the sidewalk. The hot water you spilled didn't just scar his face; it seared the nerves in his right hand."Melanie spoke with a calm that sent shivers down the spine."He was a piano prodigy; his hands were everything to him. Your careless act, along with the rain-soaked infection, destroyed his right hand. He can't play the piano anymore."Jennifer’s head snapped up, her eyes widening in shock

  • A Stranger on Her Stage   Chapter 9

    The venue was packed with reporters and cameras at the ready.Melanie did not do what everyone expected by clearing up the rumors.Instead, I took the stage.Dressed to the nines in a crisp white suit, my hair perfect, I owned the room.The giant screen behind me flashed with my new title.[Chief Designer for the Shaw Group's premier jewelry line 'L&Z' - Cedric]The crowd gasped."Good evening, I'm Cedric," I said into the mic, cool as a cucumber. "We're here for two reasons tonight."First, to unveil L&Z's latest design vision."And second, to set the record straight."No sooner had I finished than the screen switched gears.Gone were the sketches of glittering jewels, replaced by a video and a string of damning chat screenshots.The video showed Elliot from four years back, cutting a deal with a tabloid reporter."Leak these texts, and claim Cedric sold them to you. Do it, and there's 7500 bucks in it for you."The chat logs laid out his whole scheme: how he plotted my

  • A Stranger on Her Stage   Chapter 8

    Just then, I stepped outside with Noelle for a breath of fresh air.Jennifer's eyes locked onto me, and her simmering hatred boiled over.She charged over, trapping me in a secluded corner of the gazebo."Oh, Cedric, you've outdone yourself."Her glare was unrelenting, her words laced with venom. "You've even got the old man fooled? What have you done to bewitch them? Or maybe..."Her eyes locked onto Noelle with venomous intent. "So, you're the little imposter, huh? Did you steal my DNA and have some surrogate cook up a kid to fake being a Shaw?"Smack!The sound of a sharp slap cut through the air.I pulled back my hand, feeling the sting, and stared icily at Jennifer, her head knocked askew from the blow."That one was for Noelle," I said.Jennifer clutched her cheek, staring at me in shock. "You dare to hit me?""And why wouldn't I?" I whipped out my phone, tapped the screen to the recording app, and hit play. Jennifer's spiteful words from moments ago filled the gazebo.

  • A Stranger on Her Stage   Chapter 7

    Jennifer, clad in a crisp white suit, glided through the banquet hall with the dapper Elliot. They were the center of attention, basking in the crowd's admiration."She's really talented for her age.""I've heard Mr. Baker's latest production is set to be a smash hit. Truly a beautiful couple."Jennifer's smile was practiced perfection, but her eyes kept straying to the door, filled with a dark sense of expectation. She bided her time, waiting for Melanie to show up alone so she could openly taunt her about her 'hidden love' pretense.However, as the clock hit seven and the party officially started, the sound of footsteps echoed from the spiral staircase.All eyes and lights turned to Melanie as she descended in a stunning black gown, her presence impossible to ignore. She was on my arm as I looked sharp in a deep blue suit, my features needing no embellishment. Beside us was little Noelle, dressed in a matching outfit. Together, we were the picture of unity.Jennifer's smile sei

  • A Stranger on Her Stage   Chapter 6

    Jennifer wasted no time the next day; she was out for blood.She did not confront Melanie directly; she knew better than to think she would have a voice there.She went after me instead.If I thought I could scrub my name clean with the Shaw family's son-in-law title, she was going to make damn sure I stayed dirty.She pulled every string she had in the industry, quietly reaching out to major media outlets and influential social media accounts to discreetly go after me.She even went as far as to call up a few fashion editors lined up to work with the Shaw Group's jewelry line, plotting to wreck my gig.However, what she did not see coming was the total silence that greeted her orders. They vanished without a trace.The same media that used to hang on her every word then ignored her completely. One even dared to give her a friendly tip-off."Ms. Shaw, you might want to let this one go. That person... They're off-limits now."However, the real shocker came that afternoon when t

  • A Stranger on Her Stage   Chapter 5

    The hallway felt like a vacuum.Jennifer's eyes were glued to Melanie, her lips twitching, the term 'brother-in-law' crumbling in her mouth."Sis, what did you just say?"She pointed at me, her finger shaking wildly, disbelief and absurdity swirling in her eyes. "You're saying he...he's...""Are you having trouble understanding plain English?" Melanie did not even bother to look at her straight, just cradled Noelle in one arm and looped the other around my waist, a clear statement of ownership and protection.She turned to the director, who looked like he had seen a ghost. "We're done recording for today. And I expect no fake stories about my husband and daughter tomorrow. Got it?"The director was drenched in sweat, nodding as if his life depended on it. "Got it! Got it! Ms. Shaw, don't worry. We'll act like none of this ever happened!"Melanie looked away, pulled me close, and we walked away.Passing Jennifer, she paused, her voice frosty as she said, "And you. Take a good lo

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