The Scorned Heiress: No More Mercy novel Chapter 143

Tara wholeheartedly agrees. "Loretta is definitely the most tragic."

Loretta is Jade's vocal double. It is a tightly guarded secret known only to the Dennis family and Tricia, who discovered it while managing Jade.

Everyone in the industry knows Jade is a mediocre actress, but her singing is universally praised as angelic. The truth is, Jade doesn't have a musical bone in her body. When she decided she wanted to be a pop star, her devoted brothers found a way to make it happen.

Loretta possesses a once-in-a-generation voice that belongs on stadium stages. Instead, she is hidden in the shadows, lending her vocals to Jade's lip-syncing performances. Her prime years are being completely drained away. Even worse, as Jade's fame skyrocketed over two years, the family grew paranoid that the media would uncover the lip-syncing scandal. If the truth came out, Jade's carefully crafted persona would shatter.

To protect her, Jade made a dramatic public announcement at the absolute peak of her musical career: she claimed to have developed vocal cord polyps and was tearfully retiring from singing. It was a brilliant PR move that cemented her legacy and won the public's endless sympathy.

Jade is deeply insecure about the lie, avoiding the topic in reality shows, which only makes the public love her bravery more. Meanwhile, Loretta was permanently banned from singing. She was forced to ghostwrite lyrics and compose tracks for Dennis Media's other artists, never allowed to take credit. Singing was Loretta's entire life, and it was violently ripped away from her. Powerless against the mighty Dennis family, she had no choice but to swallow her tears and comply.

"That's why I'm going after her," Tara says, her eyes flashing with determination. "Jim and Kent faced terrible injustice, but at least their names are on their work. Loretta was robbed of her very identity. We have to bring her over."

Tara is dead set on saving Loretta. She is the ultimate trump card. If Jade had the audacity to fake her way to the top, she needs to face the consequences when the illusion shatters. By saving Loretta, Tara can strike a fatal blow to Jade's career.

"You're right," Tricia agrees, her excitement building. "Loretta’s talent is undeniable. If we can get her to write and perform for Astra Media, it will put us on the map overnight."