Page 61 of Rockstar Daddy's Second Chance

The song is slow, haunting, and heartbreakingly raw. Her voice carries an ache that feels almost too personal to witness, and asthe lyrics unfold, a chill runs down my spine. I’ve never heard this song before, but something about it feels… familiar. The words cut deep, speaking of love lost, regret, and pain too great to bear.

I glance toward Kendrick, expecting her to be impressed. Instead, her face is pale, her eyes wide with unmistakable grief. Before the song ends, she stands and bolts from the room, her chair scraping loudly against the floor.

Alarmed, I hand my guitar to a stagehand and follow her out, weaving through the crowd until I find her in a private backstage hallway, away from any public prying eyes, her back pressed against the wall and tears streaming down her face.

“Kendrick?” I ask softly, stepping closer. “What’s wrong?”

She looks up at me, her expression a mix of heartbreak and fury. “That song,” she chokes out. “It’s mine. I wrote it after I left you, Cass. How the hell did Pixie get my song?”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. “Yours?” I repeat, my mind racing. “Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure!” she snaps, her voice trembling. “Every word, every note—it’s mine. I wrote it when I thought I’d never see you again.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. The song… Kendrick, it was beautiful. Heartbreaking but beautiful. Haunting–like a piece ofyour soul laid bare. I should have known you wrote it. I never thought about the pain you felt when you left.”

I reach for her, but she pulls away, her hands trembling. “This doesn’t make sense,” I murmur, trying to piece it together. “Pixie… she wouldn’t…”

“Derrick is probably in on it,” Kendrick says, her voice breaking. “They’re the only two people I know who want to hurt me.”

“Kendrick, Pixie isn’t like that,” I protest, though doubt creeps into my voice. “She wouldn’t do something like this. Maybe Derrick, but we need to find out for sure.”

“I can’t believe you’re still sticking up for her.” She shakes her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I trusted you, Cass. I trusted you when you said she was a good person… now this.”

Her words cut deep, and I’m at a loss for how to console her. “Kendrick, I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know.”

She lifts her tear-streaked face to mine, her expression hollow. “It doesn’t matter. It’s done. They’ve taken something from me I can never get back.”

I feel a surge of helplessness as she turns away, wrapping her arms around herself. The weight of her pain and betrayal presses down on me, and I don’t know how to ease her pain.

“We’ll figure this out,” I say quietly, my voice filled with conviction. “I’ll talk to Derrick. And I’ll talk to Pixie. We’ll find out what happened.”

She doesn’t respond, her shoulders shaking as she cries silently. All I can do is stand beside her, my heart breaking for the woman I care about and a wound that’s been reopened.

As her sobs quiet, Cassidy’s small voice comes from behind us. “Mom… it was me.”

We both turn, and Cassidy’s face is pale, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. She clutches the edges of her sweater, looking heartbreakingly small. “I gave Pixie your songs.”

Kendrick’s breath catches. “You… what?”

Cassidy nods, her voice trembling. “I thought it would be a surprise. I didn’t mean… I didn’t know she’d use that one. Pixie did say she thought it was the best… “ Tears stream down her face as she whispers, “I’m so sorry, Mom. I just wanted you to be happy.”

Kendrick stares at our daughter, her anguish softening slightly as the realization sets in. “Oh, Cassidy,” she murmurs, pulling her into a hug. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Cassidy sobs into her mother’s shoulder. “I thought you’d love it. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Please don’t be mad. Please.”

At that moment, Pixie appears in the hallway, her expression uncharacteristically somber. “Kendrick,” she says softly. “I didn’t know. Cassidy gave me the songs, and Derrick said—he said you wouldn’t care. If I had known they meant this much to you, I would never have used them. Especially not that one.”

Kendrick looks at Pixie, her shoulders still tense but her anger fading. “You didn’t know,” she says quietly, more to herself than anyone else. “You didn’t mean to…”

Pixie steps closer, her pink hair brushing her face as she bows her head. “That song… it’s one of the best I’ve ever sung. But if it means taking it back to make this right, I’ll do it. Just say the word.”

Kendrick hesitates, then shakes her head. “No. It’s out there now. Taking it back won’t change what’s already done.”

Pixie surprises everyone by pulling Kendrick into a quick, fierce hug. “In my opinion, I think it’s a masterpiece,” she murmurs. “And I’m sorry.”

They step back, an unspoken truce forming between them. Pixie glances at me, then back at Kendrick. “For what it’s worth, Derrick made it sound like you didn’t have Cass’s best interests at heart. I didn’t know you had a history or that Cassidy was his. If I had… I would have stayed out of it.”

Kendrick’s lips press into a thin line, but she nods. “Thank you for telling me.”

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