52 The Label Strikes Back

The next morning, Lucas awoke to a barrage of missed calls and messages. His phone, placed on the bedside table, vibrated constantly, each notification adding to the growing tension in his chest. Mark's number flashed on the screen—again. He swiped to answer, still half-asleep.

"Lucas, you need to get online. Now." Mark's voice was tight with urgency, his usual calm replaced by a sharp edge of panic.

"What's going on?" Lucas asked, sitting up, wiping the grogginess from his eyes.

"They hit back," Mark said grimly. "The label."

Lucas felt the chill of those words sink in. He had been prepared for retaliation, but hearing it still set off alarm bells in his head. "What did they do?"

"They released a smear article through one of their media outlets. Full of 'anonymous sources,' painting you as impossible to work with, unprofessional, and worse—claiming you've been sabotaging other artists."

Lucas's stomach twisted. The label hadn't wasted any time. They had struck back hard, aiming directly for his reputation, using one of the most vicious weapons in the industry: public perception.

"They're accusing me of sabotage?" Lucas repeated in disbelief. It was a lie, of course, but the media loved scandal, and it didn't matter how outrageous the claims were. Once the headlines ran, they'd be burned into the minds of the public.

"They're dragging up every disagreement you've ever had with producers, every time you didn't play along with their demands," Mark continued. "It's bad, Lucas. Real bad."

Lucas didn't respond. His mind raced, flipping through possibilities, wondering how much worse it could get. This was the label's way of silencing him, of pushing him out of the industry without directly pulling the strings.

He clicked open his social media, and sure enough, the smear campaign had already spread like wildfire. Hashtags began trending—#LucasTheSaboteur, #IndustryScandal—each one pulling him deeper into a cesspool of accusations and rumors.

"They can't get away with this," Lucas muttered to himself, though his voice lacked the confidence he wished it had. They were playing dirty, and he needed a strategy to counter them before it destroyed everything.

Mark's voice broke through his thoughts. "We need to do something fast. If we let this sit too long, it'll become the only story people see."

"I know," Lucas replied. "But if we just respond, we'll be playing their game. We need a bigger move."

Lucas stood up and began pacing the room, the gears in his mind working overtime. This wasn't just about responding. It was about strategy. It was about exposing the label for what it was: a manipulative machine that crushed anyone who didn't play by its rules.

"Let's dig deeper," Lucas said suddenly, a spark of determination lighting up his eyes. "There has to be something we can use. Something that shows the public the truth behind their attacks."

Mark was silent for a moment before responding. "You want to go after the label directly?"

"Not just the label. We need to show the world what they've been doing to all artists, not just me. I'm not the first person they've tried to destroy."

The seed of an idea began to grow in Lucas's mind. This wasn't just about defending himself. If he could expose the label's corruption, the way they manipulated the careers and reputations of countless musicians, it could flip the entire narrative.

"Emily's good with research," Lucas added, thinking out loud. "We'll get her to dig up whatever she can. Contracts, leaks, other artists' stories. We'll find the dirt they've been hiding."

Mark let out a low whistle. "You're talking about blowing the lid off the whole industry."

Lucas nodded, the fear he had felt earlier now replaced with a grim sense of purpose. "Exactly. This is bigger than just me. It's time someone stood up to them."

---

In the following hours, Lucas, Mark, and Emily dove into research, combing through contracts, emails, and press releases, trying to trace patterns of manipulation and abuse. Lucas reached out to old contacts—other artists who had left the industry or had been blacklisted. Many were reluctant to speak, but a few brave voices shared stories that painted a chilling picture of an industry rife with corruption.

Emily, always sharp with the details, pieced together a compelling narrative. "Look at this," she said, pulling up a series of documents on her laptop. "These contracts—they're all eerily similar. All these artists had disputes with the label, all of them had rumors and scandals attached to them shortly after. It's a pattern."

Lucas stared at the screen, his stomach tightening as the full scope of the situation came into view. This wasn't just a smear campaign aimed at him; it was a methodical way the label crushed anyone who resisted their control.

"This is exactly what we need," Lucas said, the fire in his chest reigniting. "We're going to expose this."

They spent the next few days compiling everything they could. By the time they were done, they had enough evidence to make a solid case. Lucas wasn't just defending himself anymore; he was going to take down the system that had been rigging the game from the start.

---

A few days later, Lucas sat once more in front of the camera. This time, he wasn't nervous. This time, he felt a sense of justice brewing inside him. Emily and Mark worked silently in the background, but the energy in the room was different—charged, purposeful.

The live stream began, and Lucas wasted no time. "I'm not here to defend myself today," he said, his voice clear and strong. "I'm here to show you what's really going on behind the scenes."

Over the next few minutes, Lucas laid it all out: the contracts, the manipulated rumors, the stories of artists who had been destroyed for daring to defy the label. He didn't hold back. Every piece of evidence, every testimony was put on display.

By the time he finished, Lucas knew he had thrown a grenade into the heart of the industry.

The reaction was swift. The video went viral, shared by fans, musicians, and industry insiders alike. The public outrage was palpable. Artists who had once stayed silent began to speak up, echoing Lucas's words with their own stories of betrayal and manipulation.

Lucas had turned the tide. The label's smear campaign had backfired spectacularly, and now, the industry was facing a reckoning it hadn't anticipated.

But Lucas knew this was just the beginning. The label wasn't going to go down without a fight. They had deeper pockets, more influence, and they wouldn't hesitate to strike back again. But for now, Lucas had the upper hand, and he wasn't about to let it go.