With a hint of determination, Whitney smiled and said, “Well, as luck would have it, my firm is currently handling a copyright issue regarding her album cover. My team is on it.”
“Seriously? So Emily Miller’s team has plagiarized the album cover as well?” Jay’s expression shifted to one of shock.
Whitney hesitated, pondering whether Emily herself was responsible for the cover’s infringement.
Previously, PrimeBridge had enjoyed a partnership with Starwave.
However, after their contract lapsed, they never sought to renew it.
Once Ivan became aware of Whitney’s ties to Starwave, he made the decision to let the contract expire.
If she pursued this music plagiarism case, PrimeBridge would effectively be severing ties with Starwave.
She knew she needed to discuss this with Ivan first.
Taking on the case without her boss’s blessing was not an option.
After bidding Jay farewell, Whitney made her way to Ivan’s office.
On her way, she crossed paths with Gina, who greeted her with a knowing smirk, as if she had some inside scoop.
“Ms. Parsons,” Whitney said coolly, maintaining a professional distance.
“Hey, Whit! No hard feelings, okay? Your team used to handle Starwave, but now I’ve got their contract,” Gina replied, her tone dripping with smugness.
“I already had a chat with Mr. Barton. I didn’t poach your client; they came to us. Just give Ivan a heads-up, alright? I’d rather not have him storming in here and creating a scene again.”
Whitney’s heart sank at the revelation.
‘Starwave ended up with Gina’s team?’ she thought, taken aback.
Even though her team was no longer in the picture, PrimeBridge had once represented Starwave, and taking on this copyright case would be a monumental challenge.
With a heavy heart, Whitney knocked on Ivan’s office door, her mind swirling with thoughts.
“Come in,” Ivan called out, his voice echoing in the quiet office.
Having just finished a phone call, Ivan looked up and asked, “What’s on your mind? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Boss,” Whitney hesitated, her voice faltering, “I just ran into Ms. Parsons. She mentioned that Starwave Entertainment has signed with her team.”
“Yeah, I heard about that. But honestly, you weren’t interested in taking it anyway. I tried passing it along to Frank’s team, but they flat-out refused. I didn’t want to deal with it anymore, so when Gina showed interest, I just let her have it,” Ivan replied, brushing off the situation casually.
Whitney felt a pang of disappointment; she understood that Ivan had let go of the client because of her.
Starwave Entertainment was a subsidiary of the Harris Group, a significant player in the industry.
Who in their right mind would willingly let go of such a valuable client?
“I’m sorry, Boss,” Whitney said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Is that all? I thought it was something serious. You never really got along with them anyway, so it’s not a huge loss, is it?” Ivan remarked, his tone dismissive.
“But Boss, remember when Valerie took on a copyright infringement case? It was against one of Starwave Entertainment’s artists,” Whitney pressed.
Ivan fell silent, his expression shifting as he considered her words.
“Yeah, that’s true. But Valerie hasn’t signed any contracts with them yet; she’s only had a few consultations,” he replied, his tone defensive.
Whitney bit her lip, refusing to back down. “So if I have a case against Starwave as well, does that mean I shouldn’t pursue it?”
Ivan shot her a sideways glance, his curiosity piqued. “What do you think?”
“Whitney, are you trying to provoke Gina into creating more trouble for me?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Come on, spill it. Why are you so adamant about taking this case?”
Whitney decided to lay her cards on the table. “Both of these copyright cases revolve around the new artist Starwave is promoting. She’s the one who ruined my last relationship.”
Ivan fell silent, the weight of her words hanging in the air.
She had a compelling reason, and he couldn’t find a single argument to counter her claim.
“No wonder you’re so emotionally invested in this case. But, Whit, it’s unfortunate-PrimeBridge just can’t take it on,” Ivan said, his voice tinged with regret.
Whitney sighed, feeling the weight of disappointment settle over her. ‘Yeah, I saw this coming,’ she thought bitterly.
Noticing the way her shoulders slumped, Ivan attempted to lighten the mood, a smile creeping onto his face. “PrimeBridge can’t take the case, but my friend’s firm can. They’ll have their own lead attorney, but if you want to lend a hand on your own time, just to offer some advice, that’s entirely your business, not the firm’s. Right?”
“Really? That’s fantastic! Thanks, Boss!” Whitney exclaimed, her spirits lifting.
In that moment, she felt a surge of gratitude. ‘I knew it. Ivan may act tough, but he has a soft heart,’ she thought, a smile breaking through her earlier gloom.
Back at her desk, Whitney quickly sent a text to Jay, confirming their meeting later that evening at Everglow Law Firm.
Emily’s relationship with Carter had been tumultuous lately, and her album release had garnered a rather tepid reception.
Promoted as a rising star in the industry, she had three original tracks, while the rest were crafted by some of the best songwriters in the business.
Yet, despite all the hype, her album had flopped spectacularly, barely making a ripple in the music scene.
To add insult to injury, whispers of a potential plagiarism lawsuit were beginning to circulate.
Her agent, Mya, approached her with a serious demeanor. “Emily, listen to this track. Are you completely certain you didn’t plagiarize? People are already questioning your integrity in the comments!”
Emily bristled at the accusation, her pride flaring. “Mya, I swear I didn’t copy anyone! Sure, a couple of notes might sound similar by chance, but the majority of the song is entirely different. How can that be considered plagiarism?”
Mya, a top-notch agent with a roster of the industry’s biggest stars, understood the pressure Emily was under.
“I don’t care whether you did or didn’t. But if this situation escalates, it’s going to damage your reputation. Do you really want your debut to be overshadowed by a plagiarism scandal?”
“What are our options now?” Emily asked, her voice tinged with anxiety.
“Hang tight. I’ll find a lawyer who can handle this. But Emily, this is the only time I’m covering for you. Don’t let it happen again, understood?” Mya warned, her tone firm.
Emily grasped the gravity of the situation.
Despite the resources she had gained through Carter’s support, Mya was far too stringent to overlook any slip-ups.
If another scandal erupted, regardless of the truth, the public would likely assume she was guilty.
“Can a lawyer really fix this mess?” Emily asked, her voice quivering with worry.
Mya offered a reassuring smile. “Relax, I’ll secure the best lawyers available, and they’ll handle everything for you.”
*****
The following days found Whitney working diligently on the case, albeit under the radar.
She immersed herself in extensive research, reaching out to professional music reviewers who agreed to create videos analyzing the similarities between the two tracks.
Such expert testimony would undoubtedly carry weight as evidence in court.
Given that Jay’s song had been released well before Emily’s, Whitney felt a surge of confidence; they had a solid chance of winning, somewhere between 60 and 70 percent.
Just as she was basking in her newfound optimism, a message from Jay arrived.
[Sorry for bothering you lately, Ms. Moore, but I think I’m going to drop the case.]
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.