Page 11 of Into the Dawn
Not when there was so much money at stake.
Although she was sixteen, she’d gotten a lawyer who helped her file for emancipation to become a legal adult. She’d wanted to make it clear she would fight them tooth and nail to make sure they didn’t receive a single penny. After she won her independence, her grandparents hadn’t stopped hounding her, though.
Rather than remaining quiet and hiding from the shame of the situation, she had wanted to put them on blast. She had considered getting a restraining order against them, but that wasn’t satisfying enough. She wanted to embarrass them enough that they wouldn’t come back. Abby had suggested giving an interview, but Kylie hadn’t wanted to speak to any reporters.
Instead, she came up with a different way to get her story out.
With Buddy’s help, she had composed and produced a song about what had happened, launching it on all the streaming sites. She had also uploaded a music video with actors that slightly resembled her family members so the fans would have no doubt who the song was about.
The song “Life Insurance”was a testament to her parents’ love for her and each other, and of the betrayal and treachery of her so-called grandparents. The song instantly became a hit, and her parents’ friends helped spread the truth about the situation, making it go viral. Because of the backlash, her grandparents had given up in disgrace. The humiliation had been too much for them to deal with, and they had cursed her and vowed to pretend she was dead just like her parents.
That suited her just fine.
Since her first song had been such a hit, she had decided to put out a full album. Songwriting had become the best form of therapy for her. She had taken her time working on the album, wanting it to be a perfect representation of what she wanted to convey to the world. She’d lost count of how many songs she’d written and discarded during that time, but everything had finally come together to form a complete album she was really proud of.
She’d been a nervous wreck the day the album finally released, but there hadn’t been a need to worry. The title track had instantly become one of the most widely requested songs on radio stations and streaming charts all over the world. In addition, every song, including the B-side tracks, had made the charts. And not just the country lists.
Overnight, she had become a country pop sensation.
It had been a complete surprise when she had been nominated for a bunch of awards. It was even more shocking when she actually won. Although she didn’t love performing in front of a crowd as much as her parents did, she’d allowed herself to be pressured into doing a tour. However, after her first live performance on stage, she realized she was hooked.
She loved seeing how much her fans appreciated her music in real time. It gave her a sense of fulfillment she had never experienced before, and the energy of the crowd and applause were addictive.
As the tour progressed, she grew more confident on stage. She also realized she felt closer to her parents each time she stood in the spotlight. It was as if she could feel them with her, which made it something she wanted to experience over and over again. She even started doing covers of a few of her parents’ biggest hits during the tour, putting her own spin on them. The crowds went wild when they heard the songs, and she once again found herself in the center of a media storm.
Most people understood she was paying tribute to her parents by covering their songs, but some people had claimed she was using their memories for her own gain. Deciding to stick it to the critics and shit-talkers, she put out a full album of covers, donating all the proceeds of that album to the charity she had created after her parents had died.
Fame certainly had its perks, but it also had its bad side. She’d had her share of overzealous fans and even encountered a few stalkers. The scariest incident was when someone had broken into her house. Luckily, she hadn’t been home at the time, but knowing a stranger had been there waiting for her was enough to make her seriously rethink where she lived.
When Abby mentioned the ranch next door to her property was for sale, Kylie thought it was the perfect time for a change. Since her parents’ palatial house no longer felt like home without them, she sold it and bought the property next door to the Ross family.
The modern ranch-style home suited her. Since the house was located in the center of a large piece of land surrounded by miles of white picket fencing, it should have made her feel isolated. However, the move turned out to be the best decision for her. Her home became her private oasis away from the crowds of people and the limelight. Besides being close to the people who mattered most to her, she was able to live in peace and could record and make music in the comfort of her own private studio.
After putting out another album that had earned her more awards, her life had essentially become a dream come true. She had a successful career with a catalogue she could be proud of and millions of fans who knew every lyric to her songs. She had also secretly started dating Cody Moore, one of country music’s hottest stars.
Dating as a celebrity was difficult, especially when they wanted to keep the relationship out of the public eye. As the new darling of country pop music, she found herself constantly under the scrutiny of gossip sites. They were always speculating on who she was socializing with, creating a whirlwind of rumors and assumptions.
If she was photographed with someone, male or female, the tabloid would immediately jump to conclusions. They would either claim she was secretly dating them or declare them her new best friend. The relentless attention made it challenging to maintain any semblance of privacy in her personal life.
When she started to prepare for another tour, Cody had complained since he was just coming off his own tour. He didn’t like that she didn’t immediately change her plans to spend more time with him, and that attitude told her that their relationship wouldn’t last. Despite the distractions, her main priority was her music, and she was determined not to let anything overshadow her talent and hard work.
Getting diagnosed with brain cancer changed that.
The frequent fatigue and headaches had been a warning, but she had ignored the signs. She’d always attributed the exhaustion to working late hours and not getting enough sleep. However, when she’d passed out during rehearsal and was taken to the hospital, there had been no more denying her illness.
The realization that she was sick had her shifting her priorities again. She’d always known life was fragile and unpredictable, but she never thought she would have to face such dreadful news at such a young age. After her diagnosis, she’d tried every recourse available to her. Surgery had been a risk, but she had been determined to try it. Unfortunately, they had only been able to remove part of the tumor.
Still, that had bought her some more time.
After a few rounds of aggressive chemo and radiation treatments, the doctors still weren’t optimistic. She even tried a variety of holistic methods, such as acupuncture and herbal remedies. Unfortunately, nothing she tried worked, and the cancer spread to other areas of her body, including her blood.
Now, there was no hope left.
Her head was literally a ticking time bomb waiting to explode, and all she could do was wait and try to minimize the fallout.
Thunder rumbled overhead and lightning illuminated the night sky as Kylie sat curled up on her favorite porch swing watching the rainstorm. The flame from her lighter momentarily cut through the darkness as she lit up a joint.
As a singer, she had always been against smoking to protect her throat, but it was the only thing that seemed to help her nausea. She’d tried the gummies, the spray, and the liquid as well. Unfortunately, the gummies made her feel sick, but the spray and liquid forms helped her sleep.
