I knew Hayes didn't like it when I treated him as a younger brother. When I took him in, I could still trick him and act like I was his older sister, but now it was basically impossible.

In the first round, Hayes performed stunningly, and all four teachers turned around for him.

I watched him perform on stage for the first time backstage, my palms sweating.

I was more nervous than when I first trained a newcomer. I put all my efforts into Hayes.

I used to joke with him, saying, "You have to do well. Maybe in the future, I'll rely on you to support me in my old age."

Hayes nodded earnestly and promised me. "I will definitely earn a lot of money and buy whatever you want."

After choosing his favorite singer as the program teacher, Hayes came off stage and hugged me tightly.

After the initial victory, Hayes knew what it was like to stand in the center of the stage and attract everyone's attention.

"Melody, if I win the championship, can you promise me something?" Hayes looked at me and asked cautiously.

I said readily, "Sure, I promise you anything you want."

His eyes lit up and he said, "You said it yourself."

I immediately sensed something was wrong and regretted it. I bit my tongue and it hurt so much that tears welled up in my eyes.

Hayes nervously approached to check on me.

I just realized that the boy who used to be about the same height as me was now half a head taller than me.

He was a man now.

As I looked at him in front of me, my heart started beating faster and faster.

Thinking about Hayes' excellence, I felt very satisfied that my efforts paid off.

Half a month later, the competition reached its most exciting stage.

Hayes and a female contestant were neck and neck, and the competition was very intense.

Only the final match could determine the winner, and whether Hayes would be the champion or the runner-up was unknown.

In the final, despite my dissuasion, Hayes insisted on singing his original song.

Surprisingly, his insistence moved the teachers and audience present. In the end, Hayes won the championship.

On the night he won the award, he pressed me against the door.

The little boy grew up into a man. He was squinting at me, seemingly thinking about how to kiss me.

"What are you doing?" I couldn't help but laugh.

Hayes was a little annoyed. "You forgot something. We agreed that you would reward me if I won the championship."

"All right." I had no way to refuse him. "Tell me, what do you want?"

"A girlfriend." Hayes lowered his head, his face slightly red.

"You're only eighteen, and you already want a girlfriend?" I was a little surprised.

"Tomorrow I'll be nineteen!" Hayes said seriously.

I counted the day and it was true.

Time flew so fast. I didn't expect that I would be twenty-nine so soon.

"Your career has just begun. Are you sure you want to distract yourself with a girlfriend?" I looked unhappy.

After careful consideration, Hayes said, "Then I don't want a girlfriend for now. Reward me with something else then."

"What do you want now?"

"Melody, promise me you will always be by my side no matter whether I become famous or not," Hayes said as if making a wish.

At that time, I really didn't realize how ignorant I was.

I boasted that I could always be by his side. It was as if I could definitely fulfill my promise.

"Of course, where else would I go if I'm not by your side?" I laughed.

"Even if I don't become famous, you can't abandon me," Hayes added.

"Don't worry. You will definitely become famous," I assured him.

Hayes hugged me for a long time before reluctantly letting go.

Two days later, I took Hayes to the company to sign the contract officially. I became his only agent.

Hayes started his busy college life while making a name for himself in the music industry under my arrangement.

I pulled some strings and drank and socialized with wealthy sponsors every day, which brought Hayes many endorsements.

Of course, it was all done secretly.

If Hayes found out, he would be very angry.

Hayes' path to stardom was very smooth. He became famous in less than three years.

By his 21st birthday, he already had tens of millions of fans.

He was busy and grew up rapidly. He was 5'7'' when he was 18 or 19 years old, but now he was 6 feet tall.

Every time Hayes participated in activities or held concerts, I followed behind him, watching him being surrounded by a group of fans. I listened to the fans screaming for him and felt very proud of him.

Even if I drank until I vomited, so what?

Even if I let the sponsors touch me a few times, I didn't lose anything.

On his birthday, Hayes sang a song for me, and that song was written for me.

He put all his heart and feelings into the song.

After I finished listening, I ran away in a panic.

I had a crush on Hayes, but I never thought he would like me.

Hayes grabbed me and pressed me down on the sofa.

"Melody, I'm famous now. Can I have a girlfriend?"

Hayes drank a little, but he didn't get drunk.

His eyes were still bright.

"What is your type? I'll find a girl for you," I stuttered.

Hayes' eyes turned red. "Melody, don't act dumb. You clearly know that the girl I like is you!"

I remained silent for a long time and whispered, "You're still young and don't understand what love is. You're just dependent on me, just like my younger brother."

Hayes suddenly leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. My words stuck in my throat.

His kiss was fiery and fierce, making me dizzy.

I couldn't imagine that the dream lover of tens of millions of fans was now holding me and kissing me.

What was even harder for me to accept was that I always felt like he was no different from my own younger brother.

I kept pushing him away, but he didn't stop kissing me.

He held me tightly and growled, "Melody, stop treating me like a child. I can distinguish between love and familial affection."

"Seeing you walking on the road, laughing and talking with Eric, I'm insanely jealous."

"Seeing those despicable sponsors leering at you, I wish I could beat them half to death."

"You say I treat you like a sister? No, no brother would think about his sister day and night. I dream of kissing you!"

"Melody, I have become famous. I can give you the life you want. You don't have to work so hard anymore. Can we be together?"

I pushed his chest and said, "Hayes, calm down. Your career is taking off. Don't be silly."

"There is no such thing as a secret. If fans find any clues, it will greatly affect your career."

"I don't care. I work so hard every day just to become famous earlier, to deserve you, and to be with you," Hayes said stubbornly.

"Me? What do I have that's good? I'm ten years older than you. I could be your aunt. There are so many young girls out there. Why do you have to like me?"

I admitted that I was afraid. I didn't believe that Hayes would really love me forever.

He was so young and dazzling.

His future was bright and he would meet many young and beautiful girls, while I was already thirty-one.

"It's not that you don't like me. You just don't believe that I would like you, right?" Hayes keenly found the loophole in my words.

I devoted all my efforts and time to his career during the years we spent together.

Hayes was so good and excellent. How could I not love him?

Sometimes I thought if I hadn't taken him into the entertainment industry in the beginning, then Hayes could have had a girlfriend like every man did, without being afraid of his fans finding out.

But that would be too much of a waste of Hayes' talent.

"Age is not a problem, and I will prove it to you. I love you, not for your appearance. I love you for who you are."

Hayes put his head on my chest and closed his eyes, listening to my heartbeat.

I could sense that he had an erection. He was embarrassed and let go of me, looking like a loyal large dog.

I felt extremely sorry for him and took a step back.

"Before your career is stable, we can only be secret lovers if you think this is possible."