Number One Hit

It was a typical night in the career of the woman known to many as "IMAX," a pop diva whose talent and singing chops match her popularity. She had just given yet another performance in front of a huge crowd, performing four of her biggest hits and leaving to a big applause and chants of her name. All the while, IMAX tearfully waved to her immense adoring public, showing appreciation to her many fans.

The massive ovation always came at the same time: when the last of IMAX's songs was performed. Titled, "Survivor," the song struck a huge personal chord with the songstress, as it took her to a time when she was simply known as Isabelle Maxwell, an up and coming singer, who was in an abusive relationship. She recalled every moment of her toxic relationship with her then-boyfriend, Damon Everett, which ended with Damon suddenly taking his own life. "Survivor" came out a year later, with Isabelle finally gaining enough courage to address her ordeal, and it became a huge hit, and remained so for another two years.

As Isabelle was leaving her latest performance, she was bombarded by a mixture of attempted interviewers and fans, though one voice caught her attention immensely.

"Izzy! Izzy!"

"I'm sorry?" asked Isabelle. "Do I know you?"

"Francis Gibson," the interviewer replied. "And we have met before. A few times, I might add."

"I think I'd remember you," said Isabelle.

"I just have some questions, Izzy..." said Francis.

"It's IMAX," said Isabelle. "Or Isabelle. Either one will do, but don't call me Izzy. I hate being called that, and I don't know you. Frankly, you're making me quite uncomfortable." Isabelle managed to enter her limo and get away, but the encounter stayed with her throughout the entire drive. Even as she was in her hotel room, Isabelle seemed to be deep in thought about Francis, and strangely, it led her to think back about the very heated fights with Damon, which included loud accusations of infidelity and all else. She was suddenly interrupted by the sound of her room's phone ringing.

"Miss Maxwell, a Francis Gibson here to see you."

Isabelle was flustered. She felt like she was being tracked and pursued, but despite this, Isabelle regained her resolve and gave the following message:

"Tell Mr. Gibson that I'll agree to a private, in-depth interview, but I'll name the time and the place."

The time ended up being at night, and the place was a bit on the shady side. It was close to a near-dangerous part of town, but Francis was determined to get his interview with the famous "IMAX." Though it seemed like a long wait for Francis, it would only be around five minutes before the voice he wanted to hear.

"Francis Gibson. So that's the name you're going by?"

Francis turned around to see Isabelle, peculiarly dressed in a black hat and a leather trenchcoat. "What are you getting at?" asked Francis.

"Cut the crap...Francis," Isabelle said in a mocking tone. "Or should I call you by your actual name: Jackson Everett?" Isabelle simply laughed at Jackson, who stood silent after he was exposed, but she did not stop there.

"How long has it been, Jackson? About, what, three years?"

"Look, Izzy..."

"Do not call me that!" Isabelle snarled, right before she suddenly took out a gun from her coat pocket. "Your simp of a brother always called me that. It was one of the things I hated about him. That and his philandering."

"You know good and damn well that Damon never cheated on you," said Jackson.

"Look at you," said Isabelle. "Still sticking up for your no-good brother. You people really do stick together."

"There she is," said Jackson. "That's the Izzy I remember; the delusions, the lies, the racist assumptions. Every time Damon even breathed next to a woman, you accused him of cheating on you. You even ordered him not to have female friends!"

"I see it all the time," said Isabelle. "Men like...that...always lust after innocent women, like me. It was only a matter of time until he strayed."

"Except he never did," replied Jackson. "My brother supported your aspirations on a daily basis, yet you killed him anyway! Why? Because of your delusions? Or was it for that song? I know it's full of lies. He never laid a hand on you."

"Only because I never gave him the chance," Isabelle said with a smirk, which was followed by a deep breath by the sinister songstress. "Fine. You want some truth? Here it is. I'm one of the most in demand pop divas in the world. I have all of the fame and fortune and attention that I want, and I have everything I dreamed of." As she walked closer to Jackson, Isabelle raised her gun in the air and added:

"And I made it all come true with this."

"All I want to know is...why?" asked Jackson.

"Why not?" replied Isabelle. "After all, it's the real bad relationships that make the best songs. So I portrayed Damon as an abusive cheater. Of course, he wasn't, but come on, it's always people like him...and you...who are." Despite Isabelle's villainous and bigoted admission, despite having to listen to a monologue that denigrated his late brother, Jackson had a big smile on his face.

"Jackson," Isabelle laughed, "what are you smiling about? You do know that I told you all of this because you won't live to tell the tale, right?"

"Oh, I figured that," replied Jackson. "I'm just relieved that the suspicion I had for three years was correct all this time. Well, that's one reason. Here's the other." Jackson pointed to what seemed like a red dot, only to reveal that it was actually a cellphone, and that Isabelle was being live streamed.

"Say hi to your fans...IMAX."

An incredulous Isabelle was stunned to see that her murderous confession, once said with so much arrogance, was heard by so many of the fans who adored her. What followed was the sounds of police sirens closing in, and at that very moment, Isabelle Maxwell, the pop diva known as IMAX, was in handcuffs. For Jackson Everett, it was a three year wait for justice. He still remembered how toxic the relationship was, and how Damon continued to voice his adoration for Isabelle even with her behavior. Once Isabelle was taken away, Jackson looked up to the heavens, and with tears in his eyes, said:

"We finally got her."

As for Isabelle, she remained defiant and in denial after her arrest. She continued to claim innocence and even repeated her racist viewpoints; claiming that she was an innocent victim who acted in self-defense against her "thug" ex-boyfriend, and even tried to claim that Jackson sought her out and attempted to kill her. Isabelle's trial was quick, as her story was shot down very quickly. She received life in prison for her actions, though despite this, Isabelle sang her hit songs while behind bars, as she remained insistent that she was the true heroine in her own twisted story, and that she would be out of prison and would continue her singing career.