Chapter 36: The Interview
218 words
The studio lights were hotter than the grill at the diner. I sat in the plush armchair, a makeup artist dabbing powder on my forehead to hide the sheen of sweat. Millions of people were watching. I wasn't Sarah the victim anymore; I was a symbol. The host leaned in, her eyes glinting with the promise of high ratings.
"So, Sarah, you took down a billionaire. How does it feel to own his life?"
I thought about the media interview prep Vance had walked me through, but I tossed the script. "It's not about the mansion," I said, looking directly into the camera lens. "It's about the fact that for twenty years, guys like him thought they could run us over because we couldn't afford a lawyer. It stops now."
The audience erupted. It wasn't polite applause; it was a roar. I wasn't selling life rights or looking for a book deal agent; I was validating everyone who had ever been bullied by a checkbook.
During the commercial break, my phone buzzed in my lap. Unknown number. I answered, expecting a bill collector out of habit.
"Ms. Miller? This is production at Paramount," a slick voice said. "We saw the segment. We don't want to buy your story. We want to make it the movie of the year."
End of Chapter 36
