Page 57 of Chandelier Enthralled
“My story is important.” I glanced down at the email. “Can we focus on that, perhaps, for now?”
She tapped the paper with her fingernail in an action that said,Quid pro quo.
My heart sank—she’d just proven that I was only in this room for one reason.
And it had nothing to do with me.
“Make it happen.” She pushed to her feet, and I was reminded of her tallness. “Then, you and I will work on something together. You’ll share credit. It’ll be an opportunity to launch your career.”
“I’m not sure…”
She narrowed her gaze, and she didn’t need to say the words for me to understand the gesture.Don’t be naive, Willa.
“I appreciate your time,” I said, swallowing the disappointment, not wanting to blow this opportunity up any more than I already had.
Or maybe the illusion I had anything to offer was coming to a screeching end—in all its twelfth-floor glory.
She headed toward the door. “Now, if you get me an interview with Cameron Cole…” She looked at me, arching a brow. “You’ll see yourself as a field reporter.”
I felt a tightness in my throat; a sense that I’d betrayed my brothers even though I hadn’t agreed to anything.
Tears welled up in my eyes, because that was the dream I had always longed for—to be a field reporter. Now I was suffering from the bitter taste of a silver spoon that had been served to me my entire life—one that never seemed to work in my favor.
I’d never asked for advantages—just a chance.
Julia must have read my expression. “Your story—” She glanced back toward my printed proposal that sat abandoned on her desk. “It’s certainly important. I will consider it at some point. Or someone will. What I need is a Pulitzer Prize worthy story featuring someone in the public eye. Now, bring me that and you’ll have my full attention.”
She walked out of the room, swaying her hips like she knew everyone was watching—and they were. Staff turned to observe her like she was a rare sighting, deserving of everyone’s reverence.
I let out a sigh of frustration.
Her charisma was ineffably magnetic, blending professionalism with sensuality in a way that had captivated audiences.
I wanted to dislike her, but I couldn’t—not when I wanted to be her.
It was her audacity, her unapologetic confidence, and a relentless drive that had propelled her to the top, all the way to senior news anchor. She wasn’t just playing the game, she was rewriting the rules.
If I were smart enough, I could learn from her.
I stood quietly for a minute, looking around her office. The space was drenched in proof of her success—photos with presidents, celebrities, countless accolades, alongside international awards bearing foreign names.
My directive was clear.
If I wanted back in this room, I would have to deliver my brother to her. Or discover a public figure who was up to no good. It would take too long to prove myself, too long for Cameron to see I had what it took to make my mark.
Time was not a luxury I had.
I’d held back on sharing with Julia that she was my inspiration, the woman who’d influenced me during my years at Brown. She was the newscaster I admired the most, but now, after hearing her brazen request, I felt uneasy.
Jewel had told her I was a Cole.
I refused to glance down at the email she’d printed out—the fake reason I was standing here.
I left it on her desk hoping she’d give the story consideration. Maybe she’d see the merit in it and realize its importance, with those horrifying stats of women being taken advantage of by strangers, or boyfriends, and even husbands.
While researching this, I’d become invested, finding a personal mission to get the warning out to women. Having gatekeepers who prevented me from running with this issue made me feel professionally compromised.
And anyway, Henry would refuse to conduct an interview with my new employer out of principle. Cameron was super private, too. He’d never grant any kind of exclusive. Especially since the press had once tried to take him down.
