"I need you to repeat that," I say.
Serena Cole repeats it without hesitation, the practiced patience of a journalist who has delivered unwelcome information before and learned to do it without apology. A follow up piece. My name. Forty eight hours.
"What specifically does the piece say about me?" I ask.
"It positions you as a woman who contacted a man with a history of alleged violence against women in order to orchestrate the collapse of his marriage," she says. "It suggests the motivation was retaliatory rather than genuine concern for his wife."
"That is an interesting framing," I say, keeping my voice completely even.
"Ms. Vann, I am giving you the opportunity to respond before publication. Would you like to comment?"
"I would like the name of your editor," I say.
