The first sponsor dropped Derek on a Tuesday.
A sports drink brand, quiet about it, just a brief statement about "reevaluating partnerships that no longer align with our values." No mention of his name directly, but everyone understood exactly who they meant. By Thursday, two more had followed, less careful about hiding the reason.
I found out through Priya, who sent me screenshots with the enthusiasm of someone watching long-overdue karma finally arrive.
‘Called it,’ she texted. ‘His interview backfired harder than he expected.’
I felt something complicated reading the news. Not quite satisfaction, not quite sympathy, something more like distant relief that consequences were finally catching up to actions I'd spent years excusing.
*****
