Under the Lights
The studio was colder than Clara expected. Not physically. Emotionally. Bright lights. Neutral walls. Polished floors. Controlled smiles. This was not a conversation. It was an arena. Her reflection in the dressing room mirror looked calm. Too calm. The makeup artist stepped back slightly. “You look confident,” she said kindly. Clara smiled faintly. “I hope I sound that way too.” Across the city, Ethan stood in his office watching the live preview feed. He hated this. Not because she wasn’t capable. But because he couldn’t stand beside her this time. This battle had to be hers. “Five minutes,” the producer said. Clara’s heart beat harder. Not racing. Steady. Heavy. She remembered the lake. The quiet water. The promise. Stay. The host entered with a warm, practiced
- Writer
