You have documents showing that what they’re saying may not be true.”
The producer swallowed.
Nathaniel Vance was not merely a guest.
He was a billionaire with lawyers, influence, companies, charitable partnerships, and the kind of telephone number executives returned before it finished ringing.
Genevieve could see the calculation passing across the producer’s face.
Then Nathaniel made the decision for him.
On the monitor, the host asked, “And your wife? Genevieve has been mentioned over the years as an important private influence.
How involved was she in the book?”
Nathaniel did not hesitate.
“Genevieve was supportive.”
Supportive.
The word hit harder than Genevieve expected.
Chloe looked toward Nathaniel with a tiny smile.
Nathaniel continued.
“She gave me the space to do the work.
I’ll always be grateful for that.”
Genevieve felt something inside her become completely still.
Not broken.
Finished.
The producer looked from the television to the folder.
He reached for his headset.
“Tell the host we need another question.”
The voice in his earpiece responded too quietly for Genevieve to hear.
He frowned.
“No.
Don’t go to commercial yet.”
Nathaniel was still speaking.
“The difficult thing about writing something as personal as The Honest Ascent is that eventually you have to stop listening to everyone else and trust your own voice.”
Genevieve almost admired the cruelty of it.
Her sentences had built the platform from which he was now denying her existence.
The producer covered his microphone.
“Would you go on camera?”
Genevieve looked at the studio entrance.
Two hours ago, she had expected to sit beside her husband and discuss the work they had created together.
Then he had removed her chair.
Now she understood that walking onto the set angry would give Nathaniel exactly what he needed.
He could call her emotional.
Jealous.
A wounded wife reacting to another woman.
He had spent years learning how to turn perception into armor.
Genevieve had taught him.
So she would not give him anger.
She would give him dates.
“Yes,” she said.
The producer touched his headset again.
A few moments later, the host looked directly into the camera.
“We’re going to extend this conversation slightly because some new information has been brought to our attention.”
Nathaniel’s smile changed.
Only Genevieve would have noticed how small the change was.
His jaw tightened first.
Then his left thumb pressed once against his index finger.
A private tell.
He was worried.
Chloe turned toward him.
The host continued.
