Page 142 of Babies for the Big Shot
Yes. That’s the game. The story itself is bait. The reaction becomes the headline. Engagement validates her premise. Silence gives her less oxygen.
“Has it been sent to print partners?”
“Not yet.Edgewill see how it performs digitally before allocating real estate.”
“So we have time.”
“A window. Narrow.”
I reach for the espresso pod, slotting it into the machine with a sharp click. The motions feel mechanical, grounding in their uselessness. I can’t fix this with caffeine, but I don’t trust myself to stand still, either.
“What’s your recommendation?” I ask.
“No engagement, in my opinion” Jonah says. “Complete blackout. Legal threats will only escalate it. Comms can reinforce the firewall, redirect press traffic, and manage any board-level concerns. But I guess that depends on how you want to handle it.”
“You don’t think I should justmakethe announcement?” I sigh heavily. “Just tell the world that me and Sara are together?”
There’s a pause on the other end of the line before Jonah answers.
“I’ve thought about it,” he admits. “I mean, in a normal world, sure. You’ve got the babies, you’ve got a relationship that’s not going anywhere anytime soon. It’s not like you’re trying to hide an ex-wife or a scandalous affair. You could spin it, say you wanted to keep things quiet until it was really serious, and now you’re ready to share. But… what about Sara?”
I lean back against the counter, letting the silence hang for a moment. It feels suffocating, and my mind is racing through every possible angle.
“What about the board?” I murmur.
“Well, I guess Sara could quit…”
It’s like a vice-like grip on my chest. I can hardly breathe. I just can’t stop thinking that Sara isn’t ready, and that if I tell the world about us now, then everything changes. It’s not just us anymore.
“I would rather do this in my own time, so I can deal with the board,” I declare. “I need to think about this. I don’t want to tank Sara’s chance to get another job because of the scandal.”
I can’t see a way out. No matter which way I turn, Sara gets hurt, which is the last thing I want to do.
He hesitates. “Then we contain. And protect the people who didn’t ask for any of this.”
My gaze drifts to the closed bedroom door. The soft hush of quiet on the other side of it. I can picture her, still asleep, onehand resting on her stomach, the way she does without realizing. It’s become instinct now.
She doesn’t know. Not yet.
And I don’t know how to tell her.
Not just because of the article, but because of what it might bring with it. Old ghosts. Old names. Threads I’ve worked my entire adult life to sever.
I’ve kept my past out of the press for a reason. Not for lack of interest, but by deliberate design. And now Isla Vale wants to drag it into the light because it suits her editorial calendar.
“And I’m going to see if I can put a stop to this before Sara even needs to find out. She doesn’t need any more pressure on top of what she’s going through.”
Jonah’s voice softens. “Understood.”
I sip the espresso. It burns, but I need the jolt.
“We’ll reinforce the internal firewall today,” I continue. “Review every external partner, vendor, and staff member with access to sensitive data. If there’s a leak, I want it traced. Comms reviews every narrative channel. Nothing moves without my approval.”
“And if Vale follows up again?”
“She gets silence. Let her print the piece. Let her speculate. I’m not going to dignify it.”
“And the board?”
