The spotlight was blinding.
Literally.
Lucy blinked against the studio lights of TechTalk Weekly, her pulse pounding beneath layers of foundation and determination. The host, Mara Keene, leaned in with a smile so polished it could slice through a steel firewall. Her voice, however, was honeyed—sweet on the surface but with an undertone of sharp curiosity that had made her one of the most feared interviewers in tech journalism.
"So, Lucy," Mara said, drawing out each syllable like a velvet trap, "let's get right to it. You blew up ByteBetter with one keynote interruption. What was going through your mind in that moment?"
Lucy adjusted her mic. Her palms were sweating beneath the table, but she kept her voice level. "Honestly? I was just thinking, 'Don't trip over your own feet.'"
Laughter rippled through the studio audience. Mara chuckled and leaned back, delighted. "Relatable. But also… a little bit revolutionary."
