Thirty Four

Since that viral interview and Elise's resignation, my life has taken a different turn. Not because I sought the spotlight, but because the spotlight could no longer ignore me.

That day, I stood on the stage of the International Women's Leadership Forum in New York. A thousand eyes stared at me from the guest seats. Three giant screens displayed my face. And one thought kept spinning in my head:

Arini, you are now known to the world.

I spoke about education. About trauma. About a system that hides women not because they are wrong, but because they "disrupt the larger narrative of men."

And when I finished my speech, the room stood up. Not because I was strong. But because I was honest.

***

After the event, I received a message from someone I didn't expect.

Theodore Smith.

My father's uncle. Former chairman of Smith Inc.

Sara, we need to talk. Not about the inheritance. But about the future."

Rachel read the message over my shoulder. "Are you sure you want to meet him?"

I nodded. "When