Breathe
by;michimichiro
Chapter 24
I calm myself as I sit inside the studio room. This was it—the opportunity I'd been working towards for years was finally within my grasp. If I could just nail this interview profile, the entire world would know my name and story.
"We're ready for you, Ms. Parker," the studio assistant said with a polite smile, gesturing towards the set.
I drew in a steady breath and returned her smile with as much confidence as I could muster. Showtime.
The bright stage lights were blinding at first as I made my way to the interviewer's chair. But soon my eyes adjusted, and I was able to make out the audience assembled before me—young, eager faces from all walks of life hanging on my every word and movement.
This was my chance to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs and go-getters like me. The young woman who had clawed her way up from poverty through sheer grit and hustle to become one of the most successful CEOs before thirty.
As the interviewer launched into his introduction and the first few questions, I fell into a comfortable rhythm. Relaying the struggles of my youth and early days as a hungry startup founder rolled off my tongue with practiced ease at this point.
What didn't come as easily were the flashes of memory that occasionally broke through—whispers of life and dreams I thought I'd moved on from long ago. Images of gentle hazel eyes and a radiant smile that could illuminate the darkest of nights.
Zia...
I blinked hard, forcing myself to remain present and re-focus on the matter at hand. I hadn't allowed myself to dwell on thoughts of her in years, not after the devastation of being ripped apart by her family's opposition to our relationship. She was living her life, hopefully having found some semblance of happiness despite the odds. And I was thriving in my way, building an empire from nothing but sheer force of will.
Our paths diverged, perhaps forever. Allowing myself to pine after ghosts of the past would only derail me from my mission of paying forward all the opportunities I'd received.
"So tell me, Eli." The interviewer's voice pierced my fleeting reverie. "What would you say is the driving philosophy behind your incredible success? What core values and principles keep you motivated through all the hustle and sacrifice?"
A tiny smirk formed at the corner of my lips as I prepared to answer with one of my trademark one-liners about unrelenting passion and a refusal to quit. But just then, a familiar figure in my peripheral vision caused me to do a double-take, the breath catching in my throat.
She stood in the entrance at the rear of the studio, one hand cradling a visibly pregnant belly. Even from this distance, I would have recognised that strong yet elegant bone structure and those deep, soulful eyes anywhere.
It was Zia. I could scarcely process the dizzying array of emotions crashing over me in waves.
The interviewer must have noticed my lapse because he gave me a quizzical look. "Ms. Parker, you were about to share the core philosophy driving your success."
I blinked rapidly, trying to regain my composure as Zia glanced around almost furtively before disappearing backstage once more.
"Ah yes, my apologies," I heard myself saying in a tone much calmer than I felt. "I believe wholeheartedly in pursuing your deepest passions without reservation or putting limitations on your potential. So many people are shackled by fear—fear of failure, fear of the unknown, even fear of their dreams being too big or unrealistic."
My voice grew stronger and more impassioned as I pulled strength from the memory of the girl I had fought for. The girl who had inspired me to never accept a life constrained by others' visions for me.
"But I'll never allow fear to define or limit me again," I continued fiercely. "I lost the biggest dream of all once because I let the doubts and judgement of others dissuade me. I let my deepest passion slip through my fingers when I was too young and naive to recognise how fleeting such opportunities can be."
The audience seemed to be hanging on to my every word, intoxicated by the visceral emotion I could no longer contain. Perhaps they sensed there was a deeper story behind my sudden fervour that transcended the typical plucky startup.
"So from that painful lesson, I re-dedicated myself to chasing every daring vision, every crazy idea that sets my spirit on fire," I said, feeling the words flow from a well of hardship long left untapped. "Because you never know when the thing you want most in this world might be snatched away before you can even fight for it. And I'll be damned if I let that happen to any of my dreams and ambitions again without giving everything I have."
A weighty pause hung in the air as the audience seemed to digest the unexpected well of raw-boned passion they heard. Even the interviewer looked momentarily stunned by the turn towards such vulnerability.
Finally, he cleared his throat and refocused. "Powerful words, Ms. Parker. Thank you for sharing a piece of what truly drives you at your core."
I forced a tight-lipped smile and gave a small nod of acknowledgement, hoping that would be the end of that particular line of questioning. Any more rawness spilt from those unhealed wounds, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep my composure.
The interview proceeded smoothly enough after that, with me falling back into my typical rhythms and well-rehearsed responses. But that moment of jarring emotion and dredged-up memories continued to linger just beneath the surface, like agitated waters.
As the filming finally wrapped up, I made my way through the controlled chaos of the studio towards the exit and dressing rooms. Perhaps I could find a quiet corner to collect myself and process the unexpected resurgence of everything before too long.
But just as I was about to turn a corner, a familiar voice, like a shockwave through calm waters, pulled me up short.
"Eli? Is that you?"
I turned slowly, hardly daring to trust my senses. And there she was, radiant despite the weariness etched around her eyes. Zia stood just a few paces away, one hand instinctively cradling her swollen belly as unspoken questions and old aches danced across her expression.
For a long time, neither of us could find any words to say. We simply drank in the sight of one another after so many years of absence and distance, the ghost of the love we shared hanging thick in the air.
"Hello, Zia," I managed in a tone barely above a whisper. "It's...it's been a long time."
She gave a slow nod, her dark eyes shimmering with a maelstrom I couldn't quite read. "Yes, yes, it has, hasn't it?"
An awkward silence slipped in once more as we each searched for the right words and the right way to begin unpacking the tangled history stretched out between us. Finally, I settled on.
"You're...I mean, it seems congratulations are in order," I said carefully, gesturing towards her rounded stomach. "Were you able to finally..."
I trailed off, unsure how to finish that loaded question. Zia seemed to understand nonetheless, her expression turning sombre and infinitely weary, far beyond her years.
"Yes, I... after everything, after you and I... my parents, they eventually arranged for me to marry." She cradled her belly in a protective embrace. "This will be my first child with Clint."
"I see. I'm happy for you then, truly," I said, struggling to keep my tone even and sincere despite the dagger twisting in my heart. "You deserve to find the happiness you were denied for so long."
A pained look crossed Zia's face at my words, as if they had struck some deeper, rawer nerve than intended. I frowned, suddenly realising how my well-intentioned statement sounded more like salt being rubbed in old wounds.
"Eli, please. You have to know, finding 'happiness' was never a choice for me in all this."
