Every replay.
Every moment of that disaster?—
Branded.
“Oh,” I breathe.
“Oh,” Fenn echoes.
The screen shifts again.
This time it’s a live press conference.
Andrew Brautigaum stands at a podium, looking like a man who just stumbled into the greatest marketing opportunity of his life and has no intention of wasting it.
He’s practically glowing.
“Tilda,” Fenn says under his breath, “you might want to pay attention.”
I stare at the screen.
Brautigaum adjusts his jacket, smiles into the cameras.
“Citizens of the galaxy,” he begins, his voice smooth and confident, “today we witnessed something extraordinary.”
You mean catastrophic, I think.
“While the final event of the Galactic Extreme Challenge did not conclude as planned,” he continues, “it revealed something far more valuable than competition.”
The footage behind him shifts.
Bron.
Again.
Always Bron.
“Courage,” Brautigaum says. “Integrity. And the kind of authentic human story that reminds us why we do what we do.”
I almost choke.
Fenn elbows me lightly.
“Careful,” he murmurs. “He’s about to monetize your trauma.”
“Shut up.”
Brautigaum spreads his hands.
“At Brautigaum Plastics, we believe in supporting individuals who embody resilience and determination. And no one exemplifies those qualities more than one of our own.”
My stomach drops.
“Oh no,” I whisper.
The camera zooms in slightly.
“Ms. Tilda Robertson,” he says, smiling like we’re best friends.
