THE BILLIONAIRE'S TRAGEDY

STACY'S POV

"Are you ready?" My dad voices out, drawing me partially away from my thoughts.

I've been thinking a lot lately, not of anything in particular but of everything all at once. My thoughts are all jumbled up and I can't focus.

I feel everything. Grief, happiness, pride, love, hope. I don't know which emotion to focus on, so I let it all consume me. Am I ready? I wish I knew the answer to that question.

Can anyone ever be ready to do what I'm about to do? They're all out there waiting for me. Waiting to hear what I have to say. Waiting for me to stand naked with my emotions in front of them.

I never thought my book would one day have this much of an impact on this many people. Before I knew it, millions had read my book and I earned the title "best-selling author."

Time moves by so fast. Just three years ago, I laid in bed in my room. Then something hit me and urged me to pick up my laptop and type. And so, I did.

I typed away my thoughts, my worries, my emotions, everything. I spent so many days locked up in my room, my dad started to get worried. But I was hooked.

Writing became an escape for me and all I wanted to do was to finish my book. my father was very supportive through it all and he played a huge role in the completion of my book.

Three years of hard work and finally, here I am. I was invited on a talk show to talk about my book.

I was overwhelmed when I got the invitation letter. I almost didn't believe it. I looked forward to this day, preparing myself for the questions I would be asked.

Am I ready? I like to think I was born ready, but I don't know how I feel about this in particular. No matter how much I prepare, I don't think I will ever be ready for this particular event.

My dad lays his hand on my shoulder. A gesture he has a habit of doing when he lacks words. His hand on my shoulder means he's here for me. It means he's not going anywhere. It means everything is going to be okay.

My dad isn't very vocal. He uses actions to express what he wants to say.

"If you judge people by their actions, you will never be fooled by their words." Those are the words he spoke to me when I got cheated on for the first time at eighteen years old, and those words stuck with me.

I wonder what would have happened if I didn't start writing that day. I would have never discovered my ability to touch the hearts of people through my words.

My talent would have faded away to nothing but a dream. Writing this book has shaped me into the woman I am today. I learnt a lot from my own words. I had to dig into the deepest and darkest parts of my emotions and put them down on paper.

With every word I wrote, I revealed a part of myself to my readers. Today my readers and the audience and everyone watching will discover just how deep my book is, and that is what actually makes me the most nervous.

I don't know if I'm ready to let everyone in yet. But I know I have to do this, because if not now, then when?

So, I look over to my dad who even at fifty years old, looks full of life and strength. He stares at me with soft brown eyes. Eyes that have always held so much emotion. Eyes that are protective and loving and I realize for the millionth time how lucky I am to have him.

Most of who I am today was shaped and built by the love he showed me throughout the years. The love he constantly continues to show me.

"I don't know." I say to my dad, answering his question. He offers me a soft smile as he gently cups my cheek. His palm feels warm against my face.

I close my eyes as I lean into his touch letting out a small breath. He hugs me and places a light kiss on my forehead, silently taking away all my worry and nervousness.

"I'm proud of you Stacy. Go out there and give them your heart." He states warmly, and that is what I will do. I will give my all because what I wrote is so much more than just a book to me. It's my life.

In our waiting room, a woman walks in with headphones on as she speaks to someone into the microphone attached to it.

"The host will be ready for you in five minutes ma'am." She announces and walks back out the door. Five minutes. That's how much time I have until all eyes and ears are on me.

Five minutes is all I have before my life as we know it changes forever.

"Let's go?" My dad asks and I simply nod at him, standing up and straightening my dress, preparing myself mentally before I walk out the door.

He holds my hand and intertwines our fingers. He leads me behind the curtains and lets go of my hand.

"If you start feeling overwhelmed, just look towards the crowd and you'll find me there." He states as he walks away from me, making his way towards the crowd to sit in the audience.

A commercial sound plays for a few seconds and then stops, giving way for the host to introduce my entry.

The crowd goes silent as he starts speaking.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome once again to our talk show. It is my pleasure to welcome our special guest today, an accomplished author whose book has captured the hearts and minds of readers around the world. Her best-selling novel titled 'Before you go' has been described as a literary masterpiece, weaving together intricate characters and a riveting plot to create a truly unforgettable reading experience and create awareness on an illness that affects thousands across the globe." He starts with the introduction and my heart beats as adrenaline courses through my veins.

"Not only has she captivated readers with her writing but she has also received critical acclaim for her contributions to the literary and health world. Her work has been praised for its depth and creativity and its ability to transport readers to new worlds and new perspectives. Please join me in welcoming this young and beautiful author. We are honored to have her on our show today to discuss her writing process, inspirations and the impact of her work. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Miss Stacy Slogan!"

As he finishes his speech, a song starts playing and the curtains are pulled away. The audience roars with applause as I come into view. The lights flashing around me are almost blinding as I make my way over to my seat.

The host offers me a side hug and urges me to sit. As he takes his seat, the song stops playing and the crowd goes silent.

I turn my vision towards the crowd and spot my dad in the front seat, looking at me with all the pride in the world. He smiles at me from the crowd and nods his head.

I can hear his voice in my head telling me to be brave.

"Welcome once more Miss Slogan." The host says to me, his voice through the microphone resonating in the room.

"Thank you for having me today, Jerry. I'm honored to be on your show." I say to him with a sweet smile.

"I didn't think you would accept my invitation." The host announces. "What exactly made you decide to come to my show today?"

"I thought this would be a very important opportunity for my readers to understand me more, to touch more hearts and spread awareness." I answer him genuinely.

"Your book has definitely touched many hearts around the world Miss Slogan. It not only touches the subject of cancer awareness, but it's also a beautiful love story. How did you balance the two themes to create a narrative that resonates deeply with the many fans you have today?" He questions.

I look over to the crowd with a smile and see everyone watching me and listening eagerly to what I have to say. I take a deep breath before answering him.

"Love and illness can often go hand in hand and I wanted to explore that relationship in my book. The story follows two characters who fall deeply in love, but their relationship is complicated with the female lead's cancer diagnosis. The disease not only puts a strain in their relationship but also forces them to confront their fears." I answer with sincerity making the crowd clap for a few seconds.

"That is a very beautiful message you portrayed in your book Miss Slogan. How did you approach writing about such a sensitive and emotional topic?" The host asks.

"Well, it was important for me to be very sensitive and empathetic. Cancer affects so many people in so many different ways and I wanted to do justice to those experiences. I of course did a lot of research and spoke to people who had gone through similar situations." I answer as I glance over to my dad who is smiling at me proudly.

"That's really beautiful. Your book was indeed an emotional rollercoaster and I think I can speak for everyone in here when I say your book made each of us cry at least once." The host says and the crowd roars in agreement to his claim.

"That was the aim of my book Jerry. To make it feel as real as possible with the goal of my readers to take away a sense of hope and inspiration. Cancer is a difficult and devastating disease, but it is also something that can bring people together and create stronger bonds of love and friendship. I wrote my book in the hope that my readers would appreciate the importance of living in the moment and cherishing the time we have with our loved ones, no matter what challenges we may face."

I let out a deep sigh as I finish talking. I feel myself getting emotional as my eyes threaten to water. The crowd claps in approval to what I said.

"That's a beautiful and inspirational message Miss Slogan. One that each of us can take home tonight. How do you think your book can help in raising awareness about cancer?" The host asks.

"Love is a powerful tool, Jerry. It's a universal feeling that everyone can relate to. By exploring the impact of cancer on a love story, I hope to show my readers the importance of early detection and the need for more research and funding for cancer treatment." The crowd claps again, louder this time after I finish my sentence.

I look over to them and a wide smile forms on my face.

"You have certainly captured even more hearts tonight, Miss Slogan. How do you feel about all the popularity you've recently gained at just twenty-two (22) years old? Is the fame too much to handle sometimes? You recently just gained the title 'best selling author'. How do you feel about that?" Jerry asks.

"The fame can be overwhelming sometimes. I feel a huge sense of pride for how successful my novel has been but I try not to forget the aim for which I wrote my book. To capture hearts and spread awareness, and that is what I focus on even through all the popularity I have recently gained." I answer genuinely.

"Indeed, fame can be a distraction, but not once have you strayed away from your goal. The way you talk about your book on a very emotional and personal level. Where exactly did the inspiration come from? Your fans would like to know exactly what pushed you to write a book about cancer in the first place." Jerry finally asks the one question I've been dreading all night. The question that will reveal everything.

I look over to my dad. His eyes are watery as he nods his head at me. His eyes tell me it's okay and that I can do this.

"Oh, it's such a long story Jerry. I don't even know where to start." I finally answer the host.

"Well, we have all night. I'm sure everyone will love to hear it." Jerry says and the crowd cheers as they urge me to answer.

"It all starts with a wedding." I start narrating.