Chapter 57 - The Bidding War
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The shrill ring of my cell phone shattered the quiet calm of our Tuesday morning breakfast routine. I was in the middle of pouring syrup over the boys' pancakes when I glanced at the screen. It was Sarah, my literary agent in New York. We had sent the manuscript out to editors just four days ago, and I had braced myself for weeks of agonizing silence.
I wiped my sticky hands on a dish towel and swiped the screen to answer.
"Good morning, Sarah," I said, trying to keep my voice casual as Marcus looked up from his coffee, his eyebrows raised in silent question.
"Rachel, you need to sit down," Sarah's voice buzzed through the speaker, vibrating with an electric, barely contained excitement. "I have been on the phone since six o'clock this morning. You are not going to believe what is happening."
"What is it? Did someone pass on it already?"
"Pass? Rachel, we have a massive bidding war on our hands," Sarah practically shouted. "Three of the "Big Five" publishing houses have read the manuscript over the weekend. They don't just want it; they are fighting tooth and nail for it. We already have two pre-emptive offers on the table that are well into the six-figure range."
I gripped the edge of the kitchen island, the room spinning slightly. Six figures.
For years, Daniel had methodically drained my bank accounts, ruined my credit, and convinced me that I was financially incompetent. He used money as a leash, a weapon to keep me terrified and compliant. Now, major executives in Manhattan were aggressively competing to pay me a fortune just to hear my voice.
"I... I don't know what to say, Sarah," I breathed, tears of sheer validation pricking the corners of my eyes.
"You don't have to say anything yet. I'm pushing them higher. We are going to an official auction tomorrow," Sarah declared fiercely. "You wrote a masterpiece, Rachel. It's going to save lives. I'll call you this afternoon with the final numbers."
The line clicked dead. I slowly lowered the phone, staring blankly at the kitchen wall.
"Let me guess," Marcus smiled, walking around the island to wrap his strong arms around my waist. "They loved it."
May you like
"They are fighting over it," I whispered, leaning back into his solid chest. "Marcus, they actually see the value in my story. They see the truth."
"I always knew they would," he kissed my cheek. "The world is finally catching up to how brilliant you are."
