Chapter 54

Sam wavedgoodbye to her doctoral advisee and stepped out into the humid Miami afternoon. As she walked the familiar route back to her office, her mood darkened.

All week, something had been off with Natalia. Ever since their strained date at the arts festival, an icy distance had crept in between them.

Their once effortless rapport now felt stilted, full of long silences and evasive small talk.

Sam couldn’t stop replaying those bewildering moments at the festival over and over. She had been so sure things were progressing between them that the intimate weekend meant they were building toward something real. Had she completely misread the situation?

Maybe she had pushed too fast, too eagerly. But that realization offered little comfort for the ache that had taken root in her chest. She missed Natalia’s sly smiles, her breathy laughter and wandering hands. Missed the way her eyes would lock on Sam’s with razor-sharp focus, as if she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

And worse than that, she missed the parts of Natalia she was only just starting to get to know. Her real inner world, her past, her increasing openness.

It was like a door had slammed shut between them, leaving Sam alone and exposed in the cold. She shivered despite the humid air, arms wrapped around her body as if to ward off a chill only she could feel.

Sam finally arrived back at her office, grateful for the blast of air conditioning that hit her as she entered the building. She dropped her heavy bag on the floor and booted up her computer, ready to bury herself in work and avoid thinking about Natalia for a few hours.

But before she could open a single file, an incoming video call popped up on her screen. It was from Adriana and Lola. Sam’s brow furrowed in surprise. They weren’t supposed to meet for script development until tomorrow.

She accepted the call, plastering on a pleasant smile as their faces appeared. “Hey! This is a surprise. What’s up?”

Her talent agents exchanged a tense look before Adriana took the lead. “Sorry to call you out of the blue, Sam. There’s just been some new... developments that we needed to discuss right away.”

Sam’s pulse quickened. She didn’t like their somber tone. “New developments? Is everything okay?”

Lola jumped in, her words coming out in a rush. Sam was shocked she hadn’t taken over immediately — she was so tenacious compared to Adriana’s measured, diplomatic approach. “The studio has some significant rewrites. They’re really pushing to change the core relationships, make it more scandalous.”

“Wait, what?” Sam gripped the edge of her desk. “We don’t even have a final script.” She focused on the more salient part of the news. “Change the relationships how?”

Adriana sighed. “They want less focus on the female leads and more steamy male/female dynamics. The network thinks it’ll pull in bigger ratings.”

Sam’s chest tightened, her worst fears realized. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. This could not be happening.

“It’s complete bullshit!” Lola burst out angrily before catching herself. She took a breath and continued in a calmer tone. “Sorry, but these changes go against everything we’ve been trying to do with this project.”

Adriana gave Lola a cautioning look before turning back to the screen. “We know this is difficult, Sam. But the network is proposing... substantial alterations.”

She went on to explain the executives wanted to elevate a minor male character to be the protagonist. He would become the first vampire with the power to sire others, making him the heart of the mythology.

Sam listened in stunned silence, her pulse roaring in her ears. The edges of her vision warped, her brain going in so many directions at once.

“Apparently the focus groups weren’t responding well to the female relationships as currently written,” Adriana continued gently. “The traditional demographics expect more conventional dynamics.”

“It’s the opposite of what Lilith is about,” Lola huffed, voice lower but her anger unmitigated.

“Early testing revealed certain... resistance from key audiences,” Adriana clarified. “The production team feels that it’s necessary to adapt the story accordingly.”

Sam’s shock morphed into anger. “Adapt? This isn’t an adaptation, it’s an abomination. It would rip out the soul of Lilith’s myth. The entire point is a matriarchal vampire sect with their beliefs, rituals, societal structures all coming out of this one female?—”

“Apparently, the concern is that there is no underdog to root for. No uninitiated protagonist to anchor the story,” Adriana explained, her expression unreadable where Lola was an erupting volcano at her side.

“So naturally, the only solution is to put the man at the center of a uniquely feminine myth,” Sam snapped, bile rising in her throat and coating her sarcasm in spikes. “I’m not trying to be difficult here, but this makes no sense. Objectively makes no sense.” Her anger wouldn’t be quelled. “It’s like those people who move to a quaint little town because they fell in love with its mid-century modern architecture and cozy beach vibe and then bulldoze the damn thing to put up high-rises!”

Lola nodded, but Adriana paled. Sam saw the familiar expression Natalia took on when she didn’t want to say what she was really thinking. The same pained reserve she’d seen at the art festival last weekend.

“We can negotiate,” Adriana started, but Sam couldn’t let her finish.

“Negotiate? Why should I have to negotiate for creative control? That’s the entire reason I fought for it in my contract.”

Adriana held up a placating hand. “You’re right, legally they can’t force changes without your approval. But...” She hesitated, clearly reluctant to continue.

“But what?” Sam pressed.

With a heavy sigh, Adriana met her gaze. “The studio doesn’t have to continue production if an agreement can’t be reached. If you refuse all compromises, they could shelve the project indefinitely.”

Sam rocked back, nostrils flaring. The unfairness of it all simmered in her veins.

“I know,” Adriana said gently. “You wanted to bring this myth to the masses, make sure Lilith’s story wasn’t lost to time. And you still can. We just need to give the execs something, enough to keep them happy, so the show goes on.”

Sam crossed her arms, jaw tight. She knew Adriana was right logically, but it still felt like a betrayal. All she had wanted was to bring this extraordinary tale of strong, empowered women to life. To give young girls the representation she had craved growing up.

Lola seemed to sense her churning outrage. “Don’t give up yet. We can strategize and find a compromise that doesn’t completely kill the essence of Lilith. The fight’s not over.”

Sam wanted to believe her, but she only had the fumes of trust left.