The screen faded to black, then displayed a donation link for SPECA's marine conservation fund.
Alex realized his face was wet.
He scrolled to the comments with shaking hands.
This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen on this platform.
I literally cried. Who is this marine biologist?? He sounds amazing.
Just donated $50. This is what influencing should be.
Lily, this is your best work ever. Please do more like this.
The way she talks about him... there's definitely more to this story.
That last comment had over twenty thousand likes.
Alex closed the app, then opened it again. Closed it. Opened it.
The donation counter at the end of the video showed $427,000 and climbing.
In five weeks, Lily St. John had raised more money for marine conservation than Alex's last three grant proposals combined.
She'd taken their heartbreak and turned it into something meaningful.
While he'd been wallowing in self-pity, she'd been changing the world.
You absolute coward,he thought.You complete and utter fool.
The next morning, Alex sat in his office, staring at a blank email draft.
Dear Lily,
No. Too formal.
Lily,
I saw the video. It was?—
What? Beautiful? Devastating? The emotional equivalent of being hit by a truck?
I should have said something before you left. I shouldhave?—
His phone buzzed, interrupting his spiral of inadequate sentences.
A text from his supervisor, Dr. Patricia Okonkwo:My office. Now. Good news.
Alex abandoned the email and headed down the hall, grateful for any distraction from his own incompetence.
Patricia looked up when he entered, her silver-streaked braids framing a face that currently wore an expression of barely contained excitement. "Have you seen the donation numbers?"
"I've... heard there's been some interest."
"Some interest?" She laughed, spinning her monitor to face him. "We've received over $425,000 since an influencer posted a video about Ilot Serenite. And it's still climbing." Her eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
Alex's face felt hot. "I might have collaborated with someone during my research trip."
"Collaborated." Patricia's lips twitched. "That's one word for it. I've watched the video, Alex. Whoever this woman is, she made your work sound like the most important thing on the planet."
