Zelu returns home at dawn after a casual hookup with Delroy, a Jamaican American veterinarian she met in a supermarket. Sneaking into her parents' house, she discovers a heavy box on her bed containing advance final copies of Rusted Robots, sent by her publisher. She admires the cover featuring Ankara, the illustrated robot, and savors the moment.

Zelu photographs the book, edits the image to perfection, and posts it across her social media accounts. Her follower count has exploded since her book deal, now over a hundred thousand. The post quickly amasses thousands of likes, boosted further when a megafamous singer shares it. She declines a Yebo notification offering to filter her engagement and falls asleep reading her own novel, basking in adoration.

The publisher's "big-mouth mailing" of advance copies generates an unprecedented response. Rusted Robots is featured in major roundups, generates emotional reaction videos, and sparks conversations about AI and about a paraplegic woman writing about embodiment. In Nigeria, critics hail Zelu as a debut writer starting a cultural renaissance. She finally feels seen and heard.

Msizi visits Chicago, and they meet at Yassa, an African restaurant that partly inspired a setting in her novel. He congratulates her warmly. Zelu admits her family has not read the book despite each receiving a copy, expressing disappointment that even Tolu hasn't read it. Msizi urges patience. After a long, quiet meal, they go to his hotel, make love, and talk until dawn. Msizi falls asleep; Zelu, still buoyed by online validation, eventually drifts off beside him.