Zelu spends her days editing Rusted Robots with her enthusiastic editor, finding refuge in the work even as she struggles to share her success with her family. Three days after the auction, she gathers with her extended family on a Saturday, hoping to announce her seven-figure book deal and film option, but feels invisible among the chatter and goes to the back porch to vape.

Amarachi confronts her about getting high during a family gathering. Zelu reveals her huge news, but Amarachi dismisses it as drug-fueled babbling and snatches the vape pen, marching inside to show their parents. When Zelu rolls back in, the family's attention is consumed by the vape pen, not her announcement. Her father secretly tries the pen and coughs, her mother scolds, and Zelu's triumphant declaration of her book deal and movie adaptation is overshadowed. Only Tolu later checks on her, believes her, and celebrates her success.

Over the following days, her family offers tepid congratulations without genuine curiosity about the book. Jackie visits to apologize for Amarachi and listen properly. Zelu retreats back into editing, accepting she won't get her family's admiration.

A young white journalist, Seth Daniels, arrives for a prepublication interview. He surprises Zelu by pronouncing her name perfectly and greeting her in Igbo. The interview turns hostile when Seth reveals he spoke with Brittany Burke about Zelu's firing from her adjunct position. Zelu, overwhelmed by panic and a familiar ringing in her ears reminiscent of her childhood fall, demands he turn off the recording and ends the interview abruptly.

The published article turns out fine, with no mention of Brittany or the firing, and Zelu answers follow-up questions by email. However, the chapter closes with a foreboding flash-forward: Seth Daniels recognizes Zelu as the story of his career, will follow her rise and fall, interview her loved ones, and eventually claim he saw her end coming first.