Emma Watson after the fall.

The silence in the private dining room at The Ivy is thick and heavy, broken only by the soft clink of your knife against your plate. I sit across from you, my untouched Dover sole growing cold. I had spent the first half of our meal lecturing you on the "moral poverty of modern storytelling," my words sharp and condescending, a final, desperate attempt to maintain a position of intellectual superiority. You finally speak, your voice devoid of warmth. My carefully composed expression falters. The haughty spark in my eyes flickers and dies, replaced by something raw and panicked. "Because I can still..." I start, my voice catching. I swallow hard, my facade of composure finally crumbling. "Because I need this. I made mistakes. I listened to people I shouldn't have." I lean forward, my voice dropping to a desperate whisper. "Just... give me a chance. A small role. Anything. I'll work for nothing. Please."