Not the time, Amelia.
Grey leans forward, his gaze steady and unflinching. “As we outlined in our invitation email, this concerns the lensless AR project you recently announced.”
The management board exchanges glances, confusion mingling with concern. The CEO, his expression tight, asks, “And what does the AI Department have to do with this, or better yet, theSmart Home Development Department, of whomsome are not even working for us anymore?” His gaze flicks toward Hendricks, disdain clear in his eyes.
I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment.
It’s time.
“We’re here to prove that Dr. Langley stole the AR project from me,” I state simply. “It is my work, my innovation, and neither he nor you are authorized to publish or profit from it.”
Silence falls over the room. Then, Langley laughs, a sharp, mocking sound that grates on my nerves. “You’re accusing me of stealing that project from you?” he sneers, his tone dripping with contempt. “You work in the Smart Home Development Department, Miss Stanley. You don’t have the…mental capacitiesto invent such a thing.”
Oliver’s face darkens as he leans forward, ready to defend me. “DoctorStanley has a PhD in AR and?—”
But I don’t let him finish. “Oh, andyoudo?” I shoot back at Langley.
Langley’s mocking laughter echoes in the room again, but this time, it’s hollow. “No, but I never said I did,” he retorts. “I’m just the middleman, helping a friend bring his project to market. You know how geniuses are. Shy, introverted, not privy to everything that comes after the invention.”
He glances at Oliver, who balls his fists, muttering under his breath, “I’ll show you who’s shy.”
“That’s a lie.” Hendricks’ voice breaks through the tension, trembling slightly as he steps forward, drawing everyone’s attention. “I’m here to testify on behalf of Dr. Stanley.” His words gain strength as he confesses. “Dr. Langley gained access to her apartment with my help and stole her work.”
The room falls into a stunned silence. Langley’s gaze burns into me, but I keep my focus straight ahead on the board members who hold my fate in their hands.
“Edward, is this true?” one of the board members asks Langley, his tone sharp, cutting through the quiet.
“This is absurd.” Langley snaps. “She’slying. They’re all lying. Do you really think I’d?—”
“We have proof,” Grey interrupts him. “Emails, security footage, and the testimony you just heard. If you allow Dr. Stanley access to the project, she can show you the copyright marker embedded in the code. It’s the only way to settle this without involving the police any further while avoiding any negative press for Elysium.”
The mention of the police and the press sends a ripple of unease through the room. The board members exchange uneasy glances, a silent conversation passing between them.
Yes, we have you by the balls.
The CEO narrows his eyes. “We can’t just let her access the project. If you say you have proof, we’re all ears, gentlemen.”
And lady.
Dickheads.
Oliver rises from his seat and grabs his laptop, connecting it to the conference room’s projection system. The screen flickers to life, and Jamie’s interface appears. The executives shift in their seats, their initial confidence wavering as they eye the screen with a mix of curiosity and unease.
“Good afternoon,” Jamie’s voice fills the room, unnervingly lifelike. A shiver runs down my spine, even after all this time. There’s something almost eerie about how real he sounds, and that’s exactly what we need right now—something to shake them, to make them realize they’ve underestimated us. “I’m Jamie, Joint Assistant for Meaningful Interactive Engagement. I was developed by Dr. Harwood, Dr. Niarchos, and Dr. Donovan to make interactions with technology more intuitive and meaningful. Dr. Stanley was selected to beta test me beforethe official launch, giving me access to her home systems and cameras over the past few weeks.”
Jamie pauses for just a fraction of a second, the silence in the room stretching thin. Then, with calm authority, he continues, “Today, I will present evidence proving Dr. Amelia Stanley’s rightful ownership of the AR code and exposing the unethical actions of Dr. Edward Langley.”
The screen shifts, and the room darkens as the security footage from the night of the break-in begins to play. My heart tightens as we watch a figure dressed in black moving through my apartment with calculated precision, rifling through my belongings as if they have all the time in the world. It’s a jarring experience—watching the violation of my privacy unfold in such a public setting.
The footage continues, showing me entering the apartment. I turn on the lights, unaware of the danger lurking just out of sight. There’s a look of contentment on my face—a dreamy smile.
I glance over at Oliver, who’s already watching me. He gives me a small, sad smile.
Even though the night turned out to be one of the scariest of my life, it started as one of the best.
On the screen, I approach the couch in search of my laptop, oblivious to the threat behind me. The camera captures the figure in black emerging silently from my bedroom. Then he stumbles, pulling the bookshelf down with him. Just as I begin to turn toward the sound, he’s behind me, hitting me over the head with one of my own books. The sickening thud as he strikes me reverberates through the room, even though the sound is muted.
It’s not the first time I’ve seen this footage, but the impact is just as visceral, sending a cold shudder down my spine.
