Clearing my throat, I focus on the job-related question, grateful for the familiar territory. “Well, overall, I’m impressed. Jamie is… well, he’s quite remarkable. The way he interacts, the features… it’s all top-notch. Honestly, the hype is real and well-deserved.”
Misha beams at that, and even Oliver allows a small grin to flicker across his face. Grey’s expression remains unreadable, but I decide it’s probably just his face doing what it does best—scowling.
“But…” I trail off, shifting in my seat and taking a deep breath.
Here we go.
“It did feel a bit one-sided at times. Like talking to a very efficient butler who’s only there to respond rather than converse. Maybe giving Jamie a bit more of a… personality could help? Something to make the interaction feel more natural. Being a companion is his main focus after all, right?”
Misha nods thoughtfully. “That’s good feedback, Amelia. Really good. What about the integration with your smart home devices?”
That’s it? He doesn’t want more details?
I glance at Oliver to find him already staring at me. He looks away promptly when I catch him, though. When I turn to Grey, his brows are furrowed, and his tongue flicks out slightly, running along his bottom lip in what seems like a focused habit. He appears completely absorbed in whatever is running through his mind.
“Amelia?” Misha asks, bringing me back on topic, and it’s as if he has inched closer to me.
“The initializing process took a little longer than expected, but integration was smooth for the most part. There were a few hiccups with the kitchen appliances. Like the smart fridge thermostat took longer than expected to adjust. I don’t think it was on my side of the integration, though. I have some records on that too. I’ll upload them with the rest.”
Grey finally speaks, his voice deep and a bit gruff. “Noted.” His light brown eyes bore into me, narrowing. After a moment that feels probably way longer than it was, he finally speaks again. “Would you consider continuing to test Jamie? While we work on integrating more personality traits and fixing the kitchen issues, your ongoing feedback would be valuable.”
My breath hitches, catching in my throat.
I could keep him a little longer?
I open my mouth to agree, but before the word can leave my lips, Misha and Oliver send sharp glares in Grey’s direction. Oliver, usually so reserved, lets out a gruff whisper, “Grey…”
What did he say?
I look to Misha, confused, and he forces a smile. “Amelia, could you give us just a moment?”
“Sure,” I whisper, feeling the anxiety I just managed to shake off creep up again.
They walk out of the room, closing the glass door, and I can see them gather beside their desks. Their voices have a hushed, urgent undertone that doesn’t quite mask the tension. I catch snippets of their conversation. Oliver and Misha are clearly arguing with Grey, insisting that they had agreed the beta phase was over.
Seems like no one ever told them that their meeting room isn’t soundproof.
“We’ve dedicated years to this project!” Grey’s voice breaks through louder than he likely intended.
“It’s not perfect, and yes, she pointed that out. We need to fix it, but we agreed we’d stop now with the beta,” Oliver argues, finishing off the longest sentence I’ve ever heard him speak with a flail of his hands. And the most determined he’s ever sounded too.
He hates having me beta his OS that much?
Grey’s retort is clipped, frustrated. “This isn’t abouther. It’s about our careers. She’s crucial for the feedback we need. Without her, how will we know if we’ve actually fixed anything personality-wise? Fuck, we thought he was perfect in that regard!”
“Can’t we just give it to Langley for another beta?” Oliver asks, making it clear that he really has a problem with me beta testing.
I knew it.
His words sting—a reminder that to them, I’m just a means to an end. But I understand.
I’d do the same if it were my AR project.
You don’t invest years of your life into a project only to pull back just to avoid hurting someone’s feelings—someone you don’t even know.
Grey comes to my defense, leaving me a little speechless. “But then they’ll think she didn’t do a good job, and shedid.”
They talk some more. However, they’re whispering now, and I can’t hear them. But after a few more moments, it seems they’ve finally come to a reluctant consensus and return to the room.
