Chapter 3

Nebula had only just gone public when Alan was abducted. We could not risk negative coverage, so I kept the press out of it. Then we mobilized our international connections, poured in money, and enlisted help from local agencies.

The ordeal left Alan deeply traumatized. His physical injuries healed over time, but his mind did not. Nothing reached him. He attempted suicide again and again.

After we intervened in yet another attempt, Kier proposed using his experimental memory chip. It could rewrite the memory so nothing could trigger the original events while the chip remained in place.

However, the pain from that experience would still need proper healing so that Alan would no longer try to kill himself once the chip failed.

I had chosen to sacrifice more than I should have. I thought love might cure even this.

I was wrong. Once Alan believed I had endured that torment, he treated me as if I carried every disease in the world. He turned it into a weapon against me.

…

The video ended. Sophia scanned the crowd, yet her gaze lingered on me longer than on anyone else. "You see, just because someone appears alive does not mean they are not dead inside.

"Without dignity, the soul has already died, and all that remains is to cling to someone else like a parasite.

"I hope you all understand this lesson: never trade your dignity for anything. Protect your worth. Treat yourself with respect."

After the ceremony, Sophia returned to Alan. He frowned.

"That was too risky, Sophia," he said, concern edging his voice.

She met his gaze with practiced innocence. "I showed it because I admire Selena's mental strength. I wanted the students to have a strong woman as a role model."

She turned to me, her concern carefully staged. "I prepared that video a long time ago to motivate you, Selena. I want you to step out of that shadow as soon as possible, so you do not have to depend on others anymore."

Alan looked at her with open affection. "You're always too sweet for your own good, Sophia."

Then he fixed me with a pointed look. "She acted out of kindness. Don't put this on her."

I met his gaze with a cold stare. "Did it occur to you what consequences this video might have for me?"

"Who cares?" he snapped. "You can't hide the truth forever. People will find out sooner or later. Besides, Sophia already clarified that it was AI-generated. She didn't even name you. If anyone claims it's you, deny it instead of throwing a tantrum."

So any humiliation I felt was, in his view, self-inflicted.

I smiled. "I see. I hope you still believe that very soon."

He stared at me, baffled, as I walked away.

…

The internet seized on it faster than I expected. The controversy moved with an almost deliberate momentum.

Within an afternoon, my AI-generated likeness had been extracted from the video and inserted into several softcore pornographic clips.

It became a meme template and an emote. People began linking me to the woman in the footage, and sensational headlines soon followed.

I was dogpiled.

[No wonder the lady boss never had kids. A party that wild must have ruined her.]

[I feel bad for Mr. Faust. He's too handsome to have a wife like that.]

[AI? That's just a cover, isn't it? Does she even look tortured? She sounds like she's enjoying it.]

…

The stock market reacted. By the next day, the board of directors had placed me on forced leave.

Alan relayed the decision over the phone as if it were routine business. "You know how hard Nebula worked to get where it is today, Selena. We can't let it collapse because you failed to protect your reputation."

He seemed to have forgotten that none of this would have happened without Sophia.

"But don't worry. As long as you sign the agreement, I'll give you fair compensation."

I tightened my grip on the phone. "You mean you're pushing me out of Nebula under the excuse that I damaged the company's reputation. All this just to force me to sign the divorce papers."

He paused before answering, "It's more complicated than that… Sophia is a little naive and insecure. She can't stand the thought of us still working together. I just want to protect my home."

He had no idea that his ideal home life was running on borrowed time. Ten hours remained before the chip would fail.

Soon after, the media broke news of Alan accompanying Sophia to an OB-GYN for a pregnancy check-up.