Chapter 4

After I hit send, I stood up and walked to the window. The night sky outside was ablaze with stars, and for the first time in a long while, I felt completely at ease.

I thought I would be able to quietly tie up my loose ends and hand in my resignation. Little did I know, Ms. Rothschild's would make her next move so soon, and with such astonishing foolishness.

…

Early the next morning, a glaring notice was posted on the institute's bulletin board.

It read, "Effective immediately, all employees are required to strictly follow the fingerprint clock-in system. Anyone who arrives late, leaves early, or is absent without a valid reason will forfeit their entire performance bonus for the month."

The real kicker was the list attached at the bottom of the notice, euphemistically titled "Employees Under Special Observation."

My name was written in bold red font, prominently listed at the very top.

I stood before the bulletin board, staring at that sheet of paper, and couldn't help but find it amusing. For someone Ms. Rothschild's age, she sure was childish.

Before I could even make it back to my desk, Ms. Rothschild walked over with Eugene, wearing a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Valerie," she started in the tone one might use with a wayward teenager who desperately needed saving.

"To help you adapt to the institute's standardized management as soon as possible, I've specifically arranged for Eugene to assist you one-on-one. Starting today, you need to report your daily work plan and project progress to him regularly.

"This is for your own good. Youngins need someone to keep an eye on them if they want to grow."

I looked up at Eugene. He was doing his best to force a smile that said, "I'm a professional", but he couldn't hide the smugness in his eyes.

Ms. Rothschild wanted him to supervise me? I couldn't believe she'd assigned someone who couldn't even tell the difference between "time complexity" and "space complexity" to supervise the progress of my projects.

I recalled the formal job offer Avery had sent me the night before. Printed in black and white were a seven-figure annual salary and the position of "Head of an Independent AI Lab."

Then, I took in the two clowns in front of me, and I came dangerously close to bursting into laughter.

I suppressed the urge to smile and tried my best to remain calm. "Alright, Ms. Rothschild. Thank you for your concern."

My compliance clearly pleased Ms. Rothschild. Clasping her hands behind her back, she strutted off, looking thoroughly satisfied.

Eugene, on the other hand, stood beside my desk with his arms crossed like a foreman on a construction site.

In the days that followed, I got to see what a petty man looked like when he got a taste of power.

During a project meeting, Eugene held the proposal I'd just completed and confidently presented it to the department heads. "I was the one who suggested that Valerie pursue this technical approach. As you can see, the results have been quite promising. I have to say, she's done a decent job executing it."

My brows knitted together as I sat below the stage, but I held my tongue. I would only stoop to his level if I argued with him.

Samson discreetly pulled me aside in the pantry. "Be careful, Valerie. Word around the office is that Eugene has been bad-mouthing you in front of Ms. Rothschild. He makes you sound incompetent. He claims that you're narrow-minded and inflexible.

"According to him, you need someone like him, someone who can see the bigger picture, to guide you and help you get things done."

I nodded, letting him know I understood.

…

That night, when I arrived home, I opened the job offer email from Nebula Technology and pored through it several times. Yet, all I could think about was the way Ms. Rothschild had treated me and the way Eugene had stolen credit for my work.

Everything I'd poured into this place had been ignored, dismissed, and trampled on. I'd had enough.

Without the slightest hesitation, I solemnly appended my electronic signature to the onboarding documents Nebula Technology had sent me. The second I clicked send, I felt lighter than I ever had before. It was time to draw the curtain on this absolute circus.