The Price of Ambition

ed Innovations, stood with Elia

Silicon Valley from

creation, a leader

ed them a p

driven leader, Eli

aph will end you," was th

Project Chimera," an AI d

ream, their future, a

queezed Eli

ng something

e, warm thing. "

their g

the st

storm, but a

tal and unexpected, threate

ionage, a massive attack that

led the b

ght, Elias by her side, tryi

ooked darkest, Jul

him from an old

lf as a consultant

daring, possibly borde

, Seraphi

lan worked. The takeover was

a crushing weig

Julian, i

t let the opp

alone, looking exha

smooth and concerned. "There's

pale, almo

. An aggressive ca

a stared

to see a project I conceptualized with you, years ago, come to life

ere often flashy but ethically dubious. Elias

ng. He had sav

Julian," she said, her

him a major project, no

erate and dan

kdown. Extreme stress,

n favoritism towards Julia

Albright, her loyal

"Just until Julian... passes. Then I'll make e

oncerned but nodded slowly.

he pushed the doubt away. Th

hed Seraph

he loved became erratic, s

t was joining Aethelred i

e remembered Juli

urnout," promoted Julian to ov

d himself

assigned to Jul

an to publicly question Elias' s past contrib

to talk to

ning? This isn't you.

w," she'd snap, rubbing her temples. "I

d a new flagship project, one that

, and skirted several eth

Project Chimera, their "child,

t a part

lian' s project, tasks that felt like

eart's blood," were be

ed by Seraphina' s tran

destroying everything they had bu

ded an

past Seraphina' s office.

s. Seraphina a

g to eavesdrop, but t

ght said, her voice full of concern. "And

gressive. This is the only way I can repay him for saving the company. Once he's gone, I'll fix everything. I'll make it up to Elias. He

s fr

terminal illness. Her pl

orld

f Chimera, Seraphina' s coldne

Aethelred, but for

aling his breath. It wasn't grief

r, the trust, shattered

storm in. He

into Seraphina' s office. Sh

eyes held a profound, qui

oid of its usual warmth. "I overhea

acked. Her eyes widened.

u can't. Not this. I can'

of paper on her desk. A f

thelred. And I'

It's not what you think. I love

moment, she saw the man she

, replaced by a

ed wouldn't do this,

d and wa

Elias Thorne

meticulously erased his digital foo

f he had ne

vion, in his own w