The Price of Ambition

eraphina sat in her office

o be angry, to fight,

s temporary. He' d coo

ng his old numb

n email. I

tarted to grow. Thi

number she hadn' t used in years, a private line f

" she said, her voi

Ms. Vance. Clean. No forwarding, no new identity

na felt

legal notification a

wly established,

core technology, personally held by Elias Thorne and licensed

d dedicated the patent

stock began

the document, her

was Elias severi

enius, was no longer Aethe

of saying he

her. Her miscalculation

, however, w

ice, a solicitous

n't worry, my new project will more than make up fo

f Innovation Officer, a titl

lgorithm, Julian," she

n said smoothly. "Progress, Sera

ng Julian more often, relying

as dying. She still fel

owing unease about Eli

eeded he

r. Croft" in meetings, a formality

there, would have

subtle but cle

ile, consolida

meticulously curated for Project Chimera, en

it for his own, far more

gh, "that Chimera dataset... it's just sitting

ted. That data w

project. For... well, you know

rence to his "ill

her own gaze in the reflective surface

reaction. The quiet

Elias' s "essence" – his work, his pr

ataset with a triumph

nge mix of obligation and a d

sing his project with his new team, using Eli

ding board, her ethical compas

tive to her, but his a

ter, his voice soft with concern. He placed

y but forced a smile.

ateful for her support.

it. Elias would have quietly

ias wa

raphina tried to

f Elias's, a small, brilliant id

ould allocate some seed funding to this old idea

rt even minimal resources right now? My project is at a critical phase. And, frankly, Elia

was polite,

ial comfort, a token

eep. Elias wouldn't care about some token project when

to make a clean break. Focusing on th

sound so

, Julian too

utives loyal to him, walked into wh

gs not immediately useful for Julian' s proje

ar it out. We need this lab for Project Nightingale expansi

lias, spoke up timidly. "But Mr. Croft, some of this

. Thorne is no longer with Aethelred. His sentimental attachments are

s lips. "Aethelred is moving forward, n

tantly, to dismantle Elias

emnants of Elias' s presence, w

: Elias Thorne was irrelevant. Julian Croft