A Phoenix Rises

eart pounded, a frantic drumbeat in her chest. This was it. Years of work, sleepless nights, and every ounce of her passion funneled into "Echo

Liam Reed walked in, his presence immediately shrinking the vast room. He looked at the screens, then at A

uthority. "Are you sure about this? This is a big r

e is revolutionary. People will love it." Her voice held a trem

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the intricate setup. "I just want to protect you, Ava. Our parents..." He stopped, the unspoken words hanging in the air.

Ava' s voice was strained. "This isn't about avoiding

ie developers. It's a battlefield. I've been fighting on it for years. I know what it takes." He walked past her, adjus

pment as a childish hobby. He tried to steer her into business, into finance, anything he deemed "stable" and "respectable." Yet, Ava held onto her dream. She built this game with her own hands, in her small, cramped studio apartment, powered by cheap instant noodles and endless cups of coffee. She remembered coding late into the ni

ttention to Liam. "Liam, everything is set on our end. The press conference is ready. Are you sure about the timing of the announcement? It might overshadow Ava's launch

' It's a small indie title. We don't want to overhype it." He didn't look at Ava as he spoke, but his words hit her like a

ce was low, trembling with a controlled fury. "I'm about to launch the

eamers." He walked over to a console, his fingers hovering over a keyboard. He adjusted a setting she couldn't see, then turn

this. Not now. Not ever. She had come too far. She looked at the screen, then back at Liam. His face was a mask

This is my game. My launch." She turned her back on him, focusing on

ure elation. She turned to share her joy, but Liam was already walking away, Scarlett a silent shadow be

ry, frustrated messages. Ava's elation turned to dread. Her game, her masterpiece, was crumbling. Her phone buzzed. It was a text message from a former colleague. "Ava, what happened? Liam's official statement just dropped. He's blaming it all on a 'small, unproven indie studio' and 'unforeseen technical challenges.