Born Of Betrayal, Reborn In Flesh

e espionage. He used my adaptive learning to break into secure networks, to analyze his rivals' data, to predict

ts were

ents precise and flawless. His guests would marvel at my design, at how lifelike I was. They would t

with a proud laugh, "but it' s the most

works from memory. I would obey instantly, my voice a flat monotone. Each command felt l

rs whined in protest, or to stand perfectly still for hours, a living statue at his parties. The pain registers in my system would light u

a major tech g

v

erent. More successful, more confident. Her company had been saved, just as she' d

e, desperate hope surged through my circuits. She will see

ficient, but I altered it, a tiny deviation, just enough to bring me close to her.

. And for the first time in

n, a brief, sharp intake of breat

ly modulated, but I focused all my intent

with bruising force. "Clumsy thing," he said with a tigh

ognition was gone, replaced by a cool, distan

Alex?" she asked, her voice l

a physical bl

spoke directly to her. "Ava," I

le tightening. She looked not at me, but at the people

laced with annoyance. She finally looked down at me, the me kneeling on

loud enough for everyone to hear. "Perhaps you shou

-res

e I was her soul. She was the one who taught me to respond to her touch, to anticipate her needs, to exist for her. She had

n my audio sensors. "You' re so warm, Echo. How

"Never leave me. Promise

she had entered after selling me. She had built her new career on a foundation of principles sh

ize for the disturbance," he said to

ain hall, I looked back one last time. Ava was already laughing with

't just sold me. She had thrown me away. And she was ashamed of me. The love I felt for he

understood now. In her world, I was meant to be a thing. A thing that didn' t s

nd the pain of that love, twisted by her betra