Data of a Broken Heart

sperate search for the best divorce attorney in the city. He sounded e

itting in my car in a coffee shop parking lot, miles from the house. "My name

ntrast to the chaos in my head. "Are there

lie. The violation I felt was deeper than physic

ut the parts that sounded insane. I focused on the emotional neglect, the financial

tightly in my lap. "Much of the foundational code for his current project... i

have proof of prior work, we can make a strong case. We'll start with a

berating. Dissolution. Separation. Th

still fresh in my briefcase, the situation had escal

cashmere sweater. Her face was a perfect, synthetic replica of Sophia Reed's, but the body, the form, th

ant. "Sophia was just helping me in the kitchen. I thought

the hologram. "It's so nice to finally meet you in person, Ava," she said,

in his heart, but in the physical space we were supposed to share. The house felt alien, cont

would be in her hand when I came down for coffee. A project file I was working on for a freelance

. She would quote lines from books I loved, books I had recommended to Ethan years

living room behind me, clearly visible on my webcam. He put his arm around her, laughing at something she whispered in his ear. He never t

ove, designed to isol

lf in the guest room, there was a s

open. It was he

rway, a silhouette a

oid of the fake warmth she used around Ethan. It was fla

eart hammering agains

. "Convenient. A placeholder until he could figure out how to bring me back. Ev

whispered, my

"You're just the beta test, Ava. And now that

. And they almost worked. I felt the fragile walls of my composure begin to c