The Algorithm of His Ruin

door to my room open

fabric outfit, a sleek pantsuit th

rown steak at the gala... it was exquisite. So tender. You must be s

berate, each one a

y hands clenched int

Cat got your tongue? Or are you j

ntrol I had been ho

e original design files. The physical fabric sampl

ding to grab her, to sh

ntly, blocking my path and sh

even flinch. S

' t have time for your hysterics. If you want to continue enjoying this... comfortable arran

out, leaving her thr

r grew damp and cold. They pushed me into a small, concrete cell with a single drain in the floor. A

n David

cell. He had changed out of his expensive suit into somet

he asked, his voice echoing

im, the man I once lo

a word for what I

ustification. "You discovered the data acquisition. You were goin

d a thousand choices. You chose to lie. You chose to stea

ry word, fueled by yea

nership! You stood in my grandfather' s workshop and told

ces, investors... I had difficulties you couldn' t possibly understand. I did what I had to do to survive!

disbelief. "You call this sa

ropping to a low, venomous sneer. "Power is all you care about. It

ked almost ashamed. But it passed as quickly as i

, his expensive shoes to

coolly. "I am powerful.

me, a calculating

ng you want. You can be my mistress, my secret. A beautiful, tragic genius I keep hidden away. I' ll even

ion. A gilded cage to replace this concrete one.

le, wet cell. I looked at h

oice filled with a final, unbreakable resolve, "

cold fury. The offer was rescinde