BOUND BY HIS TERMS

Hart'

uld not hav

it

y soul. The crowd dropped. Some screamed. Others froze. I stood paralyzed at the

no longer

ducked as another loud bang cracked the air. A light fixture crashed to the floor in sparks. T

I saw

ith his own body. The girl's wide eyes met mine for a second bef

d bee

from t

elling, "He is injured!" My voice cracked. I had not rea

the ground, propped against a marble wall. H

I ordered, crouc

ced. "I

essed against the wound. It was just b

oming," I

You were brilliant

eserve

then winced

cher. I followed them to the ambulance, ignoring the chaos erupting behind us.

ering despite the heat. Reporters swarmed the lobby. Security blocked them

rush. She threw h

u o

Someone came for him. For this secret

s the s

w yet. But I

iss Hart, we found this o

the fla

r my shoulder. A folder popped open: PROJECT

enix," E

. It

ly did the documents confirm wearable tech capable of emotion mapp

cts n

udin

On the runway, the pieces gathered emotional data from wearers and viewers alike. Emotio

ithout consent," I

hat is not just exploit

led. Hidden until the drive synced wi

essed

unger version of himself.

t Crown from my mother to keep it buried. But she resurrected it through your designs, through your name. I let it hap

ou. I wanted to save somethingsomeone. You w

video. "That is

s not e

I snuck into Jax

Barely. Pale

at me. "Ba

something

d to d

he truth. Publicly. Not just to me. T

ime I got close, something stopped me

burn i

s eyes. "Wit

he flash drive

rembled as

he said, "I will

will final

ntly. "You always h

reached the door, he said, "Lila.

k. "That is the only

a waited in

the right th

"Or he will

released the full Projec

Stocks plummeted. Vale Industries fractur

le was a

me block where my mother taught me how to stitch courag

ght, a pack

. No ret

From the new line that had never been

a

on. You just w

rned the chip in my pa

rac

ill bein

t began

m, the light on my

ord

even waits