CHAPTER 2 — THE WOMAN THEY CALLED "DEFECTIVE" OWNED THE FUTURE THEY WERE DESPERATELY TRYING TO BUY
CHAPTER 2 — THE WOMAN THEY CALLED "DEFECTIVE" OWNED THE FUTURE THEY WERE DESPERATELY TRYING TO BUY
The mechanical lock clicked into place with a sound so precise it silenced the entire estate.
Then I stood.
Not stumbled.
Not balanced.
Stood.
The gold-titanium blade adjusted itself in milliseconds, responding to every signal from my nervous system. Blue status lights pulsed once before fading beneath the polished alloy.
A collective gasp swept across the patio.
Someone whispered, "That's impossible..."
Another investor leaned forward.
"No... that's not military issue."
"It can't be..."
An elderly man wearing a Vanguard Capital badge suddenly removed his sunglasses.
His face turned pale.
"Dear God..."
Natalie laughed nervously, trying to regain control.
"Oh please. It's just an expensive fake leg."
She forced another laugh.
"My husband probably rented it for today."
No one laughed with her.
Because the people standing around her were no longer looking at me with pity.
They were looking at me with recognition.
One of the Japanese investors stepped forward first.
He bowed.
Deeply.
The movement shocked everyone.
Then another followed.
Then another.
Within seconds, nearly every VIP investor around the pool respectfully lowered their heads toward me.
Natalie's smile froze.
"What..."
"What are you doing?"
One of the venture capital partners ignored her completely.
He looked directly at me.
"Dr. Audrey Hayes."
"It is an honor to finally meet the woman who designed Project Phoenix."
Natalie blinked.
"...Who?"
The investor frowned.
"You truly don't know?"
Silence.
Another guest spoke quietly.
"Project Phoenix is the most valuable neuro-prosthetic platform in medical history."
"The prototype changed the rehabilitation industry forever."
"Worth nearly twelve billion dollars before commercial release."
Natalie's lips parted.
She slowly turned toward me.
"No..."
"No..."
"That's impossible."
"You lost your scholarship."
"You worked as a receptionist."
"You lived in a tiny apartment."
I smiled.
"That's what you believed."
Liam stood beside me.
"My wife enjoys privacy."
"Unlike certain people who mistake loudness for success."
Several guests chuckled.
Natalie's face reddened.
She pointed at Liam.
"You lied!"
"You told everyone you were an accountant!"
"I am."
He adjusted his cufflinks.
"I simply neglected to mention I own the accounting firm."
Soft laughter rippled through the investors.
Natalie's father—my stepfather Richard—finally pushed through the crowd.
"What is going on here?"
He looked from Liam...
...to me...
...to the armored convoy outside.
His confident expression slowly cracked.
One investor approached Richard with obvious confusion.
"You didn't tell us your daughter founded SynaCore Robotics."
Richard frowned.
"My daughter?"
The investor nodded toward me.
"Dr. Audrey Hayes."
"The inventor."
Richard looked like someone had punched every ounce of blood from his body.
"N-No..."
"Audrey dropped out of engineering."
I answered calmly.
"I transferred."
"To Zurich."
"Full scholarship."
"Graduated three years early."
His mouth opened.
Closed.
Opened again.
Natalie suddenly screamed.
"She's lying!"
"Show them!"
"Show everyone!"
"She's just a cripple wearing a toy!"
Without warning she rushed forward and shoved me with both hands.
Several women screamed.
The investors gasped.
Natalie expected me to collapse into the pool.
Instead...
The blade reacted before I did.
Tiny gyroscopic stabilizers activated.
Hydraulic joints compensated instantly.
I didn't move an inch.
Natalie, however...
Lost her own balance.
She stumbled backward in her designer heels.
Straight into the infinity pool.
SPLASH!
The guests erupted.
Some laughed.
Others tried not to.
Natalie surfaced screaming.
"My phone!"
"My diamonds!"
"My makeup!"
She flailed wildly while expensive champagne floated beside her.
I looked down at her calmly.
"The defective one stayed standing."
Laughter became impossible to suppress.
Even several Vanguard executives couldn't hide their smiles.
Natalie climbed out of the pool shaking with rage.
"This isn't over!"
"You ruined everything!"
I tilted my head.
"No."
"You ruined your own party."
Before she could answer, another convoy entered through the destroyed gates.
This time the vehicles carried silver emblems.
Not black.
Every investor immediately straightened.
One whispered,
"They're here..."
Another looked stunned.
"They came personally?"
The lead limousine stopped.
A distinguished gray-haired woman stepped out.
Every CEO present stood instinctively.
Nobody remained seated.
Liam smiled.
"Perfect timing."
He leaned close enough for only me to hear.
"I told them not to arrive until after your sister embarrassed herself."
I raised an eyebrow.
"You planned this?"
"I planned justice."
The elegant woman walked directly toward me.
Without hesitation...
She extended a thick leather folder embossed with platinum lettering.
"Dr. Hayes."
"The board has voted unanimously."
"We would be honored if you accepted the position."
Natalie, still soaked from head to toe, shouted across the patio,
"What position?"
The woman slowly turned.
Her voice was calm.
Cold.
Unmistakably final.
"The position of Chief Executive Officer."
She paused.
"Of the company your guests traveled halfway around the world hoping to invest in."
A silence heavier than thunder swallowed the mansion.
Then the elegant woman smiled at Natalie.
"I'm afraid..."
"...your pool party has just become Dr. Hayes' shareholder meeting."
Natalie's champagne glass slipped from her trembling fingers.
It shattered on the marble.
And for the very first time in her life...
May you like
Everyone important in the room walked past her as though she no longer existed.
End of Chapter 2
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