Chapter 3

A year blurred past, a whirlwind of grief, rage, and meticulous planning. Life in the shadows, away from Cole' s prying eyes, was cold but clear. I was no longer Emma Russell. I was Iris. And Iris had a single, burning purpose.

The news broke on a Tuesday morning. "Woodard Industries Annual Design Competition: Finalists Announced!" The headline screamed from every tech blog. My heart, usually a steady drum, lurched. The accompanying image showed the beaming faces of the top contenders. In the center, radiant and falsely confident, was Britney Sosa.

Her design, "Aura," was hailed as a breakthrough. "A revolutionary AI algorithm," the articles gushed, "promising intuitive user interaction and unparalleled emotional intelligence." Critics praised its "human-like empathy" and "seamless integration."

My blood ran cold. Aura. My Aura. The project I had poured my soul into after my father's death, a digital embodiment of his vision, a way to keep his memory alive. I had shown Cole the initial prototypes, shared my hopes, my dreams, even the name. "Aura," I'd told him, "because it feels like a presence, a living spirit."

He had listened, or pretended to. He had seen the early code, the intricate architecture. He had seen the raw, bleeding love I poured into it, a desperate attempt to fill the void my father left.

My father. David Russell. The ache in my chest was a familiar, painful throb. Cole had been there, always, during those dark days after the hostile takeover, after my father's heart gave out. "I'll take care of you, Emma," he'd promised, his arm around my shaking shoulders at the funeral. "We'll get through this together." Lies. All lies. While I mourned, he was consolidating his theft. He was paving the way for Britney.

Now, my Aura, born from my deepest pain and my father's legacy, was Britney' s ticket to fame. A tool for her, for them, to ascend. The injustice felt like a physical blow.

I didn't hesitate. "Get me a car to the Woodard Industries conference hall," I ordered my driver, my voice clipped. "Now."

The grand hall buzzed with excitement. Spotlights blinded me as I pushed through the throng of reporters and industry insiders. Up on the stage, Cole stood beside Britney, his arm around her, a proud, possessive smile on his face. She wore a shimmering white dress, playing the part of the ingenue perfectly. The "Aura" logo, my logo, flashed behind them on a massive screen.

I surged forward, a force of nature. Security guards tried to block me, but my rage propelled me. I dodged a burly arm, snatched a microphone from a bewildered reporter, and sprinted towards the stage.

"She's a fraud!" My voice, amplified by the microphone, cut through the applause like a knife. The sudden silence was deafening. Every eye in the room swiveled to me.

Cole' s smile vanished. Britney' s eyes widened in terror.

"This 'Aura' project," I continued, my voice raw with emotion, "is a stolen masterpiece. It's my creation. Every line of code, every architectural design, every innovative feature – it all came from me. Emma Russell."

A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd. Britney's face had gone paper-white. She stumbled back, clutching Cole's arm, her feigned innocence crumbling.

"This is ridiculous!" Cole roared, stepping forward. "Security! Get this woman out of here!"

"You think you can silence me?" I challenged, pulling out a small, encrypted USB drive from my pocket. "I have the original design documents, the early code, dated and timestamped. My father, David Russell, taught me to protect my work. This is his legacy, and mine!" I held the drive aloft.

Britney whimpered, burying her face in Cole' s shoulder. "Cole, she's crazy! She always was unstable after her father... you know."

Cole, his face contorted with fury, lunged at me. He snatched the USB drive, his fingers crushing it in his fist. He raised his arm, and with a primal roar, smashed it against the stage floor. Plastic and metal shards scattered. My evidence. My proof.

"Listen to me, all of you!" Cole shouted to the stunned audience, his voice booming. "This woman is delusional! She's been unstable for months, ever since her father's death. She' s obsessed with me, with Britney, projecting her own failures onto us!" He pulled Britney forward, as if to shield her. "Britney Sosa is a brilliant talent, a visionary! This woman... this Emma Russell... she' s nothing but a jealous, pathetic mess!"

The words hit me like physical blows. Pathetic. Mess.

"You think you can erase me, Cole?" I screamed, my voice cracking. "You stole my father's company, you stole my work, you stole my life! You'll never get away with this! I will make you pay! I swear to God, I will see you burn!"

Two burly security guards grabbed me, their hands like iron clamps on my arms. I struggled, kicking, screaming, my voice raw.

"She' s clearly unhinged!" Cole yelled to the reporters, his face a mask of false concern. "She needs help. Psychiatric help."

"You monster! You soulless monster!" I shrieked, as they dragged me backward, my heels scraping against the polished floor. "I will haunt you! I will destroy everything you built!"

Cole watched me, his eyes cold, devoid of any recognition or pity. Just a flicker of relief, a sense of having finally dealt with a nuisance. He nodded to the guards, a silent command to get rid of me.

The last thing I saw before the doors slammed shut was Britney, peeking out from behind Cole, a triumphant smirk replacing her innocent facade. They won. For now.

"Take her to the facility," I heard Cole say, his voice calm, rational, as if discussing a broken machine. "Tell them she's a danger to herself and others. Make sure she's... contained."

The world outside was a blur of flashing lights and confused faces. The white van, the padded walls, the sterile smell. They strapped me down. My screams died in my throat, replaced by a cold, hard resolve. He wanted me contained? He wanted me silenced? He just lit the fuse of his own destruction.