Chapter 2

Inside, the steakhouse was a shrine to Matthew' s ego. The walls were covered in framed photos of him shaking hands with local politicians, posing with oversized checks for charity, and standing next to various luxury cars. The air smelled of expensive leather and grilled meat.

I found a table in the corner, hoping to remain invisible, but Matthew wouldn' t allow it. He led his entourage right to me.

"Guys, look! Gabby Fuller graced us with her presence!" he announced. "Let' s give a big hand for the one who got away... from success!"

More laughter. Nicole smirked, running a perfectly manicured hand down Matthew' s chest. "Be nice, honey. Not everyone is as driven as you are."

Anthony Owen slid into the chair next to me, his expression a mixture of pity and condescension. "Don' t listen to them, Gabby. It' s tough out there. The economy is brutal. My cousin' s a paralegal, she says they' re always looking for smart people to do filing. It' s not glamorous, but it' s a steady paycheck. I could get you her number."

"I' m fine, Anthony. But thanks," I said, my voice tight.

I looked at him, at the genuine but misguided concern in his eyes. He couldn' t possibly comprehend my reality. While he was worrying about my job prospects, my mind was on the oxygen reclamation system for the Orion capsule. My "unassuming sedan" was an armored vehicle with a dedicated security team. The phone in my pocket held encrypted data that was a matter of national security.

The contrast was staggering. Here, I was a failure, an object of ridicule. In my real life, I was responsible for keeping astronauts alive on the moon and, one day, on Mars. The weight of that secret was immense, a constant pressure in my chest. I had to maintain this cover, no matter how much it stung.

The dinner conversation was a nauseating parade of materialism. They talked about mortgages, boat club memberships, and their kids' private schools. I felt like an anthropologist studying a strange, alien tribe. Their definition of success was so narrow, so tied to what they owned.

I thought about the simulations I' d run just last week, troubleshooting a catastrophic failure in the water recycling system. The lives of four astronauts had depended on my calculations. That was my world. A world of immense pressure, but also of profound purpose. These people, with their petty concerns and their need to flaunt their wealth, seemed so small.

I endured it for an hour, pushing a piece of overpriced steak around my plate. Finally, I couldn' t take it anymore. I stood up.

"It was great seeing everyone, but I have to go," I said.

Matthew immediately blocked my path. "What' s the rush, Fuller? Too good for us? Think you' re better than everyone, just like in high school?"