Introduction

The final line of code glowed emerald on my holographic interface, my AI masterpiece complete. Tomorrow was the launch, the culmination of years, ready to redefine my legacy.

Then, Sarah, my co-founder and the woman who' d been by my side from the start, walked in.

"I''m pulling out," she stated, her voice flat, abandoning our company just hours before launch.

It was for Alex, her struggling protégé, an untalented kid whose AI was built on ethically questionable data.

"You''re throwing all of this away for him?" I asked, a cold dread washing over me, knowing his project was doomed to fail.

"I''ve already built one successful company; I can do it again with Alex," she shot back, adding, "Don''t be so jealous and ruin Alex''s big break! He has potential, real potential, more than you give him credit for."

Just as I opened my mouth to protest, a terrifying news ticker flashed across my smart glasses: BREAKING: Tech mogul' s partner sabotaged; protégé' s AI caused widespread privacy breaches, leading to the mogul' s downfall and public disgrace!

The future, my ruin, flashed before my eyes.

I swallowed my protest. A new, chilling plan formed: I would let them fail, show them exactly what they' d given up.

I leaned back, a calm smile on my face. "Okay. I''ll help you liquidate your shares and join Alex."