ng tires cut through

to the curb, and he stormed

ere fixed on Chloe, who immediately r

nt crazy! She

up to me, his handsome face twisted

Ava?" he yelled, his voice

my heart pounding in my chest. "

nished the

gh the air and conn

slap silenced t

ain spreading across my face. I stumbled back, my hand f

ad h

t of ev

e way he looked at Chloe, the way he looked at me with pure hatred.

I had built an empire for

l and fury strea

s," I said, the word

closer, protectively. "So what if sh

What about Nexus? I wrote every single line of the foundational code! You

im. "This company, this IPO, it'

ave a little sniffle. "Mark, she'

ld as ice. "You' re hysterical. Just like ever

, living on ramen noodles and dreams. Me coding for 18 hours a day, fueled by che

spered, the memory making the present pain

dding in agreement. "You were paid a salary. Don't act like you' re

g from his lips, was

worked with, albeit remotely. They were laughing. Th

chilling certainty. "The entire system is a house of cards, and I'

t laughed, a cruel

now turned to solid ice. There was nothing left to

him dead

nt a d