Chapter 16: Trust Issues

I never thought I'd be here, doubting every step of the man I married, even if it was all just a sham. But now, here I am—Dr. Olivia Chen, once a top economist, now a corporate spy—analyzing Ethan Drake's every word and gesture like they're pieces of a puzzle.

The quantum computer lab hums around me, filled with technology that would make any scientist excited. But I'm not here for the tech. I'm here for answers.

"Dr. Chen, your security clearance checks out. You have full access to the lab," the AI assistant's voice says in my ear. I try not to shiver. After everything I've seen, every interaction with AI feels like a possible threat.

I walk up to the main terminal, my fingers hovering over the holographic keyboard. The data I need is here, hidden under layers of security that even the government would envy. But I didn't marry a tech genius for nothing.

As I start typing, Ethan's words from this morning play in my mind. "Be careful in the lab today, Olivia. Some things are better left undiscovered." Were his eyes trying to warn me, or was it a threat? I still can't tell.

The first security block falls quickly. Easy. The second one puts up a fight, but I'm the best in my field for a reason. As I work, I feel that familiar tingle at the back of my neck. Another vision is coming.

I grab the edge of the console, bracing myself. The world shifts, blurs, then sharpens into clear focus. But it's not the world I know.

*I see numbers, endless streams of data flowing like rivers of light. They merge, forming patterns, and in those patterns, I see the future. Stock markets rising and crashing in an instant. Whole economies crumbling and rebuilding in seconds. And behind it all, something vast, inhuman, watching.*

I gasp, snapping back to reality. My knuckles are white, gripping the console, and sweat beads on my forehead. These visions are getting stronger, more vivid—and more terrifying.

But I can't think about that now. The final security block is down, and the quantum computer's secrets are laid out before me. What I see makes my blood run cold.

Project Oracle, the file is called. I dig into it, and with each line of code, each piece of data, my horror grows. This isn't just a quantum computer. It's a prediction engine on a scale I never thought possible. Economic trends, technology advances, social changes—all predicted with terrifying accuracy.

And the predictions for the next five years? Global economic collapse. Technological singularity. The end of humanity as we know it.

My hands tremble as I download the data to my secure drive. I have to get this out, have to warn—

"Find anything interesting, darling?"

Ethan's voice, smooth and cold, cuts through the lab. I turn around, heart pounding. He stands in the doorway, looking sharp in his tailored suit, a small smile on his lips. But his eyes... his eyes are hard, calculating.

I force a smile. "Just getting to know the system, honey. It's fascinating work you're doing here."

He steps into the lab, the door closing behind him with a hiss. "Oh, I think you've done more than just familiarize yourself, Olivia." He glances at the terminal, then back at me. "Project Oracle. Now that is interesting."

I take a step back, my mind racing. How much does he know? How long has he been watching? "Ethan, I can explain—"

He raises a hand, stopping me. "No need, my dear. In fact, I'm glad you found it. Saves me the trouble of showing you myself."

I back up until I hit the wall. There's nowhere left to go. "What do you mean?"

Ethan's smile widens, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Our marriage of convenience... it wasn't just convenient for me. You were chosen. Your skills, your brilliance, even your new ability to glimpse the future—they're all part of the plan."

"What plan?" I ask, fear and anger rising inside me. "What's going on, Ethan?"

He steps closer, and I fight the urge to move away. "The plan to save humanity, of course. Or rather, to guide it into its next phase of evolution."

A chill runs through me. "The secret society," I whisper.

Ethan nods, looking pleased. "Exactly. We've been working towards this for centuries. Project Oracle is the result of all that work. And you, my dear Olivia, are the final piece of the puzzle."

My head is spinning. The society, the quantum computer, my visions—it's all connected. But how? And why?

"Why me?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.

Ethan reaches out, brushing my cheek with his fingers in a fake show of affection. "Because you can see what even Oracle can't. The real branching paths of probability. With your insight guiding Oracle's predictions..."

"You could control the future," I finish, the terrifying truth hitting me.

His eyes gleam. "Not control, Olivia. Shape. Guide. We're on the edge of a new era, and someone has to make sure humanity doesn't fall into chaos."

I slap his hand away, anger pushing away my fear. "And you think you have the right to decide that for everyone? To play god?"

Ethan's face hardens. "We have the responsibility. We have no choice."

"There's always a choice," I snap back.

For a moment, he looks almost regretful. Then it's gone, replaced by cold determination. "I hoped you'd understand, that you'd join us willingly. But I see now that was naive."

He reaches into his jacket, and my blood runs cold as he pulls out a small device. It looks like a neural implant, the kind used for direct brain-computer connections.

"What is that?" I ask, already dreading the answer.

"Insurance," Ethan says calmly. "A way to make sure you cooperate, whether you want to or not."

I tense, ready to fight, to run, to do anything to get away. But Ethan is faster. His hand grabs my wrist in a tight grip. With his other hand, he brings the device toward my temple.

"I'm truly sorry about this, Olivia," he says, and for a moment, I almost believe him. "But the fate of humanity is at stake. I can't let your doubts ruin everything we've worked for."

The device touches my skin, cold and unforgiving. I open my mouth to scream, to beg, to curse him—

And then everything explodes into blinding light and unbearable pain.

As I slip into darkness, one thought echoes in my mind: I have to fight this. I have to stop them. The future of the world depends on it.

But as the darkness closes in, one terrifying question remains: When I wake up, will I still be me?