Chapter 20: Olivia's Dilemma

I stare at the screen, my heart pounding so hard it feels like it's in my throat. The numbers are right there, staring back at me, but I wish they were wrong. My fingers hover over the keyboard, trembling slightly as I think about what to do next. One click, and I could send this report to Ethan, revealing everything I've found out about Drake Technologies. One click, and I could destroy the man I'm pretending to be married to—the man I'm starting to have real feelings for.

"Dammit, Olivia," I mutter to myself, pushing away from the desk and pacing around my new, spacious office. The view of the city skyline should be calming, but instead, it just reminds me how high the stakes are.

I close my eyes, trying to focus. A vision hits me suddenly—a flash of stock prices crashing, people panicking in the streets, and Ethan's face twisted in betrayal. I gasp, steadying myself against the cool glass of the window. These visions have been happening more often, getting clearer. And they're terrifying.

A soft chime from my computer pulls me back to reality. A new email. From Victoria.

I take a deep breath, return to my desk, and open the message. It's short and cryptic: "Meet me in sublevel 3. Alone. Now."

I glance at the time. 11:43 PM. The building should be almost empty. My pulse quickens as I weigh my options. Victoria, the new board member, has been a thorn in my side since she showed up. But she's also been digging around, and I think she knows more than she's letting on.

Decision made, I grab my access card and head for the elevator. The ride down to sublevel 3 feels like it takes forever. When the doors finally open, I'm greeted by dim, bluish light and the low hum of machinery. The air down here is cooler, with a strange metallic taste.

"Victoria?" I call out, my voice echoing in the huge space. Rows of servers stretch out before me, blinking lights casting an eerie glow.

"Over here, Dr. Chen." Victoria's voice comes from my left. I follow it, weaving through the maze of machines until I find her standing in front of a large, black monolith of a machine. It's like nothing I've seen before, humming with a strange, powerful energy.

"What is this?" I ask, unable to hide my curiosity.

Victoria's lips curl into a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "This, dear Olivia, is the future. And the reason for your little charade of a marriage."

I stiffen, trying to keep my voice steady. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, please." Victoria rolls her eyes. "Let's not insult each other's intelligence. I know you're not really in love with Ethan. I know you're here for the data. What I want to know is, what have you found?"

My mind races. How much does she know? Is this a trap? I decide to deflect. "If you know so much, why don't you tell me what this machine is?"

Victoria runs her hand along the smooth, black surface. "This is the quantum computer Ethan's been developing in secret. It's capable of calculations that would take traditional supercomputers centuries to complete. With this, we can predict market trends, manipulate global economies, even peek into parallel universes."

My breath catches. If she's telling the truth, this changes everything. My research, my theories—they're just the beginning.

"Why are you showing me this?" I ask, suspicion in my voice.

Victoria's eyes lock onto mine, intense and unblinking. "Because I need your help, Olivia. Ethan doesn't understand the true potential of what he's created. But you do, don't you? I've seen your work. You're the missing piece."

I take a step back, my mind spinning. "Help you do what, exactly?"

"Change the world." Victoria's voice drops to a near whisper. "Reshape the global economy. Free humanity from the chains of outdated systems. We could do it, you and I. All you have to do is trust me."

A chill runs down my spine. Part of me is tempted—the scientist in me is excited by the possibilities this quantum computer represents. But another part, the part that's gotten to know Ethan, that's seen his passion and his vision, hesitates.

"And if I refuse?" I ask, already dreading the answer.

Victoria's smile turns cold. "Then I'm afraid I'll have to tell Ethan about your true reasons for marrying him. I wonder how he'll feel when he finds out his beloved wife is really a corporate spy?"

My blood runs cold. "You wouldn't."

"Try me." Victoria steps closer, her voice low and dangerous. "You have until tomorrow night to decide, Olivia. Join me, or watch everything you've worked for crumble. Oh, and don't even think about running to Ethan with this. Who do you think he'll believe? His trusted board member, or the woman who's been lying to him from day one?"

With that, she brushes past me, the click of her heels fading as she disappears into the maze of servers. I'm left alone with the humming quantum computer, my heart racing and my mind in chaos.

I sink to the floor, my back against the cool metal of the machine. The weight of my situation crashes over me. On one side, my research, my theories, the chance to revolutionize global economics. On the other, Ethan, the company, and the growing feelings I can no longer deny.

A sudden flash hits me—another vision. I see myself standing with Victoria, watching markets collapse on a giant screen. I see Ethan's face, twisted with betrayal and something darker. I see chaos, riots, a world torn apart by economic warfare.

I gasp, coming back to the present. Is this the future if I join Victoria? Or is it what will happen if I don't?

My phone buzzes in my pocket. With shaking hands, I pull it out. A text from Ethan: "Where are you? I've got a surprise. Come to the penthouse when you can. Miss you."

A lump forms in my throat. Miss you. When did this fake marriage become so real?

I stand up, my decision clear. I need to tell Ethan everything—about my initial deception, about Victoria's threats, about this quantum computer. It's the only way.

As I turn to leave, a reflection in the black surface of the quantum computer catches my eye. For a split second, I swear I see not my face, but Victoria's, smiling that cold, calculating smile.

I blink, and it's gone.

With a shuddering breath, I hurry toward the elevator. As the doors close behind me, I don't notice the small, blinking device attached to the back of my collar. Nor do I hear the soft beep it emits, transmitting everything I've seen and heard to an unknown receiver.

The game is far from over. And I'm no longer sure if I'm a player or just another pawn.