Chapter 1: Love in the silicon valley

The sun dipped below the City of SanJose and skyline, casting warm hues of gold and pink across the streets. Jeff Harding leaned back in his worn-out desk chair, rubbing his temples as he stared at the code on his laptop screen. The line of numbers and symbols blurred before his eyes, a reminder that another sleepless night loomed ahead. He exhaled sharply, the sound echoing in the modest apartment he shared with Evelyn, his girlfriend of three years he met at a bookstore.

"Dinner's ready," Evelyn's voice called from the kitchen.

Jeff turned to see her setting two plates on the small dining table. She'd made spaghetti again simple and affordable, yet somehow Evelyn always managed to make it feel special. Her blonde curls framed her face as she smiled at him, but Jeff noticed the flicker of exhaustion behind her warm brown eyes.

"Thanks, Eve" Jeff said, closing his laptop and joining her. He kissed her on the forehead before sinking into his chair. "I'm sorry I've been so distracted lately. This project is killing me."

"You don't have to apologize," Evelyn replied, twirling her fork into the pasta. "I know how important this is for you. We're a team, remember?"

Her words brought a small smile to Jeff's lips. She'd always been his rock, the one person who believed in him when no one else did. Together, they had built a life out of nothing, and scraping by with his freelance gigs and her part-time job at a local boutique while she worked on her business plan.

"I just wish I could give you more," Jeff admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. "You deserve better than this tiny apartment and.

"Stop," Evelyn interrupted, placing her hand over his. "You're doing everything you can. We'll get there, Jeff. One step at a time."

He nodded, though the weight in his chest didn't lift.

Later that night, as Evelyn sketched product ideas at the coffee table, Jeff watched her from across the room. Her passion for her dream was infectious, and he loved her all the more for it. But lately, he'd begun to wonder if love alone was enough to sustain them.

The next morning, Evelyn woke early to meet a potential investor. She had been working tirelessly on her pitch, and though Jeff couldn't join her, he wished her luck before she left.

By midday, he received a text: "It went okay. Not what I hoped for, but I'll keep trying. Love you."

Jeff sighed as he stared at the message. He knew how much this meant to her, and he hated that he couldn't contribute more to her dream. His own work was consuming him, endless coding projects for small businesses that barely paid enough to cover their bills.

That evening, Evelyn returned home quieter than usual.

"Hey baby,"Jeff said gently, wrapping his arms around her. "How did it really go?"

Evelyn hesitated, then sighed. "They liked the idea but didn't think it was scalable. I don't know, Jeff… Maybe I'm fooling myself with all of this."

"Don't say that," Jeff said firmly. "You're brilliant, Ev. If they can't see it, that's their loss. You'll find someone who does."

She smiled weakly, but Jeff could see the doubt lingering in her eyes.

Weeks turned into months, and the strain of their financial situation began to take its toll. Evelyn grew more withdrawn, spending hours at networking events and business workshops, while Jeff buried himself in work. The gap between them widened, though neither dared to acknowledge it.

One evening, as they sat in silence after dinner, Evelyn finally spoke.

"Jeff, do you ever wonder if we're chasing something that isn't meant for us?"

Jeff frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean… this life we've been trying to build. What if it's not enough? What if we're not enough?"

The words hit Jeff like a punch to the gut. "Evelyn, where is this coming from? I thought we were in this together."

"We are," she said quickly. "But… I don't know. I see people out there, people with stability, with security and I wonder if we'll ever have that. Don't you?"

Jeff stared at her, struggling to find the right words. "I thought what we had was worth fighting for," he said finally.

Evelyn's eyes filled with tears, but she didn't respond. Instead, she stood and walked into the bedroom, leaving Jeff alone with his thoughts.

As the night stretched on, Jeff sat in the dim light of his desk lamp, staring at his laptop screen. For the first time, the lines of code offered no solace.