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Chapter 45: Playback
Rina plugged the flash drive into Eliot's old laptop.
The screen flickered. Then came a loading bar, labeled:
> HEARTSYNC BLACKBOX FILES
Decryption in progress...
Eliot paced behind her, tension thick in the air.
"What if it's a trap?"
Rina shook her head.
"If Savannah wanted us gone, we wouldn't be standing here."
The bar completed.
A video played.
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The screen showed a sterile room.
Two figures sat on hospital beds—hooked to wires, eyes closed.
It was them.
Rina watched herself, shivering.
The voice of a scientist echoed from the speakers:
> "Subject Alpha-R is showing abnormal recall patterns. She clings to Subject E even under sedation. They are emotionally bonded beyond the standard threshold."
Another voice:
> "Terminate separation attempts. It's clear—they sync instinctively. No matter how many resets."
Rina gasped.
"They tried to erase us… and it didn't work."
Eliot leaned in.
"That's why we woke up remembering pieces. We were too strong for them."
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The screen blinked again.
One last file appeared.
A still image: Eliot and Rina, arms around each other, standing in front of a broken lab wall.
In red text across the screen:
> PROJECT TERMINATED: FAILED TO SEVER BOND.
HEARTSYNC LEVEL 100%.
Eliot whispered, "We beat them."
But Rina looked at the timestamp.
"…This was just days before the explosion."
She turned to him, eyes wide.
"We didn't just survive. We escaped."
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Author's Note:
Some love stories don't fade—they fight their way back. If this truth hit you hard, save Billionaire in Disguise to your collection. Every click tells them: you're still watching, still believing.
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