Chapter 5

  When Victor Sterling walks onto the stage, the room goes silent.

  No one commands a crowd like him.

  The auditorium is packed—engineers, researchers, managers, all gathered for the announcement. The hum of anticipation fills the air, the kind that makes your skin buzz.

  I shift in my seat, arms crossed. I already know what this is about.

  Ikaros.

  Sterling has been teasing it for months, but today is the day he unveils it - the biggest AI project in history.

  Sterling pauses, letting the tension build. He doesn’t speak right away, just stands there, looking out at us, as if daring us to impress him.

  Then, with a slow smile, he begins.

  "Welcome, everyone." His voice is smooth, cultivated, charismatic. The kind of voice that makes you want to believe every word he says. "You are here today because you are the best of the best. You are the minds shaping the future."

  A murmur of pride ripples through the audience.

  "And today," he continues, "we begin something that will change everything."

  He gestures toward the massive screen behind him. It flickers to life, displaying the name:

  PROJECT IKAROS

  There’s an audible inhale from the crowd.

  Sterling’s eyes gleam. He lives for this moment.

  "The greatest minds in history have all shared one goal," he says. "To create something greater than themselves. To transcend. To reach beyond the limits of humanity."

  He lets the words sink in before delivering the final blow.

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  "And today, we take flight."

  Applause. Roaring applause.

  I clap too, but more out of obligation than enthusiasm.

  Because I know what comes next.

  "And leading this revolution," Sterling continues, "is someone I consider one of the brightest minds I’ve ever met."

  He turns slightly, extending his arm.

  "But before I introduce her, I want to say something."

  He takes a step forward, and the auditorium leans in.

  "This company," he says, voice lowering just enough to make it feel intimate, "is not just a company."

  Silence.

  "This company is a family."

  More silence - then a wave of applause, loud, enthusiastic.

  Sterling lifts his hands, soaking it in, before continuing.

  "At Singularity, we support each other. We elevate each other. We are not just here to build technology - we are here to build the future together."

  The energy in the room shifts, growing warmer. People nod, smile, cheer.

  And it hits me.

  He’s good.

  Sterling is really, really good.

  A master at making you believe.

  "For this vision, we need a leader," Sterling says. "A brilliant one. Someone who can take this idea and make it a reality. Someone who will guide us all."

  He turns, smiling.

  "Please welcome our Chief Architect, Dr. Nora Levin."

  The crowd erupts.

  I don’t know why I’m surprised.

  Nora is brilliant. The best. And she deserves this.

  But as she walks onto the stage, standing beside Sterling, a part of me twists.

  I watch her - tall, confident, poised. Her sleek black dress hugs her frame just right, professional but elegant.

  She shakes Sterling’s hand, smiling, but I see the flicker of nerves. Just for a second.

  He leans in, murmurs something to her. She laughs softly, but I notice the way her shoulders straighten, the slight tension in her posture.

  Then she turns to us.

  I’ve worked with her for three years. I know she doesn’t like public speaking. She likes coding, solving problems, getting her hands dirty in the data.

  But you wouldn’t know that now.

  She steps forward and the room falls silent again.

  “I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead this project,” she says. Her voice is steady, strong.

  “This will be a challenge. A massive one. It will require hard work from all of us. Me first.”

  She pauses, glancing around, her lips quirking up.

  "Do you know what a promotion really means?" she asks.

  A few chuckles from the audience.

  "It means working hard, spending nights at the office, not seeing your family - all so you can be promoted… and work even harder."

  Laughter. Real laughter.

  That’s Nora. Always knowing how to break the tension, even in a moment like this.

  I lean back in my chair, studying her.

  She’s not just smart. She’s… something else.

  I admire her. More than I should.

  Not just for her brain, but for the way she carries herself. The way she fights for what she believes in. The way she never lets anyone - not even Sterling - intimidate her.

  And yeah. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t imagined what it would be like to…

  No.

  Not happening.

  Nora isn’t for guys like me. She’s way out of my league.

  And besides, she’s married. Happily, from what I hear.

  Still, as she stands beside Victor Sterling, I see something.

  Something small, but there.

  For a second - just a second - I swear I see her react to him. To his presence, the way he holds himself, maybe even to the faint trace of his cologne.

  She shakes it off. But I saw it.

  And it makes me wonder.

  Not about Sterling.

  But about Nora.