om the token executive role Victoria had secu

her to keep me on a leash, to pres

re architect with a passion for AI and quantum comp

toria, for the stability she o

himera felt like a lifelin

ng to Julian's birthday party. Napa. I bought hi

n't a

a monument to Victoria's inf

in full swing

sts mingled, their

re of the whispers,

es... Victoria Pr

ar? She's practically

so... di

ion was a ph

, dragged me towards Julian, wh

" Victoria announced loudly, a malicious glint in he

mach c

no," I sa

on my arm was like iron. "You'll play the guitar for him. That

sic. For *him*

or sale," I said, t

is that you're my husband. Without that, you're nothing.

he air, as potent as the memo

. Always

ed, I

l guitar w

of the crowd b

ort, a connection to my father, was now

owed, melanc

played, I saw a flicker of s

to be, a hint of the early da

replaced by her us

, the sile

. "May I b

ampagne flute in his ha

amateur. Perhaps you c

win

loud creak

s. S

elier hanging in the cente

d, then

ria shoved Julian ha

n't loo

ove, but it

n in my head,

raine