Six months had passed since the Algorithm's collapse, and the villa by Lake Zurich was transformed from a place of confinement into a sanctuary of renewal. Morning light filtered through stained‑glass windows, painting mosaic patterns on marble floors now polished to a gentle sheen. In the garden, Evelyn Lin and Lucien Shen walked side by side, Mira toddling between them, chasing monarch butterflies among the marigolds.
Evelyn paused by a small stone fountain, cupping her hands around the trickle of water. “Look at how far we've come," she murmured, fingers cool against her skin.
Lucien knelt beside her, Mira perched on his knee, and dipped his hand into the fountain too. “From forced contracts and neural implants… to this." He smiled at Mira's delighted giggle as she splashed water.
Ev
