I stood in the shadows backstage at the press conference. My husband Ethan was in the spotlight, crediting my AI system to Sadie White. I had spent five years on it, coding day and night even while pregnant. In that moment, I finally understood: the Sinclair empire I’d built with my own hands was nothing more than a birthday gift for his mistress. He used my achievements to promote her, used my son to threaten me, forcing me to apologize publicly and kneel in submission. But he didn’t know that when he granted me “authorization” with his fingerprint and iris in the lab, I had already quietly initiated the self-destruct program for the core code. In the banquet hall, I threw the divorce papers at his chest and calmly watched his face turn ashen. “Ethan Sinclair, from this day forward, June Mitchell no longer exists in this world.” And I would vanish completely with my son and my technology. June Mitchell POV The spotlight hit the massive curved screen as thunderous applause filled the space below. I stood in the dark corner backstage, watching that man in his tailored suit walk to center stage. Ethan Sinclair, my husband and CEO of the renowned Sinclair Tech Group. “Today, I will unveil the first-generation artificial intelligence core system that Sinclair Group has spent five years developing.” Ethan’s voice was deep, carrying the ease of a successful man. My palms were slightly sweaty. That was my achievement. Over five thousand days and nights, I’d typed line after line of code in the underground lab, never stopping even during my pregnancy. I’d named this system “Haven,” wanting to give it as a gift to my husband and son. The giant screen lit up, and the AI’s virtual image appeared. It wasn’t the tech-inspired geometric form I’d designed, but a young girl in a white dress. “Its name is ‘Cherry Blossom.’” Ethan’s voice carried through the microphone to every corner. “To thank my muse and genius digital artist, Miss Sadie White.” A roaring sound erupted in my head, as if something had exploded inside me. Cherry blossoms were Sadie’s favorite flower. The spotlight instantly illuminated the front row. A girl in haute couture stood up, covering her mouth, tears of joy sparkling in her eyes. She flew onto the stage like a butterfly and threw herself into Ethan’s arms without hesitation. Ethan, who had always been known for his cold demeanor, didn’t push her away. Instead, he reached out and steadied her waist, his eyes showing a tenderness I hadn’t seen in three full years. “Thank you, Ethan! This is the best twentieth birthday gift I’ve ever received!” Sadie said into the microphone. The crowd below erupted in cheers as media cameras flashed wildly, capturing this “beautiful” moment. No one knew that the true Mrs. Sinclair, the chief algorithm engineer who had given the AI its soul, stood in the shadows, her entire body ice cold. After the press conference, in the VIP lounge. When I pushed open the door, Sadie was sitting on Ethan’s lap, playing with his shirt buttons. Seeing me enter, Sadie jumped up like a startled rabbit and hid behind Ethan, calling out softly. “Miss Mitchell…” The warmth on Ethan’s face instantly vanished, his eyes piercing me like shards of ice. “Who let you in? Get out.” I stared at him hard, my voice trembling from extreme suppression. “Why did you change the system’s name? It was ‘Haven.’ I named it! Why did you rename my work?” “Your work?” Ethan laughed coldly, standing up and looking down at me without a trace of affection in his eyes, “June Mitchell, have you been in the lab so long that your brain stopped working? The entire Sinclair Group belongs to me. You used my money for research and development. I decide what the system is called!” My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. The pain made it impossible to breathe. “You know very well that-” “Shut up.” Ethan cut me off. “I have a question, and you need to explain yourself. Yesterday at Sadie’s digital art exhibition, why did the main server’s data suddenly crash? All the original files were completely destroyed. June Mitchell, besides you, who has that capability?” I froze, my eyes filled with disbelief. “You suspect me? I spent all day yesterday at the hospital with Atlas getting his IV!” “Enough!” Ethan grabbed my chin, his grip so hard it felt like he might crush my bones. “I understand that you’re jealous of Sadie. But you shouldn’t have destroyed what she cares about most! She prepared for that exhibition for an entire year!” Sadie gently tugged at Ethan’s sleeve from behind, her eyes red. “Ethan, forget it. Maybe Miss Mitchell really didn’t mean it. After all, she’s so busy, she wouldn’t have time to target me.” These words made Ethan even angrier. Ethan released me and threw a document in my face. The sharp paper edge cut my cheek, drawing a trace of blood. “You have twenty-four hours.” Ethan’s voice held no warmth. “Publicly apologize to Sadie and admit you maliciously destroyed her work using your position. Otherwise, I’ll immediately file for divorce. With Sinclair’s legal team, I guarantee you won’t get a single penny, and you’ll completely lose custody of Atlas. You’ll never see your son again for the rest of your life!” Watching my pale face, a flash of reluctance crossed Ethan’s eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. I stood frozen, the stinging pain on my cheek not even one ten-thousandth of the pain in my chest. He was actually threatening me with my own son? Just to defend his mistress?
June Mitchell POV The empty mansion had no lights on. I sat on the sofa, looking at the crumpled lawyer’s letter on the table. It stated clearly that if I didn’t cooperate with a public apology, Sinclair’s legal department would prosecute me for “destruction of computer information systems.” And they would use that as grounds to strip me of custody. He’d even prepared forged evidence. IP addresses, login records, everything was flawless. This was the man I’d loved for ten years. Ten years ago, Ethan was an illegitimate son abandoned by his family with nothing to his name. I was the one who sat with him in that basement eating instant noodles, using a secondhand computer to code the initial framework for Sinclair Tech. Back then, Ethan held me from behind, his chin resting in the crook of my neck, his voice hoarse as he made a promise. “June, once I take back what belongs to me, I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world. My life, my Sinclair Group, half of it is yours.” Later, he succeeded. He kept me hidden behind the scenes, saying it was to protect me from family power struggles. I believed him and hid behind him, becoming his shadow, becoming his sharpest weapon. Until two years ago, when Ethan brought home his friend’s sister, eighteen-year-old Sadie. At first, he said he was just taking care of her like a sister. But gradually, he came home less and less. He would abandon our feverish son on a stormy night because Sadie said she was “afraid of the dark.” He would bid a hundred million at an auction just to buy one of Sadie’s casual doodles. I tried to confront him, but each time I was met with Ethan’s mockery. “June Mitchell, why have you become like a madwoman? Sadie is young and has no parents. What’s wrong with me taking care of her?” Actually, I knew Ethan understood perfectly well. Sadie was like an exotic pet that provided fresh emotional value, bringing him long-lost excitement and relaxation. Meanwhile, I was air, water, the foundation he couldn’t do without. He craved Sadie’s youth and vitality but never considered shaking my position as Mrs. Sinclair. He always thought that since I’d loved him for ten years, no matter how much he played around outside, as long as he came home in the end, I would always be waiting in the same place. “Mommy…” A weak call interrupted my thoughts. Five-year-old Atlas rubbed his sleepy eyes and walked down from upstairs, hugging an old stuffed bear. The little one had been premature, so his health was always fragile, his face perpetually pale. “Why is Atlas awake?” I immediately hid the despair in my eyes and put on a gentle smile, walking over to hold my son in my arms. “Mommy, you cried.” Atlas reached out with his soft little hand and touched the cut on my cheek, his big eyes full of heartache. “Did Daddy bully you again? Atlas doesn’t like Daddy anymore. Daddy is a bad man.” Those words stabbed into my heart like a sharp knife. Even a five-year-old child could see he didn’t love me anymore. What was I still hoping for? “Mommy’s fine. I just accidentally scratched myself.” I held my son tightly, feeling the warmth from the little person in my arms, my eyes gradually becoming cold and resolute. Ethan thought he’d found my weakness, thought he could force me to submit by using our son, force me to bow my head to the woman who destroyed my family. He was wrong. I, June Mitchell, had never been a puppet under his control. If I could create Sinclair’s AI core, I could destroy it with my own hands. My phone screen suddenly lit up with an anonymous text message. “Miss Mitchell, Ethan got drunk tonight and kept holding my hand, wouldn’t let me leave. He said being with you every day feels like carrying out a mission, so boring it suffocates him. Only when he’s with me does he feel like a real person.” Immediately following was a photo. In dim lighting, Ethan lay on a hotel bed, his collar slightly open, Sadie’s face pressed against his chest, and Ethan’s hand tightly around Sadie’s waist. In the bottom right corner of the photo, you could see the Rolex on Ethan’s wrist, the one Sadie had given him. The watch I’d given him, engraved with our initials, had long since disappeared. I looked at the photo without crying, without even feeling angry. I calmly deleted the message and then opened my computer, entering an extremely complex URL of random characters. The screen instantly went black, then a blood-red countdown interface appeared with only an input box in the center. This was the internal communication channel for a national classified project, “Deep Space Program.” Two weeks ago, my mentor, also a member of the National Space Agency, had secretly contacted me, inviting me to join this top-secret project aimed at exploring deep-space AI autonomous defense systems. Once I joined, I would enter a secret underground base with no contact with the outside world for ten years. My identity would even be deleted from the national information registration system. The person “June Mitchell” would completely “die” in this world. At the time, I couldn’t bear to leave Ethan and our son, so I refused. Now, I had no hesitation. I typed my response in the input box: “I agree to join. Only condition: I’m bringing my son.”
June Mitchell POV Less than ten seconds after I sent the message, a reply popped up on the screen. “Agreed. But you need to bring the original core code of ‘Genesis.’ It’s the underlying logic you independently developed and is crucial to the Deep Space Program. In three days, a car will come to pick you up.” I looked at the content on the screen, my fingers curling slightly. “Genesis” was my most core achievement from the past ten years, and also the true foundation of Sinclair Group’s current AI system “Cherry.” All the original code and core data were locked in the S-level classified laboratory on the top floor of Sinclair Group. I had personally designed the security system for that laboratory, but the final firewall required simultaneous biometric fingerprint and iris verification from both Ethan and me to open. I still remembered the day the lab was completed. Ethan embraced me from behind, holding my hand as we registered our fingerprints. “June, this lab belongs to both of us. The password and permissions must be shared between us. That way, we’ll be bound together forever, and neither of us can leave the other.” What was once a vow had now become the most vicious curse. When love died, those bonds that once represented absolute trust became the strongest cage for guarding against and imprisoning each other. The next morning, after settling Atlas, I changed into a sharp black suit and drove to Sinclair Group. As soon as I walked into the group’s lobby, the surrounding air seemed to freeze instantly. Passing employees stopped in their tracks, looking at me with extremely complicated expressions. “Did you hear? Miss Mitchell deleted all the data from Miss White’s exhibition out of jealousy.” “My God, she always seemed so cold, but I didn’t expect her to be so malicious.” “Mr. Sinclair sent out an internal notice this morning. If Miss Mitchell doesn’t publicly apologize, he’ll fire her and pursue legal action.” I ignored the gossip and walked straight toward the CEO’s private elevator. “Access denied.” The elevator’s red light came on, the cold mechanical female voice echoing through the lobby, sounding particularly harsh. I froze. My highest-level access had been revoked by Ethan. “Miss Mitchell, I’m sorry.” The head of security approached with a troubled expression. “Mr. Sinclair has instructed that your access is now limited to the ground floor lobby. Unless…” “Unless what?” “Unless you’ve come around and are willing to go to the PR department on the twenty-eighth floor to record an apology video.” I laughed bitterly. Ethan was determined to trample my dignity completely underfoot. He not only wanted me to apologize but also wanted me to bow down to his mistress in front of the entire company, even the entire internet! Just then, the revolving door to the lobby was pushed open. Ethan walked in, surrounded by a group of subordinates. He wore an impeccably tailored black haute couture suit. And beside him, following closely, was Sadie in a white dress. Seeing me, Ethan’s footsteps paused, an imperceptible complexity flashing through his eyes before quickly being replaced by indifference. “You came to apologize?” Ethan walked up to me, looking down from above. “I thought you’d hold out longer.” Sadie hid behind Ethan, looking at me timidly. “June, you really don’t have to force yourself. Just promise you won’t come after me anymore. I’m willing to forget about the paintings…” “Shut up.” I gave her a cold glance. Sadie flinched, her eyes instantly reddening, clutching Ethan’s sleeve pitifully. “June Mitchell!” Ethan’s face darkened immediately. “What kind of attitude is this? You did something wrong, Sadie is gracious enough not to hold it against you, and you still dare to snap at her?” Looking at this familiar yet strange man before me, I felt my stomach turn. I took a deep breath, suppressing the churning in my chest, my tone so calm it was devoid of any ripple. “Fine. I’ll apologize.” Ethan froze. He probably expected me to argue with him stubbornly like before, to pull out evidence proving my innocence, or even to question him loudly. He might have even prepared more cruel words to break through my psychological defenses. But I conceded. Calm as stagnant water. “Go to the PR department.” Ethan said coldly, leading Sadie straight toward the elevator. I followed behind them, watching their overlapping silhouettes, a mocking smile curving my lips. Ethan Sinclair, this is the last time I’ll bow my head to you. To leave you completely, this small humiliation means nothing.
June Mitchell In the PR department’s recording studio, the lights were blinding. I sat in front of the camera, my back ramrod straight. My face was pale, but my eyes were unusually clear. Behind the camera, Ethan sat on the sofa, legs crossed, his gaze fixed intently on me. Sadie sat beside him, holding a cup of hot milk, a victor’s smile on her lips. “Let’s begin.” The PR director wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said cautiously. I looked at the camera without preparing any script, my voice cold and emotionless. “I am June Mitchell, algorithm engineer at Sinclair Group. I hereby formally apologize to Miss Sadie White. I should not have maliciously destroyed Miss White’s digital exhibition data out of personal emotions, causing irreparable damage to Miss White. I acknowledge my mistake and am willing to bear all consequences.” Just a few short sentences, without any emotional fluctuation, as if a soulless AI were reading program-set text. “Cut.” Recording ended. Sadie immediately set down her milk and walked up to me. “June, it’s good that you recognize your mistake. Ethan said as long as you apologize, he won’t pursue legal action. We’ll still be good colleagues from now on.” I didn’t even give her a glance. I stood up directly and looked at Ethan. “The apology video is done. Now, restore my lab access. I need to go in and collect my personal belongings.” “Just collecting personal belongings?” Ethan stood up, advancing step by step, his tall frame casting me in shadow. “June Mitchell, don’t try anything.” “What could I possibly do?” I looked directly into his eyes, my tone mocking. “My reputation is ruined, the core system was stolen and renamed after someone else. I could be kicked out by you at any moment. What else can I do?” My words may have struck a nerve with Ethan. He suddenly grabbed my wrist and said angrily, “Who said I’m kicking you out? As long as you stop provoking Sadie, the position of Mrs. Sinclair will always be yours! Sadie is just a young girl. I’m indulging her for fun. You’re the lady of the Sinclair family. Why do you need to compete with her?” I found it utterly ridiculous. Break my spine, strip my dignity, steal my achievements, then tell me I can continue being his caged bird. “Grant me access, Mr. Sinclair.” I forcefully pulled my hand back. “I’ll only be inside for an hour. After one hour, I’ll immediately get out of your sight.” Ethan stared at me for a long moment before finally taking out his phone and unlocking my door access. “One hour. One minute over, and I’ll have security throw you out.” I turned and left without a trace of attachment. Top floor S-level laboratory. The heavy metal door closed slowly behind me, isolating all the noise from the outside world. I rushed to the main console, my ten fingers flying across the keyboard. Lines of complex code appeared on the screen, the digital world I had built with my own hands. I inserted a specially encrypted USB drive and began downloading the original core code of “Genesis.” The progress bar moved forward slowly. 10%… 30%… 50%… My heartbeat accelerated with each jump of the progress bar. As long as I obtained the code, I could disappear from this world completely with Atlas. However, when the progress bar reached 99%, the screen suddenly flashed with harsh red light. “Warning: Core protocol accessed. Dual biometric authentication required.” “Awaiting authorization from Administrator: Ethan Sinclair.” My fingers froze in mid-air. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. As expected, Ethan had reinforced the defenses on the core underlying logic. Without his fingerprint and iris, I couldn’t take the complete “Genesis.” Time ticked away second by second. Only ten minutes remained until the one-hour deadline. I looked at the warning flashing on the screen, my eyes growing increasingly resolute. I couldn’t fail. The Deep Space Program was my only way out and the only way to provide absolute safe shelter for Atlas. Once I entered a national-level classified base, no matter how powerful Ethan was, he would never be able to harm us again. I had to get Ethan’s authorization. I unplugged the USB drive and left the laboratory. Twenty-eighth floor, CEO’s office. When I pushed open the door, a rich scent of roses hit me in the face. The spacious office was filled with red roses. Ethan stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, holding a glass of red wine. Sadie embraced him from behind, her cheek pressed against his back, saying something that drew a low chuckle from Ethan. Hearing the door open, Ethan turned around, the smile on his face vanishing instantly. “Time’s up. What are you doing here?” I forced down my aversion to the rose pollen and walked up to him step by step. “The lab handover procedures aren’t complete.” I looked at him, my tone calm. “The core database needs your final authorization before my permissions can be completely stripped. Since Mr. Sinclair wants to give the system to Miss White, you surely don’t want my traces left in the system, do you?”
June Mitchell POV Ethan narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing my unusually calm demeanor. In the past, if I had seen the office filled with roses, seen another woman embracing him, I would definitely have questioned him with red-rimmed eyes or smashed things with a cold face. But now, I was like a machine, discussing permission handover with him without any emotion. “Ethan…” Sensing Ethan’s distraction, Sadie tugged at his sleeve in dissatisfaction and said gently, “Since June wants to do the handover, just finish it quickly. Didn’t we agree to celebrate my birthday at the rooftop restaurant tonight?” Ethan snapped back to attention, set his wine glass on the desk, and looked at me coldly. “Lead the way.” We walked toward the top-floor laboratory, one in front of the other. The corridor was so quiet that only the sound of high heels striking the floor could be heard. “You’d better not have any other ideas.” Ethan walked behind me, his voice low and full of warning. “June Mitchell, my patience has limits.” I didn’t turn around, only said lightly, “Mr. Sinclair is overthinking. I just want to end this as soon as possible.” Pushing open the laboratory door, I walked straight to the main console and pulled up the interface requiring dual authentication. “Press your fingerprint, then look at the iris scanner.” I stepped aside. Ethan stepped forward, looking at the flashing “Permission Stripping and Core Reorganization” prompt on the screen, his brow furrowing slightly. Though he didn’t understand the deepest algorithms, he knew the risks of this operation. “You’re sure this is just permission stripping?” Ethan looked at me suspiciously. “What else?” I met his gaze, my eyes candid. “This is the dual lock you personally set. Without your authorization, I can’t take even a single line of code. I’m just executing your order, handing over the system to your ‘muse.’” Ethan stared at me for a few seconds before finally extending his hand and placing it on the fingerprint collector. “Fingerprint verification complete.” Then he bent down and aligned with the iris scanner. “Iris verification complete. Dual authorization successful.” The instant authorization succeeded, my fingers struck several commands on the keyboard at a speed invisible to the ordinary eye. The download progress bar that had been stuck at 99% instantly jumped to 100%. “Download complete.” I quietly removed the USB drive and gripped it in my palm. My nails dug deeply into my flesh, using pain to mask the violent pounding of my heart. “Done.” I stepped back. “All my permissions have been completely cleared. From now on, this laboratory and that system have nothing to do with me anymore.” Ethan looked at the screen displaying “June Mitchell: User Not Found” permission status and whipped his head around to look at me. I still wore that cold expression, without anger, without sorrow, without even a trace of attachment. “June Mitchell, what exactly are you trying to pull?” Ethan’s tone grew irritated as he grabbed my shoulder. Based on my understanding of him, he had probably softened. That irritation in his tone was actually guilt about neglecting me, but he was accustomed to being superior, so what came out was still a rebuke. “Do you think this cold war will get my attention? I’ve already compromised. It’s just changing a system name. Is it really worth this? I’ll have finance transfer fifty million to your account tonight. Buy whatever you want. Stop making a scene!” His grip made my bones ache, but I didn’t struggle. I just looked at him quietly. “Ethan Sinclair.” I suddenly spoke, my voice so light it seemed like it could be blown away by a breeze. “Do you still remember what you said to me ten years ago in that basement?” Ethan froze. Seeing the confusion in his eyes, I suddenly smiled. It was an extremely desolate yet liberated smile. “If you don’t remember, forget it.” I gently pushed his hand away. “Mr. Sinclair, I wish you and Miss White eternal happiness.” With that, I turned and walked out. “Stop!” Ethan called out behind me. “Did I say you could leave? Tonight at Sadie’s birthday party, you must attend! I want you to apologize to her in front of all our friends and resolve yesterday’s matter completely!” He probably thought that as long as I toasted this glass of wine tonight, the matter would be completely over. My steps paused. “Fine.” I didn’t turn around, my voice echoing in the empty corridor. “I’ll be there.” To leave you one final gift.
June Mitchell POV Night fell, and the top-floor ballroom of the seven-star hotel under Sinclair’s ownership blazed with lights. All of New York’s elite had been invited to attend this grand birthday party. Everyone knew this was a banquet Ethan Sinclair was throwing for his mistress, publicly humiliating his wife. I wore a minimalist black trench coat without makeup as I walked into the resplendent ballroom. My appearance instantly silenced the originally noisy hall. Countless gazes fell on me, mocking, sympathetic, but mostly derisive. “How does she still dare to come? She was just forced to apologize publicly yesterday, and today she’s here to be humiliated again?” “I heard Mr. Sinclair wants to divorce her. She’s probably here to beg for reconciliation.” “Tsk tsk, the former genius engineer, now not even as good as a mistress.” I turned a deaf ear to these malicious speculations. I walked straight toward the center of the ballroom where Ethan was embracing Sadie in her haute couture princess dress, accepting everyone’s congratulations. Seeing me approach, Ethan’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. I was dressed too plainly, looking out of place among the socialites in their designer gowns, even somewhat shabby. “What are you doing here? Dressed like this, are you deliberately embarrassing me?” Ethan lowered his voice, his tone full of displeasure. I ignored his rebuke and picked up two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray, handing one to Sadie. “Miss White, happy birthday.” My voice wasn’t loud, but in the quiet hall it was clearly audible. Sadie accepted the glass, a hint of triumph in her eyes. “Thank you. You really didn’t need to be so polite. Ethan said you were very stubborn. I thought you wouldn’t come.” I raised my glass and lightly clinked it against Sadie’s. “I came because I wanted to give Mr. Sinclair and Miss White a big gift.” With that, I tilted my head back and drank the champagne in one gulp. Watching my abnormal behavior, Ethan grabbed my wrist. “What exactly are you trying to do? Leave immediately after you’re done. Don’t ruin things for us here!” I forcefully shook off his hand and pulled a document from my trench coat pocket, throwing it hard against Ethan’s chest. The papers scattered across the floor. The top page read in bold letters: Divorce Agreement. The hall erupted in shocked gasps. Ethan’s face instantly turned livid. He stared at the documents on the floor, then looked up at me, saying furiously, “June Mitchell, have you lost your mind? You dare ask me for a divorce?””Why wouldn’t I dare?” I looked at him coldly, my eyes full of mockery. “Ethan Sinclair, did you think that by threatening me with our son, I would grovel at your feet like a dog forever?” “You want Sinclair Group? I’ll give it to you. You want that system? I’ll give you that too. You want this woman? You can marry her openly.” I stepped back, creating distance between us. “I’ve already signed the agreement. I don’t want your money. But custody of Atlas goes to me.” “No!” Ethan erupted in fury, grabbing my collar, his eyes bloodshot. “June Mitchell, who do you think you are? Let me tell you, without my permission, you’ll never leave me in this lifetime! As for Atlas, he’s a Sinclair child. Don’t even think about taking him away!” “Is that so?” I suddenly smiled, smiled until tears almost came out. Looking at this stranger before me, I felt like I’d wasted ten years of my youth on a dog. “Ethan Sinclair, do you really think you’ve won?” I leaned close to him, speaking in a voice only the two of us could hear. “What you just authorized in the lab wasn’t permission stripping at all. It was the self-destruct program for ‘Genesis’ core code.” Ethan’s pupils contracted sharply. “What did you say?!”
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