The Algorithm's Bride

The penthouse elevator hums upward, glass walls revealing the city's glittering spine. You press two fingers to your temple, steadying your breath. The cameras have followed you from the limousine, but here, in this brief privacy, you allow your mask to slip. Your sister's encrypted file burns in your memory—a fragment of code she left on your birthday, one last riddle.

The doors part. Julian Blackwood stands at the far end of the room, backlit against floor-to-ceiling windows, a glass of amber liquor in his hand. He doesn't turn, but the corner of his mouth lifts, as if he feels your presence before you speak.

"Dr. Reyes," he says, his voice smooth as polished steel. "You're the only one who declined the champagne. Curious."

You step forward, heels clicking on marble. "I prefer to keep my head clear."

He turns then, dark eyes pinning you with unsettling precision. "Good. The first challenge isn't about charm." He gestures to a sleek console on the wall. "It's about what you can find—and what you're willing to hide when you do."

The screen flickers, and there it is: a file tree, half-encrypted, with your sister's signature blinking at the root. Julian watches you, waiting for the tell.