LAKE
“Of course, there’s always a risk, and it could be dangerous, potentially used for malicious activities and act like us humans or potentially loss of jobs. Even smartphones are dangerous. AI is an advanced system that will make a greater impact on us and make it a lot easier if we only use it responsibly. I know people like us are scared of being replaced by a robot or AI will take over the world, like our finance and weapon systems. That’s why we need transparency and explore its limits. I am proposing this technology, to name a few- for efficiency, minimizing human error, digital assistance, and rapid, massive data analysis.”
My uncle looked at the boards, reading their reactions and decisions. I was taking this risk to the board, who were mostly against using AI, but if I didn’t try it, another company would present this proposal.
“We’ll analyze your proposal and give you the result as soon as possible, Lake, but we need to try your AI to see if it works better for our system.”
“Of course.” I stood up and shook their hands before I left.
“Lake,” Uncle Moses called me before I could get far.
“Yeah. That didn’t end well. I’ve seen those looks before.” I chuckled, even if my proposal I had worked hard for months, would go to shit.
“Don’t mind them. One question, but I want an honest answer as my nephew. How dangerous is it?”
“It’s dangerous, uncle. Just think of it if a militia group has this kind of technology and uses AI to control the biggest foreign exchange market in the world. The world economy will collapse, and we’re back to the stone age. That’s why we have the manual switch, a fail-safe, to shut it down.”
“You’re insane for developing this program.”
I stopped and faced him with a smile. “So it’s a no?”
“Why are you even smiling?” He looked more amused than annoyed.
“Uncle, why do you always think more about a negative impact? A system like this makes it more useful in medical science. Maybe one day, this can help eliminate cancer or predict a future human disease. I know what you’re thinking. I’m over my head, but as a man behind the billion-dollar contract with the military defense system, the impact of misuse of AI programs could be catastrophic. Just say it, uncle.”
He blew a breath. “I’d like to try at HSS.” It was one of the Hover subsidiaries. Hover Space and security.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
***
I picked up my phone and checked for messages. I texted Maverick every day, even if I didn’t get a reply. I knew she was still hurting-the only woman I cared about ignored me and didn’t feel the same way I did. It hurt me, too, but I knew we still had a contract, and I was not going anywhere.
I arrived at the building, an old warehouse I bought, and turned it into the Infinite Media studio where the fifty-one employees worked hard to make this company be on top in ten years.
“Lake?”
I stopped before I got to the entrance, put my phone in my pocket, and faced Natalie. I hadn’t seen her since that phone call and incident at the Bazz until today.
“Hi,” she said when I hadn’t said anything.
“Why are you here?”
“I called your office, but you were not working there anymore. And Mr. Stoll’s assistant told me I can find you here.”
“And?”
“I just want to apologize for my friend’s behavior. I didn’t know. I swear to God, I didn’t know they would go and do that to her.”
“Maverick. Her name is Maverick.”
“She should have just told me that you and she are, you know…” she trailed off.
“Married.”
“Yeah, when I saw her at the penthouse.”
“Because she didn’t know how to tell you about our relationship. Have you apologized to her? I’m not the one who gets thrown with a drink. I’m not the one who becomes the center of a bully.”
“I DM’d her on her Instagram. I apologized, and she said water under the bridge, and she moved on. I told her we could have coffee sometimes, and she said she’ll think about it.”
Of course, Maverick would say that. She was the kindest and most considerate person I’ve ever met. I guessed I had gone too far, and she hadn’t forgiven me.
“That’s why I am here. I also want to congratulate you. I’m sorry if I hurt you, Lake. It was never my intention. You know me.” It was almost convincing, but the Natalie I knew was superficial and always had a hidden agenda.
“Thank you.” That was all I could say because, honestly, what else was there to say? I wanted to get away from her as soon as possible.
“No. Thank you.” She smiled sweetly, almost genuinely. Then she held my hand, squeezing it, and kissed me on the cheek, which was unexpected. “See you around, Lake.” She let my hand go and stepped away. “Bye.”
When I got into the building, shaking my head in confusion, I went directly to my office. I hadn’t sat in my chair yet, but I already heard a knock.
I gestured to Rusher to come in.
“How did it go?”
“Under review.”
“Fifty-fifty?”
I couldn’t tell him Uncle would take the program until we signed the contract. “I hope so.”
“Very well. We will sell it to his bloody competitors.”
I smirked. “Smart idea and my uncle will hate me.”
“Business is business, mate.”
“Right.”
“I’ll leave you alone to yourself. I love the LH and Star collab campaign. You should check it out. I’m the first to comment than you, mate.”
“What collab?” I stared at Rusher
“Check it out.” He left my office with a smile.
I checked the LH account with two more tagged accounts: Star Cosmetics and Maverick.
“Fuck. Me.” My jaw literally dropped.
The photos were uploaded two hours ago, and they have already garnered hundreds of thousands of likes. Of course, LH and Stars have roughly thirty million followers combined.
Maverick was stunning. She even looked better than most skinny models. She had an hourglass figure, and the corset she used in one of the photos made her look classy, like a classic Hollywood actress without any surgical interventions. Whoever suggested these ideas to the team and the director of photography was pure genius.
“Damn, woman. You really know how to sweep men off their feet.” I pressed the like button on all the photos and typed a comment with a fire emoji.
I’m proud of you, beautiful.
Then, I shared it in my story.
Everyone left but me. I had no reason to go to my penthouse early when all I could see at home was an empty bed and Space. For the past few days, there had been a deep hollow in my chest, so I went home to my mother’s house every night to share dinner with her. Deep inside me, it wouldn’t fill that void.
It still hurt that after all my efforts, my father still won, and I lost.
I received a text from my mom with a link.
MOM: You’re dead.
“What the hell?” I clicked the link, and it took me to a gossip website. The picture of me outside the office popped up with a caption: Rekindling romance or a cheater?
“What the fuck?” There was also a video. I knew whether it was a deepfake. Unfortunately, it was real.
Natalie set this all up. She did not come to apologize. She came to destroy my marriage.
I dialed Maverick. To my surprise, she picked it up.
“Maverick?”