My family told me not to come over on New Year’s Eve because “I’d just make everyone uncomfortable,” so I spent the night alone in my apartment. But at 12:01 a.m., my brother called—his voice shaking. “What did you do? Dad just saw the news, and he’s having trouble breathing…”

December 20th, 2024.

“Ava,” my mother said when she called. “I wanted to let you know that Christmas this year is going to be family only.”

“I am family,” I said.

“We’re suggesting it might be better if you didn’t come. Lucas is bringing important clients. We need the atmosphere to be positive. You make people uncomfortable, Ava. Your energy is… heavy.”

“You’re uninviting me from Christmas.”

“I’m giving you an out. Take it gracefully.”

I hung up. I looked at the tiny, fake tree in the corner of my apartment. I looked at the empty calendar for December 31st.

Then, I opened my laptop.

There was an email waiting from Forbes.

Subject: IPO Feature Request.
Miss Reynolds, we understand Synapse Loop is preparing to go public… We’d like to feature you in our 30 Under 30 series…

I replied: Yes. And I have a story you are going to want to hear.

For three weeks, the journalist verified everything. The patent documents from March 2022. The email chains where Lucas asked for the code. The recording of the threats. The testimony of Dr. Sofia Alvarez, my MIT mentor. The legal analysis from Daniel Brooks showing the NDA was toothless against pre-existing IP.

I was building a bomb.

On December 28th, my mother called one last time. “Lucas is hosting New Year’s Eve. Just to be clear—don’t come. For everyone’s sake.”

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I won’t be there.”

December 31st, 11:55 p.m.

I sat in the dark, refreshing the Forbes homepage. On my TV, the ball was dropping in Times Square. On my phone, Lucas’s Instagram story showed the Reynolds mansion lit up like a resort. My mother in Armani. My father in a tuxedo. Lucas raising a glass, the king of the world.

11:59 p.m.

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