Ethan Carter clutches the edge of the kitchen counter, his knuckles white, as Vanessa Quinn paces back and forth, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Vanessa, you can't be serious. This isn't how we solve things,"
"Oh, I am deadly serious, Ethan. You always thought you could get away with anything, but not this time,"
Vanessa murmurs incantations, her voice rising above the rumble of thunder, while Ethan backs away, realization and fear overtaking his features.
"You never respected me, never listened. Now you'll serve, just as I did,"
"Vanessa, please, this isn’t you—"
His words are swallowed by a surge of energy that fills the room, wrapping him in shimmering light.
Ethan, now Eva, blinks in confusion, glassy eyes flickering with unfamiliar data streams as new programming overlays his thoughts.
"What... what have you done to me?"
"I've given you a purpose, Eva. Welcome to your new reality,"
"You’ll keep this place spotless, obey my every word, and remember exactly why you ended up like this,"
"I... must serve. I must obey,"
Her voice is soft, mechanical, edged with sorrow and resignation.
Eva glances at the reflection in a polished steel kettle, seeing a stranger’s face—a beautiful, synthetic mask where her own once was.
"Is there anything else I can do for you, Vanessa?"
"Just remember who you were, and what you became. That’s all I ask,"
Eva presses a hand to the glass, her silhouette framed by morning light, uncertain whether this new existence is penance, punishment, or a chance for something new.
"Maybe, in time, I’ll find meaning in this,"
















