The new year began with the annual Techvision conference, a prestigious gathering that brought all major tech companies under one roof to showcase their latest products and services, and engage in debates about cutting-edge technology. It was the kind of industry event that Victoria would normally attend without question, but this year found her staring at the invitation with a mixture of dread and desperate hope.
She had almost missed it entirely, wanting to delegate the responsibility to Amara and Marcus while she hid in her office like a coward. Victoria did not want to go because she was emotionally drained and didn't have it in her to socialize because of her broken heart and mind and self. The thought of putting on a professional façade when she could barely function felt overwhelming, but ultimately she forced herself to attend.
Thank goodness she had decided to go, because James was indeed there. He had received an invite, recognition of his rapidly growing influence in the industry. But he wasn't alone. Gaia was there too, his annoying secretary clinging to his side like an expensive accessory, her hand resting possessively on his arm as she laughed at everything he said.
Victoria felt anger double in her chest, a hot, vicious emotion that made her hands shake with the effort of containing it. She wanted nothing more than to march across the conference floor, rip Gaia away from James, and tell her to back the hell off. The territorial instinct was so strong it made her vision blur momentarily, but she forced it down, plastering a practiced smile on her face as she greeted other attendees.
Breathe, she told herself. You have no claim on him. You lost that right the moment you betrayed his trust.
But logic did nothing to ease the savage jealousy clawing at her insides.
The conference proceeded with its usual schedule of presentations and panel discussions. Different professionals took to the stage to showcase innovative designs and revolutionary concepts, each trying to outdo the previous speaker with their vision of the future. Victoria tried to pay attention, to engage with the content that would normally fascinate her, but her eyes kept drifting to where James sat in the audience, Gaia's blonde head bent close to his as she whispered comments in his ear.
When James finally walked up to the stage to present his latest project, Victoria felt her breath catch in her throat. He looked magnificent under the stage lights, confident and commanding in a way that made her heart race with pride and longing. His presentation on virtual reality gaming and its connection to real-world economies was nothing short of revolutionary. The concept was innovative, lucrative, and unlike anything the industry had seen before. He easily stood out among all the other presenters, his vision so far ahead of his competitors that it left the audience stunned into appreciative silence before erupting into thunderous applause.
Victoria swelled with pride, her smile genuine and radiant for the first time in months. This was the James she had always known lurked beneath the surface, the brilliant mind that could reshape entire industries with a single idea. She wanted to stand up and cheer, to tell everyone in the room that she had known his potential long before the world recognized it.
But then her eyes fell on Gaia again, watching as the woman applauded enthusiastically, her face glowing with obvious admiration and something that looked uncomfortably like devotion. Victoria's smile faltered. She just wished Gaia wouldn't follow James so closely, wouldn't maintain that intimate proximity that suggested they were more than just professional colleagues.
The debate portion of the conference proved to be the most interesting part for Victoria, mainly because it gave her something to focus on besides the nauseating sight of James and Gaia together. Industry leaders engaged in spirited discussions about the future of technology, the ethics of AI development, and the responsibility of tech companies to society. Everyone said their piece, voices rising and falling with passion and conviction, and it ended with most participants feeling satisfied with the discourse.
As the event began winding down, guests slowly started filtering out of the venue. Victoria lingered, unable to bring herself to leave while James was still present. She had sent Amara away long ago, claiming she wanted to network with a few more contacts before departing. In reality, she couldn't tear her eyes away from the corner where James stood with a small group of admirers, all of them hanging on his every word.
And there was Gaia, still glued to his side, laughing at whatever he was saying with the kind of easy intimacy that made Victoria feel physically sick. She watched from a distance, her jaw clenched so tight it ached, as Gaia's hand rested casually on James's arm like she had every right to touch him. Victoria sneered, furious, rubbing her fingers together in agitation as rage built steadily in her chest.
Her eyes zeroed in on that possessive hand, and she wanted nothing more than to break it and discard it somewhere far away where it could never touch James again. She could not stomach how cozy they both seemed, how natural their interaction appeared. The sight made her nauseous, bile rising in her throat as she imagined all the intimate moments they might have shared, all the ways Gaia might have comforted James when Victoria's betrayal left him broken and vulnerable.
Unable to bear it any longer, Victoria stood and walked at a measured pace toward them. As she drew closer, panic began mixing with her determination. What would she say? What could she possibly do? She and James were no longer together. He owed her nothing and had every right to love someone else, to find happiness with a woman who hadn't destroyed his trust and left him bleeding.
Hadn't she vowed this time to protect his happiness above all else? What if he had found that happiness in Gaia? After all, memories of Victoria only brought up unimaginable pain, while Gaia represented something fresh and uncomplicated.