Chapter 8: "I'm a man?"
~A month later ~
In a room was a cozy haven with a bed, a desk, and a few bookshelves. The walls were adorned with posters of movies and TV shows. On a desk, a computer setup hummed to life, screens glowing with lines of code that would baffle an ordinary person. A hand moved swiftly over the keyboard, fingers flying across the keys like an expert.
As the scene unfolded, a beautiful face came into view, her features softened by a pair of glasses perched on the end of her nose. Her hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, and her innocent expression seemed out of place with her exceptional skills. River's appearance was sweet and innocent, but her hacking skills told a different story.No one would have ever guessed that this sweet, innocent-looking girl was the same person known online as Ginger, the master hacker who had been making waves in the digital world.
A year ago, River's alter ego, Ginger, had burst onto the scene, leaving a trail of digital devastation in her wake. She had hacked into some of the most secure systems, exposing vulnerabilities and earning the respect . Her identity remained a mystery, and people were desperate to know who was behind the mask. Companies clamored to recruit her, but she refused every offer.
As River's fingers danced across the keyboard, a notification popped up on her screen. "Ginger, if you accept this deal, you'll be rewarded heavily," the message read, from Spark Tech, a company second only to Apexor Tech in the industry. The two companies were rivals, and no one would give the other a chance to win.
River's eyes narrowed as she read the message. Apexor Tech was her dream company, the place she had applied for an internship. If she played her cards right, she might even land a job there. So betraying her own principles? No way.
She thought about her mom's medical bills, the reason she had taken to hacking in the first place. Her mom had been diagnosed with a rare heart condition, forcing her to resign as an accountant at a small local bank. Since then, River's father had taken on the responsibility of caring for the family on his small farm, working tirelessly to make ends meet. River's hacking skills were her way of contributing, and she was determined to use her talents to secure a better future for her family.
With a determined look, River typed a big "No" and sent it. She didn't like responding to messages addressed to Ginger, preferring to keep her interactions brief. Another notification popped up, and the message read, "As a man, you should know how business is done." River's lips curled into a smile as she laughed at the assumption, I'm a man?.. and deleted the message.
For now, River's focus was on her computing project, which might bring in some much-needed cash. And if she could land an internship at Apexor Tech, that would be a dream come true. She smiled to herself, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she worked on her latest project.
RB