In Malibu, villas perched on ocean-facing slopes seemed to compete to witness the sunset. Valeria's villa was undoubtedly in the lead. Inspired by Italian architecture, the three-story structure, with its infinity pool, private beach access, and a studio surrounded by glass walls, was a dream for a social media phenomenon.
As the evening sun painted the ocean in hues of orange and pink, it cast a golden glow on the villa's white walls. Valeria, lounging on a sunbed by the infinity pool, was live-streaming on her phone. She wore a gold sequined bikini, sunglasses, diamond earrings, and a diamond bracelet gifted by an Arab prince she had met the previous month.
"And here, my dear followers," she said in a sweet voice, smiling at the camera, "sunset in Malibu. One of life's most beautiful moments, wouldn't you agree?"
Comments flooded the screen: "You're amazing, Valeria!", "I wish I were there," "I'd give anything for this view," "Link to the bikini?"
Valeria chuckled inwardly as she read the comments. How simple, how predictable her followers were. But they were her bread and butter. Seven million followers, million-dollar deals, exclusive invitations, free vacations... all depended on the approval, interest, and obsession of these people.
"Today, I want to share something special with you," she said, lowering her voice slightly, creating an air of mystery. "There's been something interesting happening to me lately. And I think it's time to share it with you."
Comments accelerated: "What happened?", "Tell us!", "I'm dying of curiosity."
Valeria removed her sunglasses, looked closer at the camera. There was a fake expression of concern in her eyes. But in reality, there was genuine excitement within her. Because what she was about to tell was real. And more than that.
"Last week, one night, at exactly 3:17 AM... I felt a strange thing. As if a door opened in my brain. And since then, I've started to... see some things."
"See? See what?" the comments poured in.
"The future," Valeria said in a whisper. "Small moments, insignificant details. But sometimes, big things too. For example, the other day, a follower had lost her dog. I shared it on my Story. I saw in my mind where her dog was. When she went to the place I described, she found it! Yesterday, I saw someone's job interview. I wrote in a DM which tie he should wear. He got the job thanks to that tie! It's like a joke… But it's not."
The comments went wild. "You're a seer!", "Valeria, you're triggered!", "Can you look at my future too?"
Valeria smiled. This was what she wanted. Interest, excitement, worship. But this time, there was something else. What she told was real. And the power of truth was much more impressive than a lie.
"And now, I will open my third eye for all of you," she said, closing her eyes dramatically. "Please don't send a short message. Let's see what I'll see."
First, it slowed down. Then silence. The messages stopped. Everyone was holding their breath, waiting.
Valeria took a deep breath with her eyes closed. Nothing happened at first. Just darkness. But then, images began to come. First blurry, then clarifying.
A laboratory.
Huge, intertwined rings, cables, screens, illuminated by blue lights. A second… She had seen this place before. CERN.
She had really seen it before, with Nexus...
A man. White-coated, dark-haired, intense-looking. Working on something, looking at the screens. A wave of anxiety and fear… Taking over the man. Then… No, it can't be! An energy burst. A blue lightning bolt, hitting the man right in the chest. The man collapsed. It didn't end… Chain reaction. Explosions… CERN… was gone.
Valeria's eyes widened. Her breath caught. Her face turned white.
"God!" she shouted. "I saw a laboratory! An explosion! A man... collapsed! And then... the end of the world… No, the end of the worlds! Shattered timelines! Everything is disappearing!"
The comments exploded again. "What?", "Are you serious?", "Is this a joke?", "Valeria, don't mess with us!"
But Valeria didn't hear them. Her eyes were still on that last image she saw. Shattered worlds, disappearing people, fading stars. And finally, darkness. Deep, endless darkness.
Trembling, she closed the broadcast. Her phone fell from her hand. She was having trouble breathing. This was not like anything she had seen before. This was a real prophecy. And it was terrifying.
She sat by the pool for a while, looking at the sea. The sun had set, and it was starting to get dark. The ocean had turned into a black mirror. She saw her reflection in it. But this time, that reflection was foreign to her.
Her phone vibrated. A new message. From an unknown number.
"Impressive broadcast, Valeria. Your visions are truly extraordinary. But what's even more extraordinary is your ability to learn how to control them. I can help you. Tomorrow, at this time, I can come to your villa. If it's convenient. – Singularity - Jin"
Below were two options: Accept, Reject.
Valeria's heart raced. Jin? She hadn't met him before, but she knew who he was. The founder of the Singularity company, a technology genius, a billionaire. And last week, he had given her a Nexus headset.
The headset. Since she put it on, her visions had become clearer, more intense. Maybe Jin was right. Maybe he could really help her.
She clicked Accept. Who else could she get help from?
The next day, at the same time, Valeria was sitting by the pool, looking at the sea. She wore a simple white dress; her makeup was natural, her hair fell on her shoulders. For the first time, she was dressed so simply for a meeting. But she felt that this meeting would be different from the others.
Jin arrived right on time. In a black Tesla, driverless, alone. When he got out of the car, Valeria glanced at him for a moment. She knew he was forty-one years old, but he didn't look older than thirty. A black, simple shirt, jeans, and a slight smile on his face.