“Miss Calva used a tool,” Sky said. “She pulled it out. It hurt Eloin. Bad.”
Ariston stared at the etched words.
VLab Prototype 3.
His jaw clenched.
He turned to his assistant without taking his eyes off the wire.
“Clear my schedule,” he said.
“Sir, you have—”
“Now.”
Everyone scattered.
Ariston knelt so he was eye level with Sky.
“Take me to her,” he said.
They ran through the mansion together—upstairs, down hallways Eloin had walked a thousand times alone. Sky led him straight to the room where she’d found the crying girl.
The door was closed.
Ariston pushed it open.
For a moment, he stopped breathing.
Eloin sat on the floor with her arms wrapped around her knees, face buried, shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Miss Calva stood over her, the silver tool still in her hand.
“What is that?” Ariston’s voice cracked like thunder.
Miss Calva turned, surprised but not frightened.
“Sir,” she began. “I was just—”
“What is in your hand?” he demanded.
“A maintenance tool,” she said. “Your daughter requires regular adjustments.”
“Adjustments?” His voice shook. “You’ve been hurting my daughter.”
“Discipline isn’t hurt,” Miss Calva replied calmly. “The program requires it.”
“What program?”
“Project Seraphim,” she said. “You signed the authorization yourself two years ago.”
The words hit him like a punch.
“I signed what?” he whispered.
Eloin crawled toward him on her knees like she wasn’t sure she was allowed.
“Daddy,” she said. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”
Ariston dropped to his knees and pulled her into his arms, careful of her scalp.
“No,” he said. “You didn’t cause anything. I failed you. But I’m here now.”
Miss Calva crossed her arms.
“Emotional attachment will compromise the research,” she said.
Ariston stood slowly, still holding Eloin’s hand.
“Research?” he repeated. “She’s my daughter, not an experiment.”
“She’s both,” Miss Calva said. “Check your contracts.”
His hands balled into fists—not to hit, but from a rage he’d never felt before.
“Get out,” he said. “You’re fired.”
“I don’t work for you,” she said. “I work for the program. Check who authorized it.”
She walked out calmly, heels clicking on the marble. Ariston watched the door close behind her and then looked at Sky.
“You saved her,” he said. His voice was hoarse. “A seven-year-old child saw what I didn’t.”
Sky just nodded. She didn’t know what to say.
Ariston pulled out his phone.