“What?” Gale’s confusion is evident even through the phone. “What are you talking about?”
I close my eyes, bracing myself for the fallout. “Gale, I... I manipulated E.M.M.A.’s results. She originally identified us as a perfect match, but I overrode the system to recommend the other two candidates instead—Seraphim and Jasmine.”
The silence that follows is deafening. I can practically hear Gale processing this information.
“But why?” he finally asks, his voice a mixture of hurt and bewilderment. “Why would you do that?”
“It was so unexpected. And unprofessional.” I feel tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “I got scared. It didn’t make sense. Except I guess it does, because we make sense, and I’m really good at my job and made something that can see the obvious in what I was being too stupid to admit.”
“I went on dates with two people. For you. And you were setting me up? It wasn’t even recommended to improve my game?”
The Chads are watching this exchange with barely concealed glee, and I feel exposed, vulnerable. Everything I’ve worked for, everything I’ve built with Gale, it’s all crumbling around me.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I never meant to hurt you.”
There’s another long pause. When Gale speaks again, his voice is controlled, but I can hear the underlying pain. “I understand,” he says, his words measured. “I need to go.”
The call ends, leaving the room in a heavy silence. I look up to see the Chads wearing expressions of mock sympathy, while Tony just looks thoughtful.
“Well,” Chas says, breaking the silence, a hint of triumph in his voice. “I think that settles things. Harriet, we’ll be expecting your full cooperation in transitioning E.M.M.A.’s functions to our new chatbot system.”
Before I can respond, Tony holds up a hand. “That’s enough, Chas,” he says firmly, surprising everyone in the room. His eyes meet mine, and I see a flicker of sympathy there. “That’s a premature assessment and I’ll remind y’all who is in charge.”
The Chads exchange confused glances, clearly caught off guard by Tony’s intervention. Chet opens his mouth to protest, but Tony silences him with a look.
“This meeting is over,” Tony declares, his tone brooking no argument. “Harriet, take the rest of the day off. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
As I gather my things, my mind replays Gale’s reaction. His response had been more muted than I expected, his voice carefully controlled. But I had heard the underlying hurt in his voice, the slight tremor that betrayed his true feelings. He understood there was an audience, but his restraint only made the pain more palpable. It’s killing me, knowing I’ve hurt him like this.
I leave Tony’s office, my emotions a tumultuous mix of gratitude toward Tony, anger at the Chads, and overwhelming guilt about Gale. As I step out of the building, the bright afternoon sun feels like a spotlight, exposing my shame to the world. I fumble for my sunglasses, grateful for the small shield they provide against the glare—both from the sun and the curious glances of passing coworkers.
My feet carry me automatically toward the small park I’ve passed by a hundred times on my way to work but never actually visited. It’s little more than a patch of grass and a few benches tucked between buildings, easy to miss if you weren’t looking for an escape. Now, it feels like the only refuge in a world that’s suddenly become hostile.
I collapse onto a bench, my body heavy with the weight of everything that’s just happened. The events in Tony’s office replay in my mind on a nightmarish loop. The Chads’ smug faces, Tony’s disappointment, and worst of all, Gale’s carefully controlled voice, masking a pain I could feel through the phone.
I pull out my phone, staring at Gale’s contact info. My finger hovers over the call button, but I can’t bring myself to press it. What would I even say? “Sorry I manipulated an AI to hide the fact that we’re perfect for each other”? The absurdity of the situation would be laughable if it weren’t so heartbreaking.
A group of pigeons pecking at the ground nearby suddenly take flight, startled by a passing jogger. I watch them soar away, envying their freedom. If only I could sprout wings and fly away from this mess.
But I can’t. When E.M.M.A. identified Gale and me as a perfect match, I panicked. I let my own fears and insecurities override everything I believed in. I manipulated E.M.M.A.’s results, treating her like a simple program whose output could be changed on a whim. In doing so, I betrayed not only E.M.M.A. but also Gale, the company, and myself.
A cool breeze rustles through the trees, carrying with it the faint scent of approaching rain. It’s fitting, I think bitterly. Let the skies open up and wash away this awful day.
But I know it’s not that simple. The Chads will be pushing hard for their win, getting out a bare-bones chatbot, eager to dismantle E.M.M.A. and everything she represents. They’ve never understood her potential, seeing her only as a threat to their vision of something stripped down and dumb that will make money even if it’s not useful.
And Gale... God, Gale. The hurt in his voice keeps echoing in my ears. I take a deep breath, trying to center myself. I’ve royally screwed up, that’s undeniable. But wallowing in self-pity isn’t going to fix anything. I need a plan.
I need to talk to Gale properly, face-to-face. No audience, no Chads, just the two of us. I owe him a full explanation and a heartfelt apology. Whether he can forgive me remains to be seen, but I have to try.
I need to fight for E.M.M.A. The Chads may think they’ve won, but I’m not giving up without a battle. E.M.M.A. is too important, her potential too vast to be reduced to a simple chatbot. I’ll need allies—maybe I can get Tony on my side. His intervention at the end of the meeting gives me a glimmer of hope.
Last, I need to take a hard look at myself. Why did I react so strongly to E.M.M.A.’s match in the first place? What am I really afraid of? I’ve always prided myself on my logical, analytical mind, but this situation has exposed a tangle of emotions I’vebeen avoiding for far too long. I said my thirties were going to be about me living with less fear. So what am I doing? Gale sees me. The real me. The one who likes to be a control freak. The one who likes to be taken care of. The one who is fine to work to the point most people would collapse. And none of it has scared him. He’s said he wants more every time.
Enough with the seesaws. Enough playing games. It’s time to fight for the future I want to have.
The future he and I both deserve.
The first drops of rain begin to fall, pattering on the leaves above me. It’s time to face the music. I stand up, squaring my shoulders against the weight of the challenges ahead.
