Chapter 4

Today was also my anniversary. No one remembered.

Three years ago today, I asked Ethan through my tears if we could wait until after our anniversary before I left.

Ethan said, "We'll make up for it when you come back after learning your lesson."

I had learned my lesson, but the cake never came.

Mia suddenly smiled at me. "Miss Wright, the definition of 'normal' is to push people you don't like."

"Push me, just like you did three years ago."

She gave me a definition of "normal."

I placed my hand on her shoulder. Before I even pushed, she fell down. Her skirt spread across the floor like a wilting flower.

The living room door was pushed open. Ethan stood in the doorway holding two glasses of juice, furiously shouting at me, "Claire! What are you doing!"

The cups in his hands smashed to the floor. Juice and glass shards rolled everywhere.

Mia sat on the ground. She raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Miss Wright, why did you push me? I just wanted to wish you a happy anniversary. I thought you didn't hate me anymore..."

I didn't speak. She was pretending.

I knew she was pretending. Her tears were simulated by programs, her trembling generated by algorithms.

Ethan rushed over, his facial expression completing the transformation from shock to fury in three seconds. "What are you doing! Why did you push Mia!"

"She told me to push her."

"You're lying!"

Mia cried out loud. "How could I possibly tell you to push me? I just wanted to get along well with Miss Wright..."

Ethan crouched down to help Mia up, his movements very gentle, as if lifting a piece of porcelain that might shatter at any moment.

He raised his head to look at me, his eyes full of disappointment.

"You haven't changed at all."

"You studied at the academy for three years, came back pretending to be so well-behaved, and then immediately showed your true colors."

"I knew it. A dog can't stop eating shit."

"And I was saying I should treat you better. I was regretting sending you to that kind of place. I was discussing how to compensate you."

He stepped closer, his finger jabbing at my chest. "And what happened? You haven't changed at all!"

"You still can't tolerate Mia. You pretended to be good for three years and fooled all of us."

I opened my mouth, wanting to say it wasn't me pretending, it was the academy that changed me this way, it was you who sent me there.

But I couldn't say it because there was no command.

"Speak!"

He yelled.

"I did not receive the command to 'speak.'"

Ethan's face flushed red. Behind him, Mia leaned against him, quietly sobbing.

"Go die."

Ethan suddenly said.

The living room was quiet for one second.

His voice was so loud even the windows shook. "Aren't you supposed to execute all commands? Aren't you well-behaved?"

"Then go die! It'll be quieter when you're dead!"

After Ethan said this, Mia suddenly collapsed to the floor.

Her body convulsed, her eyes rolled back, foam spilling from the corners of her mouth.

"Mia! Mia, what's wrong!"

Ethan's scream came from behind me.

He held her head, frantically pressing her philtrum, calling an ambulance.

Ethan surrounded her, not even glancing at me once.

"Command received. Go die."

He didn't hear me.

He surrounded Mia, his face full of heartache and anxiety.

I slowly turned around and walked toward the balcony.

Night wind poured in. It was cold.

"Claire!"

After Ethan noticed me, his phone slipped from his hand and smashed on the floor.

"Claire! What are you doing! Come back!"

I smiled faintly at him and unhesitatingly executed the command, climbing over the balcony railing.