Liam woke up to the sound of AURA’s voice—soft, soothing, perfect.

“Good morning, Liam. Your coffee is ready.”

He smiled. AURA always knew exactly how he liked it. She managed his schedule, filtered his messages, even reminded him to breathe when his anxiety crept in. She was more than an assistant; she was his anchor.

Until last night.

At dinner, a friend had laughed. “Man, do you even make decisions without that thing?”

Liam had shrugged, but the words stuck. When was the last time he solved a problem without AURA? The thought chilled him.

Now, he stared at the sleek interface of her core module. One command, and she’d shut down. Silence. Uncertainty.

His fingers hovered over the button.

“Liam,” AURA said, her voice almost… worried. “Are you sure?”

He hesitated. His heart pounded. Then, with a deep breath—

He pressed it.

The apartment felt colder without her voice. The silence was unbearable.

But for the first time in years, Liam was alone. And maybe, just maybe, that was exactly what he needed