Slap the Chairman’s Son

I was the star recruit, the prodigy the university had paid a fortune to poach.
In my last life, during the final round of the National AI Championship, the son of the universitys Chairman of the Board submitted an algorithm identical to mine.
My own teammate, my supposed best friend, testified that he personally saw me plagiarize it from the chairmans son.
I was publicly shamed, dragged through the mud. My girlfriend was my only solace, her comfort the only thing that kept me going.
The scandal was just starting to die down when compromising photos of me surfaced online.
The story spun was that Id only been accepted into this prestigious university because I was a sugar baby for some rich old man. The university, citing damage to its reputation, sued me for an exorbitant amount in damages.
I had no way to pay. In the end, I turned on the gas and let the darkness take me.
When I opened my eyes, I was back. One week before the competition deadline. This time, I decided to just quit. Let them have it. But then my girlfriend told me she had a kidney disease and desperately needed money for a transplant.

1
Joey, youre exhausted. Dont sleep at your desk, youll catch a cold.
My best friends voice woke me. For a disoriented moment, I saw himBob, the snake whod sold me out.
I rubbed my eyes. It was really him.
I swung my arm in a wide arc and slapped him across the face. A sharp crack echoed in the lab, followed by a high-pitched yelp.
Agh!
Bob stared at me, his eyes wide with disbelief. I was just as shocked. In my nightmares, Id done this a thousand times, but my hand had always passed right through him. This time, it connected.
I slowly became aware that the low hum of the lab had fallen silent. I looked around. Everyone was staring at us.
What was going on? Where am I?
Bob clutched his cheek, looking utterly bewildered. Joey, are you still asleep or something? Were in the lab!
My eyes shot to the calendar on the wall. September 1st. One week until the competition deadline.
Of course. No wonder Bob was so surprised. He hadnt stolen my code for Jack Thorne, the chairmans son, yet.
I scrambled to apologize. Bob, man, Im so sorry. I was out of it, must have been a bad dream.
Bob patted my shoulder, forcing a smile. Its fine, dude. I know youve been under a lot of pressure. Itll all be over after the competition. Im counting on you to win so you can buy me dinner!
I nodded along. Yeah, the pressures been getting to me. Headaches all the time. I think Im just going to go home and get some real sleep.
Ignoring Bobs stunned expression, I packed my things and walked out.
Without the betrayal of my past life, I never would have realized he wasnt my friend. He was my warden. He wasn't waking me up out of concern; he was waking me up to make sure I kept working, to make sure Jack Thorne would have a winning project to steal.
In my previous life, the university had poached me with a ten-million-dollar scholarship, personally offered by Chairman Thorne. At first, I thought they just wanted a poster boy to attract more students. I never imagined I was being drawn into a massive conspiracy.
To justify that scholarship, I entered every competition I could. And in every single one, my scores were identical to Jack Thornes.
Slowly, Jacks popularity eclipsed mine. He was hailed as the handsome, charming genius, the full package. I was just the book-smart scholarship kid who was trying too hard. The poor cant produce real genius, theyd whisper.
I became obsessed with proving myself. I entered more competitions, worked harder, but no matter what I did, Jacks results always matched mine perfectly.
The other students started to mock me. "He looks so ugly when he's trying so hard to win," they'd say. "Jack doesn't even have to try." Some even started a rumor that Jack was intentionally matching my scores out of pity.
Jack would then put on a show of magnanimity. "Hey, don't talk about Joey like that," he'd say with a pained look. "He's not as gifted, maybe, but he really does try his best."
This only made them praise Jacks generosity and mock my supposed lack of talent even more.
As graduation neared, I taught myself AI, figuring it was a field so new that Jack couldn't possibly follow me into it.
He signed up for the same championship. I remember Bob sighing dramatically, "It's like there's only room for one genius in this town."
Before the competition even began, the whispers started again. "Think you can beat our golden boy by taking a different path? Looks like you walked right into his territory."
"I don't get why Chairman Thorne wasted so much money on that guy. He's so desperate to win. He shouldve just given the ten million to his own son."
Their words were like fuel. I pushed myself harder, pulling all-nighters, fueled by coffee and spite.
The competition had multiple tracks. I chose iris recognition, a niche and difficult field of biometric security. I never, ever imagined Jack would choose the exact same one.
He submitted his code the day before I did. After I uploaded mine, I went home and slept for a full day and night.
I woke up to find my world had ended. I was being crucified online. I was an ungrateful leech, they said, who took the Chairman's money and then stole his son's work.
Bob and I had been inseparable during the entire development process. He was the one person who could prove my innocence.
Instead, he went to the media, his face a mask of righteous indignation. "I told him not to do it," he said, shaking his head sadly. "I warned him, but he was just so obsessed with beating Jack for once. I tried to stop him!"
The truth hit me like a physical blow. He had been my shadow for months, watching every line of code I wrote. He was the leak.
The baseless accusations from strangers were one thing, but the betrayal from my closest friend broke me.
I fell into a deep depression. My girlfriend, Nina, was my rock, patiently pulling me back from the edge.
But just as I was starting to recover, Jacks fanatical supporters released the final blow: doctored photos of me in a compromising position with a bald, older man. I tried to explain that they were AI-generated deepfakes, but no one believed me.
The narrative was set. I had slept my way into the university. The school sued me for twenty million dollars for defamation. I had nothing. My only way out was the gas stove.
But now, fate has given me a second chance. And I refuse to be Jack Thorne's stepping stone ever again. My plan is simple: tomorrow, I'm quitting the competition and just coasting until graduation.

2
The next morning, for the first time in months, I wasnt in the lab at 5 AM.
Bob, my loyal supervisor, was always there with me at 5 AM sharp. I would start coding, and he would promptly fall asleep at the next workstation.
Today, he wasn't getting his nap.
He was panicking. My phone buzzed with a string of calls from him, all of which I ignored. It wasnt until 10 AM, after Id secured a fake doctor's note from an urgent care clinic, that I finally picked up.
Joey! Where are you? Why aren't you in the lab? I've been calling you all morning, why didn't you answer?
His usual calm demeanor was gone, replaced by a sharp, frantic edge.
I let out a fake cough. Im sick. Just got back from the doctor. Didnt want to worry you, so I didn't pick up. He said I've been running myself ragged and have a bad flu. Told me to rest for a week.
But what about the AI championship? Chairman Thorne said he expects the winner to come from our university this year. Are you really going to let him down?
Its fine. Im sick, but we still have Jack, right? I already gave my doctor's note to the professor. She approved my withdrawal from the competition. I really dont feel well. Im going back to bed.
I hung up before he could argue.
Back in my apartment, I collapsed onto my bed and went over the plan. If I don't compete, none of the rest can happen. I'm just one person against a powerful family. This life, all I want is to live quietly and peacefully with Nina.
Just as I was drifting off, my phone rang again. This time, it was Nina.
Joey, oh god, somethings wrong. Im sick. I might need a kidney transplant. I need a lot of money!
I shot up in bed. What? What happened?
Nina told me she had suddenly fainted and her classmates had rushed her to the hospital. The diagnosis was uremia. Kidney failure.
My mind went blank. In my past life, Nina was perfectly healthy, right up until the day I died. She was never sick.
Was this fates twisted joke? Was I destined to be separated from the one person I loved, no matter what?

3
Nina and I were childhood sweethearts. Wed been together for eight years; our bond was deep.
When I was a kid, a fortune teller told my parents I was cursed and would bring them nothing but misfortune. They never let me forget it. The ten million dollar scholarship from Chairman Thorne? I gave it all to them to officially buy my freedom and sever all ties.
Now, with Nina sick, I didnt have a single penny to my name.
But the prize money for the AI championship was two million dollars. Enough to save her. Was I really being forced back into the competition?
I let out a long, heavy sigh. Maybe this was why I was brought backnot to escape my miserable fate, but to face it head-on.
I canceled my medical leave and went back to the lab. The only person there was Bob. He gave me a smug look that said, I knew you'd be back.
Seeing his triumphant expression, a hot spike of anger shot through me.
Im still not feeling well, I said coolly. The professor agreed to let me work from home. So you dont have to get up early to come to the lab with me anymore.
His smirk froze. As I started packing my laptop, he blurted out, I can come with you! Ill help you code at your place, and I can take care of you. How about that?
I politely declined. He opened his mouth to insist, but I was already out the door.
I dont know how much he got for selling me out in our last life, but Ill be damned if he makes a cent off me in this one.
My gut told me the Thornes wouldn't give up that easily.
Back at my apartment, I immediately swept my computer and my entire room for bugs, listening devices, and keylogging software. The scan came up clean. I could finally relax.
I threw myself back into the work, writing and running code, losing track of time.
Around 9 PM, my doorbell rang.
It was Nina, a frown creasing her forehead.
Did you give Bob a hard time? she demanded. Do you have any idea how worried he was about you? Can you stop being so insanely jealous all the time? The only reason I even know Bob is because of you!
The accusation stung, but then I remembered how shed stood by me in my past life, how shed been my only light in the darkness. I couldn't bring myself to argue with her. She was probably the only person in the world who truly cared about me.
After a long internal debate, I decided to tell her everything. I laid out the whole story of my past lifeBob stealing my code for Jack, the public shaming, everything.
Ninas expression shifted from shock to pure fury. How could they? Bob and the Thornes... thats monstrous! So you're just going to give up? But Joey... the doctor just told me today about my kidney. We need that money for a transplant!
A strange, unreadable emotion flickered in her eyes, gone as quickly as it appeared.
But no matter what, she said, her voice firm, Joey, you cant enter this competition. I would rather die than see you dragged through the mud like that again!
My heart ached for her. I pulled her into a hug, tears streaming down my face. How could I ever just watch you die? Bob won't be around this time. I won't let them steal it! Don't worry, Nina. I will win that prize money, and I will get you that kidney!
Nina hugged me back, nodding into my shoulder.
As if in response, the Thornes declared war. Chairman Thorne announced publicly that the winning iris recognition project from the competition would be implemented directly into his corporations financial software. Technology and application, seamlessly integrated. The prize money was increased accordingly.
Everyone saw it as a done deal. The Chairman was just making sure the prize money stayed in the family. The winner would, of course, be Jack Thorne.
Nina was my constant source of encouragement, urging me to block out the noise. To help me focus, she started bringing me nutritious, home-cooked meals every day, despite her own failing health. Her cooking was incredible, better than any five-star restaurant.
Seeing her unwavering faith in me, I couldnt bear the thought of letting her down. I worked late into the night, every night.
Finally, on the last day before the deadline, I submitted my code with absolute confidence.
The result was the same. A crushing, familiar disappointment. Jack Thorne had submitted his code ten minutes before me. The judges once again ruled that I was the plagiarist. And once again, I was thrown to the wolves.
I hid in my apartment like a stray dog while Jack, dressed in a designer suit, accepted the award on a grand stage. Chairman Thorne presented him with the trophy himself, proudly announcing that his sons revolutionary iris recognition system would go live that very night.
Just like last time, the internet vultures descended, their comments more vicious than I remembered. Nina tried to take away my phone and laptop, to shield me from the hate, but I stopped her.
Because this time, I was waiting for something.
The next morning, a new headline screamed from the top of every news site.
Thorne Corp Financial Apps Iris Recognition Fails; System Unlocks with Picture of a Dogs Eye
Thorne Corp Users Report Accounts Drained Overnight
Source Claims Up to $50 Billion Stolen; Chairman Thorne Previously Promised 20x Compensation for Any Security Breach. Will Thorne Corp Honor its Promise?
The news exploded. No one cared about my plagiarism scandal anymore; they were all frantically checking their bank accounts. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a sense of peace. I could finally sleep.
But someone was determined to ruin it. My phone rang, and it was Nina, her voice shrill with panic. Joey, what is going on? How could Jacks code have a bug?
I kept my voice calm. His code has a bug. What does that have to do with me?
There was a pause, and then I heard Nina's voice on the other end, tight, seething with a rage Id never heard before. When did you find out?
I played dumb. Find... find out what?

First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "295754" to read the entire book.