Page 55 of Daring Destiny

I spot him in the back, already seated. He looks a hell of a lot better than the last time I saw him. Rehab was tough, but it seems to have worked. He’s sober, clearer, and seems like himself again. Other than the seriousness in his eyes. Heartbreak. A weight that lingers.

“Hey, Bren.” He stands to give me a quick hug. “Been a while.”

“Yeah, it has.” I slide into the booth across from him. “You look well.”

Cillian motions to the waiter for water. “I feel great. One day at a time, though. You know how it is.”

I nod, though I can’t pretend to know the depth of what he’s gone through.

We order two ribeyes, medium rare, with all the sides, and while we wait, I can’t help but reflect on how much things have changed in such a short time. Three months ago, I was being pushed around by the board and feeling suffocated by their plans for CognifyAI.

Things are different now.

Thanks to Astrid, I’ve been working closely with my financial advisor and lawyer to negotiate my CEO package, ensuring my future legacy with the company. It was a wake-up call. If I hadn’t gotten ahead of this when I did, I would have been utterly fucked.

Embracing my role as the public face of the company has been strategic. Now, I have a semblance of control. Public persona Brennan is someone I hated at first but now I’ve come to accept him. If I’m going to keep my eye on the long-term prize, I need to play the game for the board.

“Media training still got you in knots?” Cillian asks with a smirk as the waiter brings us the dessert menu.

I grin, shaking my head. “Nah, I’ve gotten the hang of it. It’s not as bad as I thought it’d be. Surprisingly, it’s worth it. If all goes to plan, and the deal we proposed goes through, I’ll stick with CognifyAI and I’ll be set for life.”

“More than.” He quirks an eyebrow. “We’re talking ‘richest man in the world’ territory, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, or something close. But, there are strings attached. The golden handcuffs they’re offering come with a five-year lock-in. I’ll be tied to the company for the next half decade.” I swirl the lemon slice around in my glass of water.

Cillian studies me for a moment. “And you’re not sure if it’s what you want.”

It’s not a question. He knows me too well.

“I’m not,” I admit. “It’s tempting. I’ve worked for years to get CognifyAI where it is. Walking away now would feel like giving up. At the same time, I’m not as excited about it as I used to be.”

“Oh?” Cillian leans back in the booth.

I pause, thinking about the project Astrid and I have been working on. “I’m more excited about Reuniverse than CognifyAI these days.” The words surprise me as they come out. “Astrid and I are in the final stages of beta testing. It’ll be ready for our reunion next year. It’s fun to build something from the ground up again. I’ve gotta be honest, the implementation of this AI has real potential on its own.”

Cillian chews a piece of his steak. “So, you’re telling me you could be the richest man in the world, but what gets you going is this reunion app?”

I laugh, but it’s the truth. “Yeah, it kind of is. It reminds me of why I got into tech in the first place—creating useful innovations to help people. CognifyAI’ s not the same these days. Once we go public, it’ll belong to the shareholders. I’ve come to terms with the change of status but it’s weird. Maybe that’s why Reuniverse is so much fun. It’s ours.”

“You’re building it with the woman you love.” Cillian leans back in his seat as the waiter refills his water glass. Thankfully he doesn’t sound bitter. “Sounds like you’ve got a choice to make. Stick with the golden handcuffs or go after what actually makes you happy.”

Huh. His bluntness makes me realize I do have a choice. “Well, I I’m hoping to do both.”

“How’s she doing, anyway?” Cillian asks after the waiter leaves. “Seems like things are pretty serious.”

“Yeah.” I swirl the water in my glass. “Astrid’s great. And yeah, we’re serious. As you can tell, she’s crazy busy with her clients and I’m always buried with shit, but we’re making it work. I’ve even set calendar reminders so I remember to text her throughout the day.”

Cillian snorts. “What? You set reminders to text your girlfriend? Jesus, Bren.”

I laugh, because it sounds ridiculous. It’s the only way I’ve figured out to remember to check in so she knows I’ve got my priorities straight. With everything going on—IPO talks, the constant travel between Seattle and Silicon Valley, media training and overseeing the technology, I need a system.

“You thinking about marrying her?” Cillian leans forward.

“Uh…” I glance at him, caught off guard by the question. “You know I try not to get too far ahead of myself.”

“Sure …” Cillian purses his lips pensively.

I swallow hard because he knows me so well. “I do think about it. Except, until I sort out CognifyAI, we don’t live in the same city. I won’t be able to give her what she deserves.”

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