Alex's fingerprint unlocked the apartment door, and she stepped into the home, her high heels making crisp sounds on the marble floor. The apartment was located in the most upscale area of the city, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the city's night scene, lights twinkling like stars.

"Marcus?" she called softly, hanging her coat on the rack in the hallway.


No response.

Alex walked into the spacious living room and found Marcus sitting at his workstation, focused on adjusting the details of an architectural model. He wore a magnifying glass, and his hands moved precisely with tools among the miniature components. He was so concentrated that he hadn't noticed her arrival.

Alex stood there, quietly observing her husband. Marcus Wright was a highly respected architect whose slender fingers were always creating astonishing structures, just like now. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, and the stubble on his chin showed that he had been working for a long time.


"Hey," she finally spoke, her voice gentler than she had expected.

Marcus looked up, blinked, as if returning from another world. "Hey, you're back." He put down his tools and removed his magnifying glass, "How was the presentation?"


"It was a success," Alex approached, excitement surging again, "Standing ovation from the entire audience, three venture capital firms have already expressed interest in increasing their investment, and two medical equipment giants want to discuss cooperation."

"That's great," Marcus said with a smile, but his eyes quickly returned to the model, "I knew you would succeed."

Alex felt a pang of disappointment, but she didn't give up. "You should have seen the audience's reaction, when I showed the video of the experiment with the twins, some people even cried. Marcus, we've really done it, the Neural Bridge can change everything."

Marcus nodded, finally turning completely toward her. "I'm proud of you, really." He stood up and gave her a hug, but it felt more like a perfunctory gesture rather than genuine enthusiasm.

Alex stiffened for a moment in his embrace, then stepped back. "What project are you working on?" she pointed to the model on the workbench.

"Oh, this is the new plan for the cultural center," Marcus's eyes lit up, "I've redesigned the light channeling in the atrium, allowing natural light to be utilized maximally during different seasons and different times of the day."

He began explaining the design concept in detail, his fingers dancing above the model, depicting the path of light. Alex watched him, a familiar feeling welling up inside her—this was the Marcus she had fallen in love with, full of passion, with the spark of creativity gleaming in his eyes.

Her thoughts involuntarily returned to seven years ago, to that architecture exhibition where they first met. Marcus was the most eye-catching figure at the venue back then, not only for his award-winning sustainable architectural design but also for the passion and energy he displayed when discussing his work. He could make the most complex structural principles lively and interesting, allowing every listener to feel the soul of architecture.

That night, at the reception after the exhibition, they talked for a full three hours, covering topics from architectural philosophy to neuroscience, from classical music to future urban planning. Marcus didn't just listen to her talk about her research; he also offered some surprising insights, connecting architectural spaces with human perception.

"Do you remember when we first met?" Alex suddenly asked, interrupting Marcus's explanation about lighting angles.

Marcus paused, his expression softening somewhat. "Of course I remember, that exhibition in Chicago. You were wearing a red dress and asked me a bunch of questions about my floating garden design."

Alex smiled. "I was just curious about how you solved the irrigation system problem."

"And then we talked until two in the morning, and the hotel security had to ask us to leave the lobby." Marcus smiled too, his first genuine smile of the evening.

After that brief moment of warmth, silence descended again. Alex looked at Marcus, feeling an invisible wall between them, as if they were thousands of miles apart even while standing so close.

"I'll heat up dinner," Marcus said, breaking the silence, "you must be hungry."

In the kitchen, Alex leaned against the counter, watching Marcus skillfully operate the microwave and oven. "You know," she began, "the civilian testing phase for the Neural Bridge is about to begin."

Marcus paused his movement, but didn't turn around. "Is that so?"

"Yes, we need data from real-world environments, not just laboratory conditions." Alex carefully chose her words. "I was thinking... perhaps we could become the first test subjects."

Marcus finally turned around, his expression complex. "You mean... the two of us?"

Alex nodded, stepping forward. "Imagine it, Marcus. We could truly understand each other's thoughts, share each other's feelings. No misunderstandings, no guessing, just pure connection."

Marcus's brow furrowed. "Alex, this is experimental technology. We don't even know what the long-term effects are."

"But that's exactly what we need to test," Alex said eagerly. "And the preliminary data shows it's safe. Marcus, this might be our chance to find our way back to each other."

The last sentence hung in the air, revealing her true motive. Marcus's expression softened somewhat, but then grew wary again.

"Are you saying there's a problem with our relationship?"

Alex took a deep breath. "I just feel like we don't communicate like we used to. You're always immersed in your projects, and I'm busy with the lab and meetings... We live under the same roof, yet we're rarely truly together."

Marcus took the dinner out of the oven, using more force than necessary. "So your solution is to implant chips in our brains?"

"Not chips, neural interfaces," Alex corrected, "and they're reversible, completely controllable. We can set the degree and duration of sharing."

Marcus placed the plates on the dining table, remaining silent for a moment. "I don't know, Alex. It feels like... an invasion. My thoughts are private."

"We're married, Marcus," Alex said softly, "Don't you want me to understand the real you?"

Marcus looked at her, a flicker of emotion that Alex couldn't interpret passing through his eyes. "Maybe it's precisely because you understand the real me that we've become what we are now."

This sentence pierced Alex's heart like a knife. Dinner proceeded in silence, with only the sound of cutlery collisions filling the void. Alex recalled that night in a Chicago hotel lobby when they talked until dawn, when the conversation between them flowed so naturally, so full of vitality. Now, even sitting at the same table, the distance between them was greater than any physical space.

After dinner, Marcus returned to his architectural model, while Alex sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the city lights. Her fingers gently caressed the back of her neck, where the Neural Bridge would be implanted. In that moment, she was more certain than ever that this technology was not just for the world, but also to save her own marriage.