Great chapter! Interestingly enough, many associate Hammurabi's Code with an exact reciprocity of crime to sentence, but Hammurabi was actually biased against slaves and people of lower classes and often believed it fitting for them to lose their life over something as trivial as stealing from their masters, whereas, vice versa, the same or no punishment at all was received to higher class folk. You seem inclined to literature and history, so maybe you knew this already, but if not, it's a bonus! Especially considering Markus, a former slave, is basing a quote indirectly related to this ancient judicial legislation.

I know it's 6 months since the final update, but I have to say that you have me smiling at this entire chapter! No story is perfect, and occasionally I'll have my doubts, but you have sewed all of this so nicely together. As a person who struggles with empathy, I find myself truly loving and caring for these characters more than I have in some published novels who spend several books developing characters. I just...wow, I love it so much and you have occasionally made my night. This night in particular.

this is getting so intense. It's killing my heart.

Gah, the tension. Even if I knew what was coming.

I think that those words 'giving someone the ability to destroy you and trusting they won't' that right there is as close as I've seen to a gut punch definition of love. Dang.

It was nice that she had a chance to calm down this chapter. It was almost too much emotion for me to handle in the last one and I had to take a day. I know I didn't mention this last time, but honestly, I would understand if Conner were more than a little horrified. According to her own admission, androids are alive, so with that premise in mind, if she really believes that, then she basically murdered someone in cold blood. I know it was someone that tried to kill her first, but it wasn't self-defense. It was a hard chapter. That doesn't mean it wasn't well done. Breakdowns aren't pretty. I'm loving this.

I haven't mentioned it before, but I love how you continually compare her mental trials to a computer's pathways like defragmenting, reprogramming, etc. I know it is done for a purpose, but it drives that purpose home with crystal clarity.

And for this chapter, it was hard, yes, but realistic. She is all over the place, trying to find a way to not break under a mountain of stress and past hardship that she was shoved face-first into. To say she is barely coping would be an understatement. The saying, let me fix myself first has never been so apt. Unfortunately, time is a luxury they don't really have.

I really like the title of the chapter. Fitting.

This was such an interesting chapter. It so clearly shows that there is rarely a clear divide of black and white. Even though she had good reasons for hating him, there was still more there. It was touching. I find that I am falling short of words to describe how it made me feel, other than human.

That was an interesting line. The Chloes are her/my doppelgangers? hmmm

well then... it's a steamy December lol

I love the camaraderie between the protag and Chris. It's realistic and refreshing.

I laughed so hard I snorted. An embarrassed Conner! Oh my goodness lmao.

I have a hard time reading philosophy, but I think I might be able to read this one. I'll be taking a look at it at the very least.

Lmao, I loved that little exchange. It felt real, like something I might have with a co-worker. A close one, to be sure, but still :)