What do you do when you get told at 12 that you will be fully blind by the time you're 26? A dainty feminine voice filled the room, coming from the flat-screen TV mounted to the wall.

Why would you learn everything you possibly can about technology; from building computer parts, coding, programming and much more. Not to mention all the while being a normal-not really- child. How about once you start losing your sight, forcing you to go out and scout the world for your fellow up and coming geniuses? The petite blonde delivered her speech, filled with passion where it was called for. Trying her best to entice the viewer.

What was the end game of it all? The young woman took a pause in attempts to be dramatic. 

Well, that's simple it was to build a company that would help the naturally unfortunate, and give them what they desire most. From restoring hearing to returning sight, and creating new, fully functional limbs. Return to Reality Inc. is currently working on rewiring damaged nerve endings. They also supply the masses with a wide variety of computers and other technologies. No one is excluded. Walking around the stage she went to the only two seats and occupied one.

The young woman on the tv greeted another young lady who almost fell when she climbed up onto the stage. Almost like she wasn't quite used to taking stairs. Like she isn't wearing the right glasses and her depth perception is off. The second woman was introduced as Lyla Osborne. The tv was turned off, the remote was tossed to the table. 

Lyla strutted across the bright and open room with significantly more confidence than she had on tv, trying to walk off her frustration. Her pacing almost put a hole into the brightly colored rug; which took up 75% of her office floor. 

How was she going to sell her products if she didn't appear confident with them? She berated herself, telling herself Steve Jobs didn't sell Apple products because of them being top of the line. He sold them because he acted like he knew they were the best until they were. 

She repeatedly glanced at the wall clock, lines appearing on her face. She was growing more and more anxious about whatever she knew was coming her way. After about twenty minutes of pacing her feet grew tired, one of the many downsides to being blind. You tend to sit often. She moved around her ordinary desk -it was the first one she bought when she formed the company- and sat in her cushy chair. Just as she sat back and seem to start to relax, a knock rapped on her door. 

Lyla responded with a sigh. The person on the other side knew that that was their cue, and walked in. Ian hesitantly stepped in, he had a deep wrinkle in the middle of his forehead and a frown to match it. You would have to be oblivious to not see he was happy. Lyla knew when he was close enough and had his mouth open ready to start tearing her a new one. She raised her hand and shaking her head from side to side. 

"Not now Ian." Her velvety voice did not match her face. At least that was Ian's opinion, he wasn't fond of the dark hair and green eyes look. He especially didn't like the looks of her once her eyes started to lose pigment, just one of her eyes is blue. Horner's syndrome coupled with macular degeneration resulted in a really messed up vision and the birth of Return to Reality. She glanced at the clock and then back to Ian. He blew out a big breath and sat in the chair opposite her. 

"Don't look at the clock like that, I know your chip is off. I checked before I came in here." His high-pitched voice sounds like every word actually crawls its way up and out of his nose. Every time Lyla heard him speak, she clenched her jaw, she usually kept it hidden. Today was one of those times. 

"You know damn well that, that chip gives me headaches after wearing it for so long." She rolls her head on her neck, in an attempt at a moments rest from the tension built up in her joints. As, if Ian's mere presence irritated her. "Also need I remind you that I am the bigger shareholder, please be respectful." She chided him sweetly, almost too sweetly. Ian's squints and twitches slightly at her tone, he plasters a fake smile on his face anyway- knowing full well she couldn't see it. 

"I truly am sorry, it's just that I am just as invested in our company as you are. Especially seeing as you made me in charge of the marketing and sales departments." His sincerity fell flat on Lyla's ears. She had no patience for his whining tonight and cut him off before he could go any further. 

"That's just until we find someone else, someone more qualified, to run those departments. Hell," she tossed her hair off her shoulder and chuckled humorlessly. "We may even find two someones, but this way you can go back to the lab." Ian paled, looking like he wanted to become one with the chair he sat on. A smirk appeared on Lyla's face, it soon spread into a full-blown smile. Ian did his best to recover, to no real avail. 

"Yes, I know how much you hate your new salary position, and went to go back 'to making a real difference in this company'" It would have been hard to ignore the downright nasty tone she used while quoting him. She knew she had unnerved him in her mind, she had won. 

"You may want to be careful who you trust with your venting in my company." She looked down and acted like she was looking at the papers on her desk. The blatant dismissal wasn't lost to Ian. Who got up, straighten his coat and left without another word. 

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Lyla with her arms full, of paper bags from the local organic place, struggled with the doorknob to the office break room. She turned her head to smile as a greeting to her knight in shining armor. Who also places the role of Lyla's best friend; here at R2R she was the head of the programming department.

 Emma Wells.

 Lyla did not envy her best friend's position, it was the most troublesome part of the company. Surprisingly surpassing the prosthetic department. Emma handled everything that was tossed to her with a leveled head, one of the many reasons Lyla picked her for the job. Aside from a massive knowledge of all things tech. Hell Emma even helped her build her house's AI - Gerard. 

The two women talked as they unpack the bags and fill the cupboard. Something Lyla did once a month, after collecting the shopping list. This was something that has been a part of the company since its start in the basement of Emma's old rental. Lyla was a firm believer in treating her employees well, and they would treat her well. All aside from Ian. Voicing her concerns about him to Emma, who was also not much a fan. 

"Why don't we go have an 'I hate Ian' lunch?" Emma suggested probably trying to get out of work no one could really blame her. The newest demand from the sales team, after several polls with our current customer base: they want real feeling. Who can blame them? 

That would be most of the R2R employees because they are almost asking for the impossible. 

Almost, but until then it's a bloody nightmare for Emma's whole department. Most of them are working overtime at double time. They have even hired on more coders and what not. Lyla -much to Ian's dismay- has given Emma a "just shy of unlimited resources" - Ian's words- which is how they have gotten results before. Lyla smiles and accepts the offer and the two women head their separate ways with promises of meeting in fifteen minutes. 

Unbeknownst to Lyla, Ian was waiting for her in her office, and she was going to listen to him. While shes opening her door she was staring at her phone. Taking the moment to make sure there were no more emails from journalists hounding her about the promises Ian had made.

"Asshole." She muttered to herself. When the door banged shut revealing Ian behind it and causes her to jump and spin around. Lyla didn't have the time to react to the gun in his hand before it went off. Scaring Ian, he jumped and backed into the wall. The sound made him reach for his ears, but he recovered quickly. The gun in his hand gave a slight tremble before he shoved it in his coat.

Her body crumpled under the impact of the bullet, she landed on her side in a heap.

Lyla's last sight was his twisted smile.

"See you in hell, Lyla."

His cruel words ringing in her ears, as the shirt on her stomach seeped with blood. The pain making its presence known now that the shock had worn off.

Then she passed out.

A growing puddle formed on the surrounding floor, Ian hadn't noticed that he stepped in some. Leaving a trail that went cold on the sidewalk outside. The gun was ditched in a trash can nearby.

Almost as cold as Lyla was when Emma found her, causing her to scream for help. 

The help that took too long to arrive.