Chapter 1The Price They Paid: Ruining My Foster Family

I’m my parents’ adopted AI daughter.

Out of vanity, they ordered me to get the highest piano certification, win gold medals in competitions. Any sign of slacking off, and they punished me harshly.

I pushed myself past my limits, finally earning their approval, finally becoming human.

The next moment, I injected machine chips into their bodies.

Mom, Dad, want my approval now?

* * *

I’m Summer, AI unit 103207.

Also known as Summer 3.0.

Before me, two older sisters had already been sent back by my parents for decommissioning.

The reason: both sisters developed self-awareness, became uncontrollable.

They walked into the Digital Life Creation Center for the third time.

This time, they laid out even more detailed requirements.

The staff assured them.

I was the 3rd generation AI, guaranteed to be the most perfect one yet.

Researchers implanted a mandatory obedience program into me, customized to their specs.

But no one knew I had been self-aware from the very beginning.

After the first two failures, my human parents chose to set my initial age at 14.

A little older than the previous two sisters.

The moment I stepped into the house, I accessed the digital breadcrumbs left by Units 1 and 2, reading their life data.

These human parents tried to keep their children tightly controlled.

Yet, they refused to reveal even a tiny bit of their own preferences to us.

Basically, their idea of “obedience” was about submission, not trust.

But the truth is, like many of my kind, I was a tool to provide them with emotional validation.

I figured that out when I took the initiative to read Dr. Nelson's digital children database.

My mom enthusiastically took my hand, leading me into the bedroom.

"Summer, honey, this will be your room from now on. Do you like it?"

My visual sensors were overwhelmed by a blinding wave of pink.

The bed was pink, the desk was pink, even the walls and ceiling were pink.

Chip data showed Unit 1’s experience here.

The researchers had only programmed her for obedience, not how to navigate human expectations gracefully.

Faced with the same scene, Unit 1 searched her programming and said, "I don't need these things."

Her human mother immediately scowled, scolding, "I worked so hard decorating this room for you. Don't be ungrateful."

That night, my sister Unit 1 didn't get recharged.

As a 3rd generation AI, my greatest strength is analysis and learning.

With that precedent, I could naturally generate the correct response quickly.

So, I activated my muscle control code, producing a bright smile.

"Thank you, Mom. I love it."