His search query was specific, a string of keywords he’d seen on forums:

The screen went black. The "RemoveWAT" activator hadn't just removed a watermark; it had removed the walls of his digital life. As Leo sat in the dark, the only light left was the tiny green eye of the webcam, watching him realize that some "free" software comes with a price no one can afford to pay.

"Yes!" Leo pumped his fist. He spent the next hour working on a layout, feeling a sense of triumph over the system. But then, things started to get weird.

"Just one click," Leo whispered to his empty room. "One click and the watermark dies."