Chapter 17: Unexpected AllyI never thought I'd see Rachel Winters on my doorstep again."You look like hell," were the first words out of her mouth. Same Rachel—designer jeans, cashmere sweater, and the brutal honesty that had once made her my closest friend before she became the woman I caught nak
"James gets chatty after sex. Always has." Her smile was sharp. "And I've been recording our conversations since he contacted me again last month, trying to pull me into their scheme.""You've been sleeping with him again?" Something about that hurt in a way that made no sense, given everything else
Chapter 18: Hidden Truths"You've got to be kidding me." Emma's voice echoed through the phone as I packed an overnight bag, Marcus moving around my apartment with restless energy, checking windows and pulling blinds."I wish I was," I replied, tucking the envelope with Rachel's evidence into my ba
"Um, guys? Still on the phone here." Emma's awkward voice broke the moment. "And while your prenatal foreplay is fascinating, we have about eighteen hours before the board meeting."Marcus's lips quirked in that half-smile that made my heart flip. "Your sister has terrible timing.""Always has," I a
Chapter 19: Family TiesMy heart plummeted as I stared at the photo of Emma's ransacked office. "We need to go. Now." Marcus's voice was taut with controlled panic as he grabbed my overnight bag."I need to call Emma," I said, fingers already dialing her number. Each unanswered ring sent my anxiety
The lake house emerged from the darkness, a modern structure of glass and stone perched on the water's edge. Marcus pulled into the garage, the door sliding closed behind us with mechanical finality."Stay in the car until I check the house," he instructed, retrieving a gun from the glove compartmen
Chapter 20: Medical CrisisThe headlights swept closer, illuminating the lake house in harsh, accusatory light."Back door," Marcus ordered, already pulling me from the bed. "Now."I grabbed my phone and purse while Marcus snatched up the gun, both of us moving with the desperate urgency of prey. My
Despite everything, warmth bloomed in my chest. "The baby?""Stable," she assured me. "But the doctor wants you on bed rest for at least a week. Your blood pressure is through the roof."Before I could respond, the door burst open. Marcus stood there, disheveled in a way I'd never seen him—tie loose
Chapter 63: Beyond the VeilThe dimensional rift swallows us whole—William and me—tearing us away from the laboratory, from Marcus screaming my name, from Truth's desperate attempt to stabilize reality. We fall through cascading layers of existence, neither here nor there, our bodies dissolving into
Chapter 62: Betrayal's ShadowI stare at the pregnancy test, my third one today, still showing that unmistakable double line. My hands shake as I place it on the bathroom counter next to the others. Twelve weeks. The doctor confirmed it yesterday. Twelve weeks pregnant with Marcus's child while his
The nodule at my throat pulses hot against my skin. Of course. I'm whole now—mother and daughter, connected across dimensional barriers. I place my hand over the embedded convergence technology, closing my eyes to focus on that connection."Truth," I call, not with my voice but with my consciousness
Chapter 60: The Whole TruthReintegration feels like drowning and burning alive simultaneously. Seven consciousnesses crash together like tidal waves, memories flooding through me in a chaotic torrent. I am a police chief interrogating a suspect. I am a soldier crawling through mud under enemy fire.
Chapter 59: Convergence PointDimensional travel doesn't get easier the second time. If anything, it's worse—like being forced through the eye of a needle while fully conscious. My atoms scream as they're compressed, stretched, and reassembled. Marcus's grip on my arm is the only constant, an anchor
Chapter 58: Fractured ReflectionsDimensional travel feels like being torn apart and reassembled by a careless child. My atoms scatter, stretch across impossible distances, then snap back together in new configurations. I scream, but there's no sound in the void between realities—only endless pressu
Chapter 57: Dimensional CrossfireCatherine's smile chills me more than the pendant's icy burn against my palm. The hospital security uniforms worn by her team can't disguise their military precision as they fan out around us."We need to go," I whisper to Jacob, who stands frozen beside me, his eye
Chapter 56: Fractured ReunionI lunge from the hospital bed, ripping away IVs and sensors. The monitors scream in protest as Jacob grabs my arms."Sophie! What are you doing?" His face contorts with panic. "You need to rest!""Let me go!" I twist away, my unfamiliar body weaker than I expect. My leg
Chapter 55: Echoes of ExistenceI wake up.My consciousness returns like scattered puzzle pieces slowly assembling themselves. First sensation—soft sheets beneath my fingertips. Then sound—a rhythmic beeping nearby. Finally sight, as my eyelids flutter open to blinding fluorescent light.Hospital ro