Chapter 24: James's DilemmaThe document on my phone blurred as tears filled my eyes. Marcus took one look at my face and gently pried the device from my fingers. I watched his expression change as he read—confusion, then disbelief, finally settling into something unreadable."You filed a harassment
"I'm a big girl, James." I gestured to my hospital room. "Not exactly going anywhere."He pulled out his phone, fingers flying across the screen. "I'm calling in a security team I trust. Not Henderson security—independent contractors.""You don't have to—""Yes, I do." His expression hardened. "Look
Chapter 25: The Gala PreparationI stood before the full-length mirror, barely recognizing the woman who stared back at me. The midnight blue gown—custom-made to accommodate my five-month baby bump—draped elegantly over my curves, the empire waist creating a silhouette that somehow managed to look b
Understanding dawned in his eyes. "This is about your daughter's legacy.""Everything is about her now." My hand pressed against the curve where she rested. "I want her to grow up proud of both her parents, not ashamed of how we began."He nodded, closing his bag. "One hour," he repeated firmly. "I'
"What strategy?" Emma and James asked simultaneously.Marcus met my eyes, a question in his gaze. Whatever he was planning, he wanted my approval first. I nodded slightly, and he turned to face James."I'm going to announce my engagement to Sophia at the gala," he stated. "Then I'm resigning as CEO—
Chapter 26: AftermathI awoke to hospital monitors beeping and morning light filtering through the blinds. Reality crashed back instantly—the gala, the public humiliation, Marcus's impossible choice."You're awake." Emma looked up from her phone, dark circles under her eyes. "How are you feeling?""
Chapter 27: Emma's MissionI sat in Lawrence Chen's waiting room, clutching a manila folder containing everything we had on Victoria. The Henderson Tower's executive floor buzzed with barely contained chaos—assistants rushing between offices, phones ringing constantly, security personnel stationed a
I bit back a retort. Antagonizing him wouldn't help Sophia."My sister fell in love with Marcus after James betrayed her. It wasn't planned or calculated. Can you say the same about Victoria's actions?"My phone buzzed with a text. Nathan: *Victoria called. She's offering me SVP if I confirm you acc
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