Chapter 35: New PrioritiesI woke to the sound of hushed voices outside my bedroom door. The digital clock read 3:17 AM—too early for my scheduled vitals check. My hand instinctively moved to my rounded belly, where our daughter responded with a reassuring flutter."She's finally sleeping," I heard
Chapter 36: The Henderson WomenFive months pregnant and still under house arrest—or "medically mandated rest" as Dr. Richardson insisted on calling it. The expansive Henderson estate had become my beautiful prison, albeit one with thousand-thread-count sheets and a rotation of private nurses."Bloo
Chapter 37: Building BridgesThe vibrant colors of spring danced outside my window, taunting me with their freedom. After weeks of strict bed rest, Dr. Richardson had finally granted me limited mobility—"short walks and light activity," she'd specified with stern emphasis on "light." The simple plea
Chapter 38: Family FoundationsThe offshore accounts had been Victoria's final trap—cleverly constructed shells with all our names attached but only her fingerprints on the transactions. Two grueling weeks of FBI interviews, forensic accountants, and legal consultations finally cleared Marcus and Ja
Chapter 39: Victoria's ReturnThe flash of the camera burned spots into my vision, sealing the moment into memory: Victoria Henderson standing on my doorstep, uninvited yet somehow expected, a ghost I'd known would eventually materialize."This is inappropriate," Marcus said, stepping partially in f
Chapter 40: New BeginningsPain unlike anything I'd ever experienced tore through my body, a primal force that reduced my world to raw sensation. Sweat plastered my hair to my forehead as I gripped Marcus's hand with crushing force."You're doing beautifully, Sophia," Dr. Richardson encouraged from
The parade of visitors began: Emma and Liam, cooing over Truth with genuine adoration; my parents, my father trying unsuccessfully to hide his tears; and finally, James escorting his frail father.William Henderson Sr. looked shockingly old in the harsh hospital lighting, his once-commanding presenc
Chapter 41: Unexpected VisitorTruth's first month flew by in a blur of sleepless nights, diaper changes, and moments of breathtaking wonder. Our daughter grew more alert each day, her dark eyes—unmistakably Henderson eyes—tracking my movements with an intensity that sometimes unnerved me.We'd sett
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