Chapter 14: UltimatumsVictoria Henderson's smile promised destruction as she glided into my office, manila envelope tapping against her manicured nails. The same nails that had once patted my cheek at holiday parties, calling me "the daughter she never had." The irony wasn't lost on me."Am I inter
Chapter 15: Victoria's GameThe exclusive restaurant Victoria had chosen hummed with power. Every table hosted someone who mattered in our city's hierarchy - politicians dining with donors, celebrities with publicists, business titans with ambitious protégés. The perfect setting for her ambush."Sop
Chapter 16: Corporate WhispersThe Henderson Industries boardroom felt like a courtroom as I slipped into Marcus's side entrance, careful to avoid the main hallway where executives might spot me. The tension suffocated the space - thick enough to slice with the letter opener on Marcus's immaculate d
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
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
Chapter 54: The SacrificeThe pendant's light pulses beneath Truth's skin like a dying star—one final chance. One heartbeat of opportunity in the cosmic chess game we've been unwittingly playing."Mom?" Truth's voice breaks through, momentarily her own again—my daughter, not the entity wearing her.
Chapter 53: Convergence PointThe elevator doors glide open without anyone pressing a button, revealing a sterile metal box large enough to accommodate us all. No buttons inside. No panel. Just smooth, reflective surfaces that distort our faces like funhouse mirrors."I don't like this," Rodriguez m
Hundreds of faces—my face—stare at us with empty eyes. Researchers in pristine lab coats standing in perfect formation, surrounding our vehicle in concentric circles. Not blinking. Not breathing. Just watching."Oh my God," Rachel whispers behind me.Truth squirms in my arms, her movements no longer
Chapter 51: The race beginsOutside our home, the world has fractured.The familiar suburban landscape is gone, replaced by something that makes me question my sanity. The night sky pulses with colors that shouldn't exist—not quite purple, not quite black, rippling like the northern lights but someh
Chapter 50: Manifested"Sophia, wait." Marcus catches my arm as I move toward the door. The look in his eyes—that unfamiliar shadow I'd glimpsed moments before—has vanished, replaced by raw vulnerability. "You can't seriously believe I'd hurt Truth."The pendant's glow pulses beneath our daughter's