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The humming sound of the Boeing 777 engine felt distant, drowned out entirely by the deafening realization pounding inside Nathan Wells’s ears. / Chapter 8 / 8

Chapter 8 - Sunrise Over SeattleThree days later, the sun broke through the gray morning clouds over Seattle, casting a golden hue across the private balcony of the Wells estate overlooking Puget Sound.

The corporate board of Neurosoft had been dissolved under emergency federal oversight. Julian Vance and his co-conspirators were sitting in federal holding cells, facing multiple counts of corporate espionage, illegal human experimentation, and kidnapping. The company was back where it belonged—in Catherine and Nathan’s hands, dedicated entirely to healing medical research.

Inside the warm, sunlit nursery, the twins were gurgling happily in their cribs, kicking their little legs as a mobile of wooden stars spun slowly overhead.

Sitting in a plush rocking chair by the window was Catherine, looking radiant as she held a steaming mug of tea. Standing beside her, leaning against the sill, was Nathan, his arm wrapped securely around her waist as if he never intended to let go.

And sitting cross-legged on the rug in the center of the room, surrounded by a mountain of newly unwrapped toys and books, was Lily.

"Are you sure I have to go to school tomorrow?" Lily asked, holding up a brand-new illustrated storybook with a skeptical look on her face. "I'm pretty sure I already know everything about quantum physics."

Catherine laughed, a rich, melodic sound that filled the room with pure joy. "School is non-negotiable, Lily. Besides, how else are you going to become the youngest lead scientist in Neurosoft history by the time you're twenty?"

Lily grinned, closing the book. "Fair enough."

The doorbell chimed softly downstairs. Nathan looked down at Catherine with a raised eyebrow. "Expecting someone?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Catherine smiled, standing up and setting her mug down. "Social services processed the final adoption papers this morning. Officially making our family complete."

Nathan’s heart swelled. He walked over to Lily, extending a hand to help her up. The little orphan from Queens—who had saved a billionaire's wife, stopped a corporate conspiracy with a lullaby, and brought a fractured family back together—took his hand with a confident grip.

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My phone was still pressed against my ear. On the other end, Marcus—my most trusted lieutenant—was breathing heavily. The sound of muffled police radios and shouting filtered through the speaker.

My phone was still pressed against my ear. On the other end, Marcus—my m...

Detective Maria Santos tapped her fingernail against the glossy photograph spread across the metal interrogation table. The overhead fluorescent light hummed, casting a sterile, buzzing shadow over the room.

Detective Maria Santos tapped her fingernail against the glossy photogra...

Katherine did not cry when she walked into their immaculate suburban home. The silence of the empty house, which usually felt lonely on the nights Reginald claimed to be working late, now felt like a tactical advantage.

Katherine did not cry when she walked into their immaculate suburban hom...

As they walked down the stairs together toward the front foyer, the morning sunlight illuminated the double-helix silver pendant shining brightly against Lily’s sweater.

The nightmare was finally over. And their real lives were just beginning.

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