Chapter 5: The Sacrifice Begun

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 03:35:13 +0000

The rain was a percussion against the windowpanes, a frantic beat that matched the one in Lara's chest. In the dim light of the guest room, the world had narrowed to the space between the bed and the door, to the feverish heat of Alex's skin under her palm, and to the cold, hard knowledge of what she had just chosen.He wasn't unconscious. He was adrift in a chemical fog, his consciousness rising and falling like a boat on a swell. One moment he was murmuring disjointed phrases about spreadsheets and mergers, the next he was reaching for her, his movements uncoordinated, his touch seeking anchor."Lara...?" His voice was a rough scrape, his eyes struggling to focus on her face as she perched on the edge of the bed, holding a glass of water she'd begged him to sip. He said her name, but it was a question, as if he couldn't reconcile her presence with the situation."It's me," she said, her voice steady, a lifeline she forced herself to be. "You're okay. You're safe."