The morning sun filtered through the curtains, brushing Lara's cheeks with a warmth that felt foreign. For the first time in weeks, she had managed a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. But as her eyes fluttered open, the weight of reality settled on her again. She was still at Ethan's secluded home, still hiding from a world she barely understood, and still pregnant—with a child whose future was already tangled in secrets and power games.
She sat up slowly, rubbing her belly instinctively. Four months. The doctor Ethan had called the night before had confirmed it. The baby was healthy. But she hadn't told Ethan about the heartbeat she had heard during the check-up. That single sound had moved her in ways she couldn't explain.
She rose from bed, dressed in one of the loose, comfortable dresses Ethan had bought for her, and padded downstairs barefoot. The house was quiet, but she heard a soft voice in the kitchen.
Ethan was on the phone.
"She's fine. No complications so far," he was saying. "But she still doesn't trust me completely. I need more time."
There was a long pause before he spoke again, his tone dropping lower.
"No. I haven't told her about the others… or the first trial. She's not ready."
Lara's breath caught in her throat. The others? The first trial?
She backed away before he could see her and returned to her room, her mind racing. What was Ethan hiding now? Why did it feel like every answer led to ten more questions?
Later, Ethan knocked gently on her door. "Lara? Breakfast is ready."
She composed herself before replying. "Coming."
She joined him in the kitchen, where the table was set with fresh fruit, toast, and herbal tea. Ethan smiled, trying to appear relaxed. "You look better today."
"I slept," she said simply.
They ate in silence for a while. Lara pretended to be distracted by the birds outside the window, but inside, she was turning over his every word from earlier.
Finally, she spoke.
"Ethan, what do you know about the other women?"
He stiffened. "What women?"
"The ones before me. The ones who were part of this… project."
His eyes darkened for a brief moment before he looked away. "You shouldn't have heard that."
"But I did. So tell me."
Ethan set down his fork. "There were women chosen before you. Most of them didn't know what they were a part of. Some were volunteers. Some thought it was just a fertility program. Others were lied to. Like you."
Lara's stomach turned. "And what happened to them?"
"Some disappeared. Some had complications. One succeeded… but the child was taken from her."
Lara's fingers curled around her cup tightly. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because I didn't want to scare you," he replied softly. "And because I thought I could protect you without dragging you into the full truth."
She stood. "I deserve the truth, Ethan. All of it."
He looked up at her, his expression unreadable. "Then you need to meet someone. Someone who used to be part of the program. Someone who got out."
---
Later that afternoon, Ethan took her to a quiet bookstore tucked away in an old part of the city. They entered through the back, and Lara followed him through a hidden door into a private reading room.
A woman waited there, seated beside a dusty fireplace. Her hair was streaked with silver, her eyes sharp and kind.
"Lara, this is Dr. Isabelle Hart. She used to lead the psychological division of the Gen Omega Initiative."
Dr. Hart stood and offered a gentle smile. "It's a pleasure, Lara."
Lara didn't return the smile. "Did you lie to women too?"
The older woman's expression softened. "I tried to help them. But the deeper I went, the more I realized I couldn't change the system from the inside. So I left."
"And now you're here," Lara said, her voice flat. "With Ethan. Helping him deceive me?"
"No," Dr. Hart said calmly. "I'm here because you're different, Lara. You weren't just selected. You were predicted."
Lara blinked. "Predicted?"
The doctor nodded. "Your genetic markers, your bloodline, your psychological profile—they all matched what the Initiative called the Prime Sequence. A theoretical match for optimal cognitive, emotional, and physical potential."
Lara sat down slowly. "So my baby isn't just a baby to them. It's a project."
"To them, yes," the doctor confirmed. "But to you… it's still your child. And you can still choose what kind of future it has."
Ethan stepped forward. "Dr. Hart can help you go off the grid. Disappear. But it won't be easy."
Lara looked between them, her heart pounding. She had come to Ethan's house seeking protection, maybe even understanding. But now she was facing something much bigger than she'd imagined.
"I need time to think," she said quietly.
Dr. Hart nodded. "Of course. But not too much. They're already watching."
---
That night, Lara returned to her room with her mind heavy and her heart torn.
She stood in front of the mirror, her hands resting on her rounded belly. The baby moved slightly, a flutter she had only started to notice in the past few days.
A life. A heartbeat. A future.
She didn't know yet what decision she would make. But she knew one thing: no matter what others wanted from her, she wouldn't let anyone take this child from her.
Not Ethan.
Not Gen Omega.
Not anyone.