The sky outside began to change color.
Dawn was slowly breaking.
Inside that room, time seemed to have stopped.
There was no morning.
No light.
Only tension that pressed down endlessly.
Sophia lay there, her breathing growing increasingly unstable.
Cold sweat dampened her temples.
Her hand still gripped the bedsheet.
Tighter than before.
Pain came in waves.
Irregular.
Strong enough to make her body stiffen every few seconds.
Beside her, Adrian Blackwood stood.
Closer than ever before.
No distance.
No distractions.
His entire focus was on one thing.
Sophia.
"Hold on," he said softly.
His voice was gentler than usual.
Beneath it, there was pressure that could not be hidden.
Sophia opened her eyes.
Looking at him.
There was pain.
There was exhaustion.
And there was also something unwavering.
Determination.
"I am here," she answered quietly.
On the other side of the room, Daniel remained in front of the screen.
His eyes were red.
He did not stop.
