Bella Is alive

Moonlight sliced through the darkness, casting a ghostly pall over Cathleen's sleeping form. Xavier sat motionless, an ominous silhouette against the dim light, as he watched her. Her chest rose and fell with rhythmic certainty, yet her words carved the silence with jagged edges.

"He killed my daughter because our marriage was a sham," she whispered, "and he didn't want me. Just like he didn't want my daughter. It's just a matter of time before he kills me."

The venomous words hung in the air, dripping with accusation and fear. Xavier’s jaw clenched. He reached out, his hand hovering—then waved it gently over her face, testing reality against the nightmares that held her captive.

"Cat, Bella is alive," he murmured, his voice low and steady, a stark contrast to the tremble in her dream-laden accusations. "Just give me time. You will meet her. She's a fighter, just like you."

The words were a talisman, meant to ward off the dark omens that plagued her sleep. His daughter—a secret pulsin