**“Lucas accepted it," Ivy said.**
Adrian looked up from the dossier. “Your engagement?"
She nodded. “I told him the truth. Or enough of it."
He leaned forward. “How did he take it?"
“Like a surgeon: clean, quiet, final."
Adrian exhaled. “You didn't owe him closure."
“I owed *myself* honesty."
---
She tossed a folder onto the table. “Medical logs. From before the explosion."
He opened it slowly.
Words jumped off the page:
**Gestational week: 9.3**
**Fetal vitals compromised.**
**Chip-induced neurofeedback spasm recorded at 00:47.**
**Result: spontaneous miscarriage.**
Adrian's hands trembled. “I didn't know…"
“You did."
“I didn't know it was *because* of the chip."
“You should've known the risk!" Her voice cracked. “I was trying to run—your seizure spiked—the feedback wav
