Chapter 50: Beyond

[Content Warning: Beginning in Chapter 50, this story enters a darker and more emotionally intense arc. These chapters include depictions of psychological distress, coercion, forced abortion, emotional trauma, and themes of loss, manipulation, and powerlessness. The content is raw and may be deeply upsetting. Please read with caution and prioritize your mental and emotional well-being.]   Chapter 50: Beyond     Adrian had been silent for a long time. After Valerian left, after the brutal beating that left him battered and barely breathing on the cold floor, he had stopped screaming. Stopped struggling. He just sat there. Time blurred and he didn't know if it had been hours or days. The dim lights never changed, the walls never moved, and the only sound in the room was the faint ringing in his ears. His body ached—his wrists raw, his ribs screaming with every shallow breath—but none of it mattered. Pain was nothing compared to the thoughts clawing through his mind. Noelle and the baby.