The helicopter's rotors slowed to a gentle hum as Nathan helped Adelina down onto the pristine white sand. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she took in the breathtaking sight before her—an emerald jewel of an island surrounded by crystal-clear turquoise waters that seemed to stretch endlessly into the horizon.
"Nathan..." she breathed, her voice barely audible over the ocean breeze. "What is this place?"
His arms wrapped around her waist from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder as he whispered against her ear, "Our sanctuary. Somewhere they can never find us."
The villa perched on the cliff overlooking the ocean was nothing short of magnificent. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered unobstructed views of the endless sea, while the infinity pool seemed to merge seamlessly with the horizon. Everything was designed for absolute privacy—no staff, no interruptions, just the two of them and the symphony of waves crashing against the rocks below.
For the first time in months, Adelina felt the knots in her shoulders begin to loosen. The constant weight of Elise's ultimatum, the haunting knowledge of her "sisters" scattered across the globe, the suffocating fear that had become her constant companion—all of it seemed to fade in the face of this impossible beauty.
"How did you...?" she began, turning in his arms.
"I bought it two years ago," Nathan admitted, his fingers tracing the curve of her cheek. "I never knew why until now. Maybe some part of me was always preparing for you—for us—for a place where we could just... exist."
That first evening, they walked barefoot along the shore as the sun painted the sky in shades of coral and gold. The sand was warm beneath their feet, and for once, Adelina allowed herself to forget about the world beyond this island. Nathan's hand in hers felt like an anchor—not to pull her down, but to keep her grounded in this moment of peace.
"I keep waiting for it to be ruined," she confessed as they paused to watch the waves. "Every perfect moment we have, I'm terrified it's going to be snatched away."
Nathan stopped walking and turned to face her fully. In the golden light of sunset, his features were softer than she'd ever seen them. Gone was the calculated businessman, the strategist always three steps ahead. Here, with the ocean breeze ruffling his dark hair and his shirt open at the collar, he looked almost boyish.
"Then don't wait," he said simply. "Just... be here. With me. Now."
The villa's terrace had been transformed into an intimate dining space, with candles flickering in hurricane glasses and the sound of the ocean providing a natural soundtrack. Nathan had prepared everything himself—simple but elegant dishes that they ate with their fingers, laughing as sauce dripped down their chins.
"You cooked?" Adelina teased, savoring the perfectly grilled fish.
"Don't sound so surprised. I have hidden talents." His smile was warm, unreserved in a way that made her heart skip.
"I'm discovering that about you," she murmured, her gaze lingering on his face in the candlelight.
As the night deepened, they moved to the living room where the entire wall opened to the ocean. Nathan poured wine—a bottle he'd been saving for something special, he said—and they curled together on the oversized cushions, talking in ways they never had before.
"Tell me something you've never told anyone," Adelina whispered, her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
Nathan was quiet for so long she thought he might not answer. When he finally spoke, his voice was rough with emotion.
"I used to have nightmares about being completely alone. Not just physically, but... fundamentally. Like I was the only real person in a world of shadows." His fingers threaded through her hair. "Even after I met you, even after we married, part of me was still terrified you'd disappear. That you'd realize I wasn't worth loving."
Adelina lifted her head to look at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "Nathan..."
"I know it sounds ridiculous, given everything you've been through—"
"It doesn't." She pressed her palm against his cheek. "I understand that fear better than anyone."
The vulnerability in his admission broke something open inside her chest. All this time, she'd been so focused on her own artificial existence that she'd never considered how deeply Nathan's childhood—raised by a mother who saw him as a tool, a father who was absent even when present—had scarred him.
"You're real to me," she whispered against his lips. "The most real thing in my world."
Their kiss started soft, tentative, but quickly deepened into something desperate and hungry. Nathan's hands tangled in her hair as she pulled him closer, needing to feel every inch of him, to prove to both of them that this was real, that they were real.
He carried her to the bedroom where moonlight streamed through the open doors, painting everything in silver. The ocean breeze carried the scent of salt and jasmine, and somewhere in the distance, she could hear the gentle lapping of waves against the shore.
"I love you," Nathan breathed against her collarbone, his voice breaking with the intensity of it. "God, Adelina, I love you so much it terrifies me."
"Then don't be afraid," she whispered back, her fingers trailing down his spine. "Love me anyway."
What followed was unlike anything they'd shared before. Gone was the desperate edge that had characterized their previous encounters—that need to lose themselves in each other to escape the chaos surrounding them. This was different. This was worship, reverence, a celebration of what they'd found in each other despite impossible odds.
Nathan's touch was gentle but sure as he mapped every inch of her skin, as if memorizing her. Adelina responded with equal tenderness, her hands exploring the planes of his chest, the strong line of his shoulders, the vulnerable hollow at the base of his throat where his pulse raced.
When they finally came together, it was with a slow, sweet intensity that left them both breathless. They moved as one, lost in each other, the rest of the world forgotten. The moonlight painted their skin silver, and the sound of the ocean seemed to match the rhythm of their hearts.
Afterward, they lay entwined on the bed, the sheer curtains billowing in the ocean breeze. Adelina traced lazy patterns on Nathan's chest while he combed his fingers through her hair.
"We could stay here forever," she murmured drowsily.
"Would you want to?" Nathan asked softly.
Adelina considered this. The idea was tempting—to simply disappear, to let the world and all its complications fade away while they lived in this perfect bubble. But even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew it was impossible. The weight of knowledge they carried, the responsibility to her sisters, to the future of humanity itself—it wouldn't let them rest.
"Part of me would," she admitted. "But we both know we can't."
"I know." Nathan's arms tightened around her. "But for now, we can pretend."
They spent the next two days in blissful isolation. Mornings began with coffee on the terrace, watching the sunrise paint the ocean in brilliant colors. Days were filled with swimming in the crystal-clear lagoon, exploring hidden coves, and making love in the afternoon light that streamed through the bedroom windows.
Nathan showed her sides of himself she'd never seen—playful as they chased each other through the waves, tender as he braided flowers in her hair, vulnerable as he shared childhood memories he'd never spoken aloud. In return, Adelina allowed herself to simply exist without the constant weight of her artificial nature. Here, she wasn't Subject A-1 or a product of Project Eden. She was simply a woman in love with her husband.
On their final evening, they lay on a blanket on the beach, staring up at a canopy of stars more brilliant than anything visible from the city. The Milky Way stretched across the sky like scattered diamonds, and Adelina felt small and infinite all at once.
"Do you think they're looking at the same stars?" she asked quietly. "My sisters, I mean."
Nathan's hand found hers in the darkness. "Some of them, probably."
The thought should have been comforting, but instead it filled her with a familiar ache. While she lay here in paradise, how many of her genetic twins were suffering? How many were alone, confused, their minds fragmenting under the weight of their artificial existence?
"We have to go back, don't we?" she whispered.
"Not yet," Nathan murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple. "We have tonight."
They made love under the stars with desperate tenderness, both knowing this perfect interlude was ending. The sand was cool beneath them, and the sound of the waves provided a natural rhythm to their movements. Adelina memorized everything—the taste of salt on Nathan's skin, the way the starlight caught in his eyes, the feeling of being completely and utterly loved.
Later, as they dozed in each other's arms on the beach, wrapped in a soft blanket, Adelina felt more at peace than she had in months. The constant tension in her body had finally released, and for the first time since learning about Project Eden, she'd managed to sleep without nightmares.
She was just drifting into deeper sleep when Nathan's phone buzzed insistently from where they'd left it in the villa. He groaned softly, clearly reluctant to move, but the sound continued.
"Ignore it," Adelina murmured against his chest.
"I will," he said, but the buzzing had already broken the spell of their perfect isolation.
When it started up again, then again, Nathan sighed and carefully extracted himself from their embrace. "I'll just turn it off," he promised, kissing her forehead.
Adelina watched him jog up the beach toward the villa, his silhouette outlined against the warm light spilling from the open doors. She stretched languidly on the blanket, still feeling the pleasant ache of their lovemaking, trying to hold onto the peace of this moment just a little longer.
But then she heard Nathan's sharp intake of breath from inside the house, followed by his urgent voice: "What do you mean she just appeared?"
All the warmth drained from Adelina's body as she sat up abruptly, her heart beginning to race. The peaceful bubble they'd created shattered like glass as reality came crashing back.
"When?" Nathan's voice was tight with tension now. "Where exactly? And you're certain she's... No, don't approach her. Keep your distance and wait for us."
Adelina was already reaching for her discarded dress when Nathan appeared in the doorway, his face pale in the moonlight.
"What is it?" she asked, though she already knew. The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
"There's been another sighting," Nathan said grimly, running a hand through his hair. "Another you. This one just... materialized in downtown Los Angeles. She's standing in the middle of Pershing Square, completely naked, asking anyone who'll listen if they know where Adelina Montenegro is."
The blood drained from Adelina's face. "She's looking for me?"
"It gets worse." Nathan's jaw clenched. "She's not alone. Security footage shows at least three more women matching your description appearing simultaneously across the city. They all seem to be coordinating, like they're part of some kind of search pattern."
Adelina's legs suddenly felt weak. She sank onto the sand, her mind reeling. "Elise," she whispered. "She's activating them. The network—she's turning them on."
Nathan was already moving, gathering their things with swift efficiency. "We need to get back. Now."
"But why are they looking for me?" Adelina asked, her voice barely audible over the sound of the waves. "What does she want?"
Nathan paused in his packing, meeting her eyes across the moonlit beach. When he spoke, his voice was heavy with dread.
"I think she's calling in your ultimatum, Adelina. One way or another, she's making her move."
As they hurried toward the helicopter, Adelina couldn't shake the image of her sisters—lost, confused, possibly dying—searching the streets for her. The paradise they'd found was already fading like a dream, replaced by the harsh reality of what they'd have to face.
Their perfect sanctuary had been nothing more than borrowed time.
And now, time was up.