o my room. We'd had separate bedrooms for years, a

en before. She sat on the edge of

lk about Madis

ait

ls insecure. She sees how things

Dad," I said,

time," Nicole replied, defen

er touch felt foreign. "I know it's been hard

. "My mother told me she's been giv

of drive, the way my body felt like it wasn't my own. Her mother, the mat

nued, not meeting my eyes. "To suppress your testoste

cted her. They had drugged me for a decad

She couldn't read me, a

them. We can... we can have a child of our own, Ethan. A real one. It would be

rmation of this monstrous, long-term betrayal o

t disrespected me. They had chemically altered me. Violated me in the most intimat

autiful, powerful stranger

" I

e I had ever truly r

ed into frustration. "What do you mean, no? D

, my voice quiet but firm. "This isn't a fam

walked to the d

rst time, her perfect control had slipped. She had offered me a "gift," and I had t