Chapter 77

Kathy stood quietly beside the crib, her gaze soft as she watched Melody clutching her rattle, shaking it with a delighted giggle. The boys nearby waved their hands enthusiastically, their faces lit up with bright smiles, thoroughly entertained by their baby sister's antics. The room was filled with gentle laughter and the sweet sounds of children discovering the world together.

Anthony approached from behind, wrapping his arm lovingly around Kathy's waist. He smiled, his heart full as he took in the sight of his sons and daughter sharing this simple, joyful moment. It was these everyday scenes—the small milestones, the budding connections between siblings—that made him realize how much he cherished his growing family.

As he held Kathy close, Anthony found himself daydreaming about the future: witnessing the children take their first steps, hearing their first words, watching them roll over for the first time. He knew that each new achievement would bring more memories, weaving together the story of their family. In this quiet instant, surrounded by laughter and love, he felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for everything they had and all that was yet to come.

“Come on, you need to rest your body is still healing. You need to eat something too because I know your stomach is empty, I will go downstairs into the kitchen to ask the cook to make you something to eat before dinner,” said Anthony.

“Alright, I will be right back,”

Anthony left the room, his footsteps echoing in the hallway, intent on getting food for Kathy, who hadn't eaten anything in the hospital. Taking off her shoes, she lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about Maria and how she would never be a mother to the child.

In East Valley Medical Hospital, Maria was still recovering from her c-section, which she had undergone to deliver her baby. Though she hadn't spoken much to anyone yet, she managed to get out of bed and began walking slowly around the room, determined to get her blood flowing again. The nurse gently helped her to the bathroom and assisted her in taking a shower, offering quiet encouragement as Maria took each careful step. After her shower, Maria sat quietly in her hospital room, the soft glow of the television flickering in front of her. A lullaby played as a mother held her baby close on the screen, a sight that pierced Maria’s heart with longing. She ached to cradle her own child, but now, grief and loss weighed heavily on her shoulders—her fate was sealed, and soon she would have to face the consequences of her actions and go to jail for her crime. The emptiness felt unbearable; she struggled to imagine life without her baby, and the pain only grew sharper when someone whispered that Noah was dead. A crushing ache settled in her chest, the world suddenly colder and more hopeless than ever.

Maria sat frozen, bitterness brewing alongside sorrow. She gazed at the screen, but her thoughts were far away—fixated on Kathy, the woman she blamed for everything that had been taken from her. The desire for revenge flared within her, fierce and relentless, as she wondered how she could endure the days ahead.

The nurse came into the room with some food for Maria to eat, as the nurse put the tray on the table and to see Maria just sitting there and not saying nothing until she got closer before she knows it Maria grab the nurse wrist and cast a spell.

"Spiritus meus, transi ad carnem! Anima tua, nunc vinciatur! Corpus tuum, mea vox audiat! Voluntas mea, nunc dominatur! Exsurge, Vasa! Mea erit potestas!"

("My spirit, pass to the flesh! Your soul, now be bound! Your body, hear my voice! My will, now dominate! Arise, Vessel! Mine shall be the power!")

Maria keeps respect the spell until their body swaps and the nurse is in Maria and Maria is in the nurse's body. The barrier didn’t set the alarm so the nurse that is in Maria's body she put the layout down put the blanket on the body, before she took the keycard and lived the room. Now she is in a different body, she needs to pay Kathy a visit. Maria knows that she doesn’t have that much time, so she went to the desk. Just grab a coat and umbrella

“Um…I am going to the store you need anything?” said Maria

“No, I don’t. Hurry back,”

“I will,”

Maria went took the stairs that lead out of the back door, start to head toward the palace, she used the umbrella from any cameras as she starts to walk probably a car might drive by and she can get a ride. Clutching the nurse’s coat tightly around her borrowed frame, Maria kept her gaze low, her face concealed by the umbrella’s shadow. Each step felt foreign, yet she pressed forward, forcing herself to move naturally as she passed the loading dock and slipped out onto the rain-soaked street. She scanned the quiet road, hoping for headlights in the distance, all the while her heart pounding with urgency and dread.

She knew time was running out. The spell wouldn’t last forever, and she had only this brief window to find Kathy and finally confront her. As she walked, Maria rehearsed what she would say, her mind swirling with anger, pain, and a desperate need for closure. Every passing car became an opportunity, each moment a gamble between freedom and discovery.

Kathy P.O.V

Kathy felt someone shaking her wake, she slowly opens her eyes to see Anthony came back into the room, then she didn’t realize that she fell sleep waiting for her husband to come back. Anthony help her to sit up on the bed.

“You must be really tired,” said Anthony, concern evident in his voice as he brushed a stray hair from Kathy’s forehead.

“I didn’t know I fell asleep; I try to catch up on sleep between the baby's next feeding,” Kathy murmured, rubbing her eyes as she adjusted to the dim light. She glanced over at Anthony, a hint of embarrassment in her tired smile, grateful for his gentle presence.

Anthony smiled softly, settling beside Kathy. “I went to go check on them—they’re asleep, and Melody was sleeping with the rattle in her hand,” he said, his tone warm and reassuring. Kathy let out a gentle laugh, picturing their daughter clutching her favorite toy even in her dreams, and felt a wave of relief knowing the children were safe and sound.

As Kathy got off the bed and made her way to the small table, she noticed the comforting aroma of the meal waiting for them. Anthony moved quickly to pull out her chair, offering a gentle smile as she settled into her seat. Kathy glanced down at the bowl in front of her—steam rising from the hearty food, making her mouth water with anticipation. The simple act of sitting together for a meal brought a sense of calm, and she realized just how hungry she was after the long, exhausting day.

“What is this?” asked Kathy

“The cook makes this Savory Salmon and Rice Bowls; it has avocado, cucumber and with little sauce for you, and she made me one too, let taste it,”

Kathy started eating, and the food was so good it had been a while since she had such a satisfying meal, not knowing why they were eating; meanwhile, Maria was en route, hidden in a new form, ensuring her arrival remained a secret.