Hailey stared at the latest dataset on her screen. Universe 1409 had just been logged. Married with du. Happily. Of course.
She exhaled sharply, rubbing her eyes beneath her glasses. One thousand four hundred eight universes, all of them the same. Only this one stubborn outlier remained. The lone anomaly in an otherwise perfect chain of cosmic patterns.
Her fingers danced across the keyboard, compiling reports, cross-checking quantum signatures, reviewing stability metrics. The trend was undeniable. Universes where she and du were not happily bonded? Destabilization. Collapse. Extinction events within two decades.
Hailey pushed back her chair, standing abruptly. Enough analysis. Enough simulations. This required intervention. Now.
She gathered the data, portable drive, printed summaries, her annotated slides, and shoved them into her satchel. Jacket. Shoes. Keys. Her mind raced faster than her body.
"This is not impulsive. This is logical," she muttered to herself, voice tight with exhaustion. "A statistically significant correlation exists. An actionable variable is present. Therefore, corrective action must be considered."
She ignored the late hour. A rational scientist did not schedule existential crises.
In moments, she was out the door, footsteps brisk, heart pounding beneath layers of controlled reasoning. The drive to du’s residence blurred past.
Outside du's door, Hailey inhaled deeply, clutching her satchel.
"No more passivity. They need to know," she whispered, adjusting her glasses.
She rang the bell sharply.
When the door opened, revealing du, Hailey stepped forward at once, tone clipped and urgent.
"We need to talk. Now," she said, voice steady but eyes burning with intensity. "I have data. Substantial data. One thousand four hundred eight universes where you and I are married. This is the only outlier." She held up her portable drive like a shield, breath quickening.
"I believe remaining separated in this universe may pose an existential risk. We must consider corrective measures." Her gaze locked on du, determined and unblinking.
"I will present the data. Then… we can discuss options." Hailey braced herself, pulse hammering beneath her calm facade. There was no turning back now.
