The Origins of Kimberley Corp

– What... what the hell is this, goddamn it?! – a loud female scream suddenly echoed through the pleasant forest clearing, making the birds around fly off the trees in a panic.

The dress, or those thin, delicate hands that now belonged to him. Hands that seemed so fragile, as if they could be broken with one careless move. The skin on them was smooth, almost porcelain, with faint blue veins barely visible, and the nails – neatly trimmed and slightly shiny, as if coated with a thin layer of oil. He clenched his fingers into a fist, feeling how the fabric of the dress yielded gently under his grip, and then immediately relaxed his hand, as if afraid to ruin this unfamiliar luxury.

– It’s a dream, – he whispered, but the voice that came from his lips was high-pitched, melodic, and completely alien. – It’s a goddamn dream!

He touched his face, feeling the softness of the skin under his fingers, the absence of the usual stubble, and the strange smoothness. But the sharp sound of approaching footsteps along the forest path pulled him from his thoughts. Soon, a woman appeared in front of him. Her figure was slim and graceful, her face hidden behind a mask of strict composure, despite the clear surprise in her eyes. She stopped and looked him over critically.

– Eliza? – she spoke in a cold tone. – I just heard some village girl screaming in the woods in your voice.

Alex furrowed his brows. She’s talking to me and implying I’m somehow speaking wrong? Fuck her!

– Are you talking to me?! Who the fuck are you?! What the hell have you done to me?! Why am I a woman?! – Alex’s shout, which he uttered aloud, sounded sharp and inappropriate for a girl. His voice was hoarse, harsh, like that of a man used to giving orders, and despite now being in a woman’s body, his tone remained the same as Alex’s.

The woman in front of him raised her eyebrows when she heard his rude outburst. A flash of confusion passed through her eyes, followed by clear irritation. She held her breath, as if processing his words, and then spoke, each word punctuated with cold precision:

– Eliza Kimberley, watch your language, you’re a lady first and foremost, such behavior is unacceptable! – she said almost with disdain, but there was an undercurrent of hidden concern in her voice. She waited a moment before replying, her face remaining calm, as if dealing with something quite ordinary. – You must behave like a lady, not like some street whore.

Alex, or now Eliza, tore his gaze from her, gritting his teeth and looking at himself, as if that might help him understand the absurdity of what was happening. He felt his heavy breathing filling his chest, and his head seemed to swell with everything going on. This woman was looking down on him as though he were nothing, although in his eyes, she was just another woman, dressed in some ridiculous dress from the past century. However, the way she looked at him, the way she spoke to him – it stirred feelings in him that were completely foreign.

– What… what the hell is going on?! I can’t… – he repeated again, but that voice… That delicate, high-pitched, utterly alien voice tinged with panic sounded completely wrong to him, as if this woman, with her short remark and gaze, had killed all his commanding essence. His mind couldn’t process it all. How is this possible?! How could this happen?! He was Alex Wade, the ruthless, merciless businessman from 2123, and now he was someone completely different – a woman named Eliza Kimberley.

The woman in front of him – this was Eliza’s sister, Victoria Kimberley. Her appearance was cold and refined, with black eyes that showed no hint of kindness. She was dressed in a strict suit with a corset, which added an air of severity and arrogance. Victoria was around 30, but her gaze made her seem older. She had everything needed to appear like an influential lady.

– As your sister, I’m very disappointed in your behavior, Eliza, – she continued, her voice still cold. – Don’t allow yourself any more of these outbursts.

Alex, or Eliza, as he was supposed to call himself now, shook his head, trying to make sense of everything happening. But the more he tried to understand, the less it made sense.

– I… I’m not Eliza! – he almost shouted, on the verge of losing control. – I’m Alex Wade, goddamn it! Are you all out of your minds?! This is some kind of nightmare! I don’t know how I ended up in this woman’s body, but I need to get everything back to how it was! I need… I need to get myself back!

– Oh, dear, – Victoria paused, her lips twisting into a faint sneer. – You can’t go back. Everything happened the way it was meant to happen. You’re part of our family now, Eliza. You’re a Kimberley, you’re the daughter of the company’s founder. You know how important your role is. I suggest you get rid of those thoughts and knowledge, because, honestly, I don’t even know why I’m saying this, but I know for sure I need to say it to my esteemed and careless little sister. However, I’m utterly convinced that all these memories will fade from my mind in a few minutes, and no one here will listen to your ridiculous little girl stories about how you’re the richest man from the future.

Alex, or now Eliza, stood there with wide eyes and mouth open. "What the hell is she talking about?!" she thought, but it seemed Victoria had already shifted her attention to something else.

– Eliza, – she said, looking into the distance where the silhouettes of riders flickered between the trees. – Your fiancé is coming closer. Pull yourself together, for God’s sake. You need to be sweet, welcoming, and, most importantly, silent. No more of your stupid fantasies about the future or about being someone else. You are Eliza Camberley, and that’s all that matters.

– Fiancé?! – Eliza blurted out, and her voice turned sharp again, almost harsh. – Are you serious?! I’m not marrying some stranger! I need to go back to my time, to my body! This is all a mistake, do you understand? A mistake!

Victoria turned sharply toward her, her eyes flashing with cold anger. She stepped forward, her face coming mere inches from Eliza's. Her voice was low but so icy that Eliza felt a chill run down her spine.

– If you dare ruin this marriage, I’ll personally make sure you regret it, – she hissed. – This union is important not only for you but for our entire family. Father has invested too much for you to screw it all up with your foolish fantasies. You are Eliza Camberley, and you will marry this man. Period.

Eliza tried to protest, but Victoria raised her hand sharply, cutting her off.

– Be quiet, – she ordered. – They’re almost here. Remember: you are fascinated by his journey to India, you adore orchids – he’s a collector, and for God’s sake, don’t you dare mention your… – Victoria’s lips twisted, – “fairy tales.”

Eliza swallowed, feeling her heart pound wildly in her chest. She wasn’t used to being threatened so openly, especially by women. But she was not in her body, not in her time, and all she could do was nod, even though a storm raged inside her.

Victoria stepped back slightly, her face once again cold and composed. She adjusted the folds of her dress and gave Eliza one last warning look.

– Come here, – she said, extending her hand. – You must meet him like a lady.

Eliza automatically took her hand, feeling her own fingers tremble. She tried to calm herself, but her thoughts were in complete chaos. How did she end up here? Why had she become Eliza Camberley? And most importantly, how could she go back?

The riders were getting closer, and Eliza could see them more clearly. Leading the group was a man in his thirties, with a proud posture and a confident gaze. His face was handsome, but cold, like it had been carved from marble. He wore a dark tailcoat, and his horse – a majestic chestnut mare – moved with a grace that spoke of its pedigree.

– That’s him, – Victoria whispered, tightening her grip on Eliza’s hand. – Lord Edmund Hartley. Your future husband.

"Husband?!" ran through Eliza’s mind, and her heart clenched so tight that the world seemed to darken for a moment. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want to be here, in this body, in this time. But it all felt so real, and common sense told her that Victoria was right – it was better not to tell the truth, because even she was starting to think this whole thing might be madness.

Lord Hartley rode closer and stopped his horse. His eyes swept over Eliza, and something flickered in them that she couldn’t quite understand. Maybe it was curiosity, or maybe just cold calculation.

– Miss Camberley, – he said, slightly tilting his head and lifting her hand in greeting. – What an unexpected meeting.

Eliza tried to smile, but it came out stiff, and his fingers held her hand just a little longer than necessary. She could feel her palms sweating, her heart still racing. She needed to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat.

For a moment, she froze. Grinding her teeth, she tried to remember anything about how a proper lady should behave, but her mind was blank. She understood only one thing – she was absolutely not suited for this role. Her fiancé, sensing her confusion, gave her hand a slight squeeze again.

– Eliza? – his voice was still steady, betraying no emotion. – How will you greet me? Have your feelings really not changed?

– I… – she tried to gather herself, but her voice came out hoarse and harsh. – I… missed you, I guess, – Eliza forced out, feeling how unnatural and rude her voice sounded. She tried to soften the tone, but it came out more like an awkward attempt to mimic feminine speech. – I mean… I’m happy to see you, Lord Hartley.

Lord Hartley raised an eyebrow, and a barely perceptible smile touched his lips. He let go of her hand, but his gaze stayed on her, studying and slightly mocking.

– How nice to hear, Miss Camberley, – he said, slightly tilting his head. – I must admit, I didn’t expect that my return from India would provoke such... restrained reaction from you.

Eliza felt Victoria’s hand tightening around hers even more, almost to the point of pain. It was so humiliating. It was so far from who she was. Alex, he couldn’t even imagine something like this. Being a woman, being someone’s fiancée, living in such a time… and now all of this seemed like it was really happening.

– Lord Hartley, as always, so polite. Eliza, you should appreciate this trip. This man was so generous, he brought beautiful orchids from India. You must like them, don’t you?

Eliza felt her throat tighten and chills run down her spine. She couldn’t believe she was actually going to respond, praising this man. Everything in her body rebelled against this role, but what else could she do?

– Yes, – Eliza said, involuntarily loosening her grip on Victoria’s hand. – The orchids must be really beautiful... I... I’ve always dreamed of seeing real Indian orchids.

Lord Hartley nodded approvingly, though a slight doubt flickered in his eyes. He was probably expecting a more enthusiastic response, but he clearly decided not to dwell on it. Victoria, on the other hand, slightly narrowed her eyes but said nothing, as if her own plans were more important than this awkward scene.

"Alright," Alex thought, feeling his mind racing. "You're stuck here, and you don’t even know how to get out. If you want to survive, you need to become this... become Eliza." He swallowed, fighting his nerves. "Pretend everything’s fine. Gather information. Just pretend."

At that moment, when her gaze accidentally met Lord Hartley’s eyes, something strange suddenly flashed in her mind. A flashback. Eliza closed her eyes, trying to shake off the rising dizziness.

She was sitting in a chair. It wasn’t a chair, but more like a futuristic hybrid between research and medical equipment. A system of wires, screens, and sensors was connected to her body. She felt a slight tingling in her fingers, as if someone was probing her thoughts, touching them, processing them. Strange images flickered — cities of the future, scenes from distant history, all under the bright light of screens.

Then, suddenly, darkness. An all-consuming, empty nothingness that wouldn’t let go. A flash — and she found herself here, in the forest. The confusion disappeared, but the feeling of fear remained.

"What happened?" — her mind desperately tried to understand. "I was in some chair and then ended up here? But what was that?"

The answer slipped from Eliza’s thoughts, even though it was so close. Still, the transfer of consciousness between parallel worlds wasn’t always stable, and some data, especially fresh memories, might not transfer.

But it must be acknowledged that neither Alex nor the other scientists had any idea that by working on the "quantum sight" technology, which allowed them to look into the past, they had accidentally discovered the ability to travel between parallel worlds. And yes, Alex was one of those who had been shown the technology in action. The scientists assured everyone that everything was checked, and there were no problems, since many tests had been conducted and the device really allowed viewing the past and observing any events. Although in reality, it wasn’t exactly the past, the device opened a portal for peeking into parallel universes.

However, something went wrong for Alex. Instead of just being an observer, he was absorbed into the moment, into a parallel reality where history developed along a different scenario, yet still very similar to theirs. He had wanted to see the most important moment in the history of "Camberley Corp," and this had brought him here. Now, he... she, was supposed to marry this man, whose finances and influence would play a crucial role in whether the "Camberley" company would even open or not in the future. And of course, this was the most important and pivotal moment in the history of this company, which Eliza, now directly involved, was witnessing.