He launched an attack at me—a defenseless woman, tied to a chair.

I knew there was no hope for me.

I shut my eyes as he raised the dagger in the air. Any second now, I’d be dead; my life would be cut short, and all my dreams would be gone in a flash. My aspirations would vanish just like that, poof, into thin air. But it wasn’t really myself that I was worried about; I was more concerned about the child in my womb. This innocent child wouldn’t even get to be born; its life would be terminated as vengeance for the sins of its father.

I’m so sorry, sweetheart, I thought, tears trickling down my cheeks, but it looks like this is the end. I’m sorry you don’t get to grow up, you don’t get to meet me, and I don’t get to pamper and spoil you. I’m so sorry.

I had never been so scared in my life before; why wouldn’t I be? I was face-to-face with death, and there was no hero coming to save me.

They say there’s a white light when you’re about to die, but that wasn’t my case; all I saw was darkness.

That instant, the door burst open, and I heard a series of loud clattering and banging sounds, like a SWAT team had found me.

“Get away from her!” a familiar voice hollered.

It sounded a lot like…Dad?

I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was Vlad throwing a series of punches at Andy.

Dad dashed over to me and picked up Andy's knife from the floor; with it, he set me free.

Vlad left the man he’d knocked down and rushed to hold me, worry flickering in his eyes. “Are you okay? Is the baby okay? Did he hurt you?”

I still had tears in my eyes, and the revelation about his inhumane act hadn’t fully sunk in yet.

“Talk to me,” he said, searching my body with his eyes, probably looking for any injuries.

“Sienna, baby,” Dad called softly, stepping forward. “I’m so relieved we found you on time—God only knows what this maniac would have done to you.”

I frowned at him and squirmed out of Vlad’s hands.

“He’s a maniac?” I asked, fuming. “That rich, coming from you, Dad.”

He looked at Vlad, and they both furrowed their brows.

“What’re you talking about, sweetheart?” Dad asked, attempting to hold me.

I pulled away. “Don’t touch me.”

“What's going on?” he asked, puzzled.

“What did you tell her?” Vlad snapped at Andy as his men held him down.

“He told me the truth!” I blurted out, looking right at Vlad, who was looking back with a squint. “Did you really kill an innocent man and a one-month-old baby?”

I watched as his countenance changed upon my question, but he didn’t say a word.

“Answer me, Vlad!”

“Sienna, you don’t understand,” Dad chipped in.

“Of course, you’d take his side,” I said with a scoff. “I mean, you were an accomplice in the act, which makes you just as guilty.”

They were both standing in silence, exchanging glances.

“How could you, Vlad?” I asked him, hurting deeply. “Joshua was your friend. How could you take his life without even thinking twice? And like that wasn’t enough, you went ahead and murdered an infant…an infant, Vlad!” I still hadn’t come to terms with his inhumanity. “Jesus Christ, are you that cold? Do you even have a conscience at all?”

Finally, Vlad spoke. “You’re judging me without hearing my own side of the story. How’s that fair?”