s she fell from the bed, something within her stirred. Her eyes

he bed frame above her. Th

her, its features t

girl," her stepmo

nna, Regina's daughter, stood. Jenna's eyes

rincess, sleeping in late?" Regi

ck connected with her stomach.

usehold chores?" Regina taunted.

lt quivering in her hand. "You'r

na... I have a fever. You beat me with the belt l

lashing with anger. "You think you can

"I'm not talking back, Regina. I just can't

Valerie's eyes, her b

enom. "You're pretending to be the victim

ing her mother's malice. "You tore my

rotesting. "No, Jenna, it

t jealous of Jenna's beauty and my

d uncontrollably as R

aughter," Regina spat. "You'll do as you're to

elt, her eyes glin

hed, expectin

Jenna. "Not now. She ne

embled, her heart

to the floor, overwhelmed by despair. Tears strea

nd?" she whispered, he

pressive, punctuat

darkened. "It wil

er's tragic fate loome

owing in her mother's footsteps, e

ed in her mind: "Be strong,

words, even as desperat

, the one person who vowed

o take her away f

never

ened, shielding itse

whispered, the words etched i

nd isolation

mbled mess when the creaking

ntered, his piercing gray

inant, exuding p

ing eyes locke

," he ordered, hi

d forward, his exp

spiked as he

struggling t

elding, his hand clam

med, desperation fue

watched, his exp

ragged Valerie

into the floor, bu

way, Valerie's screams e

omeone,

in, effortlessly lifting

k, her cries muffle

llway, his long strid

became a blur of

rip tightened, holdin

hoarse, her body trem

house, the cool nig

waited, its engi

tossed Valerie i

sit up, but he

he warned, his voi

rt raced, her

ud he close

sterile hospital ward. The beeping machines su

her mind as she s

through her left shou

he bandages wrapping

n her eyes as she

hed, dryness irritat

ispered, her voic

the empty room, searchi

sive, punctuated only

but a wave of dizzi

onto the pillow, exha

l room spun

rface – the ambush, Vi

ing wen

mind struggling to piece together the

ing back – the brutal attack,

inctively flew

for the familiar cu

t was

c se

eamed dow

. no..." sh

ion grip

r belly, traci

y baby?" s

s voice

y... my

nds tr

t a voi

loss over

es seemed to fade

tal room

ined was Vale

ed back

enched h

racked

y did they tak

hoed through the e

terile hospital room's calm atmosphere, as she fran

r and etched with concern, but his e

d, his voice soft but ineffec

her face contorted in despair,

led, her voice cracking un

his shoulders sagging in defeat, a

orst fears, and Valerie's wails grew louder

Dominic stood in the doorway, his

th, now burned with hatred, the coldness

ed, her voice trembling

ming to bore into her soul, searchi

no love,

ttered, her world c

eaded, her voice breaking un

ssion twisted, his

spat, the words cuttin

ough the hospital room, a

g in the air, poiso

ard, his eyes loc

rned, his voice firm b

ced him, its intensity wa

to Dominic's, searching

anger, a man cons