Octavio's eyes became wide with horror as he saw Xander holding Madelyn with a gun in hand, pointing it at Madelyn's head. Madelyn stood still with terror as she was being held against her will. She wanted to call out to Octavio, but her lips quivered. The realization hit her that she was now in a life-and-death situation.
Sanders exited the SUV, pointing out a gun he found in the truck's compartment. He stood side-to-side with Octavio and kept his distance. "Xander. It's over! There's no point in trying to escape with Madelyn! Let her go!"
Xander was injured as a part of the skin of his forehead was dangling a bit. There was also an open wound on his right arm. He was bleeding, but it didn't seem to faze him. Xander's let out an evil smile; his eyes were crazed as blood dripped from his wounds. "There's no way in hell I'll let her go. I sacrificed a lot to have her by my side. I've come too far to lose her."
As Sanders was about to respond, more police officers arrived, and they all took out their weapons as they exited their vehicles. Xander eyed the police officers; he was surrounded and knew it. The SUV was destroyed, and he wouldn't escape with the SUV. Xander smirked as he eyed the many cars around him. "I'm willing to kill her and myself. There's no point in living if she leaves me. I would rather her be dead than be with anyone else."
Octavio couldn't believe what he heard. The situation was getting dire. Xander wouldn't hesitate to kill Madelyn and himself. The man was crazy. Sanders put down his gun and laid it on the ground. "Sanders, what are you-?"
The older man shook his hand as he focused on Xander and Madelyn. "You love her that much, don't you?"
"Don't bother; you're trying to get to my emotions."
"Yes and no. I won't bother lying to you since you're too smart for that. I know you wouldn't fear dying and killing the woman you love. However, I'm more concerned for your unborn baby. Your child is innocent of all of this. Are you willing to kill your unborn baby? It has both of your lineages."
Xander stilled. His unborn child. He almost forgot about his unborn child. "If I let her go, she will abort our child. It would be pointless in the end."
"I doubt she will abort it. Keeping the baby will be vital once she sees the child's image. Since you also kept her against her will, she threatened to abort the child to feel power or threaten you to let her go. Aborting an unborn child is not simple. One has to be entirely selfish or in a dire situation to abort. Madelyn has no either of the reasons. I know she won't abort the child. She doesn't have the will to do it."
"Ha! Like I'd believe you! You-!"
"Dear boy, I have worked in law enforcement for half my life. I have worked with many people like you and Madelyn. Women like Madelyn won't have the strength to abort an unborn child." Sanders slowly walked towards them with hands half raised. "I know that deep down, you don't want to kill your innocent unborn child. Your child won't be able to take their first breath, step, word, go to school, date, marry, and have a family."
Xander felt his heart beating rapidly. He hated to admit it; Sanders' words got to him. He didn't want Madelyn to abort their child. Xander then felt Madelyn shaking and noticed tears in her eyes. Sanders's comments brought to her. He threatened the police to get one of the cars to make a gateway, but it would be pointless. They would try to find them. He and Madelyn would eventually be found.
He was trapped. Slowly, he let go of Madelyn. The young woman was loose, and she immediately ran towards the men. Octavio also ran to her. The two were together again and hugged. Madelyn cried. Xander saw this and bit his lower lip. He raised his gun. One of the police officers noticed and shot him in the chest.
Xander fell to the ground. The gun fell from his hands. He was bleeding, and one of the police officers called for an ambulance.
Octavio, Madelyn, and Sanders were shocked. Octavio held onto Madelyn tightly as she did the same with him. "You're safe, Madelyn. You're safe."
Madelyn began to cry. AllShed to stay strong, and all those times, everything she went through was too much. She was free. Free.
Then, twelve months later, Xander survived the gunshot wound and was taken to the hospital. When he recovered, he was going to stand trial. Sanders decided to retire once Xanders was to stand the test officially.
Madelyn was reunited with her loved ones, and everyone was thrilled that she was safe and alive. Octavio never left her side. He immediately connected with a therapist to help Madelyn get through her trauma.
Madelyn also decided to stay with Octavio since she felt safer, and he agreed. Madelyn went o to therapy with Octavio by her side. It was difficult for her to express her fears and explain everything she went through. For Octavio, it was difficult for him to hear the torture that Xander forced on her.
Then, there was the issue of her pregnancy. Madelyn wanted to get an abortion, but she felt the baby kick and move during her healing time. Sanders was right; Madelyn was having second thoughts about aborting the baby. Deep down, she knew that the unborn baby had no blame for what Xander did.
Octavio nonetheless supported her decision to keep the baby. He even offered to help raise the baby.
Their time together made them even closer, strengthening their feelings towards one another. Nine months went by, and the baby was born. It was a baby boy who they named Von, which in old Norse means 'hope.' Von had his mother's face and hair but had his father's eyes. Either way, the couple felt tender love for the baby. Madelyn's anger and uncertainty faded when she looked at her son.
The two were happy. One night, Octavio hired a babysitter to watch over Von while Madelyn went out to eat. Octavio took M delyn out to a small private beach house he owned. The two had a lovely evening at a small meal that they ordered.
"I can't believe how time flies," said Madelyn.
"Yes, I'm so proud of you and your progress. You have a strength that not many people have."
"You helped me through it; not many men would do what you are doing."
Octavio cleared his throat. "I brought you here for a reason. I never thought that I could be this happy. You and Von bring me so much meaning in this life, and I hope I bring the same to you."
She held his hands. "Of course, never doubt that."
The young man got off his seat and knelt, holding out a box with a ring. "Madelyn, will you marry me?"
The young woman's eyes became wide as she saw the ring. "O-Octavio!?"
Madelyn, if it's too soon, then I would understand. I-" He couldn't finish as Madelyn jumped on him, making both falls to the floor.
"Yes! Yes, of course. Nothing will make me happier!"
Octavio felt his heart soar. The two knelt in front of one another as he put the ring on her finger—the two kissed with utter love and happiness. Moments later, Octavio's phone rang. He tried to hear it, but it kept on ringing. He let out an annoyed sigh and saw that it was Sanders. Octavio answers d.
"Sanders, what in the?"
"You and Madelyn are okay!?"
"Yes, why?"
"Xander escaped!"
Octavio's heart skipped a beat. "What in the world are you talking about!? I thought his trial was about to begin!?"
"He escaped prison before the commencement of the trial! There's no way he could've escaped unless...he had help! Police were di patched to your house as they heard some commotion. I'm heading there now!"
Both hung up.
"What's wrong?" asked Madelyn.
"Xander escaped, and something happened back at home! We have to go back! Try calling the babysitter!" The couple was in the car as Octavio drove like a madman. Madelyn tried calling the babysitter, but there was no answer. "She's not an erring! Why isn't she answering!"
About twenty minutes later, they arrived, and to their horror, there were police cars everywhere. The two got out and ran to the house. Some police officers tried to stop them, but they went inside anyway.
The couple saw their babysitter lying in her pool of blood in the living room. She was shot in the head. Sanders was on the scene. "Sanders, what ...?" Octavio tried to speak, but his throat turned dry.
"Xander. It was Xander."
Madelyn screamed as she covered her lips, and that was when she remembered. "Von! Where's my baby!?" Before Sanders could answer, Madelyn and Octavio ran to the baby's room. Inside, the room was in disarray. The baby was nowhere in sight. Madelyn screamed in horror. "My baby! My baby!"
Sanders heard the screaming, and deep down, he knew it would be challenging to find the baby. He had a hunch that Xander had help from inside the justice system. The older man didn't know if the baby and Xander would be found.
Meanwhile, in a private jet, a man with slicked-back dark blonde hair was sitting by the window as the plane was getting ready for takeoff. His eyes were blue, and he had a dark blonde beard. He also wore a buttoned-down white shirt with a black undershirt beneath black slacks and shoes.
Inside the plane, he wasn't alone. Guards and an older woman were sitting beside a small cradle. Inside the car was Von, who was looking at the man. The man smiled as he held the baby boy. "Von, eh. Not the name I would have given you. Alexander will suit you just fine. Although, I have to change my name and appearance. I'm no longer Xander Maximillian." The jet was starting.
"I wanted to kill your mother, but I couldn't. She gave me yo. Though I still love her deep down, she betrayed me, which is her punishment. I will raise you to be the man you were always meant to be. You will avenge me, my boy. We will have a new beginning, eventually bringing Octavio and your mother to their end."
The jet took flight.
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