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3. Klaus

The woman in front of me was trapped in a stifling, narrow room where the air seemed to thin with every passing moment. Her eyes revealed panic and a gradual understanding of the bleak fate awaiting her there, the result of what I, relentless, had reserved for her.

The silence hanging in the air was chilling, only broken by the sound of her agitated breath. Tension was building as if the very space around us was closing in. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins, my mind focused and determined to carry out whatever was necessary.

The woman was about to face the consequences of the actions that had led her to this situation. It was a dark moment, fraught with profound implications. My decisions had brought me to this point, and I knew there was no turning back.

As she confronted the reality of her fate, I was prepared to move forward, to carry out what I had planned, without mercy, in pursuit of the justice I sought.

"Why are you doing this?" She questioned with a shrill, trembling voice. "Why am I in this place?" Besides all those tears, her lack of control was beginning to irritate me.

I took a deep breath, keeping my jaw clenched.

"What's your name?" She immediately furrowed her brow, opening and closing her mouth in confusion.

"...Hailey," she murmured.

I exhaled, relieved that all that feminine drama had ceased.

"Hailey," I repeated. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." She kept her brow furrowed, following me with her gaze as I paced back and forth. "I'm Klaus, by the way." I raised an eyebrow as I held her gaze. "And my wife and my daughter were named Natalie and Luna."

"What?!"

"Natalie. Luna." I shrugged. "Don't tell me you don't know who they are."

"I... I don't know who they are." Her voice trembled again.

I retrieved my phone from my pocket, approaching quickly. My abrupt movement caused her to retreat, though not by much. I held the phone in front of her face, practically forcing her to look at the locked screen, which displayed a photo of my wife holding the ultrasound that revealed the baby's gender. "Your little princess, Klaus!" she said with a wide smile on her face, while still not believing what the ultrasound machine was revealing. The image was gray, almost blurry, and I couldn't quite make out what was there. But I knew it was my daughter.

"This is Natalie and Luna," I said slowly, engraving it in her mind.

"Your wife is beautiful," Hailey averted her gaze from the device, maintaining eye contact with me. Her eyes were frightened, even though she was trying not to show it.

"She was," I said, tasting a bitter taste in my mouth. "Probably not anymore." I glanced at the photo before looking at her again. "Now, ask why." She hesitated. "Ask," I growled, suddenly squeezing her neck, applying more force than I had imagined.

Her eyes widened, becoming even redder.

"Why?" she said with difficulty. I removed my hands from her neck, hearing her gasp and attempt to soothe her throat.

"Because your husband, Kai, killed them," I said. She slowly raised her head, her expression turning surprised as she held my gaze. "Now, do you want to know how?" I tilted my head to the side, squinting my eyes.

Tears flowed freely once again, wetting the woman's face as she finally comprehended the terrible reality of the situation she was in. Each tear was a silent testament to the overwhelming fear that engulfed her, a physical manifestation of the panic spreading through her veins like insidious poison.

I watched her, showing no visible emotion, as the grim scenario unfolded before my eyes. The turmoil of emotions she was experiencing was like a rollercoaster, and for a brief moment, my own determination wavered when faced with the humanity of this woman, regardless of what had brought her to this point.

But I was committed, on a mission for justice that could not be swayed. Her panic and fear were the reflection of the actions that had drawn her to this dark destiny. Circumstances had placed me in this position, and I was determined to press on despite the doubts that might haunt me.

As she confronted the terror enveloping her, my heart weighed heavily with the burden of responsibility I had taken on. I knew this was far from over, that the decisions I was making now would have lasting consequences.

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