ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛᴡᴏ

Jenna's return

"No, Jenna," I say, my voice quivering but defiant. "He's our son. Xavier and mine. You can't just claim him."

A cold, sinister laugh escapes Jenna's lips, sending shivers down my spine. "He was meant to be mine, Sofia. Xavier and I were supposed to have a future together. You stole it from me."

The room feels smaller, closing in on me as fear tightens its grip around my throat. My hands grip the crib's edge, and knuckles turn white. I can't let her tear our little family apart.

"I'm sorry if you're hurting, Jenna," I say, my voice steady despite the fear coursing through me. "But Xavier chose me. We have a life together now. Please, just let us be."

A pause lingers in the air, pregnant with unspoken threats. And then, I hear it, the cold, hard metallic click of a gun being cocked. My heart stops, my breath catching in my throat. This is real.

She has a gun pointed at me.

"You don't deserve him," Jenna hisses, her voice dripping with malice. "You stole Xavier from me. You stole everything."

I can't look at her, can't face the woman who tried to rip my world apart while I was carrying Xavier's child. But I can't let her take Saint away from me. Not without a fight.

"I won't let you hurt him," I whisper, my voice trembling but resolute. I can feel Jenna's rage pulsating in the room, the air thick with her bitterness and resentment. But I will stand my ground.

I take a deep breath, summoning every ounce of courage I can muster, and slowly turn around to face Jenna. Her eyes are filled with a manic mix of anger and desperation, her finger trembling on the trigger of the gun she points directly at me.

"Jenna, please," I implore, my voice shaky but determined. "This isn't the way to resolve things. We can find a peaceful solution."

Peaceful resolution, my ass. I'm going to protect Saint with everything I've got.

I'm going to get that gun away from her... and this time.. I. Won't. Miss.

Her laughter is bitter and hollow, echoing through the room like shards of broken glass. "Peaceful solution? There is no solution unless Xavier chooses me and our child. You stole him from me, Sofia. And now, you've stolen our future."

Tears well up in my eyes, my heart aching at the pain I see in Jenna's tormented gaze. But her words, her desperate threats, only fill me with a fierce protectiveness toward Saint and myself.

"Xavier made his choice," I say, my voice steady despite the fear pulsing through my veins. "He chose me, Jenna. He chose this family. I didn't steal anything from you."

Her eyes narrow, a flash of rage crossing her face. "You're lying! Xavier loves me. He always will. He just needs to see the truth. And if he doesn't, well... I'll make sure you and the baby are out of the picture."

My heart pounds in my chest, fear intertwining with determination. I steal a glance at Saint, still sleeping peacefully in his crib. I won't let anything happen to him. I won't let Jenna's deranged desperation tear our family apart.

"You're not thinking clearly, Jenna," I reason, my voice trembling but resolute. "Violence won't solve anything. We need to find a way to move forward peacefully."

Again... I'm going to kill this crazy bitch. To protect my son, it will be worth it.

Jenna's grip on the gun tightens, her eyes glinting with a mix of madness and despair. "Don't you understand? I have nothing left to lose. If I can't have Xavier and our child, then no one will."

The room feels suffocating, the air heavy with tension. I search for a thread of reason, a way to diffuse the situation, but it's slipping through my fingers like sand.

"Jenna, please," I plead, my voice laced with desperation. "Think about what you're doing. Think about the lives you'll destroy. There's still a chance for healing for finding peace."

A flicker of doubt passes over Jenna's face, her grip on the gun wavering for a moment. But then, a renewed determination settles in her eyes, and she presses the gun closer to me.

"No, Sofia," she hisses. "There's no turning back now. It's too late for peace. Xavier will be mine, and you and the baby will be out of the way."

Time seems too slow as my mind races, searching for an escape, a way to protect Saint and myself. I refuse to let Jenna's delusions dictate our fate. With a newfound resolve, I lock eyes with her, my voice tinged with defiance.

"You won't win, Jenna," I say, my voice steady, despite the fear coursing through me. "You're not taking my son.

"You think Xavier loves you? Let's see if he'll choose you or that baby."