CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THREE THE FORCED LOVE

Daphne's POV I sat in the dimly lit room, feeling the cold stone against my back. My mind wandered, lost in memories of Javion and the pain of losing our son. The sound of footsteps echoed through the hall, pulling me back to my grim reality. Xander. I steeled myself, knowing he’d come with more of his infuriating attempts to win me over. “Daphne,” he greeted me with that sickeningly smooth voice, a smile plastered on his face. “I brought you something to eat.” I didn’t reply, just stared at him, my eyes cold and unyielding. He placed a tray of food on the floor near me and took a seat, his eyes never leaving mine. “You know,” he began, “if you’d just give me a chance, you might find that I’m not as bad as you think.” I snorted, unable to contain my disdain. “Not as bad as I think? Xander, you kidnapped me and killed my child. I’d say that’s about as bad as it gets.” He sighed, shaking his head. “You don’t understand. I did what I had to do. I love you, Daphne. I always have.”