Elena's POVIn the fraction of a second that Sophia lunged, my brain processed everything with agonizing clarity. I saw the glint of the stainless steel blade, the madness in her wide, unblinking eyes, and the desperate, frantic movement of Noah as he breached the inner perimeter, his hand outstretched, still ten feet too far away to stop the trajectory.I squeezed my eyes shut, a primal instinct taking over. I curled my torso forward as much as the zip ties would allow, a desperate, final attempt to shield the tiny life inside me with my own ribcage. I waited for the cold, sharp bite of the steel. I waited for the end of the dream I had only just started to believe in.But the impact wasn't sharp. It was heavy.I heard a guttural grunt of effort, followed by a wet, sickening thud, the sound of a body colliding with a body. There was a gasp, a rattle of breath, and then the sound of a wooden chair splintering against the concrete floor.I opened my eyes, gasping for air that felt li
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