Second Chance With My Baby Daddy

Chapter3:Panic All Through

Lilianna POV

He cut himself off, his brows furrowing.

Panic surged through me.

I quickly stepped back, forcing another smile. "He’s got a lot of my features, doesn’t he?"

Silas didn’t respond right away, but after a beat, he nodded. "Yeah. He does."

Silas let out another sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "You’re right. Tonight isn’t the time for this." He met my gaze again, more serious now. "But we’re going to talk. Soon."

I nodded. "Okay."

Silas took one last glance at Callum before forcing a smirk. "He better not call me ‘Unca’ forever. Makes me sound old."

I laughed, a bit relieved. "We’ll work on it."

Silas shook his head, chuckling as he turned back toward the party. "C’mon. We’ve got a wedding to plan."

I forced a smile, following him back into the crowd.

But deep down, I knew it'd only a matter of time before he found out.

The Petrov family had arrived in full force. Russian bodyguards lined the walls, watching everything with their cold eyes.

I stood at the far end of the grand hall, watching every single one of them. Callum was safe upstairs with Beatrice, our new nanny.

“Are you just going to stand there and sulk all night?”

I turned to see Silas.

“This is a mistake,” I said quietly, glancing toward the Petrov men in the room. “You know it is.”

Silas took a slow sip of his drink, “It’s necessary.”

“She’s the daughter of Vlad Petrov, Silas. You really think he’s going to play nice once this wedding happens?”

Silas’s jaw tightened, “Vlad knows better than to cross us. This marriage keeps the peace.”

I scoffed. “Until he decides it doesn’t.”

“Enough, Lili.” His voice dropped, barely a whisper, “I need you to trust me on this.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but before I could, a voice cut me off.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the runaway bride.”

I turned, as Vlad Petrov himself strode toward me, his pale eyes glinting with amusement. The man my father had once promised me to.

He tilted his head, studying me. “It’s been a long time, Lilianna.”

I forced a smile, my nails biting into my palms. “Not long enough.”

Silas stepped between us. “Vlad,“You’re supposed to be enjoying the festivities.”

Vlad chuckled, his gaze flicking at Aelita across the room. “Oh, I am. Your sister’s just a pleasant distraction.”

I bristled. “I’m not here for your entertainment.”

Vlad smirked, leaning in slightly. “No? Then why are you here, милая? Surely not to give your blessing.”

I clenched my jaw, but before I could respond, a server brushed past me, nearly toppling over. His tray of champagne flutes wobbled, and in the mess of movement, something small and black slipped from his sleeve.

A gun.

Everything went so slow.

Silas saw it first. He lunged forward, knocking me aside as the server pulled the trigger. A silenced shot fired, missing its target as everyone scattered.

Guards were shouting, people were screaming in horror.

Silas tackled the man, but before I could move, I felt a hand wrap around my wrist.

Vlad’s grip was bruising as he yanked me back against him.

“Time to go, солнышко,” he murmured in my ear.

I struggled, kicking against his legs, but his grip only tightened.

A gunshot rang out, then another. I twisted just in time to see Silas drive a bullet into the assassin’s skull, the body dropping to the marble floor with a sickening thud.

Silas turned, eyes wild as he spotted me in Vlad’s grasp.

And then, Aelita intervened. She was fast.. Too fast. In one fluid motion, she pulled a blade from her thigh holster and pressed it into Vlad’s throat.

“Let her go, father,” she said, her voice cold.

My pulse pounded. Father?

Vlad laughed, but his grip loosened just enough for me to rip myself away. I stumbled backward, breathing hard.

Silas aimed his gun at Vlad’s head. “Start talking. Now.”

Vlad wiped at his throat where Aelita’s blade had nicked him. “It seems my daughter has a mind of her own.”

Aelita turned to me. “I didn’t do this for you.”

Silas’s finger twitched over the trigger. “Then why?”

She smirked. “Because killing her doesn’t serve my interests. Not yet.”

I didn’t trust her. Not for a damn second.

Guards swarmed the room, withdrawing their weapons, and Vlad stepped back, raising his hands like this was all some kind of game. “I suppose this means the wedding is postponed?”

Silas’s face was blank, but I could see the fury beneath it. “Get out.”

Vlad sighed. “Pity. I was looking forward to making Lilianna my wife after all these years.”

I stiffened. “Over my dead body.”

Vlad winked before walking away.

Aelita walked towards me and whispered something to me before she left.

I barely caught it. Just four little words.

"You should leave. Now."

I didn’t know what she meant. But the dread in my stomach told me she wasn’t wrong.

The mansion was locked down. Guests were ushered out, and the dead body was removed.

I found myself in Silas’s office, pacing as he poured himself another drink.

I swallowed, my throat dry. “The wedding..”

“Still happening,” he said firmly. “We’ll tighten security.”

I shook my head. “Silas, this is a war.”

His jaw tensed. “Then let’s win.”

I should just leave because I know I won't be able to change his mind.

I rushed upstairs the moment I left Silas’s office. I needed to hold my son. But when I pushed open the bedroom door…

The crib was empty.

The room was silent.

Aunt Beatrice was unconscious on the floor, a trickle of blood seeping from her temple.

My heart stopped.

No. No, no, no.

I spun, gasping for breath, searching everywhere for any sign of him.

But I saw nothing

This wasn’t happening.

This couldn’t be happening.

I stumbled backward, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

I had spent five years hiding. Five years building a new life, protecting my son, making sure he would never be a pawn in this world.

And now… Now he is gone.

A scream ripped from my throat, loud and that of a broken mother.

And then everything went black.