***Prologue*** Nine years ago

The dark weather and cold breeze that brushed Allison’s skin couldn’t ease the hurt buried in her chest. The sky hung heavy, casting a gray shadow over the cemetery.

With her hands quivering as they grabbed the sides of her black dress, sixteen-year-old Allison stood at the edge of the grave, her eyes red and swollen from grief. It was a small coffin, as if its size mirrored how little time her mother had spent with her—just sixteen short years.

Beside her stood her father, Mr. Blackwell, a man of rigid strength, yet even he could not mask the pain of losing his wife. He quickly wiped away a tear from his face. His other hand rested on Allison’s shoulder, a gesture meant to offer comfort, but she barely felt it. He awkwardly patted her shoulder again. He didn't quite know how to ease her sorrow or comfort her.

"I’m consoled you’ve gone to rest from this toxic world, but I'll forever miss you, my love," Mr. Blade whispered emotionally, but his words fell into the heavy silence that surrounded them.

Nadeem, one of the dependable family guards for Mr. Blackwell, kneeled next to Allison and gently reassured Allison, reminding her that she wouldn’t ever have to go through life alone.

“I’m sorry you had to experience this love. It’s okay to feel sad, but keep in mind that I'll always be here for you; you're not alone.”

Allison only nodded faintly to his reassuring words that barely penetrated her. She was still consumed by the harsh reality of her mother's permanent absence in her life.

“I’m dearly sorry for your loss, sir,” Nadeem continued softly. Turning to Mr. Blade’s, his head bowed slightly out of courtesy.

Trying to be strong for his daughter, Mr. Blade kissed her on the forehead and tenderly wiped the tears that fell down her cheeks. He muttered gently, “It’s time to go home now, Allison. I promise I'll be with you every step of the way, protecting you as a father should.”

Allison began breathing erratically as she murmured farewell to the one person who had ever understood her.

Together, they turned away from the grave, leaving a new mound of earth behind that represented Allison's final moment as a child. Though she didn’t know it then. The world her father tried so hard to conceal would soon merge with hers.

*****

That night sleep was elusive for young Allison; all she could think of was her mother's death. Under the thick blankets, she tossed and turned; the silence that followed seemed to make the evenings last longer.

Unable to rest, Allison slid out of bed. She wandered down the staircase and peeked down towards her father’s study. A low murmur of voices caught her attention, so she quietly crept closer to eavesdrop.

The door to the study was opened slightly. Through the small opening, she saw her father, standing rigidly in front of a man kneeling on the floor. The man was bruised, blood streaking down his face, begging for mercy. Her father was calm—too calm. His hand rested on the arm of the chair, his face an expression of cold indifference.

“Please, forgive me... I swear, it won't happen again," the man stammered, trembling.

“You made a mistake crossing me, yet you won't need to worry since you will pay with your life.” Her father's voice resounded like a poisonous whisper.

This statement was followed by a gunshot that sounded like thunder.It wasn’t her father that pulled the trigger, so Allison quivered and turned to face the direction from which the sound came from. Immediately, the man collapsed to the floor. 

With his gun still burning, Nadeem, her father's most trusted security, stood over the inactive body. The room felt frozen in time as blood began to pool beneath the lifeless figure.

"Take care of it." Her dad ordered and turned away, dismissing the dead man like he was nothing more than a broken vase shattered beyond repair. Allison gasped, instinctively covering her mouth, but her father’s eyes snapped toward the stairs. Their gazes locked for a brief second. She felt fear clutch her throat, and she tried to run but she couldn’t move. What she saw had paralyzed her.

Mr. Blade’s eyes widened in panic. "Nadeem, my daughter... Allison,she saw everything.” He stammered nervously, his voice low but strained.

Nadeem glanced over his shoulder toward Allison and quickly holstered his weapon. He walked toward her father, his face calm, calculating.

"We’ll handle it, sir. We’ll say he was a thief—a home invasion gone wrong. It’s believable enough. She’s too young to understand."

Allison wanted to scream, but she couldn't get the words out. Her words were stuck in her throat. 

“She wasn’t supposed to see this,” her father muttered, running his hands through his hair. “What would I tell my baby girl?”

Nadeem placed a steady hand on his shoulder. 

“Don’t worry, Mr. Blade. I’ll make sure she forgets this. She’s just a child. We’ll make sure it never happens again.”

Allison sprinted to her room, stumbling as she climbed the stairs, but never backed down till she got to her room. She sat on her bed, trembling after what she had witnessed downstairs—the man begging, the gunshot, the blood. Her thoughts swirled in confusion and fear. 

She jumped when the door to her room creaked open, revealing Nadeem. She shrieked backward from fear as he calculatively walked toward her and knelt beside her, his tone gentle but serious.

“Allison I want you to understand this,” Nadeem began, choosing his words wisely.

“Whatever impression you might have from what you saw downstairs is most likely wrong. That man was a thief. He broke in to harm and steal from your father.”

Blinking, Allison tried to take in what he had said.

“But he was begging,” she whispered, her voice small and confused. 

“Why didn’t you call the police?" She asked softly.

Nadeem sighed. “If we did, and he escaped, he would tell others about your father. They would return to exact revenge on your father for ratting out their partner. You just lost your mother; are you prepared to lose your father as well??”

“No… I don’t.” Allison interjected; her eyes widened in fear. The thought of losing her father hurt her. 

Nadeem nodded solemnly.

“Exactly, your father is a good man. He would never harm somebody unless it was to keep this family safe or to defend you. That man would have killed him if I hadn’t acted first.”

Allison swallowed hard, wiping her eyes and declaring to Nadeem. “My dad wouldn’t hurt anyone. He’s a good man.”

“That’s right,” Nadeem agreed. 

“Now promise me you’ll never speak of this to anyone. To keep you, our family, and our friendship safe," Nadeem inquired, whispering. 

“No, I won't; I love my daddy,” Allison responded carefully. 

“I know you do, and that’s good of you, love; now, try to get some sleep.” Nadeem proclaimed patting Allison’s hand.

With that, Allison curled under her blankets, desperately clinging to the belief that her father was a hero, pushing away the horror she had just witnessed. But deep down, Allison knew she would never forget.

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