He stood over the baby crib, silver tears aglow in his eyes. The pain inside him was so deep, he felt he was choking on it. Peter stood at his side, his eyes on the child.
"I can't believe it's true; that Letha's baby is really alive, and that YOU are her father," Peter breathed.
Roman's eyes snapped to those of his friend's. He had trusted Peter with all of his secrets, even the one he had kept hidden in the secret room, his own little girl. "Sometimes, I can't believe it either," Roman said with a sigh. "I can't believe she's gone. I can't believe... I killed her."
"You didn't kill her, Roman."
"I hope my little girl doesn't hate me one day..." Roman spoke as he stared into the child's bright blue eyes. "...when she finds out what I have done."
"I raped her mother," Roman said. He spat out the words one by one. They sickened him.
"No, you didn't," Peter said gently. He lay a hand on Roman's shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "Letha loved you. She thought an angel gave her this precious baby. You'll never convince me otherwise."
"It was Olivia," Peter spoke with contempt. "She caused it. Roman, I'm sorry to say it, but you were raped, too."
A single tear slid down Roman's face as he looked away from the child and stared into his friend's kind eyes. Peter still believed in him. Despite everything, Peter understood.
"Because of my mother, I will never love again. I was the King of Sex, before all this happened. Now I have no other choice but to ... stifle those urges. I can't be with a woman, because I might hurt her. I can never hurt anyone again as I hurt Letha."
"In your heart you're a good man and a wonderful father," said Peter. "That's all this little girl will know."
"Thank you for forgiving me," Roman spoke.
"Thank you, my friend, for forgiving me, too."