It was a late summer night when Collin took his wife and daughter out to dinner. They lived in a beautiful home in a peaceful town in Italy. He had no reason to suspect that this night would be the last he ever saw them again.
His wife Lucy was wearing a stunning white gown that night. Her long blond hair that went to her waist was curled; white decorations weaved into certain places. Her makeup was done with a light hand.
His daughter Chloe was wearing a very pretty gold dress that came to her knees, and her hair was done the same as her mother's. The only thing that she seemed to inherit from her father as far as looks were concerned was her golden brown hair, which came to her waist as well.
Both were the highlight of his life. He loved them both than anything else in the world, and he frequently told them that. Upon seeing them come downstairs, he smiled and kissed their hands in turn. "You look as radiant as the sun, my Ladies," he said in Italian.
Lucy smiled softly while Chloe giggled. "I'm glad you think so, My Love" she responded before kissing him in a loving way.
He felt a tug on his sleeve and looked down to find Chloe grinning up at him. "Come, Daddy. We can't be late, remember?" she asked in her chiming voice. They all spoke in Italian.
He chuckled softly and picked her up. "You're right, My Dear. We must not be late." With that, he put her down, took her hand and his wife's arm, and led them to their car. He was taking them to a very formal party, and it was crucial that they be on time. But they would never make it to the party.
It happened as Collin was driving across the town. They were stopped at a red light, waiting for it to turn green, when it happened. A blue car pulled up next to them and honked the horn at them. When Collin looked at them, the driver motioned for him to roll his window down. When he did, so did the driver, and the man stuck his head out slightly.
"Are you Collin Doson Williams?" he asked in Italian.
With a blink of surprise he nodded. "Yes, I am. May I who you are?"
But the man never answered him with words. Instead, the man pulled his head in and reached for something in his pocket. He saw a flash of silver, heard a loud noise, and his world went black.
He was not sure how long he was unconscious, but when he woke, he felt sure he woke to a nightmare. The interior of his car was covered in blood, and when he looked in the passenger seat, he knew why. His wife's beautiful gown was stained red from the wounds she received in her chest and stomach. He unbuckled his seat belt and opened his door, running to the other side of the car and opening his wife's car door. The instant he unbuckled her seat belt she collapsed into his arms, where he could feel the feeble pulse of life in her neck. He opened the back passenger door and did the same for his daughter. But no matter where he looked on her body, he could not feel her pulse or breath. The only thing that he could see was the wound in her temple, and her glazed eyes.
Collin bit back a sob of horror and focused on his wife's frail body, doing what he could to keep her alive, but the wounds proved too great. The moment before she died her eyes fluttered open and she looked into his eyes and whispered only three words to him.
"I love you…"
Her eyelids then closed, and with a shuddering breath, her life left her body.
He lost everything he held dear that night. His wife and daughter were gone, and he would never know the name of the man that killed them or the reason why. All he knew was that his life would never be the same since.