A week and a half later, I woke up terribly sore and exhausted. It was nearly impossible for me to get a good night's sleep anymore as I was constantly up and down all night to relieve myself, and none of my sleeping positions were comfortable. I could tell that there were going to be dark circles underneath my eyes.

I shifted in the bed and found a position that alleviated some of my back pain. It was heavenly to not be hurting for at least a few moments, so I froze, not wanting anything to ruin my brief relaxation.

Olaf must have felt my slight movement, because he groaned and rolled over to face me, wrapping his arm around my stomach.

I sighed and turned my head. I couldn't tell if he truly wanted to acknowledge his upcoming foray into fatherhood or not; most days, Olaf was cold and manipulative as he forced me to complete tedious chores that required a lot of grunt work on my part. Of course, due to my condition, it just wasn't possible for me to complete the chores he wanted doing as quickly as I would have were I not carrying his baby. That would then warrant him hurling insults and yelling at me at the end of the day. It used to make me cry, but now, it was just routine. The worst days would end with him aggressively having sex with me. He found that I couldn't fight back as hard as I used to early on in my pregnancy; I supposed it made him feel increasingly powerful over me.

Other days, Olaf would perhaps briefly come to terms with the fact that he was going to be a father. In his own twisted way of being 'nice', he would leave me on my own in his house and let me do what I wanted as long as I didn't disturb him. When he would see me, he would wordlessly stare at me as if he was trying to convince himself that I was actually real. He would come to bed drunk out of his mind and curl up next to me on the mattress and recite poetry to the baby. I found it awkward, to say the least, but I didn't want to anger him, especially if he was already intoxicated.

I went to move away from his offending arm, but my back spasmed aggressively, causing my breath to catch in my chest.

"You're not leaving yet, Orphan," Olaf murmured, half-awake.

The pain quickly subsided. "Don't you want breakfast?" I asked. I didn't want him to touch me anymore, especially since it was a sure plan that I would be rescued soon.

"Not hungry right now," Olaf grumbled as he nudged himself closer to my body. He began to stroke the side of my belly with his thumb; it was going to be one of the latter-type days.

I laid in bed silently, not knowing what to do, so I just thought. I thought about how I would soon leave Olaf's tyranny and join my siblings with our new lives. I thought about V.F.D. and it's connection with my parents. I even thought about the eye tattoo on Olaf's ankle, which didn't scare me as much as it had before The Marvelous Marriage. In fact, I found myself interested as to why he even had a V.F.D. tattoo. It seemed impossible that he would have been a part of such a noble organization. He was not a noble man at all.

A sharp kick inside me drew me from my musings. I looked over to Olaf, who barely seemed to react at all.

"What day is it?" I asked quietly.

Olaf yawned, his morning breath causing me to nearly gag. "The 13th," he responded shortly.

I rested my head back on my pillow. Bringing a hand to my bump, I did some quick mental calculations. I was thirty-six weeks along at that point. I was surprised that I hadn't had the baby sooner, seeing as I was just a teenager. It would probably be any day now. I smiled lightly, hoping that Klaus and Sunny would be present for the birth of their niece or nephew.

As I had suspected, Olaf was in a more generous mood that entire day: his only chore for me that day was to make a singularly spectacular meal for his troupe, as they were celebrating something that he didn't care to elaborate on. It had been about a month since Olaf's actors had called around, and I had enjoyed that time of no additional insults or cleaning that I knew I would have to do.

My back ached severely as I picked up the large tray of drinks for Olaf's troupe. I had noticed that all day, my back and sides would seize in painful spasms. I was worried that I might perhaps be going into labor, but I reasoned that it was most likely false contractions.

With the tray, I slowly made my way into the parlor, my large bump leading the way. In the cacophony of laughter and perverse merriment, I offered the actors their drinks.

"My dear Countess," Olaf called to me. I looked up as I placed each drink before the actors. "Your roast beef was bone dry this evening. It was as if your snotty brother had made it."

I swallowed hard. "Roast beef is difficult, Count Olaf. It takes time to perfect it," I replied.

Olaf chuckled humorlessly. "Well, you need to keep trying, because it was shit. How do you expect to care for our little bundle of joy if you can't even feed us properly?" He gestured to the table.

I gritted my teeth, knowing that I probably would not have to think about making another roast beef again. "Fine," I murmured. I turned to go back to the kitchen, but my back spasmed again, and I had to stop.

"I didn't say you could go back to the kitchen," Olaf snapped. "Come stand by me, little Countess." I obeyed.

"Little?" one of the white-faced women jeered. "She's so fat now!"

"Much fatter than she was last time!" her sister added with a witchy cackle.

The troupe laughed uproariously. When I reached Olaf, he pulled me to his side, still laughing with the group. "For shame!" he said dramatically. "Don't make fun of the girl who is to have my 'hair.'" Sarcasm dripped from his voice at that. Olaf placed his arm around my waist and made a show of rubbing my belly.

"It's 'heir,'" I corrected.

Olaf rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

The hook-handed man stopped laughing suddenly and looked at Olaf. "I thought I was your heir?"

Olaf, once again, rolled his eyes. "I only told you that that day to get you to shut up," he grumbled.

I kept glancing to the foyer, hoping to see Jacquelyn burst in with Klaus and Sunny in tow.

I abruptly felt another spasm, this time in my stomach, causing me to press a hand against my side. I tried to step away and I murmured to Olaf, "I'm not feeling well."

Olaf grabbed a handful of the side of my dress and jerked me back. He pulled my head down and hissed through gritted teeth, "You don't go until I say you go."

I felt the twinge grow stronger and more uncomfortable. "Please, Olaf, I'm not feeling well—"

Olaf snatched my wrist. "You are not going anywhere, you brat!"

Suddenly, warm liquid began to gush down my leg and onto the floor. The room grew quiet immediately. Everyone, including me, looked down to the puddle on the carpet beneath me.

"She's pissed herself!" the hench-person of indeterminate gender cried out suddenly. Everyone turned to look at them.

"No, her water's broken. She's in labor." A familiar voice rang out from the doorway to the parlor. I looked up to see Klaus in a mill jumpsuit and disheveled hair. Sunny was there on his hip, and she shouted, "Geebah!", which I knew to mean, "We need to get her to the hospital!"

Olaf leaped to his feet, his mouth gaping. "How did you—?"

Jacquelyn entered the room, holding a harpoon gun and aiming it squarely at Olaf's chest. "There were a few volunteers that you missed, Olaf," she said.

Olaf's brow furrowed in anger. "I should have killed you that day in your office when I had the chance."

Jacquelyn smiled triumphantly. "A grave mistake on your part. Now tell your friends to leave immediately."

Olaf glanced to the harpoon gun, and for the first time, I saw a bit of fear in his eyes.

"Leave," he said to his troupe. No one moved. "Go, now!" he repeated.

"Boss, do we start the f—?" the hook-handed man started.

"No, you fucking imbeciles! Just scatter!" Olaf bellowed after him.

Olaf's troupe quickly stood and practically ran out of the house. He was left alone, his hands raised as Jacquelyn inched closer to him with the harpoon gun.

Olaf raised one side of his unibrow. "What now? You gonna kill me?" he asked.

Before Jacquelyn could answer, I felt a hard contraction grip me from the inside, and I screamed.

"Violet!" Klaus called as he put Sunny in a chair and ran to my side.

I wrapped my arms around my stomach. "I didn't know this was happening at all," I cried.

"You thought they were Braxton-Hicks?" Klaus asked me. I nodded. Klaus grabbed my elbow and lowered me into Olaf's chair. Olaf spun around and waved his hand in my face.

"Get out of my seat, Orphan!" Olaf demanded.

"Leave her alone! The last thing she needs is to be harassed by you!" Klaus shouted angrily.

Olaf pushed Klaus to the side and leaned into his personal space. "How dare you speak to me like that, you brat! I can do whatever I want to her. She is my wife and she's having my child!"

"Oh, now it's your child?" I sobbed, the sharp contraction slowing. "You've threatened my baby's safety and now when it's time for it to come into the world you say it's your child?"

Klaus turned to me, his eyes wide. "Threatened?" he repeated.

Jacquelyn, still aiming at Olaf, said, "Of, course you threatened her, you monster." Olaf sneered and rolled his eyes. Jacquelyn looked at my brother. "Klaus, I need you to go call for help."

Olaf smirked. "I threw out all the phones after I decided to keep my Countess at home all the time."

Klaus growled and turned back to me. "I'll go get someone." He took my hand in his. "I'll be back before you know it."

I shook my head. "Klaus, no. Please, stay with me. I need you!" I pleaded.

"Olaf can't go," Jacquelyn observed. "He'll just escape."

"Ootsee!" Sunny babbled, which meant, "I'll go!"

I shook my head again and grunted. "Sunny, you're just a baby yourself."

Jacquelyn sighed after thinking for a moment. "Klaus, take the harpoon gun," she said. She moved to Klaus. "I know who to get."

"I can't take it," he replied.

Jacquelyn held the gun to Klaus, the harpoon trained at Olaf's chest. "I'll go and get help. I know you're a smart young man."

Klaus glanced at me. "What if something goes wrong, Violet?" he asked me.

"I trust you, Klaus," I muttered.

Klaus paused to think. "We need to move her to a bed," he stated. He grabbed the harpoon gun from Jacquelyn and pointed it back to Olaf. Jacquelyn nodded swiftly and ran from the house. Klaus continued, "It's not an ideal position to lie down while giving birth, but it's better than in here." Klaus gestured around him.

"Gahma?" Sunny cooed, meaning, "What is the ideal position?"

I shook my head. "I don't think you want to know, Sunny," I replied.

Klaus directed his attention to and stared at Olaf. "You need to help us move her."

"I don't need to do anything," Olaf said dismissively.

"Olaf!" I screamed. "Do just one good thing in your life and help me! This is still your baby!"

Olaf looked back and forth between Klaus and me. "I...can't."

"Why not?" Klaus questioned.

As my back spasmed with the end of the contraction, I winced and gritted my teeth. "Olaf, you told me that everyone does something villainous in their life, but I believe everyone also does something noble." Tears came to my eyes in pain. "Olaf, please, do this one noble thing, and help me have your baby."

Olaf's features softened slightly. "Fine," he sighed. He came over to me and carefully placed his arms under my knees and behind my back and picked me up. He made it seem effortless as he hoisted me bridal style. He gestured his head to Klaus and Sunny.

Klaus picked up Sunny and pointed the harpoon gun at Olaf's back. Olaf began to climb the stairs and I felt his arms begin to tremble. His expression didn't let on that he was tiring and he kept going.

Olaf brought me to his room and placed me on his bed. "Is that all?" he asked Klaus.

I breathed deeply as I paced back and forth in Olaf's bedroom. Klaus and Sunny sat on the bed as they kept an eye on Klaus' watch. Olaf sat in a chair in the corner of the room farthest to the door.

"How long do these things normally last?" Olaf asked, clearly impatient.

"Labor can last up to 36 hours," Klaus snapped at Olaf.

I groaned, not wanting to have this pain for several more hours. I stopped, feeling another contraction start. I grabbed the baseboard of the bed and squeezed my eyes shut. I let out a long grunt as the contraction tore through me.

"It's all right, Violet, just breathe," Klaus reassured me. "You said that you had felt contractions all day?" I nodded. "It shouldn't be too much longer, then."

The pain finally passed. I stood upright and looked at Klaus. "How far apart are they now?"

Klaus looked back at me. "Four minutes."

I sobbed and rubbed my sweaty forehead. Klaus stood and came up to me. "I can't do this, Klaus! They've been four minutes apart for the past hour. What if something's wrong?"

"Hey," Klaus said, taking my shoulder. "Everything's going to be all right. Jacquelyn's coming back, and when she does, everything will be fine." I nodded. Klaus smiled. "And besides, it's not every day I become an uncle."

"Bahnee!" Sunny added, which meant, "Or an aunt!"

"Blah, blah, blah," Olaf sneered in the corner. "Can you push or not?"

I heard stomping feet as two people ascended the staircase. Jacquelyn entered Olaf's room with the man who had introduced himself as Harry, sans his dreadful disguise. He came up to me and smiled. "Hello again, Violet. I apologize for giving you a fake name. I'm really Doctor—"

"Larry?" Olaf interrupted, standing. "I thought you were a waiter!"

Larry cocked his head. "I dabble," he said simply.

Olaf's eyebrow pitched up. "But since when were you a doctor?"

Larry looked at Olaf, his face deadpan. "Since I decided to do something with my life other than just starting villainous fires and telling everyone I'm an impresario," Larry snapped.

Klaus huffed, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid there's no time for insults and bickering." He handed Jacquelyn the harpoon gun and she aimed it back at Olaf. Klaus then helped Larry lay me back down on the bed. He picked up Sunny and went to the opposite side of the bed.

"What's been going on?" Larry asked Klaus, flashing me a comforting smile.

"I've been timing her contractions. They're approximately four minutes apart," Klaus explained to Larry.

"Good job, young man," Larry told Klaus. Larry leaned over me and smiled. "Can you tell me if there were any health problems, Violet?"

"I had a hospital visit for anemia, but that cleared up when I took the medicine the doctor gave me," I said.

"What about the baby? Did anything show up on ultrasounds?"

I shook my head. "Not on the one at the hospital. I never went to the doctor other than that," I responded quietly.

Larry glared back at Olaf. "That doesn't surprise me." Larry turned his attention back to me. He took a stethoscope out of his bag. "You mind if I take a listen?"

I shook my head and pulled up my nightgown under my breast. Larry put in the ear pieces and breathed on the disc of the stethoscope. He placed the metal against my belly and moved it around. "From what I can tell, heartbeat sounds normal," Larry said after a few moments.

I felt my muscles start to tighten as another contraction hit me. "Breathe," Larry calmly instructed as he sat down next to me.

The contraction passed finally. I looked up at Klaus. "Still around four minutes."

I brought my hands up to my eyes and started to cry. Larry took my hands. "It's OK, Violet, it's all right. Don't get upset. I'm going to do everything I can go make sure your baby comes out all right," he told me.

I nodded. "I'm just really scared," I whispered.

"It's OK to be scared, Violet," Jacquelyn added. I craned my neck to view her. She smiled at me the gun still pointed at Olaf.

Larry stood again. "I'm just going to check something, OK?" He pressed his hands on my belly, shifting them around and applying pressure. He made an odd face and was silent.

"What's wrong?" I asked, panic rising in my voice.

Larry sat back down on the bed. "I can't tell whether or not your baby is breached," he told me. "Breach means—"

"—Feet first," Klaus finished. His face contorted in fear. "Violet..."

"I can't tell for sure, Klaus," Larry repeated. "Breach births can happen in teen pregnancies, unfortunately." He sent a dark glare toward Olaf.

I propped myself up on my elbows. "What do we do?"

Larry sighed. "Unfortunately, we can't move you. I can't really tell without the right equipment. I'm sorry, Violet, but all we can do is wait."

I swallowed hard. I looked at my brother. "Klaus?" I whimpered. I hoped he would think of something.

"No, that can't be all you can do!" Klaus shouted. "You know what can happen with breach births! She can't die here!"

"Wait," a soft voice called out. Olaf stepped forward, his one eyebrow pitched up in what appeared to be concern. "They could both…die?" I was shocked at Olaf's sudden concern.

Klaus set Sunny down on the bed next to me. "Yes, Count Olaf. She and her baby could die!" Klaus stomped up to Olaf and faced him. "You don't get to be concerned! You could have taken her to the doctor!"

"Klaus!" I shouted.

He didn't hear me. "You could have prevented all of this! They could both die because of you! It's all your fault!" Klaus' nostrils flared as he seemed to grow taller in his anger. "In, fact, none of this would be happening if you hadn't stolen our fortune and raped my sister!" Olaf stepped back in shock.

"Klaus!" I screamed. "That's not helping!" A sudden contraction started creeping through my muscles and I began to cry out.

"That's three minutes!" Klaus exclaimed after looking at his watch.

"I'm going to go get some towels," Larry said as he gestured for Klaus to come back to my side. I breathed out as the contraction began to dissipate after a minute. He stood to leave.

"Clean towels are in the hall closet," I mentioned.

Olaf made a face. "How the hell did you know that?"

I sighed. "I've done your laundry for the past nine months. Of course, I know where everything is," I replied.

"You made the mother of your child do all of your laundry?" Klaus said incredulously to Olaf. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I knew where the towels were because I did them yesterday," I added.

"Koodish!" Sunny babbled, really meaning, "You cold-hearted monster!"

Klaus picked Sunny back up and knelt down to get eye level with me.

"We're going to be right here with you, Violet. No matter what, it's going to be all right," Klaus said as he reached for my hand.

I mostly remember intense pain. I screamed and wailed even as Klaus and Sunny encouraged me.

Surprisingly, Olaf showed interest for the first time. Interest was not, perhaps, the best word, as all he really did was inch closer to the bed with his eyes wide as he watched me labor. Jacquelyn had allowed him to get a bit closer.

An hour after I had started pushing, my hair was plastered to my face as sweat poured from my temples.

Larry glanced up from between my legs. "All right, Violet. Just one last push with your next contraction and it will be over!"

Klaus took my hand. "You can do this!"

My energy had seeped from my body, and I felt as if I had nothing left to give. I lolled my head from side to side. No, Klaus...I can't. I can't anymore…"

"Come on, Violet," Larry said to me.

Klaus shook his head. "Don't give up!"

"Uhboh," Sunny cooed, meaning, "You can do this."

I couldn't answer. I just wanted to slip out of consciousness and let whatever was going to happen, happen.

I suddenly felt a long, bony hand clasp mine. I looked to the side to see Olaf knelt next to the bed, his expression unreadable. Larry and Klaus glared at Olaf as Jacquelyn stepped closer, nearly jabbing the tip of the harpoon gun to the side of his head.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

He sighed. "Kit and Dewey both told me that her baby wasn't mine. I don't know if it was true or if they said it to push me away."

I clenched my jaw. "You wanted this moment with Kit," I deduced.

Olaf didn't respond; he only held my hand tighter.

I brought my attention back to Larry. "All right," I breathed.

Larry nodded. "Ok, push when I tell you to."

I braced myself and squeezed Olaf's hand. I expected some sort of comment about the tightness of my grip, but Olaf said nothing.

Another contraction started building up, and I screwed my eyes shut in pain.

"All right, push, Violet!"

I bore down as hard as I could, my voice cracking as I screamed.

My scream intermingled with a new shrill voice as I felt a release. I opened my eyes to look at Klaus, whose eyes sparkled brightly as his gaze was turned to Larry. I turned my head to find Larry holding a baby. My baby.

Larry's eyes lit up and he smiled widely. "Congratulations, Violet. It's a girl."

I smiled, tears falling from my eyes. "It's a girl?" I repeated.

"Yeah!" Klaus said, grabbing my arm. "It's a little girl!"

"Oh, my God…" I whispered.

Larry wrapped the infant in a towel and brought her to me. "Here she is," he murmured as he placed the baby in my arms.

Everything else melted away as I stared in awe at this new life that I had grown in me. I studied every aspect of her: she had dark brown wisps of hair that covered her entire head. Her button nose was scrunched up as she cried. I hadn't seen her eyes yet, but I could only imagine that they were bright and clear. Nothing mattered except for her. Not Olaf, not my fortune, not the fact that my siblings and I were orphans…it was only her.

We were able to cut the umbilical cord after everything was cleaned up, and my baby was finally fully a part of the outside world.

When her crying quieted down as a result of my comforting, Klaus cleared his throat. "Violet, she's beautiful," Klaus said to me, breaking me from my daze. He picked up Sunny and sat her down next to me on the bed.

"Loolee!" Sunny babbled. She had asked, "What is her name?"
I laughed, "I hadn't thought of a name, yet, Sunny." I let my daughter curl her tiny fist around my pinky.

"What about Kit?" Olaf asked.

I jumped, having completely forgotten that Olaf was indeed still there. We all looked to Olaf, whose shiny eyes were red and lined with tears.

"What?" I said.

"Kit. For a name."

I looked at my baby and then back at Olaf. "I…I don't think so."

"Then what about my mother's name—?" he started.

"She doesn't want to hear your suggestions," Klaus snapped.

Olaf set his jaw as his face fell slightly. He made eye contact with me and started to stretch out his arms. "Then can I at least hold her? Please?"

I opened my mouth to respond.

Jacquelyn suddenly forced herself inbetween me and Olaf. He stood and backed up. "Get back, and don't touch her!" Jacquelyn barked.

Larry stood and stepped to Jacquelyn's side. "You don't get to hold that child after what you did to Violet!"

I could see Olaf seething in anger, his fists clenching and unclenching.

"No, please, just let him!" I called.

Jacquelyn and Larry turned around to look at me. "Violet, what are you talking about?" Jacquelyn asked.

"Count Olaf is nothing but a villain!" Klaus added. He placed his hand on my arm.

"I hate him. I'll never be able to forgive him for what he's done to you, me, and Sunny. But this is his daughter, too. After that, I won't let him anywhere near her," I stated.

"You don't know what you're saying, Violet," Klaus dismissed. "What do we do now?"

"We have a taxi that will be ready to take you three to the last safe place that the remaining V.F.D. have designated. You four will be safe there, and you'll have everything you need to take care of the baby," Jacquelyn explained.

Olaf scoffed. "So you're just going to leave me here in this room and hope that I'll stay?"

Jacquelyn took out a pair of handcuffs and handed them to Larry. "No, we're going to cuff you to the radiator and leave you here," she replied.

Larry took the cuffs and affixed Olaf to the radiator underneath the window. Olaf jerked his hand, his movement stopping where the handcuff restrained him.

Jacquelyn lowered the harpoon gun and set it far out of Olaf's reach on the bedside table. She turned to Larry. "Thank you. We'll meet you at the Last Safe Place," she told him.

Larry nodded and turned to leave. "Congratulations, Violet," he told me as he walked out of the room.

Jacquelyn followed suit. "I'm going to let the taxi service. I won't be long, children," she said.

At that, only me, my siblings, my daughter, and Olaf were left.

I heard a sharp clank, and I knew that Olaf was desperately trying to free himself. "Violet, please. Let me hold her," he pleaded.

"No," Klaus said for me.

"I'm asking Violet," he snapped.

Klaus stood tall. "And I'm saying no for her!"

Olaf walked forward as far as the handcuff permitted. He yanked so hard that I was sure he was going to pull his shoulder out of its socket. "Violet, she's my daughter. Let me just see her!"

Klaus suddenly reached down and picked up the small baby, who started wailing louder again. Klaus took Sunny's hand in his and led her out of the room at her pace. "I'm taking Sunny and the baby downstairs to wait for the taxi. We'll come back up for you," Klaus said to me as he left the room.

"You goddamn orphans!" Olaf shouted, his voice cracking. "That's my daughter!"

I sat up gingerly. "Enough, Olaf!" I screamed.

"You!" Olaf growled. "You're the worst of the three! I swear I'll kill all of you when I get out of this!"

I stood slowly, my entire body aching from the trauma it just went through. I grabbed the harpoon gun and pointed it at Olaf. "You're not getting out of this. I can't let you come after her, Olaf," I said.

Olaf's eyes shone with fear for a moment, but after a while, he shook his head and chuckled. "I told you, Violet Baudelaire. I said I would be here for your villainous act."

"It's not villainous if I'm doing it for a noble reason," I reasoned.

He laughed. "If that will help you sleep at night, then keep telling yourself that."

My face screwed up in sadness and pain. "You raped me, Olaf, again and again. You nearly let me die. You killed almost everyone in the theatre and the Hotel Denouement. You threatened to kill Klaus and Sunny. You threatened to kill our baby. You think that getting rid of you to make sure no one else ever suffers is villainous?"

Olaf smiled, "No, my sweet little Countess." I grimaced at his nickname for me. "Just the act of killing me." Olaf shrugged. "But I suppose you're right, as you have often proved you are."

I cocked the harpoon gun and backed Olaf against the wall. "I think the good outweighs the bad."

Olaf nodded, pitching his singular eyebrow up. "It does, seeing as I've kept such a great secret from you."

I faltered a bit. "What secret?"

Olaf laughed darkly, "I'm surprised neither you or your little four-eyed brother figured it out yet." He stood tall, apparently proud of whatever it was he did. "I burned down the Baudelaire home."

My eyes widened. "What?"

"Oh, yes. The fire that killed your parents was set by me," Olaf bragged. "I did it to get your precious fortune. And to get back at your idiot parents."

"Our parents aren't idiots!" I screamed.

"'Weren't,'" Olaf corrected me with a smug grin.

I swallowed back tears. "What could they have possibly done to warrant such cruelty?"

"They weren't the noble people you have idealized in your mind, my dear Countess. They were murderers," Olaf said.

I shook my head. "You're wrong!"

He scoffed. "Tell that to my parents."

Stunned silence pierced the room as I put two and two together. "So, you burned down our house in retaliation for our parents orphaning you?"

Olaf rolled his eyes. "No, I burned down your house for revenge."

I didn't even have the patience to correct him this time. "You could have killed me and my siblings! How did you know that we wouldn't die? You didn't!"

"I made sure that you brats were out of the house. Besides," Olaf then began to approach, seemingly oblivious to the harpoon gun trained at his heart and the handcuff that stretched his arm behind him. "I knew that I couldn't kill you, Violet." He locked his gaze with mine, his eyes dark. "How could I destroy such a pretty little girl? Especially one so naive and…" Olaf thought for a moment as he stared at me, "...so untouched by this world?"

Olaf pressed a hand to the side of my face as his thumb brushed across my cheek to wipe away a tear.

"The minute I first saw you, I hated you. I hated you because I wanted you for my own. I needed to own you. I needed you to be mine. The night before I set the fire I watched you sleep. You were so...beautiful. Beatrice made such a perfect little daughter. I wanted to kill you so I didn't have to feel that way about you. I watched you as you slept and I imagined you in my own bed, belonging completely to me. I remember: your lips parted like you were begging for your life. I wondered what it would feel like to kiss you: perhaps soft or inexperienced. I imagined what your little lips would feel like around my cock."

His words brought me back to the present and I steadied my hand on the harpoon gun. "Stop it," I said through gritted teeth.

"I wanted so badly to fuck you and be done with you. That's why I spared you, so I could take you for my own." Olaf spread his hands. "And now, you're of no use to me. I got my fortune, I got you; I can go on and forget about you just like that." Olaf snapped his fingers.

"Shut up," I seethed.

"But you, Violet Baudelaire? You will always be my Countess. I'll always be the one who ruined you for other men. Your first husband, your first orgasm…" Olaf smirked. "The father of your baby. You'll always have me with you. You'll never escape me. Face it: I was successful—"

In one swift motion, I aimed the harpoon gun at Olaf's thigh as a warning shot and pulled the trigger, sending the harpoon into his leg. He screamed and fell to the ground.

"You could have killed me!" he roared. "You should have killed me when you had the chance!"

"Why would you want me to kill you?" I asked.

He gritted his teeth. "To ruin you entirely. You wouldn't be so noble if you killed a man, would you?" He wrapped his hand around the harpoon, blood soaking around the offending injury. He inhaled sharply and yanked the harpoon out of him with a grunt.

Hot tears streaked down my cheeks. "Why are you so evil?" I asked, venom coating the last word.

Olaf shook his head slightly, his glare refocusing on me. "It's the only thing I'm good at."

"Violet! We need to go! The taxi is here!" Jacquelyn suddenly called from downstairs.

"I can't be like you," I said as I turned to leave.

"Violet, wait," Olaf called desperately. I turned around to see genuine sadness in his eyes. "Before you go…what's our daughter's name?"

I sighed. "My daughter's name is Beatrice." I left the room, and I could have sworn I heard Olaf say, "A good name."

As I left his house for the final time, his tattoo, the ever-watchful eye, found its way to the forefront of my mind. It was as if he could see me leave, even though I was out of his sight.

As I drove through the streets where I grew up, Bea chattered away about anything and everything. She had at least four books piled up next to her in the backseat. She definitely had her uncle's trait.

"Mom, when are we going to be there?" She slumped in her seat and dramatically announced, "I'm certain I'm going to absolutely die if I don't have some birthday cake right now!" A certain group of actors and a miserable play danced at the back of my mind; I suppressed it.

I chuckled and glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "Almost there, sweetie." I looked back at the road, my eyes catching my dark blue ribbon tied around my wrist. "In the meantime, why don't you name ten things you're excited about this year?" I asked my daughter.

"One for every birthday?" she asked.

"Yep."

"Can I think about it for a second?"

I laughed. "Yes, you can."

Bea furrowed her heavy brows. I was eternally grateful that she had not inherited her father's signature feature.

I turned a corner and found myself down a very familiar street. I felt sick to my stomach. Involuntarily, I looked to the right and saw two homes that, unlike all the others on that street, I had never seen before.

I quickly pulled over and shut off the car.

"Mom, why are we stopping?" Bea asked.

"It's OK, baby. I'm only going to be a minute," I replied distractedly.

"Uncle Klaus and Aunt Sunny are going to go on to Briny Beach without us!" Bea whined.

I got out of the car and opened her door. "They won't. They'll wait for us at the trolley stop. Come on, step out with me. It's going to take just a minute. I promise," I assured her. "Just think about those ten things."

I took Bea by the hand and we approached the gate that surrounded the lavish house. I looked through the gate and into the nice yard to see if the owner was there.

"Excuse me," a man's voice called out. I looked down the street to see a rather handsome young man coming toward me.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Do you know the owner of this house?" I called.

The man stopped in front of me and smiled, chuckling. "I should hope I did." He leaned against the fence. "It's my house." He put out his hand. "Quigley Quagmire."

I took his hand and shook it. "Violet." I gestured to my daughter. "This is Bea." She waved.

"Nice to meet you both. So, can I help you with anything?"

"Oh, yes!" I pointed to the house. "It's a lovely house. Have you always been here?"

Quigley looked at the house. "No, I bought a few years ago for me and my brother and sister. My parents died a while back and we bought this house with our inheritance."

"So, it's always been here?" I asked.

Quigley shook his head. "Oh, no. The previous owners built it. The house that was originally on this lot burned down."

I broke out into a cold sweat. "This wasn't the Baudelaire fire, was it?" I led on the questioning.

"No, that was a few blocks down. We actually lived a street or so over from that. This one was about a year after it," Quigley replied, gesturing to the house. "Apparently," Quigley glanced at Bea, who was distracted by a bug on the ground. He lowered his voice. "They found the owner upstairs after they put out the fire, but when they got to him it was too late."

Quigley got closer to me and whispered, "ID'd him through dental records." He stepped back and went back to his normal speaking voice. "The house was too structurally damaged, so the city just tore down the whole house and built a new one."

"So, that was...ten years ago?"

Quigley looked up in thought. "Uh, yeah, I guess so."

I looked at the house, visions of drunken meetings and unibrows flashing through my brain.

"You know, I want to say it was ten years ago, today," Quigley added.

Bea tugged at my hand. "I was born ten years ago today!" she said happily.

"Yeah, baby," I said distractedly. "Yeah, you were." I scratched at the eye tattoo on my inner forearm.