The Romano mansion had never been this quiet before.

The silence was suffocating.

It had only been three days since the Romano family's newborn princess disappeared without a trace, yet the entire mansion felt as though it had lost its soul.

The maids moved around carefully, afraid to make the slightest sound.

The guards stood at every entrance with solemn expressions, and every member of the Romano mafia had been working day and night searching for the missing child.

No one had rested. No one had smiled. No one had given up.

Gabriel Romano stood in his study, staring blankly out of the large window.

Dark circles had formed beneath his eyes. His neatly combed hair was now messy, and his beard had begun to grow.

On the desk behind him were dozens of reports.

Every single one ended the same way.

No leads. No witnesses. No trace.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Come in."

Robert Romano entered first, followed by Leonard Romano.

Neither of them looked any better than Gabriel.

"We searched every location our informants gave us," Robert said quietly.

Gabriel turned around.

"And?"

Robert lowered his eyes.

"Nothing."

The single word was enough.

Gabriel slowly looked at the reports scattered across his desk.

Three days.

Three days of searching every warehouse, every abandoned building, every port, every airport, every territory belonging to their allies and even their enemies.

They had questioned everyone. Threatened everyone. Paid everyone.

Yet it was as if the child had disappeared into thin air.

Leonard placed another file on the desk.

"We questioned every guard again. They all gave the same statement. There were no mistakes in the security arrangements."

Gabriel let out a bitter laugh.

"No mistakes..."

He looked at them.

"Then tell me how my daughter disappeared."

Neither of them could answer.

Because they couldn't.

The kidnapping had been executed flawlessly.

Whoever was behind it had known exactly how the Romano mafia operated.

They knew their security. They knew their routines. They knew where to strike.

It wasn't luck. It wasn't an accident.

It had been planned long before Ariana was even born.

The study fell silent once again.

After a long moment, Gabriel picked up one of the reports before throwing it back onto the desk in frustration.

"I don't need another report telling me what I already know. I need my daughter."

His voice wasn't loud.

But the pain behind those four words made Robert lower his head.

Just then another knock came from the door.

Everyone turned around.

Beth Romano stood there quietly.

She looked exhausted.

Her face had become pale over the past few days, and her eyes were swollen from crying.

She should have been resting.

Instead, she had spent every waking moment waiting.

Waiting for someone to walk through the front door carrying her baby.

When Gabriel saw her, his expression softened immediately.

"You should be resting."

Beth shook her head.

"How can I rest when our daughter isn't home?"

No one spoke.

Leonard quietly signaled Robert before both of them silently left the study, giving the couple some privacy.

The room became silent once more.

Beth slowly walked toward Gabriel.

Her gaze fell upon the tiny pink blanket lying neatly on his desk.

She reached out and gently picked it up.

"I knitted this while I was pregnant."

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

"I kept making it bigger because I was afraid it would be too small for her."

Her smile slowly faded.

"I finally wrapped her in it... And now it's all I have left."

Gabriel felt his chest tighten.

He walked over and carefully took her into his arms.

"I'm sorry."

Beth immediately looked up at him.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I promised I would protect both of you. I couldn't even protect our daughter."

For the first time in days, Gabriel's voice cracked.

Beth gently placed her hand against his cheek.

"This isn't your fault."

"It is."

"It isn't."

"I should have been there."

"You were."

"I should have stopped them."

"You couldn't."

A tear rolled down Gabriel's face.

Beth wiped it away before he even realized it had fallen.

"I married the strongest man I know."

She smiled weakly.

"But today... I don't want the head of the Romano mafia. I just want my husband."

Gabriel closed his eyes.

For the first time since Ariana disappeared, he allowed himself to break.

He rested his forehead against hers and held her tightly.

Neither of them spoke.

Words couldn't ease this kind of pain.

After several minutes, Beth took a deep breath.

"They're alive."

Gabriel looked at her.

"The people who took our daughter. They didn't ask for money. They didn't ask for territory. They didn't ask for anything."

She looked directly into his eyes.

"That means they still need her."

Gabriel frowned slightly.

"You really believe that?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"Because she's our daughter."

A small smile appeared on Beth's face despite the tears in her eyes.

"I carried her for nine months. I held her in my arms. I kissed her forehead. I refuse to believe that was all the time I was meant to have with her."

Gabriel looked at his wife in silence.

Even after everything...

She still hadn't lost hope.

Beth intertwined her fingers with his.

"Promise me something."

"Anything."

"No matter how many months pass... No matter how many years pass... Don't stop looking for her."

Gabriel tightened his grip around her hand.

"I won't."

"Promise me."

"I promise. I'll search every country if I have to. I'll turn the entire underworld upside down. I don't care who stands in my way. I will bring our daughter home."

Beth smiled through her tears.

"I know you will."

She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"And when she comes home... I'll tell her every single day how much her father loves her."

Gabriel closed his eyes.

He silently prayed that one day Beth would get the chance to keep that promise.

Neither of them knew...

That fate had something much crueler planned.

Years later, Gabriel would fulfill the promise he made that day.

He would bring his daughter home.

But by then...

Beth Romano would no longer be there to welcome her.

***

Hello dear readers.

So here is the next book as promised.

Tell me your opinions about it. The cover, name, description and prologue. Tell me what you liked and what are your expectations.

The chapter updates will take some time because I have contacted conjunctivitis and wasn't able to write any chapters yet.

Still I wanted to upload the book as I have already drafted it.

Please leave a heart. ❤️

Happy reading.

Love, Stella.❣️