(21
I stepped onto the balcony, gripping the cold railing as I inhaled deeply. The faint trace of Ciara’s scent still lingered in the air, teasing me with memories of her standing here just moments before everything fell apart.
The party had turned into chaos the moment her disappearance was announced. Guests who had come to celebrate her return had fled, afraid they might be the next target.
A door creaked behind me. I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Adam. His heavy footsteps stopped
beside me, but he didn’t say a word at first.
“It’s my fault,” he finally muttered, his voice thick with guilt. “I should have stayed with her.”
I exhaled sharply. “You couldn’t have known this would happen, Adam.”
“I should have,” he snapped, turning to me, his fists clenched. “She just wanted a few minutes of fresh air, and I let her go alone.” He shook his head. “I should’ve-”
“If there’s anyone to blame,” I cut in, “it’s me.”
Adam’s jaw tightened, his frustration clear. He wanted to argue, but we both knew this wasn’t the time.
Ciara’s parents joined us on the balcony, their faces lined with worry. Her mother looked like she was barely holding it together, while her father was visibly tense, his eyes scanning the distance like he could will Ciara back to
Us
“We can’t waste time blaming ourselves,” her father said firmly. “What matters is finding Ciara.”
I nodded. “Tony has her.”
Adam stiffened beside me. “I agree. I saw Stefano earlier, but Tony wasn’t with him. And when the news broke,
I saw the shock in Stefano’s eyes. He had no idea Ciara was the Salvador heiress. But I didn’t miss the small smile that crossed his lips then.”
Ciara’s mother inhaled sharply. “We need to act fast.”
I turned to them. “Keep searching for Ciara, I’m going to confront Tony.”
Adam grabbed my arm. “Zaverio-”
“I have to do this.” My voice left no room for argument. “If Tony has her, I’m not waiting around.”
Without another word, I left the balcony, my men following close behind
The drive to the Reeds” estate felt longer than it should have. My fingers twitched with the need to act, to do something more than sit and wait. By the time we pulled up to the grand gates, my patience was razor–thin.
Hailey answered the door, a smug smile curling her lips as she leaned against the frame,
“Well, well,” she purred, tilting her head. “To what do I owe this visit?”
“Where’s Tony?” I demanded.
C
1:46 AM
The wordnare Mala Queen
Her smile didn’t waver. “Not here. He left with his father when no one showed up to the party. Guess they didn’t.
feel like sticking around for the humiliation.”
I barely heard her. My mind was already moving to the next step, the next plan. But Hailey wasn’t done. She stepped closer, running a finger down the door frame as she eyed me.
“I don’t get it,” she mused, “Why are you wasting your time with Clara? She’s nothing.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. “Have you seen the news?”
Hailey frowned. “What does the news have to do with anything?”
I grabbed the remote from the side table, turned on the television, and waited. The screen flashed to life, showing the news anchor speaking urgently.
“The missing Salvador heiress has been identified as none other than Ciara Salvador, the woman who
mysteriously disappeared seven years ago after leaving her empire behind. Reports confirm that she was set to reclaim her title before being kidnapped at her own party=”
Hailey’s eyes widened, her body going rigid. “No…” she whispered.
I watched her, unimpressed. “Still think she’s nothing?”
She swallowed hard, struggling to process what she was seeing.
I stepped closer. “Tell Tony this- My voice dropped into a lethal whisper. “I know what he did. And I’m coming
for him.”
With that, I turned and walked out.
Back in the car, one of my men handed me a tablet. “Sir, we found raw footage of Tony arriving at the Salvador
estate earlier.”
I took the device, watching the video carefully. Tony stepped into the property, but he was never seen leaving.
My grip on the tablet tightened. That bastard had taken Ciara.
I turned to my men. “Find every property under Tony or Stefano’s name. He has to be hiding her somewhere
Just as the car pulled out of the driveway, I saw another vehicle approaching. My eyes narrowed.
Stefano’s car. And Tony was inside.
I shoved the door open before the vehicle even came to a full stop. My men tensed, ready for a fight, but I held up a hand. I wanted to handle this myself.
Stefano stepped out first, looking annoyed. Tony followed, looking completely unbothered. His lips curved into a
smirk as his gaze met mine.
“Where is she?” I demanded, my voice cold.
Tony chuckled, adjusting his cufflinks. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”
I took a step forward. “Don’t play games with me. You kidnapped my wife‘
His smirk widened. “That’s a strong accusation, Zaverio. Do you have proof?”
I clenched my jaw. “The news is already out. Everyone knows what you’ve done.
Tony sighed dramatically. “Oh, that? You should really be careful about throwing around baseless accusat
He tilted his head. “If that nonsense isn’t taken down in twenty–four hours, I’ll sue you for slander.”
I felt the fury boiling inside me, but I kept my expression blank. Losing control now wouldn’t help Ciara.
I took another step, lowering my voice. “If you hurt her, I swear I’ll make you regret it.”
Tony chuckled darkly. “Why are you threatening me, brother?” His smirk deepened. “What if I do have Ciara? What
if I decide to hurt her? What exactly are you going to do about it?”
He let the words hang in the air, his meaning clear.
My hands clenched into fists, but Tony just turned and walked away, his laughter echoing.
For the first time in a long time, I felt something unfamiliar settle in my chest.
