Pedro
Manuel had disappeared. It had been 24 hours now, and even his wife and son didn't know where he was. They said Manuel had gone to find Enzo and had even rented a car for the trip. But after that, he neither called them nor answered their calls. They said his phone was turned off. They were worried because they had to return to the US the next day, as their time was running out.
I wasn't sure what to do now. We had put all our faith in Manuel, and now he was missing too. Louis was no longer in the house. I guessed he might have argued with his wife and was staying alone in a hotel. They were always fighting over the smallest things. Even Elena mentioned that Camille wasn't happy about Louis caring so much about Enzo and couldn't understand why Camille was so jealous.
Cardo
I missed Enzo. I thought I had finally found a best friend. But he was gone now, and no one knew what had happened to him. I'd heard that his bodyguard had also disappeared, and his family had moved back to the US because their time was up and they didn't know what else to do.
Papa asked me to pack my things so we could go back home. So, I packed up, glancing sadly at Enzo's belongings. I still hoped he was okay.
Gerado
I couldn't bear this pain any longer. It had been two days since Manuel disappeared, and I still had no idea what had happened to Enzo. Suddenly, I missed him terribly. I realized I hadn't cared enough about him when he was young. I tried to recall his childhood, but no memories came to mind except the times I punished him. I didn't even have good memories of my own child.
Louis
I had been alone in my hotel room for days now. Pedro said that Manuel had also disappeared and no one had been able to find him. It had been nearly a week since Manuel vanished. No one knew what had happened to him or to Enzo. Were they dead?
Oh God, this was all my fault. I did this to Enzo. I'm the one who made him upset because I couldn't control my stupid anger. And now he was gone. No one knew what had happened to him. I couldn't believe I was responsible for my own baby brother's disappearance.
Suddenly, I heard a knock on my door. I assumed it might be one of my guards or Pedro, so I opened the door—and found Camille standing there. Maybe she was going home since she'd said she wanted a divorce.
"Louis," she said. I just stared at her, saying nothing, until she continued. "Let's go home. We miss you," she said, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around me. I held her close, burying my face in her hair. After a few seconds, she slowly pulled back, kissed my lips, and it was the best kiss I'd ever had in my whole life.
Manuel
It had been a week since I took Enzo with me. I had asked Rachel and Miguel to return to the US and to tell Perez that I hadn't contacted them and that they had no idea where I was.
My original plan was to take Enzo with me to the US; that's why I took his passport. But then I realized he wasn't like other kids—he'd never learned how to live a normal life. I couldn't give him a life of luxury, either. I knew I wanted Enzo badly, didn't want to miss this chance to have him in my life. But this could affect him deeply, and Perez had his men everywhere. I doubted I could hide from them forever.
I looked down at the boy beside me. He was asleep, curled up against me like a small child. He hadn't said much, hadn't told me what had happened. He also refused to go back. I wanted to keep him with me, but deep down, I knew it wasn't possible.
His body was covered in bruises—purple, yellowish, and some still red. Even his face bore scars. The moment I saw him, I wanted to take him back to Gerardo and have a doctor examine him. But he refused to return, and I didn't know why.
"Baby, we'd better go back," I said, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead.
"I don't want to. I want to stay with you," he replied.
"You know I don't have enough money to take care of you, right? Even if I worked 24 hours a day, I couldn't give you the life you're used to," I said, trying to make him understand.
He couldn't even eat regular food because he wasn't used to it. He didn't like the taste. He always wanted fresh food and grew anxious if it wasn't. He complained about the clothes I bought him, saying they made him itchy. He hated the smell of the perfumes I got for him. He never drank tap water and wasn't even satisfied with regular bottled water—I had no idea how he could tell the difference. To me, they all tasted the same.
"Why not?" he asked, looking at me with those innocent eyes that made it harder to explain.
"I'm not a billionaire," I said with a wry smile.
Then he cuddled back into me. This was how he had slept the entire week—seeking comfort like a child clinging to safety. He was in trauma from everything that had happened, and he still hadn't healed from the pain of his childhood. Those scars would stick to his soul like tattoos etched into skin, permanent and unshakable. Whenever something bad happened, his mental state plummeted to the lowest depths, and he needed time to recover. But with his abusive family, he never got enough time.
I hugged him tightly, wanting to shield him from the world.
"Aw, Papa, you're hurting me," he whimpered, his voice breaking.
"Oh baby, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," I whispered, loosening my grip and running my hand gently over his back.
I knew I wouldn't get another chance to hold him like this again. Tomorrow, I would have to take him back. I rubbed his back softly, and he curled into me even more, just like he had when he was little. He was still my baby, and in my heart, he always would be.
After Enzo fell asleep, I picked up my phone and called Pedro.
"Hey, Boss," I said quietly, stepping away so I wouldn't wake Enzo.
"Where the hell are you, man? Did you find him? Where is he? Just take him home, please," Pedro's voice cracked, the desperation clear as he begged me to return Enzo.
"He's with me," I said quietly, glancing at Enzo as he slept. "He's refusing to come back, but he needs medical attention. I can't keep him like this anymore. He's sleeping right now." My voice was barely above a whisper. I didn't want to wake him—I was terrified he'd run off again.
"Where are you? I'll come and get you," Pedro said, his tone firm but tinged with relief.
