Five days prior to Lily's kidnapping
"What have you dug up about that child that Luca has in his house?" a man asks as he takes his seat at the dining table.
"It seems that there isn't any information regarding the child's connection with the Buenavista Family," a thin man with glasses answers. "Due to Father Lucario's strong refusal to allow women into the manor, it doesn't seem as if it could be a child from wedlock."
"Of course, it isn't a child from wedlock!" the man shouts as he splashes his water onto his aide's clothes. "Any idiot can recognize that! You think that a curly red headed child with green eyes and white skin can come out of someone who's caked in slick chocolate?"
"My apologies, Father Zoro," the aide meekly responds as he dries his face off with a handkerchief. "How about we send someone into the Buenavista Manor to find out more about the child?"
The one referred to as "Father Zoro" grinds his knife along his plate, creating a painfully loud screeching sound. "You think it's easy to sneak someone into that bastard's estate? He has every new recruit do five background checks before they can even think about entering through his gates."
Silently watching from the other end of the table, a more refined man wipes the sauce from the corners of his lips. "Grandfather, why not use the new guy that came in? He just started, so there won't be any evidence that could link him to us yet. It can also be his test to see if he can be useful again in the future."
A wide smile appears on Zoro's face. "Why, that's a brilliant idea, Nicholas!" Zoro's anger magically goes away as he makes a plan. "Grant, tell Anthony that he will have to leave the estate to become a spy in the Buenavista Manor. Tell him that his mission is to figure out who that child is and why she is there. There's no rush, so make sure that he gets as much information as possible and relay it back to me daily."
"Yes, Father Zoro." With that, the aide leaves the dining room to carry out his orders.
Zoro and Nicholas quietly enjoy their meals when the third person, a woman of tall stature, dining with them speaks up. "Grandfather, when will you get Luca to agree to marry me? I have been patient like you asked, but a woman grows out of her prime a lot faster than men. I would like to become a married woman as soon as possible."
"Don't you worry, my sweet niece," Zoro sings while smiling brightly at the woman. "I brought it up in our conversation earlier today. He will eventually take you as his wife as soon as he realizes your importance to him."
3 days prior to Lily's kidnapping
"Father Zoro, Anthony has successfully infiltrated the Buenavista Manor yesterday by becoming one of his men," Grant, Zoro's aide, reports once he enters Zoro's office.
Zoro slides away from his desk and sits back in his chair. "That is to be expected. I don't recruit useless men unlike that Buenavista bastard. Has he reported anything of importance yet?"
Grant pulls out a few pages from his clipboard and hands them to Zoro. "He has made contact with the child by becoming one of her playmates. The child's name is Lillith Flynn. She is seven years old. She used to live with her grandfather but was taken away from him by Father Lucario in exchange for his debt that he hasn't been able to pay over the last six years. Anthony reports that in three days, a handful of men along with Father Lucario will go to the grandfather's house to see if he is able to repay his debt."
Scratching his chin, Zoro processes the information that he reads on the written report that he was handed. "It can't be that simple," he mutters to himself. Zoro throws the papers onto the desk then crosses his arm. "That bastard doesn't like children which is why he won't marry Lindsey and have kids. He won't take in a debtor's child just to get him to repay his debt faster. Look into the child's grandfather. There has to be something wrong with the grandfather as well for Luca to go as far as taking his granddaughter."
"I will get started on that right away, Father Zoro."
As soon as the door is about to click close, a hand slips in and reopens the door. "Grandfather, I heard that the new guy was able to get into the Buenavista Manor."
"You were standing by the door the whole time, listening in on our conversation, so you can stop your charades." Zoro points at the chair in front of his desk, so Nicholas takes a seat. "I want you to go visit that child's grandfather's house tomorrow disguised as a delivery man. I'm pretty sure if Luca took the old man's grandchild, then he would have his men posted around the house, so it would be dangerous for you to go in there casually."
"Why would you need me to meet with a random child's grandfather?" Nicholas asks with an annoyed twitch in his eye. "How will someone unrelated to Buenavista's help me become its leader?"
Zoro quickly writes down a little note on a sticky pad then pats it onto Nicholas's shirt. "You know as well as I do that, that bastard does not like children, so why do you think he took one in?"
Grabbing the sticky note off of his shirt, Nicholas reads it, causing an evil smirk to rise from the corner of his lip. "You think that he plans on making that kid his so that he wouldn't have to marry Lindsey in order to get an heir?"
2 days prior to Lily's kidnapping
A knock on the door alerts an already jittery old man. "Who is it?!" he yells from the living room. "I didn't order anything, and I'm not listening to you talk about god."
The knocks continue to repeat until it finally gets on the old man's nerves, making him get up from his sofa and open the door. "Get away from my do-"
"We can help you with your problem," Nicholas whispers as he interrupts the old man and hands him a box. "Special delivery! I'll just need your signature here." Nicholas unhooks the clipboard from his waist and gestures over to where the old man has to read.
'I come from the Kang family. We can help you get your granddaughter back and pay off your debt. If you agree to our assistance, sign at the bottom of the page and take the box. There are more details inside."
Nicholas, with his best customer service smile, holds out a pen for the old man to use to sign. The old man hesitates a bit, but ultimately decides to sign the paper. Nicholas passes the box over to the old man then tips his hat.
"Pleasure doing business with you."
The old man closes the door behind him once Nicholas starts to walk away then stares at the box. He brings it over to the living room and begins to open it up when he sees a singular letter inside. Unfolding the letter, the man reads it aloud.
"We recently found out that you had your granddaughter taken from you by the Buenavista Family. We, the Kang Family, actually work with the Buenavistas, and I believe that I can get your granddaughter back for you. You just have to come to the supermarket this evening and sign a couple of documents. I'll make it easier for you and tell you what is on the documents so that you can make the decision to come.
1. You will sell your being to the Kang Family in exchange for paying off your debt.
2. The Kang Family will have complete control over the rest of your life until you die.
3. You will move into the Kang Estate as soon as the Buenavista men get off your back.
4. You will allow us to treat your granddaughter as we please in order to aid the Kang Family.
Supermarket bathroom. 6pm sharp. If you aren't there by 6:30, we will take it that you do not want our help and leave."
The old man reads over the letter a couple more times before letting it float off his fingers and onto the floor. For a moment, a very long moment, the old man thinks hard about what he wants to do for his survival.
Day of Lily's kidnapping
"The grandfather was transferred to the Kang Estate last night. His disappearance will cause an uproar and keep Lucario and his men busy. Slip into the group of men who will join him and find a way to take the child away from there and bring her back to me."
Anthony flicks his lighter on and burns the letter that he got from Zoro. Opening his window, he lets the smoke fly out before leaving to join Lucario and Lily to go to the grandfather's house.
—
"I'll have this guy sit next to you so that you aren't alone. Will that be okay?"
"Don't worry, Ryan," Anthony assures. "I won't let Miss Lily leave my sight while you're gone." Turning to face Lily, Anthony gives his best smile to not scare her. "It looks like those flowerbeds on the other side are in worse shape than these. How about we go work on those instead?"
Walking over to the flowerbeds on the furthest side from the house, Anthony grips tightly to Lily's wrist. "If you yell, you'll never see Ryan and the others again. Do you understand?"
Lily quietly nods her head as she begins to tremble at the fear of what's happening to her. Once Anthony confirms that no one is looking, he picks Lily up, runs over to a car parked far from the house, and throws her inside. "I got the child. Let's get out of here."