The morning after, the raid at the Moretti estate had sent shockwaves throughout the underworld. The Moretti house was in a tizzy, with guards running helter-skelter to make the estate secure and take stock of the damage. Giovanni Moretti stood in the grand foyer, his face a mask of fury as he oversaw the wreckage. Once-pristine marble floors now lay littered with glass and debris, while the walls were scarred with bullet holes.
Giovanni's fists had slowly closed as the various reports came back from his men: the Vega cartel had struck with precision, cutting down his guards and then bypassing all of the security systems. The biggest blow had come, however, in that Isabella had disappeared, spirited away by this Alejandro Vega; his heart churned with an unhealthy mix of anger and fear.
"Find her," Giovanni growled low and dangerous. "I don't care what it takes. I want every man, every resource, focused on finding Isabella. And when we find Alejandro Vega, I want him brought to me alive. He will pay for what he's done."
The men nodded gruffly, knowing better than to question an order from Giovanni. The Moretti cartel was one of the strongest in the world, and a man's wrath, like Giovanni's, was the stuff of legends. They would not rest until they found Isabella and brought her before him.
With that, the men broke off in various directions, attending to their orders. Giovanni then turned to his most trusted adviser, Marco. "I want a full-scale investigation into this attack. I want to know how they got in, who helped them, and where they took my daughter. And I want it done quickly."
Marco nodded solemnly. "I'll get right on it," he said resolutely." But Giovanni, we need to be very cautious. The Vegas are strong, and Alejandro isn't exactly known for rolling over. We mustn't let things happen too fast or else we'll ignite a war.
Giovanni's eyes flashed, and a burning fire leapt to just beneath his skin. "This is already war," he replied. "Alejandro declared it when he took my daughter, and I won't stop till she is returned to her rightful place.
It had taken Marco a moment, but he'd spoken again. "There's more," he said. "We found evidence at the scene—a car crash. It looks like Alejandro and Isabella were in an accident. The car was burnt to a crisp, and inside, well, there were two bodies.
His heart had skipped a beat, and then he forgot the fear once again. Nay, Isabella is not dead. Alejandro is too intelligent to allow that. This is just a sham to divert us off their scent. We must no longer waste more time chasing ghosts but concentrate our efforts on finding them.
Marco nodded, but a question flickered in his eyes. "I'll make sure the investigation keeps going," he said. "But we should also consider that maybe—"
"Enough," Giovanni cut him off, his voice sharp. "Isabella is alive. And I will find her. Now go."
As Marco went to carry out his orders, Giovanni was left alone in the foyer, his mind racing. He couldn't afford for his emotions to get in the way of clear judgment; he needed to think clearly, plan his next move. But the thought of Isabella in Alejandro's hands filled him with a rage hard to contain.
He knew Alejandro was a dangerous man to whom no action was taboo if he didn't get what he wanted. Still, Giovanni was as dangerous or even more so because he had built his empire from nothing, and he would not let anyone, least of all Alejandro Vega, take it away from him.
As the morning sun ascended over the property of the house of Moretti, Giovanni promised himself silently to find Isabella at whatever costs and on finding her, he would make Alejandro Vega pay for what he has done.
Isa's Wrath
In silence, Isabella sat amidst a whirlpool of emotion on the private jet. Her mind just couldn't seem to believe it: Alejandro taking her from her home, faking a car crash, and flying her to who-knew-where. Anger, fear, and betrayal mixed inside her, and she couldn't avoid this feeling that her life was spiraling out of her control so fast.
Alejandro sat opposite her, his face unmoving, yet intent in his eyes. He knew Isabella was angry and wouldn't trust him. Yet again, he knew she would see through time that what he had done was for her-to give her a chance for a new life away from all the violence and control of a cartel world.
But Isabella would not see it that way. She spun around, her eyes ablaze in Alejandro as if a flame had leaped into her gaze. "What in hell is going through your mind?" she yelled as shaking sobs convulsed her voice. "You kidnapped me, then arranged a fake car crash, and now fly me to who-knows-where. You have any idea what you did to me?"
Alejandro's face was impassive, but in his eyes, something flickered-guilt, regret. "I did what I had to do," he said with a flat voice. "I couldn't let you stay in that life, Isabella; you deserve so much better."
Isabella shook her head, her anger boiling over. "You don't get to decide what I deserve!" she shouted at him. "You don't get to kidnap me and then coerce me into some twisted idea of freedom. This isn't freedom, Alejandro. This is a prison."
Alejandro's jaw clamped shut, but he said nothing. He knew Isabella was furious; she didn't understand his reasons. Yet on the same count, he did know that he would not allow her to leave him. She now belonged to him, and he would do everything in his power to make sure she stayed at his side.
Mired in what had taken place, Isabella tried piecing it together in her head. She knew her father was not going to let her go easily, but Alejandro had simply brought on another turn of events that would be the change in everything. Still, she couldn't continue in this manner, being at the mercy of a man. She had to think of a way out, back into some form of control with regard to her life.
The jet cut its way through the night, and into Isabella's heart, as a resolve hardened like cement in her veins-she would get free somehow no matter the price. And once she did Alejandro Vega would know the true meaning of vengeance.
The Media Frenzy
The news of the accident spread like wild fire, stealing headlines and speculations of all kinds as to what really must have happened. Reporters were sent to probe the mysterious circumstances of the car accident. The Moretti and Vega cartels didn't say anything, but one could already tell that the rumors were flying.
Giovanni sat in the living room of the Moretti estate, watching the news reports, his anger and frustration growing. He knew it was a ruse, that Alejandro had staged the crash to throw them off his trail. But the media was eating it up, and the public was beginning to believe that Alejandro and Isabella were dead.
Giovanni turned to Marco, his face stern. "We need to contain this story," he said. "If the media believe Isabella is dead, it will make our work of finding her much more difficult. We have to get out in front of this."
Marco nodded gravely. "I will call our associates in the press," he said. "Let's plant this story that this is a frame-up, that Alejando has survived, and runs off with the girl. Only we have to be very cautionary. He who moves faster may show something of his elbow.
Giovanni's jaw clenched, but he knew Marco was right. They must be political, play the long game. But the idea of Isabella in Alejandro's hands made him so angry inside that the rage was hard to contain.
The media frenzy still on, Giovanni's mind was racing with what was to come. He knew the road ahead would be dangerous, that Alejandro Vega was a formidable opponent. But he also knew that he couldn't let his daughter stay in his enemy's hands. Whatever the cost, he would find her.
Giovanni's Vow
Every day, Giovanni was more and more determined. He had gathered his most trusted men around him, and they were following every lead around the clock to track Alejandro and Isabella down. Yet, for all their effort, nothing seemed to come their way in terms of a concrete lead.
Giovanni stood in his study, looking around at all the maps and documents spread on his desk. He had hardly slept a wink that night, going over each detail for something that might show him his daughter's direction. But then, he just hadn't turned anything up thus far.
Marco entered, his face grave. "It's a blind alley," he said. "Every lead that we followed brought nothing. It's as if they have disappeared into thinous air."
Giovanni clutched his jaws but was not one to give up. "Keep looking," he ordered in cold, determined tones. "They cannot have vanished into thin air like that. There must be something that we are missing."
Marco nodded, but the question in his eyes spoke volumes. "Giovanni, should we not take into consideration the fact that—"
"No," Giovanni cut him off sharply. "She is alive. And I am going to find her. Now go."
The moment Marco was out, leaving Giovanni in his study, the only thing his brain did was work as if his existence rested on it. He did not want his feelings to fog up his reasoning capability but wanted clear thoughts for what would come afterward. Still, the thought of Isabella with Alejandro really tightened him up and almost consumed his very soul in outrage.
He knew Alejandro was dangerous, would stop at nothing until he got what he wanted. But Giovanni was just as dangerous, if not more so. He had built his empire from nothing, and he had no intention of letting anyone, least of all, Alejandro Vega, take it away from him.
As the sun began to rise over the Moretti estate, Giovanni made a silent vow that he would find Isabella, no matter the cost. And when he did, Alejandro Vega would pay for what he had done.