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“Daddy!” Malia runs after me.
Instinctively, I swoop her in my arms.
“Daddy’s a little busy right now. Why don’t you go back to your mother and I’ll come to you in a little while?” I murmur, laying a kiss on her forehead.
“Look what I got,” she exclaims happily, thrusting a little figurine in my face.
“That’s very pretty,” I smile, thinking one of the guests must have gifted it to her.
But as I lay her on the ground, I notice something strange about that figurine. The suit he’s wearing is oddly familiar.
“Malia... Where did you get the figurine?”
“Uncle Michele gave it to me. Isn’t it awesome?”
I raise my gaze to meet Vlad’s grave one.
“And where did you see Uncle Michele?”
“He was in the kitchen,” she explains. “He’s so nice. He promised me he’ll bring me more.”
I try not to alarm her as I send her to Noelle. When she’s out of sight, we go to the security room and rewind the footage from half an hour ago.
“There,” Vlad points to about twenty minutes ago.
“Good Lord,” Sisi whispers as she slumps against Vlad’s chest. “He took her. He took Zia.”
I purse my lips as I watch the video footage.
After her conversation with Noelle, Venezia goes to the kitchen. She spends a couple of minutes there, eating a few cookies before she goes out into the courtyard. She walks aimlessly around until she bumps into Michele.
As she raises her head, there is alarm in her features and she takes a step back. Michele reaches for her, saying something to her at which she shakes her head and tries to escape his grasp.
He wraps his hand around her neck, squeezing lightly as he pulls her towards him. For a moment, he just stares at her, unmoving. Then, he’s kissing her.
She fights him, pushing against his chest, but he doesn’t stop until she becomes limp in his arms.
Leaning back, he brings his hand to her cheek, caressing her gently. She stares at him, fear reflected in her gaze. He says something, and she keeps shaking her head.
It doesn’t seem he has the patience to convince her of whatever he’s saying, so he simply swoops her into his arms and walks away.
She tries to fight him off, but it’s clear she’s no match for him.
The video continues as Michele carries her to his car, depositing her in the front seat. Just as I think he’s going to go around and drive off, he surprises me further by taking a piece of paper and writing something on it.
Walking a few feet away, he comes closer and closer to the CCTV until he’s right in front of it. A smirk pulls at his lips as he holds up the piece of paper for us to see.
She’s mine.
He knows what he’s doing, and he wants us to know it too.
Throwing away the piece of paper, he goes back to the car, getting behind the wheel and driving off.
“Yes, the plate number is…”
Vlad is already calling his contacts to put a BOLO on the car. Sisi is beside herself with worry. And I…
I could say I’m shocked. But I’m not.
