Morning came quietly to the Gonzalez estate, but there was nothing peaceful about it.
The sprawling mansion was unusually still.
Even the servants moved through the halls with lowered voices, as though everyone was afraid that one wrong sound might shatter the fragile calm holding the family together.
Upstairs, Zara had locked herself and Sofia inside her bedroom.
She sat curled up on the edge of her bed, her small hands trembling as she stared at the floor.
Sofia sat beside her, their fingers intertwined.
"I don't wanna go," Zara whispered.
Sofia squeezed her hand.
"You have to."
Zara's eyes filled with tears.
"I'm scared…" Her voice cracked.
"I don't want to go with my mom. I already have a mummy. If I go back there, she'll hurt me."
Sofia's heart tightened.
She pulled Zara into her arms and held her close.
"Aunty Bear won't let anything happen to you," she whispered.
"Your bad mummy will never hurt you ever again. I promise."
Zara sniffled against her shoulder.
"Would you stay by my side?"
Sofia didn't hesitate.
"Yeah."
She pulled back and looked directly into Zara's frightened eyes.
"Every step of the way."
Zara nodded, finally allowing herself to breathe.
Downstairs, the atmosphere was just as tense.
Ariana sat on the sofa with a cup of coffee between her hands.
The coffee had gone cold a long time ago, but she hadn't noticed.
Her eyes were fixed on nothing.
Sunny approached her quietly and wrapped her arms around her.
"Everything will be fine."
Ariana gave her a small smile.
"I hope so."
Across the room, Roberto stood near the window, a glass of whiskey clutched tightly in his hand.
His eyes were distant.
Antonio watched him for a moment before walking over.
"I told you this was a bad idea."
Roberto glanced at him.
"You're making them think you're weak. Let me handle this myself."
"No."
Roberto's answer was calm but firm.
"I want to win back my daughter the right way."
Antonio frowned.
"What if the right way isn't the right way?"
Roberto swallowed another mouthful of whiskey.
"No."
Antonio sighed.
"You're really going to do this by the book?"
"Yes."
"No bribes?"
"No."
"No threats?"
"No."
"And definitely no violence?"
Roberto turned toward him.
"Antonio, no bribe. No threat. No violence. A clean trial. Got it?"
Antonio stared at him for several seconds before nodding.
"Got it."
"Thank you."
Antonio gave him a reluctant smile before walking away.
Outside, he climbed into his car and shut the door.
The moment he was alone, his expression changed.
"Things aren't going so well."
His phone suddenly rang.
Antonio looked at the screen.
His breath caught. Melissa.
For a moment, he simply stared at her name.
She hadn't called him since leaving the country.
Not once. He took a slow breath before answering.
"Melissa."
"Good afternoon, sir."
Her voice sounded exhausted.
Antonio leaned back against the seat.
"You haven't called since your trip. For a moment, I was beginning to think you'd been abducted."
There was a tired sigh on the other end.
"My apologies, sir." Antonio raised an eyebrow.
"So formal. That's new."
Silence. Something about her voice felt different.
Distant. Guarded.
"Things have been difficult," Melissa finally said.
"I know it's been a week, but everything has just been…"
She stopped.
"I don't know."
Antonio's expression softened.
"Hey. Hey, slow down."
He lowered his voice.
"You don't need to say it if it's difficult."
"Everything's… hard."
Melissa let out an awkward laugh.
"I thought…"
She stopped again.
Antonio waited.
But instead of finishing her sentence, Melissa cleared her throat.
"Ahem. I called to know if you've signed the contract for Silver Reign."
Antonio frowned.
"Not yet." Melissa exhaled.
"I've been busy, but I could do it today if it's important to—"
"No."
The interruption came so quickly that Melissa fell silent.
"There's no need to sign it, sir."
Antonio sat up straighter.
"Why?"
"I don't think we can do business with them anymore."
His brows furrowed.
"You said they came highly recommended. If I'm not mistaken, you also said it would be profitable if we invested with them."
"I did."
Melissa paused. "But I did some digging."
Her voice became more serious.
"I found loopholes in the contract. Two hundred million is a lot of money to invest with Silver Reign, especially if we lose everything."
Antonio was silent.
He trusted Melissa's judgment.
More than he probably should.
"What do you suggest?"
"No need to sign. We can tell them we're not interested and the deal is off."
Antonio leaned back.
"All right." A pause.
"I trust you."
Melissa's breath caught.
Antonio noticed.
"Melissa?"
"Yes?"
Her voice was cautious.
"I miss you."
Silence.
Antonio stared through the windshield.
"I miss your voice."
"Sir…"
She was trying to bring the professional tone back.
He wasn't going to let her.
"Call me by my name."
"I can't."
Antonio's jaw tightened.
"Say it."
He gripped the steering wheel.
On the other end, Melissa closed her eyes.
She knew she shouldn't.
She knew exactly what hearing his name from her lips would do to him.
But somehow, she whispered it anyway.
"…Antonio."
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
"Fuck, Melissa…"
He closed his eyes.
"You'll ruin me."
The call ended. Melissa lowered her phone slowly.
She wasn't prepared for the hunger in his voice.
She had expected questions about work.
Instead, one sentence had reminded her of everything she was trying so desperately to forget.
Back inside his car, Antonio remained perfectly still.
For the first time, he admitted something he'd been refusing to acknowledge.
It wasn't merely concern.
It wasn't friendship.
It wasn't even simple attraction.
He craved her.
And that realization frightened him.
The Courtroom.
By afternoon, everyone was present at the courthouse.
The Gonzalez family sat together, but the tension between them was almost suffocating.
Roberto sat beside Ariana, holding her hand beneath the table.
She squeezed his fingers.
A silent reminder that he wasn't alone.
Across the courtroom sat Trisha and her attorney.
A thick mountain of evidence was spread across the table before them.
Roberto stared at the documents.
His stomach tightened.
Everything wasn't going according to plan.
Trisha's attorney rose.
"Your Honor, with this evidence, it is clear that my client has the ability to provide a stable and secure environment for the child."
He lifted one of the documents.
"Mr. Gonzalez, on the other hand, has connections that could expose the child to serious danger. His lifestyle alone makes him an unsuitable parent."
Ariana's grip on Roberto's hand tightened.
Roberto remained silent.
The attorney continued.
"My client believes the child's safety must come before everything else. Zara deserves a peaceful home, free from violence, criminal influence, and—"
"Objection."
The sharp voice cut through the courtroom.
Everyone turned. Roberto's attorney stood.
The judge looked toward him.
"On what grounds?"
He straightened his suit.
"Your Honor, the opposing counsel is presenting assumptions as facts. Their argument is based largely on speculation rather than evidence directly proving that Mr. Gonzalez has endangered his daughter."
Trisha's attorney immediately rose.
"We have evidence."
"Then present facts," Roberto's lawyer replied. "Not fear."
The courtroom fell silent.
Roberto looked toward the doors.
His thoughts went immediately to Zara.
Upstairs, his little girl was terrified of losing him.
He had promised himself he would do this the right way.
No threats. No violence. No mafia connections. Just the truth.
But as the judge began reviewing the evidence, Roberto realized something terrifying.
Winning his daughter back might be much harder than he had imagined.
And this time, he couldn't simply force his way to victory.
He had to earn it.
The judge slowly turned through the documents presented by Trisha's attorney.
Every page seemed to weigh heavier than the last.
Roberto remained motionless, but Ariana could feel the tension in his hand.
His fingers were cold.
She leaned closer.
"Don't lose hope."
Roberto looked at her.
"I won't."
But his eyes betrayed him.
He was afraid. Not for himself. For Zara.
The judge finally looked up.
"Mr. Gonzalez."
Roberto straightened immediately.
"Yes, Your Honor."
"Your attorney has argued that several of these claims are based on assumptions. However, there are photographs, witness statements, and financial records presented here."
Roberto's jaw tightened.
"I understand."
"Do you deny that you have connections to individuals involved in organized crime?"
The courtroom became completely silent.
Ariana looked at him.
Antonio, seated several rows behind them, narrowed his eyes.
Roberto took a breath. He could lie.
It would be easy. But lying was exactly what had brought him here.
"No, Your Honor."
A murmur spread through the courtroom.
Trisha's lips curled into a small smile.
Roberto continued.
"I won't deny the life I've lived."
His eyes moved toward Zara's empty seat.
"But I will deny that my daughter has ever been unsafe because of me."
Trisha's attorney stood.
"Your Honor—"
"Let him finish," the judge said.
Roberto swallowed.
"I know what people think when they hear my name. I know what they see when they look at me."
He paused.
"But my daughter doesn't see any of that."
His voice softened.
"She sees her father."
Ariana's eyes filled with tears.
Roberto continued.
"And I have made mistakes. I've made choices I regret. But every choice I've made since Zara came into my life has been about protecting her."
Trisha shook her head.
"Protecting her?"
Her voice carried across the courtroom.
"You call exposing her to armed men protecting her?"
Roberto looked at her.
"I never exposed her to them."
"You're a mafia boss!"
"Objection,"
Roberto's attorney said.
"Sustained."
The judge gave Trisha a warning look.
"Mrs. Trisha, you will refrain from making accusations without evidence."
Trisha sat back.
But her eyes remained fixed on Roberto.
There was hatred in them.
And something else.
Fear.
Roberto noticed.
For the first time, he wondered what she was really afraid of.
Outside the courtroom, Sofia sat beside Zara on a bench.
Zara's legs swung nervously.
"What's taking so long?"
Sofia glanced toward the courtroom doors.
"I don't know."
"Do you think Daddy will win?"
Sofia smiled.
"He's fighting for you."
"That doesn't answer my question."
Sofia chuckled softly.
"I don't know."
Zara didn't smile. That's the honest answer she's gotten all day.
She stared at the courtroom doors.
"What if the judge says I have to go with her?"
Sofia's expression softened.
"Then we'll figure it out."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
Zara leaned against her shoulder.
A few feet away, Sunny stood watching them.
Her heart ached.
She knew Zara was trying to be brave.
But she was still just a child.
And children shouldn't have to worry about courtrooms, custody battles, or whether their parents would be allowed to keep them.
Sunny's phone suddenly vibrated.
She looked at the screen.
Her expression changed.
It was an unknown number.
She answered cautiously.
"Hello?"
No response.
"Hello?"
A man's breathing came through the phone.
Sunny's eyes narrowed.
"Who is this?"
The call ended.
She lowered the phone slowly.
Something wasn't right.