Inside the courtroom, the judge continued examining the evidence.
"Mr. Gonzalez, I have one more question."
Roberto nodded.
"Yes, Your Honor."
"If granted custody, how can you guarantee that your daughter will remain safe?"
Roberto hesitated.
There was only one answer.
"I can't."
Ariana looked at him.
The judge raised an eyebrow.
Roberto continued.
"I can't guarantee that nothing bad will ever happen to her."
He looked toward the judge.
"But I can guarantee that I'll do everything within my power to protect her."
His voice became firmer.
"And I'll do it without breaking the law."
Antonio's expression changed.
For once, his friend wasn't speaking like a mafia boss.
He was speaking like a father.
Roberto looked toward Trisha.
"I won't threaten her mother. I won't hurt her. I won't use my influence to take Zara away." He paused.
"If the court decides I'm not fit to be her father, I'll accept that decision."
Ariana's eyes widened.
"But I'll never stop fighting to prove that I am."
The courtroom fell silent.
Even Trisha seemed caught off guard.
The judge slowly nodded.
"Thank you."
He looked down at the files.
"I will review the evidence before making my decision."
Roberto exhaled.
"However," the judge continued, "there is another matter."
Everyone looked up.
"What matter?" Roberto asked.
The judge picked up a document.
"We received an anonymous report this morning."
Antonio's expression hardened.
Roberto frowned.
"An anonymous report?"
"Yes."
The judge looked directly at him.
"It alleges that your daughter was recently placed in danger because of your criminal connections."
Roberto's blood ran cold.
"That isn't true."
"I haven't said that it is."
The judge placed the document on the table.
"But if the allegation is investigated and proven credible, it could significantly affect the custody decision."
Ariana's face went pale.
Roberto's hand tightened around hers.
Antonio stood.
"Your Honor—"
Roberto immediately grabbed his arm.
"No."
Antonio looked at him.
"Roberto—"
"No."
Roberto's eyes remained on the judge.
"We'll cooperate with the investigation."
Antonio stared at him in disbelief.
"You're just going to let them investigate you?"
Roberto looked at him.
"You heard me."
The judge nodded.
"That's all for today."
The gavel struck.
The sound echoed through the courtroom.
The hearing was over.
But the battle wasn't.
The moment Roberto stepped outside, reporters surrounded him.
"Mr. Gonzalez!"
"Do you believe you'll lose custody?"
"Are the allegations against you true?"
"Did your criminal connections put your daughter in danger?"
Ariana stepped closer to him.
Sunny immediately moved toward Zara and Sofia.
Antonio pushed through the crowd.
"Back up!"
Security rushed forward.
Roberto remained silent.
He refused to react. One wrong move.
One angry word. One threat.
And everything he had fought for could disappear.
Then a reporter shouted the question that broke through his composure.
"Mr. Gonzalez! Is it true that your daughter was kidnapped because of your criminal activities?"
Roberto froze.
Ariana's face drained of color.
Antonio's eyes darkened.
"What did you just say?"
The reporter held up his microphone.
"We've received information that Zara was targeted because of your enemies."
Roberto stared at him.
"That information is false."
"Then why was an anonymous report submitted to the court?"
Roberto didn't answer. Because he didn't know.
And that frightened him more than anything.
Across the street, inside a black SUV, someone watched the chaos through tinted windows.
A phone was raised.
A photograph appeared on the screen. Zara.
Standing beside Sofia.
The person smiled.
"Perfect."
Another voice came through the phone.
"Are you sure this is the child?"
"Absolutely."
"And Roberto?"
The stranger looked through the windshield.
Roberto was still surrounded by reporters.
"He'll be distracted by the court."
A pause.
"Then it's time."
The call ended.
The stranger looked back at Zara.
"Let's see how far a father will go when his daughter is taken from him."
The SUV slowly pulled away.
And neither Roberto nor Ariana noticed.
The courthouse doors closed behind them, but the chaos outside only grew louder.
Roberto barely heard the reporters anymore.
His mind was somewhere else.
Zara.
The anonymous report.
The possibility that someone had been watching his daughter.
Ariana grabbed his arm.
"Roberto."
He looked at her.
"What?"
"You're frightening me."
He glanced toward the crowd.
"Get Zara home."
Ariana's eyes widened.
"What about you?"
"I'll follow."
"No."
Antonio stepped between them.
"She's right."
Roberto looked at him.
Antonio glared back
"You're not going anywhere alone."
"I don't need protection."
"This isn't about protecting you."
Antonio's eyes shifted toward Zara.
"It's about protecting your daughter."
That silenced him.
Roberto turned toward Sunny.
"Sunny."
She immediately understood.
"I'll stay with Zara."
"Don't let her out of your sight."
"I won't."
Roberto crouched in front of Zara.
The little girl looked at him nervously.
"Daddy?"
Roberto forced a smile.
"Hey, princess."
"Did we win?"
His heart broke.
"Not yet."
Zara's lips trembled.
"But you're not giving up, right?"
"Never."
He pulled her into his arms.
Zara wrapped her tiny arms around his neck.
"I'm scared."
"I know."
Roberto closed his eyes.
"But you're safe."
He looked over her shoulder.
Antonio was watching the surroundings.
Sunny was already moving toward the car.
Ariana stood nearby, visibly worried.
Everything appeared normal.
But Roberto knew better.
Someone had submitted that report.
Someone had leaked information about Zara.
And someone had photographed his daughter without their knowledge.
He kissed the top of Zara's head.
"Daddy loves you."
"I love you too."
Roberto released her.
"Go with Auntie Sunny."
Zara nodded.
She took Sofia and Sunny's hand.
As they walked away, Roberto watched her until she disappeared inside the car.
Then his expression hardened.
"Antonio."
"Sup."
"I want to know who filed that report."
Antonio nodded.
"I'll find out."
"And I want every camera around the courthouse checked."
"Already working on it."
Roberto looked at him.
"No violence."
Antonio sighed.
"I know."
"No threats."
"I know."
"No one gets hurt."
Antonio stared at him.
"Roberto, you're asking me to investigate people who may be targeting your daughter without using any of the methods we're good at."
"Yes."
"You're making my job unnecessarily difficult."
"Do it anyway."
Antonio shook his head.
"Fine, i'm doing this for my goddaughter."
The Gonzalez Estate
The moment they returned home, Ariana rushed upstairs.
Zara followed Sofia into the bedroom.
Sunny remained downstairs.
She stood beside the window, watching the driveway.
Something bothered her.
The phone call. The strange voice.
The silence before the caller hung up.
She pulled out her phone.
She checked the unknown number.
Blocked.
Sunny's eyes narrowed.
Someone had gone through the trouble of hiding their identity.
That wasn't random.
Her phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID was visible. Olivia.
Sunny answered.
"Hey."
"Where are you?"
"At the Gonzalez estate."
Olivia's voice became serious.
"Is Zara there?"
"Yes."
"Keep her inside."
Sunny frowned.
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"That's not an answer."
"I heard something."
Sunny straightened.
"What?"
"There are rumors going around that someone is planning to use Zara to pressure Roberto."
Sunny's stomach dropped.
"Where did you hear that?"
"From someone who works near the courthouse."
Sunny looked toward the staircase.
"Olivia…"
"I know."
There was a pause.
"Be careful."
The call ended.
Sunny immediately locked the doors.
Then she called Roberto.
He answered on the second ring.
"What happened?"
"Have you heard anything about someone targeting Zara?"
Silence.
"Who told you?"
"Olivia."
Roberto cursed under his breath.
"I'm on my way."
"Roberto—"
The call ended.
Sunny stared at the phone.
"Great."
Upstairs, Zara sat on the bed.
Sofia was beside her.
"Mama bear said we should stay inside."
Zara nodded.
"Do you think Daddy is angry?"
"No."
"Worried?"
Sofia looked at her.
"Maybe."
Zara hugged her stuffed rabbit.
"I don't like when Daddy is worried."
Sofia smiled sadly.
"Neither do I."
Suddenly—
CRASH!
Both girls jumped.
"What was that?"
Sofia stood.
"Stay here."
"Where are you going?"
"To check."
"No!"
Zara grabbed her hand.
"Don't leave me."
Sofia looked at her frightened friend.
She sat back down.
"Okay."
Another sound came from downstairs.
A metallic clatter. Then silence.
Zara's eyes widened.
"Sofia…"
"Shh."
They listened. Footsteps. Slow. Heavy.
Coming up the stairs. Sofia's heart pounded.
She quickly locked the bedroom door.
The footsteps stopped outside.
Zara covered her mouth.
Someone touched the doorknob.
It moved. Once. Twice.
Then stopped.
Sofia pulled Zara toward the closet.
"Get inside."
"But—"
"Now."
They squeezed into the small space.
Sofia pulled the door almost shut.
It's a good thing Abuela prepared Sofia for situations like this.
The bedroom door opened.
Someone stepped inside.
Zara's breathing became faster.
Sofia placed a hand over her mouth.
Through the small opening, they could see a shadow moving across the floor.
The stranger walked toward the bed. Stopped.
Looked around.
Then pulled out a phone.
"She's not here."
A voice came through the speaker.
"What?"
"The room is empty."
The stranger turned toward the closet.
Sofia's eyes widened.
He walked closer.
One step.
Then another.
His hand reached for the closet door.
Suddenly—BANG!
The bedroom door slammed open.
"GET AWAY FROM THEM!"
Ariana stood in the doorway with blood dripping from her head, together with Sunny.
The stranger spun around.
For one second, nobody moved.
Then he ran.
Sunny chased him down the hallway.
"STOP!"
He reached the staircase.
Sunny grabbed his jacket.
He shoved her backward.
She hit the wall.
By the time she recovered, he was already gone.
Sunny rushed back into the bedroom.
"Zara!"
The closet door opened.
Zara and Sofia stumbled out.
Sunny immediately dropped to her knees and pulled both girls into her arms.
"Are you okay?"
Zara nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face.
"He came into my room."
Sunny held her tighter.
"I've got you."
Zara clung to her.
"You promised."
Sunny closed her eyes.
"I know."
She looked toward the doorway.
Her expression changed.
"Ariana are you alright?" Sunny asked.
"Yeah" She whispered.
Someone had broken into the Gonzalez estate.
And they hadn't come for money.
They had come for Zara.
Minutes later, Roberto arrived.
Roberto barely made it through the front door before Arturo ran toward him.
"They came for her."
Roberto froze.
"Who?"
"Someone broke into Zara's room."
His face went completely blank.
"Where is she?"