ALINA'S POV

I walk up to one of the officers at the scene hoping he can help me.

"Um excuse me sir, what's happening?" I ask with a quiver in my voice showing my fear.

The tall guy looks at me with pity.

"You don't happen to be Alina Evans do you?" He asks.

I just nod in reply to him. He then sends me over to another police officer who directs me to a cop car. I try to ask what has happened but no one will answer or even talk to me.

I just stay silent worrying.

After some time I'm taken to an interrogation room. It's cold and smells of antiseptic spray. I know that there's someone behind the glass mirror in the room.

Luckily it doesn't take long for 2 cops to come in. They have many files that they lay out on the table and I have to wonder whether I have done anything wrong.

They both have stern looks on their faces and I have to admit I'm scared.

"Alina Evans, correct?" Officer 1 asks me.

"Yes sir. What happened to my foster parents? Am I being sent somewhere new? No one is telli-" I try and ask my question but I don't get very far.

"All will be explained as long as you answer these questions" officer 1 replies.

Officer 2 continues the conversation.

"Did your foster parents ever fight?"

I think about it. They rarely did as they were too busy beating me up. If they did it was because the other didn't split the alcohol or the drugs fairly.

"No not really. They were really in love, it was very sweet." I lie and put on my best smile which they seem to believe.

I don't really want to tarnish Emma's name in front of her co workers no matter what happened.

She might find out about it and I can't risk that.

I also don't want them finding out the truth.

They look to each other and I think I see some sort of relief?

"Unfortunately your foster parents passed away this evening due to a car crash. There was no collision and it is currently under investigation. Some think Emma and Jason were fighting and lost control or the car needed maintenance. Your statement has been very helpful as you have told us there is no obvious conflict for them to have lost control of the car." Officer 2 explains.

"Is there any way they could have been under the influence at the time?" Officer 1 asks.

I'm too stunned to speak. They're dead! I'm free. They can't hurt me anymore!

I have to hold on to my smile so I don't look suspicious.

As I think of the freedom I think of the damage I'm unable to escape. My body is littered in scars, words, bruises.

I'll never be able to forget them. My worry grows as I think of my future. What if I'm placed with worse people?

Will my suffering continue?

I'm brought out of my mind as the officers try and get my attention by waving their hands in front of my face.

I clear my throat but the worry is obvious on my face.

"Um no. They drank occasionally and in special occasion but not frequently." I reply to the officers earlier question.

I could snitch now that Emma's dead but I don't.

One because I don't want anyone to know of my mutilated body and how I was treated. I got this far on my own and it will continue that way.

And secondly I don't trust them. I don't want anyone to know what I went through and view me differently.

People could see me as disgusting and judge me. I'd rather not have that.

They can't change anything either.

I'll go to my grave with this secret if I have to.

"Thank you Alina, your answers have been quite helpful. Are there any questions you wish to ask?" Officer 1 asks.

Only one.

"Yes. Where will I go now, seeing as my foster parents are gone" a lone tear falls as I worry about my future. Wondering if I haven't suffered enough.

I want a stable future. Is that too much to ask?

The two officers grin, and I feel unsettled.

"Ah yes, your biological family is here for you"

I look at them as if they are telling a joke. I have no real family. It was presumed they died as I was left with no belongings and all alone.

Even if they are my real family, why are they here now? Why did they leave me?

You don't just get to come back into someone life after 14 years!

I never even thought having a biological family was even an option.

I hate them for what they did! I try not to hate people but I make an exception.

I'm fuming, thinking they can just walk back in to my life like that?

"They're waiting for you outside"

What!

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

SALVATORE'S POV

Here I was getting ready for bed with my wife by my side.

I looked sadly towards the twins old room that is still conjoined with ours. I stand by the entrance to it and stare at the race car beds, the old toys that are still in their place from that day scattered on the floor.

The room is clean because Athena makes sure she cleans it weekly. She wants to keep the memory of Alina in any way she can.

Nothing in the room has been moved though, just cleaned. The rooms off limits to anyone other than family.

I only took one thing from that room. Alinas teddy bear that she slept with when she was a child.

Aiden has the same bear that he's kept for 14 years, just like me.

At first he was never able to sleep as Alina wasn't by his side. He vouched to fall asleep after she did so he could protect her. He blames himself for his kidnapping. The only way Aiden sleeps is with his bear by his side knowing his twin had the other half.

It's one of the only memories I keep of her on a daily basis.

I've never washed it. That might sound disgusting but still to this day there's still a faint smell of Alina's baby smell.

Me and Athena savour it every night as we sleep with it between us.

Athena was affected the worst. She made a mural for our little girl in our room. It's a collection of all the pictures we have of her. She spends time looking at it every day and prays for the return of our daughter.

We all want her back but deep in our heart we have accepted there is a chance she's dead.

As I get into bed and Athena gets ready my phone rings.

I groan. My men know not to call me after 7 unless it's really important as that's when I spend time with my family.

I pick it up expecting it to be one of my men.

"What!?" I ask annoyed.

"Uhh is this Salvatore Giovanni?" The unknown person asks sounding terrified as he should.

"Yes, now speak!"

"I have a girl aged 14 under the name Alina Evans here. Her um DNA has a 98.7% match with yours. I was wondering if you-"

"Saying you've found my dead daughter is not a joke. If this is a scam call I will have your head by midnight. Is this a joke?" I froze. No way it could be my baby. No, we've accepted she gone.

I ground out my words. We've had many false calls about our baby being alive. At first we took every thread we could. They all turned out to be fake.

As time went on the calls got less and less until there were none. Until now.

It's the worst feeling in the world. Getting your hopes up to be disappointed.

"No sir, I assure you. The DNA matches with you. I can send you a photo of the girl if you would like. If you do not want to take custody of the girl then she will be put back into her group home" the guy asked.

I greed to the photo and hung up on him.

I need a glass of water for the headache that was starting so I went to get some as I waited for the message to come through.

I didn't want to get my hopes up just for it to not be her. I decided I wouldn't tell anyone about their lead as I didn't want to bring their hopes up.

I sighed and walked back up to my room.

As I opened my door I saw Athena breaking down crying. I rushed to my wife in order to see what happened.

She held onto me whilst basing her eyes out.

"Salvatore it's- Alina. Itss our baby!?" She said trying to catch her breath from her crying.

"Mi amor. Calm down. I can't understand what's going. Talk to me" I asked her. She was worrying me.

All of a sudden she stood up and shoved my phone in my face.

I froze.

I saw my own green eyes staring back at me.

Me eyes moved to the black hair everyone in our family had.

Then to the girls button nose and freckled covered face.

Alina.

It was my baby.

My face felt wet. Tears were falling.

She was alive.

14 years he had been missing. She had been found!

I joined my wife as we cried in joy for our daughter.

"Salvatore, we need to go and get her. Where, where is she?" Athena begged.

I wiped the tears off my face so I could se clearly.

"I don't know. The police officer didn't say where she was. I did t believe him at first because of all the false-"

"Salvatore Giovanni, you idiot! Why would you not believe him!" Athen screamed at me.

I looked down. "Because every time someone has called saying they've found her it's been false. I didn't want to be disappointed again" I admit sadly.

Athena comes and hugs me.

"Salvatore, it doesn't matter now. Right now we need to go and get her daughter. It's been 14 years I refuse to wait any longer"

With that we phoned back the police officer and found out she lived in America.

I may have had a screaming match at him due to her being moved around from group homes and at no time did they test her DNA even though it was on file.

She could've been with us years before. I was angry.

He assured me that I didn't have to worry about her upbringing as one of his co-workers who was a respected officer took her in.

It made me relax a little as I hoped Alina had a good life growing up.

Obviously she would have been treated better if she was with us.

I hoped my little girl was still the same cute little girl I knew.

As we packed and exited the house we were stopped by Luca our third oldest.

He looked at the grins on our face suspiciously.

"Where are you two going at this time? Matheo and Marco and out doing our mafia business so why are you guys leaving?" He asked.

"There's been some complications. We need to go sort something out. We'll be back by tomorrow with a surprise. Make sure the boys get to school and do their training after please. You are in charge. Please don't burn the house down. Bye, love you!" Athena said backing us up whilst dragging me out of the house.

Luca didn't look impressed but shrugged it off.

With that me and Athena set off. As I entered our private plane I thought of my two eldest sons were in the same area for some business.

They were getting their payment from a small gang whilst also making a meeting with the leader of the American mafia.

That was the best coincidence.

This would be the perfect surprise.