The days that followed Alessia's rescue were a delicate balancing act for the De Luca brothers. They were elated to have their sister back but painfully aware of the scars—both visible and invisible—that years of abuse and manipulation had left on her. Alessia, for her part, found herself navigating an entirely new reality. The brothers were warm and kind, but the depth of her trauma made it difficult for her to trust even their gentlest gestures.

One morning, Giovanni knocked lightly on Alessia's door. When she didn't respond, he opened it slowly to find her sitting on the floor, her back against the bed. She was holding a small wooden box she'd found in the closet, her fingers tracing the intricate carvings on its lid.

"What's that?" Giovanni asked, crouching beside her.

Alessia opened the box to reveal a collection of trinkets—a tiny silver bracelet, a lock of hair tied with a blue ribbon, and a photograph of a baby in a white dress. Her brows furrowed as she studied the items.

"That's you," Giovanni said softly, pointing to the photograph. "That's from your christening."

Alessia looked at him, her eyes filled with questions. "Why did they take me?" she whispered.

Giovanni sighed, his heart aching at the pain in her voice. "We don't know everything yet, but we're going to find out. What matters now is that you're home."

Alessia nodded, though the weight of her past still hung heavily on her shoulders.

Recognizing the depth of Alessia's anxiety and trauma, Sandro arranged for her to meet with a therapist. At first, Alessia resisted, the idea of speaking to a stranger about her pain filling her with dread. But after some gentle encouragement from Giovanni and Alessandro, she agreed to try.

The therapist, Dr. Russo, was a kind woman in her late forties with a soothing voice and a calming presence. During their first session, Alessia sat in silence, her hands twisting nervously in her lap.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk yet," Dr. Russo said gently. "We can just sit together for now."

Alessia glanced at her, surprised by her patience. They sat in comfortable silence for the rest of the session, and Alessia felt a tiny spark of relief.

While Alessia began her healing journey, the brothers were relentless in their pursuit of the truth. Sandro had traced the Mitchells' finances to a larger network of criminal activity, and Giovanni and Alessandro worked to gather more evidence.

"I found a lead," Sandro announced one evening, his laptop open on the kitchen table. "There's a man named Marcus Kline—he's been tied to multiple trafficking operations. He might know where Alessia was taken after she was kidnapped."

Giovanni's jaw tightened. "Where is he?"

"Chicago," Sandro replied. "But we need to be careful. Going after him could be dangerous if he's as connected as I think he is."

Alessandro placed a hand on Giovanni's shoulder. "We'll handle it together. We're not taking any chances."

Despite her fears, Alessia expressed a desire to attend school. The brothers were hesitant, worried about her fragile state, but they ultimately decided to support her decision. They enrolled her in a local high school, ensuring the administration was aware of her special circumstances.

On her first day, Alessia felt like an outsider, her anxiety gnawing at her as she walked through the bustling hallways. She kept her head down, avoiding eye contact, and found solace in the quiet corners of the library during breaks.

There, she met Ethan, a soft-spoken boy with sandy blonde hair and kind blue eyes. He noticed her sitting alone and approached cautiously.

"Hi," he said, offering a tentative smile. "Mind if I sit here?"

Alessia shrugged, unsure how to respond. Ethan sat down, pulling out a book. "I like the quiet too," he said, glancing at her. "It's nice to get away from all the noise."

For the first time in a long while, Alessia felt a flicker of connection. Though she didn't say much, Ethan's presence was unexpectedly comforting.

Back at the apartment, the brothers were deep in discussion about their next steps. Sandro had uncovered more information about Marcus Kline, including his connection to a powerful mafia family in Chicago.

"We need to tread carefully," Sandro warned. "If we go after him, we could be walking into a trap."

Giovanni's expression was resolute. "If he knows anything about Alessia's past, we can't ignore it."

Alessandro nodded. "We'll plan this out. No risks."

Despite their determination, a sense of unease lingered in the air. The Mitchells had gone quiet since Alessia's rescue, and the brothers knew it was only a matter of time before they made their next move.

Over the weeks, Alessia's sessions with Dr. Russo began to bear fruit. She started to open up slowly about her experiences with the Mitchells. The memories were painful, but sharing them helped her begin to process the trauma.

One evening, she sat with Giovanni in the living room, the television playing softly in the background. "Thank you," she said suddenly, her voice trembling.

Giovanni looked at her, surprised. "For what?"

"For not giving up on me," Alessia said, tears welling in her eyes. "For bringing me home."

Giovanni's throat tightened, and he pulled her into a gentle hug. "You're our sister," he said. "We'll always fight for you."