The following days blurred together for Alessia. School provided a semblance of routine, but her thoughts grew heavier with each passing moment. Giovanni's revelation had opened a door she couldn't close, and a flood of questions and uncertainties came with it.

At the De Luca Apartment

Giovanni sat at the kitchen table, staring at a map of the city. Red pins marked every place the Mitchells had been connected to—addresses, workplaces, even schools. His brothers hovered nearby, their expressions grim.

"We can't keep watching from the sidelines," Giovanni said, his voice low but resolute. "They're hiding something; if we wait too long, they could disappear."

Alessandro frowned, his arms crossed. "And what's your plan? Walk up to their door and demand answers?"

Giovanni's jaw tightened. "If that's what it takes."

Sandro shook his head. "You'll scare Alessia even more if you come on too strong. She's already been through enough. We need proof—something concrete to show her that she belongs with us."

Giovanni exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "And how do you suggest we get that?"

Sandro slid a folder across the table. "I've been doing some digging. The Mitchells aren't who they claim to be. Their financial records don't add up, and there's no official adoption paperwork for Alessia. If we can connect them to her abduction, we'll have leverage."

Giovanni opened the folder, his eyes scanning the documents inside. A flicker of hope ignited in his chest. "This is a start," he said, his voice steady. "But it's not enough. We need more."

Alessandro nodded. "Then we keep digging. We'll find the truth, Gio. We owe it to her."

At School

Alessia sat in the back row of her history class, her notebook open but blank. The teacher's voice droned on, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't shake the image of Giovanni—the intensity in his eyes, the conviction in his words.

"You okay?"

She turned to see Luca sitting beside her, his brow furrowed in concern. She nodded quickly, avoiding his gaze.

"You've been quiet," he said, lowering his voice. "More than usual, I mean. If something's bothering you, you can tell me."

Alessia hesitated. Luca had been a constant presence in her life, one of the few people who treated her with kindness. But the weight of her secret felt too heavy to share.

"I'm fine," she said softly, her voice barely audible.

Luca didn't press her, but the worry in his eyes didn't fade. "If you ever change your mind, I'm here," he said gently.

His words lingered long after class ended.

The Mitchells' Home

That evening, Alessia sat at the dinner table with the Mitchells. The silverware clink and the small talk murmur filled the air, but she barely touched her food.

Mrs. Mitchell's sharp voice broke through her thoughts. "Alessia, are you listening?"

She looked up, startled. "I... sorry. What did you say?"

Mrs. Mitchell's lips thinned. "I asked how school was."

"It was fine," Alessia replied quickly, her stomach churning under the older woman's gaze.

Mr. Mitchell exchanged a glance with his wife, his expression unreadable. "You've been distracted lately," he said, his tone deceptively calm. "Is there something you want to tell us?"

Alessia shook her head, her heart racing. "No. Everything's fine."

Mrs. Mitchell's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing. The tension in the room was suffocating, and Alessia excused herself as soon as she could.

Later That Night

Alessia sat on her bed, her hands trembling as she unfolded the note she had found days earlier. You're not alone. We're watching.

She thought about Giovanni—about his claim that he was her brother. Could it be true? The Mitchells had always been distant, their affection conditional. They treated her more like a burden than a daughter.

The thought was terrifying, but it also sparked something else: hope.

She glanced at her phone, her thumb hovering over the screen. Finally, she opened a new message and typed a single word:

Alessia: Why?

The reply came almost instantly.

Giovanni: Because you're family. And I'll never stop fighting for you.

The De Lucas Take Action

The next day, Giovanni and Alessandro followed the Mitchells as they left their house. Sandro stayed behind to monitor their movements remotely, feeding updates to his brothers through an earpiece.

"They're heading downtown," Sandro said. "Looks like they're meeting someone."

Giovanni's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Who?"

"Not sure yet. Stay close."

The Mitchells parked outside a nondescript office building and disappeared inside. Giovanni and Alessandro waited, their eyes fixed on the entrance.

"Do you think they're meeting someone connected to Alessia's abduction?" Alessandro asked.

Giovanni's jaw clenched. "Only one way to find out."

Minutes later, the Mitchells emerged, accompanied by a man in a dark suit. Giovanni snapped a photo with his phone, sending it to Sandro.

"Got it," Sandro said. "I'll run a background check."

As the Mitchells drove away, Giovanni's mind raced. Whoever the man was, he had to be connected to their secret. And Giovanni was determined to uncover it.

Alessia's Growing Doubts

At school, Alessia couldn't focus. Her thoughts were consumed by Giovanni's message and the possibility that her life with the Mitchells had been a lie.

During lunch, she found Luca sitting under a tree, his sketchbook balanced on his lap. He looked up and smiled when he saw her.

"Hey," he said. "You okay?"

She hesitated before sitting down beside him. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Luca set his sketchbook aside, his expression serious. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Alessia stared at the ground, her hands clenched in her lap. "Have you ever felt like... like your whole life was a lie?"

Luca's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

She shook her head, her throat tightening. "Never mind. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid," Luca said gently. "Whatever you're feeling, it matters. And I'm here to listen."

For a moment, Alessia considered telling him everything. But the words caught in her throat, and she stayed silent.

A Dangerous Encounter

That evening, Giovanni returned to the apartment with new information. Sandro had identified the man the Mitchells had met—a known associate of a human trafficking ring.

"They're involved in something bigger than we thought," Sandro said, his voice grim. "If they've been connected to these people for years, it explains why they took Alessia. She's not just a victim—she's evidence."

Giovanni's fists clenched at his sides. "Then we have to act now. We can't let them get away with this."

Alessandro nodded. "But we need to be smart. If we go in guns blazing, we could put Alessia in even more danger."

Giovanni's gaze hardened. "I won't let anything happen to her. Whatever it takes, we're bringing her home."