Chapter 61: A difficult decision

Ana
On the second day in the hospital, I felt slightly stronger, although worry still gnawed at my heart. The doctors had decided to discharge me, and even though the physical pain persisted, my mind was focused on one thing: seeing my baby.
“When can I see my son?” I asked the doctor who had entered the room.
The doctor avoided my gaze, and his expression was tense, as if he feared telling me something.
“Mrs. Salvatore, there’s something you need to know,” he said.
My heart skipped a beat. The doctor’s tone immediately put me on edge.
“What happened? Tell me!”
“Your mother, Mrs. Luisa, requested that the child be attended to by another doctor. She threatened us and took the baby.”
I felt the world crumbling around me. Thoughts swirled, and rage consumed me.
“How could you let that happen?! That’s my child!” I shouted, the fury overwhelming.
The doctor shrank back, unable to hold my gaze.
“We’re truly sorry, but we couldn’t do anything. Her orders were clear, and our lives were at risk.”
Without wasting time, I grabbed my phone and started calling Luisa. Ring after ring, there was no answer. Each time the call went to voicemail, my desperation grew.
“Martin, come in,” I ordered, my tone brooking no argument.
Martin entered quickly, his expression serious and ready for action.
“I need you to use all our men to find Luisa and my child. Right now.”
“What happened, Ana?”
"Luisa took my baby! I don’t know where they are. I want you to find them. No matter what!"
Martin nodded and left the room, his phone already in hand, organizing the search. My body trembled with rage and desperation. I dressed quickly, ignoring the pain, focused solely on retrieving my son.
“Ana, calm down. We’ll find him,” Dante appeared at the door, trying to soothe me.
“I can’t be calm! He’s my child, Dante! I can’t lose him too. Not after all this.”
“I know. And we will find him. But you need to stay calm. Let’s leave here and coordinate everything from the house. It’s safer.”
I nodded, though the fury still burned within me. We walked swiftly toward the hospital exit, Dante supporting me by the arm to ensure I didn’t falter. The minutes that followed were a fog of worry and rapid orders. Martin had mobilized all our men, tracking any leads that could take us to Luisa.
In the car, the silence was tense. My thoughts revolved around my baby, wondering what Luisa might be doing. Why would she do something like this? What was she thinking?
We arrived at the house, chaos already controlled. Men and women from our team moved back and forth, receiving orders and reporting any progress.
“Ana, we’ve sealed off all city exits. No one gets in or out without us knowing. We’ll find Luisa and the baby,” Martin briefed me.
“Thank you, Martin. I trust you.”
“Don’t worry, Ana. This will be resolved soon.”
Each minute felt like an eternity. I tried to stay calm, but worry gnawed at me from within. I paced, searching for something to do, some way to help.
Finally, one of Martin’s men burst in, his expression anxious.
“We’ve found something. A witness says they saw a woman with a baby in an abandoned house east of the city. Matches Mrs. Luisa’s description.”
“Let’s go there. Right now,” my voice was firm, determined.
Martin nodded and quickly organized a small team to accompany us. We got into the car, and as we drove, my mind filled with images of my son, wondering what Luisa might be up to.
We arrived at the dilapidated house, an old, crumbling building. My heart pounded as we approached, with Martin and Dante by my side, ready for anything. We moved in silence, approaching the main door. Martin signaled, and two of his men kicked it open, entering swiftly.
The air was tense, and my nerves were on edge. However, what we found inside left me frozen. The house was filled with armed men, guards protecting every corner. I desperately searched for my baby but couldn’t spot him in the crowd.
Before I could react, Luisa’s men surrounded us, swiftly disarming our own. I saw Dante and Martin being restrained, their faces reflecting the same surprise and fury I felt.
Luisa stepped forward, a triumphant expression on her face.
“Ana, this was inevitable. It’s our greater purpose. We need to leave for another country, to lead. If you want to see your son, you’ll have to come with me.”
My thoughts spun in chaos. I couldn’t leave my baby with her, but I also couldn’t let Dante and Martin be captured. I tried to move forward, but the guards held me back, their hands firm on my shoulders.
“Let me see my child!” I shouted, desperation thick in my voice.
Luisa signaled, and the guards released Martin, allowing him to approach me.
“Martin will remain your bodyguard. He can go with you. But Dante… he must stay here. We can’t allow him to follow us.”
“No!” My voice cracked. “I can’t leave Dante. This is madness!”
Luisa stepped closer, her eyes cold and calculating.
“You have to choose, Ana. Your son or Dante. There’s no other option.”
The world crumbled around me. I looked at Dante, his eyes filled with determination and love.
“Ana, choose your son. I’ll be fine. I’ll find you. I promise,” Dante stared at me intensely, his voice unwavering despite the situation.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I nodded, the pain in my chest nearly unbearable.
“I’ll find you, Ana. I swear I will.” Dante’s words echoed in my ears, full of promise and desperation.
With one last glance at Dante, I turned to Luisa.
“Fine. I’ll go with you. Just let me see my son.”
Luisa nodded, and one of the guards brought the baby, placing him carefully in my arms. Relief washed over me as I held him, but the ache of leaving Dante behind was almost too much to bear.
As we prepared to leave, Dante’s words echoed in my mind. I knew he would do everything possible to find us, but fear and uncertainty accompanied me as we exited the house and climbed into a waiting car.
Martin sat beside me, his face a mix of concern and determination.
“We’ll find him, Ana. No matter how long it takes.”
I nodded, holding my son tightly. Dante’s promise gave me strength, but the reality of our situation was terrifying. As the car pulled away, I glanced back, knowing this was just the beginning of a new and painful chapter in our lives.
The journey was silent; each mile took me farther from Dante. His vow was the only thing keeping me steady—the hope that someday, we’d be together again.
“Ana, you have to stay strong. For your son, for Paolo, and for Dante. We can’t give up,” Martin’s words served as a constant reminder of the fight ahead.
As the car moved forward, the future seemed uncertain and dark, yet a small glimmer of hope still shone. I knew Dante would keep his promise, and one day, we’d be reunited.