Chapter 71: Running out of breath

Ana
Caring for Paolo had become my anchor in the midst of the storm. Sitting in the room, I held him in my arms while reviewing the latest reports that had been brought to me. Sleepless nights were constant, but my son's well-being and finding Dante were my top priorities. Paolo stirred slightly, and I gently stroked his forehead, trying to calm him.
"Easy, my love. Everything will be fine."
I ran a hand over his tiny head, feeling the softness of his hair. It was incredible how such a small creature could bring so much peace amidst so much chaos. The door opened and I looked up to see Luisa entering with a serious expression.
"Ana, we need to talk. There's something important I need to tell you."
Before I could respond, Martin rushed into the room, his face pale and worried. He stopped when he saw Luisa, and for a moment, he seemed to hesitate whether to continue speaking.
"Ana, I have news about Dante. It's not good."
My heart raced, immediate fear clouding my mind. But before I could ask any more, I noticed Martin looking nervously at Luisa, as if trying to change the subject.
"Maybe we should discuss this later. It's..."
"No, Martin. I want to know now. Luisa knows too, there's no need to hide it."
Luisa nodded, a shadow of worry crossing her face.
"Yes, Ana. I've been looking for Dante too. I know how important he is to you and to our organization."
Martin seemed surprised by the revelation.
"We've tracked his movements to a point, but then the signal is lost. It seems he's been taken to a highly secure location. We've lost contact with our informant," Luisa commented.
My hands started to tremble slightly as I heard this. I looked at Paolo, feeling a wave of despair. I couldn't lose Dante too.
"What else do you know, Mom? I need all the details."
She took a deep breath, avoiding my gaze momentarily.
"Our contacts suggest he might be in one of the rival mafia's facilities. I'm sorry, Ana, but we haven't been able to confirm anything yet."
Luisa fell silent for a moment, and then spoke in a softer voice than usual.
"Ana, I'll do everything I can to find him. I know how much he means to you and to the organization. But you have to trust that we're doing the right thing."
I nodded, though the frustration and fear were still present. Paolo started to cry softly, and I tried to calm him down once again, murmuring soft words.
"It's going to be okay, my love. We'll find him."
My mother approached, her voice filled with concern.
"Ana, if there's anything else we can do, any resources we need, just let me know. We won't rest until we bring him back."
"Luisa, is there anything you're not telling me? Any clue, anything we can follow?"
Luisa shook her head.
"I've told you everything I know. But we need to stay calm and be strategic. Dante is strong. We know he can hold out."
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to gather my strength. Paolo calmed down in my arms, his breathing becoming regular again. I felt a renewed determination.
"We won't stop until we find him. No matter how long it takes."
Martin looked at me, with an expression I had never seen on his face before, a mix of sadness and determination.
"Ana, I came here to tell you something else. Something I didn't expect to have to say. There's no need to continue the search. Dante... he's been found."
My heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, I felt a spark of hope. But that spark quickly died out with his next words.
"He was in a fire. The body has been identified. It was Dante's. Ana, Dante is dead."
The world came crashing down on me at that moment. I felt like I couldn't breathe, as if the ground had opened up beneath my feet and was swallowing me whole. Paolo, who had calmed down in my arms, started crying again, but his cries seemed distant, as if from another world.
"No... It can't be. It's not possible. Dante can't be dead!"
"I'm so sorry, Ana. We did everything we could to find him before this. But it's too late."
Tears started streaming down my cheeks uncontrollably. My whole being was in shock. Paolo, sensing my anguish, cried even harder, and I tried to calm him down, but my hands were shaking so much that I could barely hold him.
"How did this happen? How could this be? He couldn't die like this!"
Luisa stepped forward, her expression filled with grief and guilt.
"Ana, no one expected this. Dante was strong, but it seems the situation got out of hand. We need to be strong now, for you and for Paolo."
I wanted to scream, to hit something, to do anything to release the pain that was consuming me. But Paolo needed my calm. He needed my strength, even though I had none at that moment.
"Dante promised me he would always be by my side. I can't believe he's not here anymore."
Martin came closer, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Dante died doing what he believed was right, Ana. He never stopped fighting for you, for Paolo, for all of us."
"I don't care! I don't want him to be dead! I need him here!"
Helplessness tore at me from within. I wanted to believe it was a lie, a cruel joke of fate. But the expressions on Martin and Luisa's faces told me it was the harshest reality I had ever faced.
"We have to move on, Ana. Dante would want you to be strong, to keep fighting."
"How can I go on without him? How can I go on knowing he's gone?"
Luisa took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly.
"You have Paolo. He's your reason to keep going. Dante would want you to take care of him, to give him a safe and happy life."
I felt a wave of despair, but also a spark of determination. She was right. Paolo was my anchor, my reason to keep going. I had to be strong for him, even though my heart was shattered into a million pieces.
Martin and Luisa nodded, sharing my pain. The silence that followed was heavy, laden with a deep and tangible sadness.
"I need a moment alone. I need to... process this."
Martin leaned down and kissed Paolo on the head before retreating, while Luisa looked at me with compassion before following him. I was left alone with my son, the pain throbbing in every fiber of my being.
"I will protect you, my love. No one will hurt you. I promise by Dante's name."
Tears continued to fall as I stroked Paolo's soft cheek, his little face a reminder of everything I still had to fight for. Dante was gone, but his spirit and strength would live on in every decision I made, in every battle I fought for our family.
I rose slowly, Paolo in my arms, and walked towards the window. The city stretched out before me, full of dangers and challenges. But also full of opportunities to honor Dante's memory, to seek justice for him.
"I promise we'll keep going. I promise we'll be strong. For you, Dante. Always."
And with that promise in my heart, I knew I would find a way to keep going, to fight, to win. Because that's what Dante would have wanted, and I wouldn't let his sacrifice be in vain.