Chapter 7

"Riccardo... Sophia's voice trailed off when I gave her a signal to be quiet. I took Esmeralda to her room and tucked her into the bed.

I stayed with her for a while staring at my precious emerald thinking of all the negatives that could have happened if i had lost her. I brushed the curls that dropped on her forehead and placed a soft kiss on her cheek before standing up but she was quick to grasp on my wrist.

"Don't go daddy" I heard her mumble out and a smile spread on my lips. I laid beside her for a while and when I was certain she was deep into her sleep I left.

I went down to find Antonio standing in front of the floor length window with a glass of drink in his hand. I looked around for Sophia but her presence was no where to be found.

I took silent steps towards his direction and stood beside him. "Maja Elzandre, the court's most visited criminal yet no allegation has been proven to be true" he looked away from his previous line of sight to face me.

A sigh escaped his mouth an