Chapter 8

After Cecilia took Isabella back to the villa, she let her take a nap as she headed into the study.

The divorce procedures were almost finished. She did not want to waste any more energy on Lyon or Gianna.

Some people, however, seemed determined to push her to the edge.

In the late afternoon, the nanny came to the study door, almost in tears.

“Donna Melville! Isabella’s missing!”

Cecilia sprang to her feet. She knocked over the chair.

“What do you mean? Wasn’t she painting in the backyard?”

“I went to the kitchen to get her some juice. When I came back, she was gone!” The nanny’s hands shook as she handed Cecilia a voice recorder. “All I found by the lawn was this…”

Cecilia forced herself to stay calm and pressed play.

A woman’s voice came through. It was distorted but sharp and triumphant. “Cecilia, you tried to put an obstacle in my path, and your daughter’s going to be a problem for my child. If you won’t give up the spot, I’ll decide for you.”

Even with the distortion, the tone and the way the words were spoken left no doubt.

It was Gianna.

Luckily, the bracelet Isabella always wore had a tracking chip.

Her assistant quickly pinpointed the signal. The location was an old dockyard in Booklyn. It was a ship maintenance warehouse that had remained out of use for years.

Cecilia snatched her car keys and ran out the door.

She pressed the gas hard as she drove and gave orders over the phone. “Find everything on Gianna. Nightclub security footage, fake diplomas, bank transfers with producers, and any contracts showing that the company cleaned her records. I want it all released tonight.”

Her assistant replied, “Understood.”

By the time Cecilia reached the old dock, it was completely dark.

The warehouse area was a mess. Shipping containers were stacked like walls. Thick smoke poured from the farthest warehouse, and gasoline had been poured across its entrance. Flames crawled up the metal walls.

Inside, Isabella was locked in.

“Mamma!!!”

Isabella’s tearful cry hit Cecilia like a knife.

She ignored the danger. She grabbed a blanket from the ground, wrapped it around herself, and kicked the half-closed metal door open. She ran straight inside.

The warehouse was stacked with old ropes and wooden crates. The wiring was ancient, and the fire spread fast. Smoke filled the air, and it made Cecilia’s eyes sting.

At the far end, Isabella crouched under an old workbench. Her face was streaked with tears.

“It’s okay! I’m here.”

Cecilia grabbed Isabella and held her tight. She wrapped her in her soaked coat and whispered calming words as she pressed against the wall. She then ran toward the exit.

A sudden crash came from behind. A burned wooden beam fell and nearly hit her shoulder.

She did not look back. She kept her arms around Isabella and ran through the flames.

When they finally collapsed on the ground, Isabella coughed violently from the smoke. Her hands shook as she clutched Cecilia’s coat. She cried so hard that she could barely speak.

Cecilia held Isabella. Her body was trembling all over.

Fear, anger, and a fierce need for revenge boiled inside her.

After the ambulance took Isabella to the hospital, Cecilia finally freed a hand and checked her phone.

Within hours, Gianna’s name was on every major headline.

Leaked videos, old bills, nightclub photos, behind-the-scenes footage, and evidence of bribed doctors fabricating reports all came out.

Gianna’s careful “innocent rising star” image was shattered completely overnight.

Footsteps pounded down the hospital corridor.

Lyon arrived with his men. His expression was dark. Gianna followed behind him, and her face was wet with tears.

“Cecilia!” he demanded the moment he walked in. He held back his anger as he spoke. “Was this your doing? Gianna’s getting attacked all over the internet right now! Are you happy now?”

Cecilia slowly lifted her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes were icy.

He did not even ask about Isabella’s condition. Instead, the first thing he did was defend Gianna.

This was ridiculous!

Cecilia smiled and asked, “Lyon, do you know your daughter was almost burned alive at the docks tonight?”

His anger froze instantly.

Gianna, behind him, went pale.

He finally seemed to realize what had happened. His eyes moved past Cecilia toward the hospital room door. His voice grew tight. “Isabella… how…”

Cecilia said nothing. She tossed the voice recorder to him.

“If you want to know how, listen to it yourself.”