Chapter 20: Hope Is Not Lost

The echo of those words pierced his mind as he tried to process the information. The woman who had marked his life so much, the one who had saved him that night when he almost lost everything, was dead. How was it possible? He had hoped that, somehow, he could see her again, thank her in person. But now, that possibility had vanished completely.

— I understand, he finally responded, feeling a strange mixture of sadness and emptiness.

— Should I keep investigating, sir? his assistant asked, with a professional yet cautious tone.

Alexander hesitated for a moment but shook his head as if his interlocutor could see him.

— No, leave everything as it is, he ordered, before hanging up abruptly.

He remained silent for a long while, staring out the window of his office at the garden. Outside, he could see Isabella playing with Ethan, sharing laughter and complicity. Despite the devastating news, something within him continued to resonate. An inexplicable connection still seemed to intertwine him with her, even though he couldn’t fully understand it. Why, then, could he not stop thinking about Isabella? Why this feeling that there was something more, something he still didn’t know?

The wind blew gently through the garden, and from his office, Alexander watched as Isabella, unaware of everything, continued enjoying the day with Ethan. Yet, in his mind, a doubt persisted, a loose thread he couldn’t ignore.

Who are you really, Isabella? he asked himself as the uncertainty grew more and more.

Alexander couldn’t take his eyes off Isabella and Ethan. Despite the devastating news he had just received, something kept him on alert, as if everything around him suddenly had a new meaning. That inexplicable connection between Isabella and Ethan was becoming more evident with each passing day. Without knowing why, he felt there was something in her that seemed too familiar.

He crossed his arms, leaning against the window frame while his thoughts spun chaotically. He remembered the night he had been drugged, the soft voice of the woman who had saved him, and how she had whispered that everything would be fine. Now, all of that seemed like a distant echo. How could it be that the person who had rescued him no longer existed? And yet, there was something in Isabella that made him feel the same as that night: protected.

The sound of a child’s laughter broke him from his thoughts. Ethan was running joyfully through the garden, and Isabella, smiling, followed closely, keeping watch. At that moment, Ethan tripped and fell, laughing heartily as Isabella helped him up. The child hugged her naturally, as if seeking refuge in her arms was the most logical thing in the world.

A sharp pang pierced Alexander’s chest as he watched this scene. There was something in the way Ethan clung to Isabella, something he had never seen with anyone else. He couldn’t help but wonder if Isabella felt the same way about the child. Was it possible that Ethan was connecting with his real mother without even knowing it? Could it be that something in his instinct led him to trust her so deeply?

His thoughts overwhelmed him, and just then, he heard a light knock on his office door. He turned slowly to face the entrance.

— Come in, he said with a firm voice.

His assistant entered with a worried expression, holding some documents in his hands.

— Sir, I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s something else you should know about the woman who... passed away in the accident, he said with some hesitation.

Alexander frowned, feeling a chill run down his spine.

— What is it? he asked, his voice becoming a bit harsher than he intended.

— It’s just that... it’s not certain that she really died in the accident. I reviewed the medical records and there’s a discrepancy in the hospital files. According to the reports, there was an unidentified survivor who disappeared after the accident, and it’s presumed that it could have been her, the assistant explained, speaking in a lower tone.

Alexander felt the world around him crumble. Was there a possibility that the woman he had been looking for was alive? And if so... where was she? And why had she left no trace?

He looked again toward the garden, where Isabella and Ethan were still playing. The doubt began to grow in his mind like a shadow that refused to fade.

— Keep investigating, he ordered, more firmly than before. I want to know everything you can find out about that woman.

The assistant nodded and left silently. Alexander remained motionless, feeling the weight of uncertainty pressing against his chest. Something was happening, something much bigger than he had imagined. And undoubtedly, Isabella was part of it.

He crossed his office determinedly, opening the door that led to the garden. He approached where Isabella was sitting on the grass next to Ethan, trying to fake a calmness he didn’t feel.

— Isabella, can we talk? he asked suddenly, his tone controlled but firm.

She looked up, surprised to see him there, so close.

— Of course, she replied, standing up as Ethan continued playing with a ball.

— Why do you have such a special connection with Ethan? he asked out of nowhere, without preamble.

Isabella tensed, unsure exactly how to respond. The truth was that she felt something for the child, something beyond her role as a nanny, but she didn’t know how to explain it.

— I don’t know, sir... I just... I just feel him close, she said honestly, her words insecure but sincere.

Alexander looked at her intently, searching her face for a clue, any indication that might give him answers.

— There’s something that doesn’t add up, Isabella, he said, lowering his voice. And I’m going to find out.

Isabella shivered at the intensity of his gaze, but didn’t know what to say. What Alexander didn’t

know was that she was just as lost in those feelings as he was.