Chapter 41 Chapter 0041

Chapter 41 Chapter 0041
•ANTONIO•

“That stupid old man fooled me,” I muttered, pacing across my office while the last burn of whiskey slid down my throat.

The empty bottle dangled from my fingers before I set it down harder than necessary. “We have to do something, August. I can’t let him and that excuse of a son keep my wife from me.”

August didn’t answer immediately. He poured another glass and handed it to me before taking one for himself. His calm irritated me more than Rob’s cameras had.

“What happened when you went to his place?” he asked.

I let out a humorless laugh. “He had cameras in his house and he made sure I knew it too. The old bastard sat there acting harmless while reminding me that one wrong move would ruin me.” My jaw tightened. “He knows where Tom is. He knows where Isabella is. And he thinks I won’t touch him because of a few recordings.”

August leaned back slightly. “If he’s prepared enough to install cameras, he’s prepared for more than that.”

I stopped pacing and stared at him. “Heavy backup? That’s what you’re suggesting? For a man who was humiliated by the Conti brothers?”

“I’m serious,” August replied. “It took resources and connections to take him down before. You think he hasn’t learned from that? You think he’d sit back while his son runs with your wife without securing himself?”

I hated when he made sense.

The thought of Isabella being somewhere I couldn’t reach felt like a blade lodged under my ribs. Every hour without her made everything else meaningless.

The house felt hollow and my heart felt as if it would stop beating.

“I can’t sit around for days while he plays chess with my life,” I muttered.

“And you won’t,” August said. “But we must plan this properly. Because if you go in blind, you will lose more than just pride.”

I exhaled sharply and dropped onto the couch. “Fine. We must plan carefully and find Isabella. She's my priority right now.”

August sat beside me, studying my face. Then he gave a low chuckle. “You’re completely gone over her.”

I shot him a look.

“I never thought you’d love someone like this,” he continued. “Not after Maggie.”

Maggie.

The name didn’t sting the way it used to. It now felt distant, like a chapter from another lifetime.

“That was before Isabella,” I muttered. “Maggie loved what I could become. When someone richer came along, she didn’t hesitate.” I swirled the whiskey in my glass. “Isabella didn’t care about the money or the power I have. She didn’t even want me at first.”

August raised a brow.

“That’s the difference,” I added. “She doesn’t bend. She doesn’t chase status, and she walks away if she feels wronged.” My grip tightened around the glass. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to bring her back.”

August nodded slowly. “Then we get her back.”

“She’s the only thing keeping me from becoming someone I won’t recognize.”

A silence settled between us.

Then August asked, more cautiously, “Do you think she loves you? If her ex plays this right, he might convince her he’s changed.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but my phone rang. For a split second, I thought it was Rob. Or Tom.

I pulled it out immediately.

Donald.

A cold unease crept up my spine as I answered. “Yes?”

“Sir, we have a problem.”

My body went still.

“We were held at gunpoint ten minutes ago. They took Andrea. We couldn’t identify them. They were masked. We don’t know where they’re heading.”

The room spun and my jaw clenched.

“They took him?” I repeated.

“Yes, sir.”

"Don’t you dare 'yes, sir' me!" I snapped. "Who took him?"

"We don't know, sir. But the people who took him had their faces covered," he answered, his tone laced with panic. "We tried everything we could to prevent them from taking him, but they held us at gunpoint."

"I don't care if one of you died—" I sneered. "You must find Andrea because if not, not one of you would survive what I'd do to you. Do you understand?"

"Yes," he answered, his voice shaking. "Yes, sir."

I hung up the call and exhaled, trying to calm the anger rising in my chest. There was only one person I knew who would've taken Andrea.

August was already on his feet. “What happened?”

"They took Andrea," I sighed. "Tom did it because he's trying to show me that I might not find Isabella. He's playing a game with me. But then it could be anyone."

His face hardened. “That’s not random.”

“No,” I said, slipping the phone back into my pocket. "It’s not. Which makes sense why it could be Tom. He and his father are trying to test my patience, and they want to see what I'd do to find Bella."

Rob Creed was in on it. He wanted to get back on the game by reminding me of his previous tactics, and it was working.

My chest tightened as I realized that it was far from being about Isabella. Tom and his father were playing chess, and they wanted to see if they still had what it took to play in the big league.

I stood up, already heading for the door.

“Antonio,” August warned. “If you walk in there unprepared—”

“I won’t walk in unprepared,” I cut in, my voice steady now. “Call the men. I want everything ready. Weapons, cars, and intel. I want eyes on every Creed property within the hour.”

August studied me for a second, then nodded once.
I paused at the doorway, my hand resting on the frame.

“Rob thinks he has the upper hand,” I muttered. “But he just made this personal.”

And this time, I wasn’t walking into his office to talk.
I was walking in to take everything back.