The sun shone brightly as Ella walked hand in hand with Matteo through the quiet city park. The air was warm and crisp, the sound of birds chirping mixing with the distant laughter of children playing nearby.
It was a beautiful day. A perfect day. And it was all going exactly as she planned. Matteo grinned up at her, his little fingers squeezing hers tightly.
“Nanny, can we feed the ducks?” he asked, his eyes lighting up with excitement. Ella smiled warmly. “Of course, sweetheart,” she said, leading him toward the small pond where ducks floated lazily across the water.
She pulled a small bag of breadcrumbs from her purse and handed it to him. Matteo giggled happily as he tossed the crumbs into the water, watching the ducks paddle over quickly to eat.
Ella knelt beside him, pretending to be fully focused on the activity. But her eyes?
Her eyes were constantly scanning the park. Watching. Waiting. Making sure that no one was watching them. Matteo was hers now.
Marco was completely under her control. Everything was falling into place.
But still…
She couldn’t shake the feeling in her gut. A quiet, nagging sensation that something was off. Matteo clapped his hands excitedly, snapping her out of her thoughts.
“Look, Nanny! That one is so fat!” he giggled, pointing at a large duck waddling toward them. Ella chuckled, gently ruffling his curls.
“That’s because he eats too much,” she teased. “Just like someone else I know.”
Matteo gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to his chest.
“I do not eat too much!” he argued, giggling. Ella laughed, shaking her head.
“Alright, alright, my mistake,” she said playfully.
For a moment, it was peaceful. For a moment, it was perfect.
Then—
Everything changed. It happened fast. Too fast. One second, Matteo was laughing, tossing the last of the breadcrumbs into the water.
The next—
Ella felt it. That sudden shift in the air. That moment of silence, too unnatural, too heavy. Her body tensed instantly. She turned, just in time to see three men approaching from different directions.
Dressed in dark clothing, moving with purpose. Predators. Ella’s stomach dropped. “Matteo,” she whispered urgently, grabbing his wrist.
“Nanny?” Matteo blinked up at her, confused.
She stood quickly, scanning their surroundings.
They were in the open, too far from the exit, and the few parents nearby were too distracted to notice anything.
The men were closing in. And Matteo? He had no idea.
“We need to go,” Ella said, keeping her voice calm but firm.
“Why?” Matteo asked innocently, tilting his head.
The first man lunged. Ella reacted instantly. She shoved Matteo behind her and twisted, dodging the first attack. The man’s fist barely missed her face.
“RUN!” she yelled to Matteo.
Matteo froze. His eyes widened in terror as he watched the men circle them. Then—he started crying.
“NANNY!” he sobbed, clinging to her dress.
Ella cursed under her breath. She couldn’t fight properly with Matteo so close. “Get away from the kid,” one of the men growled.
“Over my dead body,” Ella snarled, her eyes blazing. She moved fast, catching one of the men off guard. She grabbed the nearest park bench and swung it toward him, sending him stumbling back.
The second man tried to grab Matteo—
Ella kicked him hard in the chest, sending him sprawling.
But the third man—
He was fast. And before Ella could stop him—
He grabbed Matteo. Matteo screamed. Ella’s blood ran cold.
“LET HIM GO!” she roared, lunging forward.
The man tightened his grip, pulling out a gun.
“Stay back,” he warned. “Or the kid gets hurt.”
Ella froze. Matteo was sobbing uncontrollably now, his little body trembling. Ella’s hands shook with fury. She had to do something.
She had to think fast. Her fingers flew to her pocket, yanking out her phone.
She pressed the first number on speed dial.
The call connected instantly.
“What?” Marco’s voice came through the phone, sounding irritated.
“Marco!” Ella gasped, breathless, frantic.
“Ella?” Marco immediately picked up on her panic.
“We’re being ambushed!” Ella cried, her voice raw with urgency. “They’re trying to take Matteo!”