The moment Marco and Carmen drove away from Little Oaks Academy, another car slowly pulled up to the curb across the street.
It was sleek, black, with tinted windows that reflected the bright morning sunlight.
For a few moments, it sat there completely still, as if blending into the normal weekday traffic.
And then—
The passenger-side window rolled down, just slightly.
Just enough for a pair of cold, calculating eyes to peek through.
Ella.
She pushed her dark sunglasses down the bridge of her nose, her lips curling into a slow, amused smile.
Her gaze locked onto the colorful preschool building in front of her, scanning the small, fenced-in playground, the cheerful decorations, the tiny backpacks hanging neatly on hooks by the entrance.
And then—
She spotted him.
Matteo.
He was inside the classroom, just barely visible through the large window.
He was laughing, his little hands holding a crayon as he colored a picture at a tiny round table with the other children.
Ella’s smile widened.
“Oh, so here’s where you’re at now, little guy,” she murmured, tilting her head.
She watched closely, her eyes darkening slightly as Matteo turned to speak to his teacher.
She studied the woman, memorizing her face. The way Matteo looked comfortable with her. The way he smiled at her like she was someone important.
Ella’s fingers tapped against the armrest of her seat, slow and deliberate.
“They really think they’ve won, don’t they?” she whispered to herself, amusement lacing her tone.
She pulled a small notebook from her bag, flipping through a few handwritten notes.
The school’s schedule. The security measures. The pickup and drop-off times. Everything she needed to know. She had been watching. Preparing. Waiting.
And now, Matteo was exactly where she needed him to be.
She reached for her phone, her long fingers moving smoothly over the screen as she typed out a message.
She didn’t need to say much.
The recipient would understand.
Her message was simple—
“Soon, Rafael and I will be reunited again.”
She sent it without hesitation, then placed the phone back into her lap. Ella put her sunglasses back on, leaning back in her seat, completely unbothered.
She wasn’t in a rush. No, no. She had time. For now, she would let Marco and Carmen have their little victory.
Let them believe that they had finally taken their son back. Let them feel safe. Let them breathe.
Because soon, she would take it all away again.
And this time—
She would make sure they never got Matteo back. Ever.
Her fingers curled into a tight fist against her lap, her nails pressing into her palm.