Alessia sat on the couch in her parents’ living room, her face buried in her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her chest heaved with heavy sobs, and her shoulders trembled uncontrollably. The weight of not knowing where Avery was—or if she was safe—felt like it was suffocating her.
Theo knelt in front of her, his hands gently gripping her knees. “Alessia,” he said softly, his voice steady despite the panic evident in his eyes. “You have to breathe. Look at me. In and out, okay? Just breathe.”
“I can’t,” Alessia choked out, shaking her head. “I can’t do this, Theo. She’s out there somewhere, scared and alone, and I’m sitting here doing nothing! What kind of mother am I?”
“You’re the best mother Avery could ever have,” Theo said firmly. “And right now, she needs you to be strong. We’re going to find her. I promise.”
Alessia lifted her head, her tear-streaked face etched with despair. “You can’t promise that, Theo. You don’t know what Zoey is capable of. She’s unhinged. What if—” Her voice broke, and she couldn’t bring herself to say the words.
Theo cupped her face gently, his thumbs brushing away her tears. “Listen to me,” he said, his tone unwavering. “We’re not going to let anything happen to her. The police are involved, your dad is using every connection he has, and we won’t stop until Avery is back home with us. But I need you to stay with me, Alessia. I need you to fight.”
Before Alessia could respond, her phone buzzed on the coffee table. Both she and Theo froze, their eyes locking for a split second before Theo grabbed the phone. Alessia watched as his face darkened, his jaw tightening as he read the message.
“What is it?” Alessia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Theo turned the screen toward her, his hand shaking slightly. The message was brief but chilling:
“Don’t get the police involved, or Avery will suffer.”
Alessia’s breath hitched, and her vision blurred as fresh tears welled in her eyes. “Oh my God,” she whispered, her hand flying to her mouth. “Theo, what are we going to do?”