A Great Loss
Máx waited for him at the restaurant entrance, and he grew concerned when he saw him approaching with a serious expression.
“Boss, I didn’t quite understand what you told me on the phone, but I sense that something serious is going on that you haven’t told me,” he said.
“Come with me to the police station, that’s where you’ll find out what’s happening. Tadeo Miller will pay today for all his wrongdoings, along with the leader of the gang that organizes those damn auctions,” Mateo replied.
Máx followed him in silence, not understanding much, but he could tell from Mateo’s expression and tone of voice that he was in distress.
Upon arriving at the police station, Mateo gave a statement about everything he had heard, explaining which organization his grandfather was the leader of. Máx couldn’t believe it. Maybe Mateo had been mistaken due to his condition, but it was better to verify it.
They headed towards the location where the encounter would take place, waiting for an hour. Suddenly, they saw a van with tinted windows entering the warehouse. Shortly afterward, Mateo’s grandfather’s van pulled in, followed by several other vans filled with men.
“I’m sorry, friend. I truly am sorry for what’s happening,” Máx said, realizing that Mateo’s statement was true.
Mateo simply nodded with infinite sadness, now understanding that perhaps his grandfather had indeed been involved in the fraud against Ava’s father’s company. And even though Guido didn’t know he had been involved with Teodoro in the illegal business, they had spent time together back then.
Inside the warehouse, Teodoro had been waiting impatiently. He quickly got up from where he was seated upon seeing the vans arriving, and the man who had spoken with Guido got out of one of them.
“How’s it going, Miller? Today, you will finally meet the man you’ve been working for. Today, the black wolf will meet the legendary white wolf.”
The door of one of the vans opened slowly to reveal Guido, and Teodoro was surprised to see him.
“So, you’re the black wolf. I didn’t know I was dealing with such garbage all these years. That’s why it’s not good to do business through intermediaries. You almost killed my grandson. Now, you’re going to pay for it,” Guido said, furious.
“Look who’s the big boss. Does your grandson know that you’re involved in trafficking women? The great Guido Licciardi turned out to be one of the worst men, the lowest of them all.”
Guido drew his gun and aimed it at Teodoro’s head.
“You’re not leaving here today.”
At that moment, the massive door covering the entrance to the warehouse swung open with a loud noise, and several police officers rushed in.
The men got out of the vans and started shooting, but Guido remained unfazed, keeping his gun pointed at Teodoro’s head. Soon, the outnumbered criminals were subdued by the police.
Guido was taken aback when he heard his grandson’s voice.
“Lower the weapon, Grandpa, surrender. Don’t get more involved than you already have,” Mateo said.
“No, son. Today, Teodoro Miller pays for everything he’s done to you, and I will also pay my part in this,” he said while offering a sad smile.
Guido pulled the trigger, and Teodoro fell backward. The criminal was finally dead. The police officers fired at Guido, who also fell to the ground.
Mateo ran toward his grandfather.
“Why did you do it, Grandpa?” he asked while crying. Mateo knelt on the ground, holding his grandfather’s head.
“Forgive me, son. Be happy; there will be nothing to stop you now. Don’t mourn for me; I got what I deserved.”
Guido Licciardi ceased to exist in the arms of his grandson. Mateo couldn’t believe it. He felt guilty for his grandfather’s death, but he was still sure he had done the right thing. All the members of the criminal cell that organized the auctions were there. Perhaps there were others, but at least this one would stop causing suffering to hundreds of women.
Mateo returned to the hotel, feeling devastated. Máx would take care of the arrangements to transfer Guido’s body. Mateo asked him to tell a different version of the story. Even though Guido deserved it, he didn’t want his grandfather to be remembered that way. He would only tell Ava what had truly happened; he didn’t want secrets between them.
“Oh, God! What happened?” Ava was alarmed when she saw Mateo’s blood-stained clothes, thinking he had been injured again.
He approached and embraced her, tears streaming down his face. She couldn’t understand what was happening.
“Is something wrong with Máx?” She didn’t even want to think about it. Camila was already suffering from losing Tadeo, and she didn’t want to believe that Morgana would go through the same.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
“Máx is fine. He has gone to arrange the transfer of my grandfather’s body to Italy.”
Ava almost fainted upon hearing that.
“Your grandfather has passed away? No, God, this can’t be happening,” Ava exclaimed.
Mateo asked her to sit down and explained what had happened. The girl couldn’t believe that Guido had been the cause of so much suffering for all those women.
Days later, Guido’s funeral took place, and the version they presented was that Teodoro had killed his grandfather before dying.
“I’m so sorry, my friend,” Akiro approached Mateo to offer his condolences. Everyone had been relieved to see him awake but saddened to learn of his grandfather’s death.
Months passed quickly. Ava had decided to turn the Miller mansion into an orphanage, wanting to help children who didn’t have a safe place to grow up.
She had given two concerts to raise funds for charity, encouraged by Mateo who wanted her to regain her career.
There was still a month left until Camila’s baby would be born. She asked Ava, Ima, and Morgana to go with her to the doctor for an ultrasound. That day, she requested to know the baby’s gender, even though she had initially wanted it to be a surprise. She felt immense joy when she was told it would be a boy.
“Tadeo, my little Tadeo,” she said tearfully while caressing her belly.
They were reviewing the ultrasound images in the doctor’s office when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen that made her double over. The doctor immediately transferred her to the delivery room. She couldn’t understand why she hadn’t felt pain earlier, but at that moment, her water broke.
She wished Tadeo could be with her, holding her hand, and couldn’t help but cry when she realized he wasn’t. The pain grew more intense, and the doctor urged her to push harder. In one final attempt, when she thought she couldn’t bear it any longer, she heard her son cry. At that moment, she forgot all the pain. The doctor placed her baby on her abdomen; he was a beautiful baby, and Camila fell in love with his big eyes, identical to his father’s.
After a while, everyone wanted to meet the baby, and the room quickly filled up.
Ava could see the nostalgia on Camila’s face and approached to hug her.
“You know you have us, now and always.”
“I know, thank you,” Camila replied.
Ima and Akiro also offered their support to help raise the baby, and Mateo, Máx, and Morgana did the same.
“He’ll be a boy with many godparents,” Ava said with a smile.
The next morning, when leaving the hospital, Camila was surprised that only Ava and Mateo came for her. It made her a bit sad not to see her friends there, but she didn’t want them to help carry the baby. She wanted to have her son close at all times.
They had asked her to stay with them at the Miller mansion until she fully recovered, and she gladly accepted.
Upon arriving at the mansion’s entrance, they waited until the large gate opened. It was a five-minute drive from there to the mansion, and as they drove slowly along the path, Camila was surprised to see beautiful decorations lining the way. Giant figures of bears, horses, and white elephants held pastel-colored balloons. When they arrived, her friends and the staff greeted her, and there was a massive balloon arch at the entrance.
They approached to hug her, and inside, the living room was beautifully decorated with baby motifs. A large sign welcomed them, and there were small tables with desserts and snacks. Camila was grateful for everything but couldn’t help feeling nostalgic when she thought of Tadeo.
Aurora approached to hug her as soon as she noticed her sadness.
“I know it’s very tough, my dear, and you feel like you need him more than ever. But look at the miracle you have in your arms.”
Camila turned to look at her little one, tears streaming down her face, and gave him a tender kiss.
She would move forward, she would do it for her son, and for Tadeo. She wanted him, wherever he was, to be proud of her.
She was grateful that those friends were like her family, a family she was sure would always be there for her and her son.
The girl wiped away her tears and, looking at her little one with tenderness, she smiled. It was true what Morgana had said-her son was an extension of Tadeo on Earth.