Moments later,

The Carrington mansion was eerily quiet, the walls that had once resounded with laughter and celebrations now weighed down by an oppressive silence. A thick tension hung in the air, thick enough to suffocate anyone who dared to breathe too deeply. 

In the midst of this discomfort, Giovanni Rossi Carrington stood in the center of the grand hallway, his presence suffocating. The mafia don had arrived, and with him, a storm of fear and power. His sharp, calculating eyes scanned the lavish surroundings, noting every detail, every flaw in the security that had allowed Lily's abduction to happen.

Giovanni’s suit, a black Italian masterpiece, made him seem like a force of nature. He was tall, imposing, with raven-dark hair that seemed to be perpetually slicked back, and a jawline sharp enough to cut glass. 

His eyes were cold, calculating, and unblinking, his reputation as a ruthless leader making him a figure most people would rather avoid. Today, though, those eyes burned with fury.

“I don’t give a damn about the rest of the family,” Giovanni’s voice rumbled, low and threatening, as he stood in front of a trembling guard. 

The man’s knees quaked, sweat dripping down his face, as he stood, awaiting the inevitable judgment. 

“But you? You failed. You let her go. You’re a disgrace to your uniform.”

Before the guard could stutter an apology, Giovanni’s hand shot out, and in one fluid motion, he drew a silenced pistol from under his jacket. The shot was quick, precise, and without mercy. The guard crumpled to the floor, his lifeblood staining the marble beneath him.

No one moved.

Giovanni turned away, unfazed by the sudden death. His eyes flickered over the remaining men, all of them in varying states of fear. None dared speak. None dared move.

“Any more failures, and I’ll make sure none of you leave this mansion alive,” Giovanni warned coldly, his gaze piercing through the trembling men who stood frozen in their positions. 

His voice was low, a whisper, but it was enough to freeze them in their places.

“Fix this. Now.”

The men scrambled to obey, scattering in different directions, but Giovanni's attention remained elsewhere.

“John,” he called out, his voice smooth, but laden with a heavy threat. 

The patriarch of the Carrington family was sitting stiffly at his desk, his face pale, his hands shaking. Giovanni could smell the fear from across the room.

John Carrington slowly lifted his gaze. The man was no longer the imposing titan he once was. His wealth hadn’t protected him from this storm. Giovanni’s power had quickly swept through the mansion like wildfire, and it was clear who held the reins now.

John forced a stiff smile, but it did little to mask his fear. 

“Giovanni. I see you've handled the incompetent guards.”

Giovanni approached the desk, his steps measured, his face unreadable. 

“You should’ve handled this already, John. Lily’s gone. Your precious daughter is as good as dead. And now, your only choice is to protect your legacy. The Carrington name will fall if you don’t take action. Do you understand me?”

John’s hand trembled as he gripped the edge of the desk. His heart raced, but his pride kept his posture stiff. 

“Lily... Lily isn’t dead yet,” he said through clenched teeth, his voice betraying the strain in his words.

“You’re wrong,” Giovanni said, voice like ice. “She’s gone, and you know it. If you don’t act now, the world will know, and your empire will crumble beneath you. You think your family will survive this?”

John opened his mouth to argue, but the words caught in his throat. The weight of Giovanni’s stare was too much. He glanced at the direction his daughter’s room upstairs, knowing deep down that it was too late to save her.

And then there was the truth. 

Giovanni was right. 

If word got out that Lily was still alive, everything would be lost. The company, the wealth, the Carrington name—it would all be gone. Lily was the last living tie to the family’s power, and her absence would make room for new blood.

“Announce her death,” Giovanni said, a cold smile curling his lips. “You’ll do it for the family’s survival. For Emma. For your business.”

John swallowed hard, the weight of the decision suffocating him. His entire life had led to this moment, where his daughter’s life was nothing more than a bargaining chip.

“No,” Emma’s voice broke through the room, a mixture of disbelief and anguish. 

She stood in the doorway, tears streaming down her face. 

Her body trembled, but there was fire in her eyes, a flicker of resistance. “You can’t.”

The entire room turned to look at her, but Emma was undeterred. 

“You’re talking about Lily. My sister. How can you... how can you just announce her dead? How can you just—”

“Emma,” John’s voice was strained, his tone brittle, his composure cracking. “You don’t understand. If we don’t do this, everything we’ve built will collapse. This is the only way to protect the family, to protect you. We can’t lose everything.”

“Lily isn’t dead!” Emma cried, her voice breaking as she stepped further into the room. “She’s in a coma. She’s still alive! Why are you doing this? Why are you—”

“Enough, Emma,” Giovanni’s voice sliced through the tension like a blade. “You need to understand. The Carrington name is worth more than any one person. Even Lily.”

Emma recoiled, the sting of his words hitting her like a slap. She didn’t want to believe it. She didn’t want to accept that her father — her family — would turn their backs on Lily. 

But there it was, the cruel truth in Giovanni’s eyes. Lily’s life didn’t matter to them anymore. Not when the family’s wealth, legacy, and power were at stake.

“Please,” Emma whispered, her voice trembling as she collapsed into the chair. “Please don’t do this.”

But John had already picked up the phone. His eyes darted to the silent, looming figure of Giovanni, and with a deep, resigned breath, he began to dial.

As the phone call rang, Giovanni’s icy gaze flicked over to the window. In the distance, a sleek black car sat under the moonlight, its engine purring quietly. 

Meanwhile, inside the car outside the premises, the agent who had taken Lily lay in wait, awaiting further orders. His mission wasn’t over — not by a long shot - as he listened to the bug he had planted in the living room.

John’s voice soon crackled through the speaker. “This is John Carrington. I’m announcing the death of my daughter, Lily Ashton.”

The words were cold. 

Final. 

Back outside the mansion, the agent inside the car received a text, his heart skipping a beat as he glanced at it.

“She’s been confirmed dead. Bring her to me now. No delays.”

His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. He knew what this meant. His master had plans. 

Big plans.

But as he looked at the mansion one last time, he realized something that sent a shiver down his spine: 

Lily was more important than ever now.