I Kidnapped A Baby, But He Was My Son.

At 17, Molly was the youngest of Caio and Matheus, professional assassins in the service of Teodoro. Despite growing up surrounded by the mafia, the young girl remained oblivious to her family's business. This innocence was a cause of concern for her brothers, who, aware of the dangers surrounding them, knew that Molly's ignorance put her at risk.

Raised in isolation, Molly was a young woman of medium stature with long brown hair. Despite her lack of experience with the world, she possessed great intelligence and perspicacity. As the daughter of the mafia's madame, her mother harbored the desire for her to find a good man to protect her within the mafia, much like she had done herself, shaping Molly into a beautiful, vain, and attractive young woman, raising her to be a perfect bride and nothing more.

However, witnessing her family's preparation for an imminent departure without knowing what was happening behind closed doors was torture for Molly. The anguish of uncertainty and the feeling of helplessness in the face of the unknown consumed her.

"What a pain! Why do they never tell me anything?" Molly grumbled as she passed through each door, her brown eyes burning with curiosity.

Downstairs, her father paced back and forth, restlessness evident on his face. Molly sneaked into the living room, watching her brothers Caio and Matheus frantically packing their bags.

"Dad knows what will happen if we stay. We have to leave before the war starts," Caio whispered, his voice laden with fear despite his attempt to disguise it. At 24, he was the middle brother and had a little more experience in the mafia world.

"I know," Matheus confirmed indifferently, the eldest and grumpiest son at 30. Neither of the brothers had married yet, having managed to escape arranged marriages arranged by the family, even though they were advantageous. "We should have allied with another mafia," he suggested, casting a dark look at Caio.

"You know that means death unless it was an ally. But the only ally we had is the one who is going to start killing everyone because of Teodoro's billion-dollar debt."

"That scoundrel!" Caio growled, slamming his fist on the table.

"But we are cautious, we won't wait for them to close all the loopholes," Matheus grumbled as he organized his bags,

unaware of the sister watching him from the crack of the door.

"Come in, little sister," he invited gently, revealing that he had seen her. Matheus, although strict with everyone, was kind to Madson, his only weakness. She was his soft spot.

Madson timidly met his gaze before entering the room.

"I've told you not to lurk," he reprimanded her, but soon enveloped her in a tight hug that made her complain of pain. Matheus was tall and strong like a soldier, and his tattoos Hidden beneath the dress shirt only heightened his dark aura. His face was usually grumpy, but he always made an effort to smile at his sister. Caio, the younger brother, wasn't much different, just a bit leaner with a gentler expression. Both adored Madson.

"What's going on?" Madson asked, sitting on the bed to help fold the still stacked clothes.

"Actually, it's what's going to happen," Matheus corrected, returning to empty the wardrobe.

"Hey, little peach," said Caio, the younger brother, rising from the armchair and sitting beside her on the bed. He leaned his face into her hair and sniffed. "Ah... This is it! It's an incredible smell, makes me want to bite and tear a piece off," he said seriously, making Madson take him seriously.

"Oh! You can't do that!"

"But the smell of this fruit... Mom has to stop stocking up on this shampoo. One day, you'll be cannibalized," he said, holding back his laughter.

"This is my favorite, you guys always complain," grumbled Madson, sulking.

"Usually it smells like crap; sometimes it makes me feel nauseous, and other times, I feel like peach is my favorite fruit, but I don't even eat this fruit," commented Matheus without looking at them.

"Uhm... I've never eaten peach either. Seems to be a difficult fruit around here."

"But, on the other hand, you smell from head to toe," Caio added, still holding his sister's hair over his nose.

"Mom gives you a lot of these creams. Can you smuggle some for me?" Caio asked.

"They're for girls."

"I know, if I get some of those, I'll definitely think of which girl I can give them to. Maybe my future wife," Caio said thoughtfully, as if he already had someone in mind.

"Just buy some different ones. Imagine having a wife with the smell of your sister, it sounds scary," she confessed, shivering.

"True, maybe I'll order one as good from the same place Mom ordered yours," Caio commented, and Matheus glanced at him disapprovingly. He knew that the products Molly used weren't by chance, and he even wanted to throw them all away.

"We know they're not available here in Brazil. Ever since you said you liked them, our madame always buys them in bulk for you, perfumes and creams with that scent."

"True, the supplier of that is so mysterious, it would definitely be a good gift for someone I wanted to marry?"

"Are you in love, little brother?" Matheus asked in a slow and cautious voice, squeezing Caio's shoulder, making him wriggle in pain as if he had said something wrong.

"No...!" Caio yelled, pulling his brother's big hand off his shoulder as if it were a hook. "I'm not thinking about that right now... Let go!" he tried to break free feeling that grip hurt his muscle.

"Theus! Let go!" Molly asked, also trying to remove Matheus's hand, helping her brother. But they didn't have the strength against that intimidating two-meter-tall man.

"Okay... But marriage is a forbidden topic here," Matheus concluded, obeying his sister's request.

"It's happened!" their father shouted, bursting into the room. The siblings fell silent. "All accounts have been frozen; the southern mafia is starting to hunt our heads," he warned, trembling, trying to keep calm.

"Everything is ready, let's just leave," Matheus announced emotionlessly, grabbing his rifle from the top of the wardrobe and handing one to his brother as well. "Call the staff to bring down the suitcases. We'll leave in the armored car to the basement; if they've frozen the accounts, we can't leave the city."

"Matheus, we can't leave the city; they've already closed everything. I don't know how many days we'll be able to stay hidden. I'll be one of the first to be hunted down for being Teodoro's right-hand man."

"After all, is it just the southern mafia starting a war?" he asked thoughtfully, while Caio and Molly just listened in silence. Lincoln, father of the three present, was Teodoro's underboss and therefore successor, but due to the capo's debt, the southern mafia was demanding the lives of everyone in his organization.

"Yes, that's what they've informed."

"So the mafia from the eastern city won't join them, right?"

"You know they won't, after all, there's something they're very interested in our family..." he interrupted himself, swallowing hard as he looked at Molly. She was too close and couldn't know the reason why the eastern mafia wouldn't attack, which had everything to do with her.

"So, because of the alliance that was supposed to be formed, he decided not to get involved? Interesting," Matheus murmured, swallowing hard without delving too much into the subject.

"Still, he won't protect us because the alliance wasn't formed. The eastern mafia is the most influential in all organizations. If we had the free transit seal from the Seagreme family that they freely carry, we could just present it and be free from this place," her father grumbled.

"The free transit seal?"

"Yes! The seal made with the ring of the Seagreme family crest, those who rule the whole city and can go from one place to another, granting this privilege to all who trust them."

"That maniac who's about to become the mafia capo? The one you would give our..." Matheus fell silent again cautiously, but Molly was already curious.

"Let's think about it and get in touch, if..."

"No!" Matheus interrupted Lincoln, none of the brothers agreed with the father's decision.

"But if we give her up, he would give us the seal and we could leave!" his father argued desperately.

"She's not a bargaining chip, our deal is one and you'll stick to it until the end."

"Father, we're not going to accept doing that. So, you better fight!" Caio asserted, handing a rifle to his father, hitting against his chest. Madson didn't understand what was happening. For a moment, she stared at those three heavily armed men, at the same time they stared at her seriously. She could barely imagine what could be, but she thought about the transit seal.

Chapter 2:

"Daughter, my little flower, could you please step out for a moment? Wait outside," her father kindly requested. Madson's expression darkened as if she suspected it had something to do with her. Without arguing, she left and headed to her mother's room, remaining indifferent to the topic of men.

"You're not giving her away; neither of us is married, and you can only do that when one of us gets married," Matheus reminded her confidently.

"You're doing this on purpose!" her father shouted, pounding on the door of the cramped room.

"Let's just stick to the plan; if we leave now, we won't have to confront anyone."

"You can go!" a female voice followed. Matilde opened the door, entered the room, and brought Madson in by the hand.

"Don't tell me you're still going to work as a pimp?" Matheus asked incredulously.

"Of course I am! My account was the only one not blocked. If you haven't noticed, I have to support three grown men and my princess, who, by the way, also hasn't had her account blocked," Matilde commented proudly.

"Are you going to keep taking her with you to that impure place?"

"The only thing that happens there is the assignment of girls. No man enters there except for security. And today, I have to arrange for five girls to go to different places. I need the money since we're leaving the country."

Matilde, a famous pimp in the mafia world, but with a strictly secret family life. Everyone only knows that she has a daughter, as her sons Matheus and Caio live under constant surveillance.

"Leave Madson at home!" Matheus ordered.

"Of course not! And I'm your mother, don't you dare to tell me what to do. Don't make me sell you to the Amazon mafia."

"Those demons will never have my skin as a rug!"

"As if that's what they want from the stud ogre!" Matilde burst into laughter, irritating him even more.

"Theus!" Molly shouted. "I'm going with mom. I always have, and I've helped with finances and paying the girls. Most of them don't even know we're from this crazy family," she suggested firmly, puffing out her chest.

"If they knew, they would certainly fear. Leave before I change my mind," Matilde concluded, grabbing the cartridges again.

"Do you really think it's safe for them to go out in this situation?" Matheus asked.

"Well, if you have money under the mattress, I can call both of them," Caio suggested indifferently. His brother just fell silent.

"Let's go down to the underworld first; they know where it is, they can meet us there later," Lincoln warned.

The men headed to the garage, where a secret warehouse guarded the entrance to an underground world. Inside, a carefully planned house offered refuge and security, monitored by cameras in every corner.

Madson, Molly, and Matilde headed towards the brothel. The girls highly respected Matilde, although not part of the industry. She had decided to enter the business only to take care of them because the former owner subjected them to poor conditions.

"Hello, Mrs. Matilde," Lisaura, one of the oldest prostitutes in the business, greeted her.

"Hello, Madson will come down soon with the payments and the addresses of where you should go today," Matilde superficially and meticulously informed.

"Yes, ma'am," Lisaura confirmed, winking at Molly who silently returned it. She and Lisaura had become friends, even though her mother had forbidden it.

"I've told you before that you can't make friends with the girls here; a girl like you wouldn't be well-regarded," her mother scolded after they moved away from Lisaura.

"I don't care," Molly retorted. "Besides, if it were really important to you, you wouldn't be taking care of them, so I'm not worried."

"But you should be," her mother insisted. "One day you'll want to get married, and that won't happen if you have dozens of prostitute friends."

"But you're married to dad," Molly argued.

"And I was a mafia hitman like him; I confess I would never want that for you."

"As long as I stay away from marriage, I certainly don't mind staying in this environment."

"Stop talking nonsense; are you losing your mind?"

"Mom..." Madson grumbled, falling silent.

"Well, deliver these envelopes to the respective girls. There are five assigned, all up here. Don't you dare to go down to the brothel."

"Yes, ma'am!" Madson confirmed excitedly, running out and passing between the rooms. Two girls who shared the space occupied each room. Madson could hear the celebrations with the payments as soon as she closed the door.

"Lisaura..." Madson sang her name, excited to hand over the envelope and address to her and her friend Eloah, who was a roommate; each room housed a maximum of two women.

"Molly," Lisaura replied kindly.

"I missed talking to you!" Madson spoke, entering without asking permission. It was the first time she entered Lisaura's room, which was divided into two spaces: Lisaura's bed on one side and the friend's space on the other. "Wow!" Madson sighed with mischievous eyes and curious fingers, but Lisaura stopped her.

"Don't touch anything, your mother would kill me!"

"Where's your friend?" Madson asked, handing one of the envelope packages to Lisaura.

"She... Well... Give me her envelope, okay?" Lisaura replied nervously, trying to grab the envelope, but Molly took it out of her sight. "Ah!... You little rascal, just give it to me! Eloah and I are best friends!"

"What happened?" Molly asked, being direct.

"What are you talking about?"

"The other three times you took your friend's envelope, you've been taking her addresses and payments for some time now. What's going on?"

"Wow, you're very observant..." Lisaura gasped, scratching her head as she awkwardly smiled. "Will you give me the envelope and the address?" she tried to negotiate without explaining.

"Only if you tell me. Otherwise, I'll tell my mother that she's not coming anymore, and then the payments stop, and you also lose the orders."

"How come? Your mother receives her payments, each encounter is being fulfilled, so she's only getting what's fair for her work."

"I know! But... It's you who takes the assignments, and if they don't arrive, there's no work."

"What do you mean?"

"That you've been doing double duty here, where's your friend?" she asked, analyzing the reserved part of the room that belonged to Eloah, also noticing a hanger with some wigs and pairs of glasses.

"So... If I tell you, you promise you won't tell your mother?" Lisaura asked fearfully, sitting on Eloah's bed next to Molly.

"Okay! I want to know what's going on; I promise not to tell anyone."

"So... Actually, Eloah hasn't been coming to work for two months," she confessed nervously, unable to meet Molly's gaze.

"You didn't tell my mother?"

"I can't, she needs the money..."

"But she just needs to come to work."

"It's not that easy; the story is... Eloah was happy that she found a boyfriend. She thought he was good and kind, so she left the life of a high-class escort."

"So she has help from her boyfriend; you don't need to sacrifice yourself."

"We're best friends, and she needs it," Lisaura said, looking away with shame.

"How come, and what about her boyfriend?"

"He's HIV positive... You know what happened, right?"

"That's sad..."

"She got infected. She can't work like this, but the worst part is that the disease progresses faster in her, and she's hospitalized undergoing treatment. So I do her job and give you the money..." Lisaura said, holding back tears as Madson was astonished.

"So, she's dying?"

"Yes! Don't tell your mother, please..." Lisaura begged desperately. "I need this money."

"I won't tell. Here's the address where your friend would go," Molly warned, handing her the envelope and the paper. As soon as Lisaura read the address, it was evident that it was something she didn't like. Molly couldn't ignore it, trying to read curiously the handwritten notes at the same time.

"What's wrong?" she asked, snatching the paper without warning.

"I forgot that every three months this man... Wow, I still haven't gone to this meeting..." at that moment, it seemed like Lisaura's world collapsed, but she managed to complete what she wanted to say.

"This is..." Molly hesitated, trying to read the name.

"The Tracking Wolf, the most feared masked assassin, among other nicknames for each different situation," explained Lisaura, pensive, just like Molly.

"So... One of the prostitutes chosen by him is from here," Molly thought, remembering what her brothers were talking about.

"But why are you afraid?"

"Because only Eloah sleeps with this man," Lisaura said, petrified.

"Then you just have to disguise yourself as her," commented Molly, picking up the wig and putting it on her head. She pretended to be a model and twirled as if the situation were simple.

"It's not that easy; this man is a bit peculiar, as if being a dangerous mobster weren't enough," she grumbled.

"Wait! Is this the same man who has the ring... That..."

"Traffic Seal," Lisaura recounted indifferently. "Eloah talked a lot about this ring, as she had earned his seal, so she can enter and leave there and go to privileged places that most prostitutes can't enter."

"And where is it?" Molly asked eagerly.

"In her drawer, it's all here; she said I would need it if I ever went to meet this man."

"Can I see it?" Molly asked with curiosity, but Lisaura just pointed to the vanity, indicating the drawer. Molly ran to the drawer and took out a small wooden box, the only one there. Upon opening it, she saw a kind of package made with a very delicate fabric. When she unfolded it carefully, she saw the small metal object with the coat of arms mark engraved.

"Is it that precious?" Molly asked, dazzled.

"Yes, normally in the mafia world, this makes you untouchable, but only the Don can use this object that is ordered by the ring bearer, like... Here, only Eloah can use it."

"Why?"

"Because Eloah is the 'Owner's Favorite.' She has his trust and protection."

"Behind it is engraved the name of the person and the family, it's valid only for Eloah," Molly was disappointed, as it wouldn't serve her family.

"So I really would need the ring," thought Madson as her mind filled with dark thoughts.

"And the ring? Can anyone use the ring to come and go?"

"There are three of these rings; they're family jewels shared between the father and his two sons. Usually, if someone else has one, it's likely to be a family member. I'm not sure if this particular man is a family member, but I know the Don himself granted him this privilege as a reward for his services."

"So, even if a person is marked for death, if they have one of these rings, they'll be saved?"

"Yes, the East City mafia has formed an alliance with all other organizations. Being the most powerful, it doesn't get involved in conflicts between them. So, this man who has the ring is the future leader of the mafia and can grant the seal mark to any of the allied organizations."

"I see... But what's peculiar about this tracking wolf... or whatever they usually call him?"

"Eloah calls him that because he identifies people by smell. However, she makes a point of using a different perfume for each meeting, hoping he won't reject her. It seems that no perfume pleases him."

"Why are you so interested in this man?" Lisaura asked suspiciously.

"I'm just curious."

"Does this have to do with the ring? I know what's going on with your family."

"I'm thinking of sending someone to steal that ring," she said abruptly, without beating around the bush.

"Are you crazy? Whoever does that would die. Would you dare to do that?" Lisaura asserted skeptically, almost falling backward.

"No... I think I'm overthinking it," Molly corrected herself, biting her lip and looking away embarrassedly.

"Besides, I have a week to prepare for this man."

"Why?"

"I'll tell you..." Lisaura sighed, unable to resist Molly's curious gaze.

"Madson Molly!" Her mother shouted, almost knocking down the door, entering in a panic as if something serious were happening.

Molly jumped out of bed, throwing all the suspicious items away before her mother could notice.

"Mom, is something wrong?" she asked as soon as her mother entered, visibly nervous.

"Have you delivered all the packages?" Matilde asked, showing concern.

"Yes."

"Let's go!" she announced, pulling her hurriedly as if they were fleeing.

Madson had no idea what was happening. They headed to the car and drove off at high speed. Her mother kept her eyes on the road through the rearview mirror, making sure no one was following them. Madson just shrunk into her seat, frightened, without asking anything else.

"It seems like someone is following us," Molly suggested, alarmed.

"Damn it!" Matilde exclaimed upon seeing a motorcycle behind them. "Here!" she threw the phone into Molly's lap. "Call Matheus, now!"

Madson complied without questioning. Then, she received a piece of fabric thrown onto her face.

"Are those the men who want to kill our family?" she asked, frightened, while making the call.

"Cover your face and don't let them see you," her mother ordered as three more bikers approached the car. Then, she stepped on the accelerator. Despite her car's power, the motorcycles were also fast.

"Are they following us?" Matheus asked bluntly as soon as he answered, as if he already knew it would happen.

"Yes! There are several bikers," Molly replied.

Matheus smiled between his teeth, with a precision rifle positioned.

"We're just a few minutes away!" Matilde shouted from the front seat, desperate.

As she crossed the street with the three bikers, Matheus managed to see them. He simply waited for the right moment and easily took down one of them, while the other two became confused but continued to pursue. However, when the second one fell, the third attempted to flee.

"Amateurs!" Matheus sighed as he brought down the third.

They were able to proceed to the secret location. Matheus also fled on his motorcycle, following their mother's car, as they were still ten kilometers away from the hideout.

As soon as they arrived, they were greeted by Lincoln, who was already aware of everything that had happened.

"Matheus warned you not to take risks!" Lincoln shouted as they waited in front of the warehouse, after passing through the gate.

"I didn't expect them to recognize me," Matilde lamented.

"And Molly?" he asked worriedly, looking at the girl with her face still covered.

"No one saw her. At least, they probably think she's just one of the girls who works there," she warned, pulling her into the basement. However, Matheus had not arrived there yet; he was checking if no one else was following them and if there was no tracker on the car.

It didn't take long for Matheus to arrive on his motorcycle, so they went together to the secret underground area, which was built like a house, with three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and bathrooms.

"What really happened?" Lincoln asked impatiently as everyone gathered in the living room.

"I found out today that my account was blocked," she recounted, looking lost as Matheus joined them, also listening to the conversation.

"Oh!" Matheus feigned surprise, clapping his hands. "You've been working illegally at that place for years. Did you think the mafia wouldn't investigate you? Mom! You're so naive. I can't even believe it was you who taught me what I know today," he grumbled indignantly.

"Why didn't you teach me to be like that too?" Molly protested suddenly, pulling the cloth covering her face, revealing a furious expression.

"Shut up!" their voices merged into a single sound against her, and she sat annoyed on the couch.

"Well, what's our situation now?"

"The only one who still has money is Madson, Molly." All eyes turned to her.

"Me? I didn't even know I had a bank account."

"But you do, for your college and your future in case you were good for nothing, because let's be honest, your mother raised you too naive."

"You took me out of school when I was 14! What are you talking about? None of this is my fault!" she grumbled, indifferent, with her legs dangling over the armrest of the chair.

"Look at this girl!" Matheus grumbled. "The only one free from the hunt in this concrete jungle and still so rude!" he asserted, furious, giving her a tap on the foot, making her sit up straight in the chair.

"But getting back to the point, we still have money, but it's in my office. Someone needs to go back and get that suitcase. There's a secret compartment under the desk; they surely ransacked everything there but couldn't find the suitcase. No one except me knows about that place."

"We need that money to escape," grumbled Caio.

"Is it that much money?" Matheus asked.

"150 thousand," Matilde replied.

"It's a symbolic amount. It can keep us going for a few months in another country," commented Matheus indifferently.

"But that amount is what's in the briefcase. Molly, in her bank account, has over 990 thousand," said Matilde.

"How can she have so much money? She didn't even work for it!" asserted Caio.

"But I didn't even know I had money! I don't even have 10 reais now!" Molly grumbled irritably, getting up and leaving them alone, but as she left, she just stayed there, since they were always wary when she was nearby and never talked about the family's real situation.

"Now that she's gone, tell me what the real situation is," Lincoln asked Matheus.

"The city is surrounded. We won't be able to leave, and this hideout won't be secret forever," he said, unaware that Molly was a few meters away, listening to everything.

"Some of Teodoro's killers have been recruited, others are in the grave. All the bodies are being crushed and thrown to the dogs. No one will ever know what's going on."

"Isn't there a safe way out?"

"You know our only way out is that seal," she commented indifferently, sitting in the armchair that once belonged to her sister.

"We can't negotiate with the capo," Lincoln retorted, uncomfortable.

"No! That's an unacceptable idea. You won't sell her for a seal!"

"The only one with crazy ideas here is Lincoln. Let's not treat her like one of those girls. You know very well what her future could be if she's disapproved. The marriage won't last, and she'll become like the girls I take care of. Most were married to one of those scumbags, who abandoned them without a destination, rejected even by their own family."

"Mother is right. If the woman isn't like her, it's obvious she has no chance in our world," Matheus agreed indifferently.

"And she, as intelligent and attractive as she may be, that won't mean much since the upbringing by the madam Dona Matilde made her a rebellious child and somewhat useless," commented Caio. "So, we'll have to protect her to the last thread of the sword!" he announced, and both Matheus and his mother agreed fervently, except Lincoln, who still had doubts.

"Three against one is unquestionable. You can't do anything, Dad," Matheus suggested proudly.

"I'm still the sottocapo!" he growled furiously.

"We respect you as such, but our girl won't end up in the hands of any killer!" Caio announced vehemently.

"Don't make me feel like I don't love my daughter, but have you considered that it's just a way to save her at least? I'm at the top of the hunted list, and besides, you, Matheus, are on my side. Your head is always at stake, and your reputation only increases because of all the public and important figures you've killed for Teodoro to rise to power," Lincoln sighed, resigned.

"I'm not proud of it, but I won't die because of it. And we'll still protect our sister at all costs."

"Even on the brink of death, they still think of protecting me," Molly pondered, forcing her mind to remember. "On the day they took me out of school, I heard a man... I had seen him talking to my parents in the office, I could only see his tattooed arm, but as far as I know, it could be anyone, because even Matheus has tattoos all over even though he tries to hide it from me." The memory made her quickly return to the room.

"I have an idea!" Molly shouted abruptly, bursting in and catching the attention of the four. "I can go to the building and get the money."

"You were eavesdropping behind the door again!" her father asserted, pulling her ear.

"Ow... as I was saying, I'll go there and bring the money."

"You're not going alone to that place!" Lincoln protested.

"But they don't know me. Besides, they might think I'm an employee there."

"And that's the problem!" Matheus retorted, moving towards her.