But all that changed when an hour went by—and still, there was nothing. No trace of Maria. No message, no sign, nothing at all. The once-busy wedding hall was almost empty now, the laughter and chatter of guests replaced by the soft clatter of dishes as the cleaning team began their work. The air had shifted; a cold tension hung where celebration once had been.
"Something is clearly wrong!" Luca said, his voice shaking slightly, his face pale with worry. He kept glancing around as if Maria might suddenly appear from the shadows. His unease was contagious—because even Elisa, who had been calm and composed earlier, now wore an anxious expression.
Dora, too, couldn't shake the growing dread in her chest. The security detail had been alerted almost immediately, yet no one had returned with any useful information. Every passing minute tightened the invisible knot inside her stomach.
