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Three years later-

I decided to keep the baby. Even though it's the biggest thing that relates me to Adriano but still I felt the connection with the baby since day one.

Two years had passed since the birth of my daughter, Emma, a child who had brought both joy and complexity into my life.

The bond I shared with her is something that cannot be explained. It's profound, but it was not without its challenges, especially considering the ever-present and very striking features she got from her father, Adriano.

Each day, I watched Emma grow, her features developing more pronounced, and her dark eyes, so similar to that of Adriano's, grew deeper and more compelling. There were times when I felt like I was staring into the eyes of the man I had tried to leave behind.

I am a survivor of his crimes and so sometimes those eyes haunt me, but then I remind myself that it's my baby, my Emma.

I think I have never loved anyone the way I loved Emma.

Her smile brightens my day, her laugh turns my mo