Chapter 20
The study was deadly quiet as Marco stared at the captured De Luca operative’s written testimony on his desk. The confession sat there like a stone—proof he could no longer ignore. Arianna’s name was written in black ink, clear and damning. It hadn’t come from Carmen this time. It hadn’t come from Luca or rumors whispered in dark corners. It had come straight from an enemy’s mouth.
Marco leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples as the weight of the truth pressed down on him. He didn’t want to believe it. Arianna had been his anchor when everything else had started to crumble. She had been sharp, steady, and reassuring while Carmen’s absence tore at him like an open wound. But now this—this betrayal—left him staring into a pit he wasn’t sure how to climb out of.
The door opened without a knock, and Arianna walked in, her heels clicking against the polished floors. Marco lifted his gaze slowly, and the sharpness in his stare made her falter just a little, though she covered it quickly.
“You wanted to see me?” she asked, her tone smooth, as if she didn’t notice the tension crackling in the air.
“Sit,” Marco said flatly, gesturing to the chair across from him.
Arianna paused, studying him, then complied, lowering herself gracefully into the seat. She crossed her legs and folded her hands in her lap, her expression calm but guarded.
Marco let the silence stretch, watching her carefully. Finally, he pushed the testimony across the desk. “Do you want to explain this?”
Arianna’s eyes flicked down to the paper. She picked it up, her brows knitting together as she scanned the page. Her jaw tightened just enough for Marco to notice before she set the document back on the desk, her expression shifting into something carefully wounded.
“What is this?” she asked softly, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“You tell me,” Marco replied coldly. “That’s a De Luca operative. My men caught him during the sabotage at the warehouse. He says you’re the one feeding the De Lucas information.”
Arianna stared at him for a beat, then let out a small, bitter laugh, shaking her head. “You can’t be serious.”
Marco’s eyes narrowed. “Do I look like I’m joking?”
Arianna leaned forward, her tone turning sharp and incredulous. “And you believe this? A confession wrung out of some low-level De Luca dog who would say anything to save his life? Marco, you know how this works. He’s feeding you lies because he knows exactly what you want to hear.”
Marco’s jaw tensed, but he said nothing.
“I can’t believe this,” Arianna continued, her voice cracking as she rose to her feet. “After everything I’ve done for you—everything—I’m suddenly the traitor? You think I would betray you? Betray this family?”
“You’ve been meeting with the De Lucas,” Marco said, his voice low, accusing. “I’ve heard the rumors, Arianna. I’ve seen the reports.”
“And where are you getting these reports, Marco?” Arianna shot back, her voice rising. “Carmen? She’s been poisoning you for weeks—feeding you lies while she sits at Vincent’s side, laughing at how easily you’ve turned against me.”
“Leave her out of this,” Marco snapped, though his voice was less certain than he wanted it to be.
“Leave her out of this?” Arianna laughed, though there was no humor in it. “How can I? She’s the one behind all of this. Don’t you see? She ran to Vincent. She’s been working with him, plotting against you, and now she’s using her old tricks to make you doubt the one person who’s actually been here for you.”
Marco stood slowly, his hands braced against the desk as he glared at her. “Don’t turn this on Carmen.”
“Why not?” Arianna’s voice dropped into a pleading murmur, tears glistening in her eyes. “I’ve been loyal to you, Marco. I’ve stood by your side while she abandoned you. I gave you my loyalty, my time, my blood—and now you’re accusing me because of her?” She pressed a hand to her chest, her voice breaking just slightly. “Do you know how much that hurts? After everything I’ve done?”
Marco felt his resolve waver as he watched her. Arianna looked so genuine, so broken. His head ached as her words tangled with Carmen’s warnings, with Luca’s suspicions, with everything he’d tried so hard to ignore. He wanted to believe her. He needed to believe her—because if Arianna was lying, it meant he had been blind.
“If you’re innocent, then why are there so many questions?” he asked finally, his voice quieter now. “Why does everything keep leading back to you?”
Arianna stepped closer, her gaze locking onto his. “Because that’s what they want, Marco. Carmen, Vincent, the De Lucas—they want you to doubt me. To isolate yourself. They know I’m the only one who can help you hold this family together. Without me, they win.”
Marco didn’t respond. The silence between them felt endless, stretching as he searched for answers he couldn’t find. Arianna’s gaze softened, and she reached out, placing a hand lightly over his.
“You know me,” she whispered. “You know I wouldn’t do this to you.”
Marco looked down at her hand, his mind a storm of conflicting thoughts. The proof said one thing. Arianna said another. And somewhere in the middle was Carmen’s voice, a quiet reminder he couldn’t silence no matter how hard he tried.
“Go,” he said finally, his voice low.
Arianna blinked, clearly surprised. “Marco—”
“Go.” His tone left no room for argument.
She hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line before she withdrew her hand. Without another word, she turned and walked toward the door, pausing only briefly before disappearing down the hallway.
When she was gone, Marco sank back into his chair, his head falling into his hands. The room was silent again, but the weight of his indecision pressed down on him harder than before.
________________
Carmen sat in Vincent’s study once again, staring down at her phone, her thumb hovering over Marco’s name. She wanted to call him, to tell him everything—to force him to see the truth she’d uncovered, the proof she carried. But something held her back.
Vincent sat across from her, watching her quietly. “You’re not going to call him, are you?”
Carmen sighed, setting the phone down. “No. Not yet.”
“Why not?” Vincent asked, raising an eyebrow. “You have the proof. What are you waiting for?”
Carmen’s hand drifted to her stomach, the small swell beneath her coat grounding her. “He’s not ready to hear it,” she said softly. “He’s still holding on to her lies, and until he lets go, he won’t believe me.”
Vincent shook his head, leaning back in his chair. “You’re giving him too much credit. Marco’s a smart man, but he’s blind where Arianna is concerned.”
Carmen looked away, her chest tightening. “He’s not blind. He’s just… lost.”
“And you think he’ll find his way back to you?” Vincent asked, his voice edged with skepticism.
Carmen didn’t answer. Instead, she stared at the flames in the fireplace, her resolve hardening. “When he’s ready to see the truth, I’ll be there. Until then, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my child safe.”
Vincent studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Just don’t wait too long, Carmen. Men like Marco don’t always get second chances.”
“I know,” she whispered.
She picked up the small stack of photos and held them tightly in her hand. One day, Marco would see. One day, he would know the truth about Arianna and about everything she’d done to him.
But until then, Carmen would wait—and she would fight. For her child. For herself. And for the love she refused to let Arianna destroy.
