Chapter 24
Carmen sat at the edge of Vincent’s dining table, poring over the last batch of files Vincent’s network had unearthed. The room was dim, lit only by the chandelier overhead and the faint glow from her laptop. Every document she sifted through painted a picture that was more dangerous than she had expected.
“She’s aligning the De Lucas,” Carmen murmured, her voice quiet but sharp as she flipped through a stack of handwritten notes—ledgers and messages Arianna had been careful to keep hidden.
Vincent leaned back in his chair across the table, glass of whiskey in hand. “It’s bold, I’ll give her that,” he said, though his tone was laced with disdain. “She’s not just turning Marco into a pawn—she’s preparing for the next step.”
Carmen looked up, her face pale but resolute. “She’s uniting what’s left of the De Luca family under her command. Once she has Marco fully isolated and desperate, she’ll orchestrate a final betrayal—blaming the De Lucas for everything while consolidating power for herself.”
“She’s using both sides,” Vincent mused, swirling his drink. “Arianna’s playing chess while everyone else is fumbling with checkers.”
Carmen ignored his smug tone, her mind racing. “Marco’s trust is the hinge. She needs him to believe in her until the very last second. That’s the moment she’ll twist the knife.”
Vincent’s eyes narrowed slightly. “So, what’s your plan? Because this little revelation of yours is worthless if Marco won’t listen to it.”
Carmen pushed back from the table, pacing as she chewed on her bottom lip, her hand protectively grazing her stomach. “He won’t believe me—not yet. Arianna’s too good at spinning the truth. We need to shake his confidence in her first. If he sees the cracks, if we give him something undeniable…”
Vincent raised an eyebrow. “You’re suggesting we frame her?”
Carmen stopped pacing, turning to him. “Not frame her. Expose her.”
Vincent’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “By planting fabricated evidence?”
She hesitated but nodded. “Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire.”
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Luca stood on the back balcony of the estate later that night, the chill of the wind brushing against his face. He pulled his coat tighter as he heard footsteps behind him. Carmen appeared at his side, clutching the same leather folder she had brought earlier.
“Do you have everything?” Luca asked quietly, his eyes fixed on the darkened grounds below.
“Everything we need,” Carmen replied, holding up a small stack of carefully forged documents. “Vincent’s people duplicated Arianna’s handwriting, her signatures—everything. They’re perfect. When Marco sees this, he’ll have no choice but to question her.”
Luca took the documents, flipping through them with a discerning eye. They were damning—records of falsified shipments, private messages between Arianna and known De Luca allies, and fabricated plans for a final move against Marco. It was enough to shake even the deepest trust.
“And you’re sure these will work?” Luca asked, glancing at her.
Carmen’s voice was steady, though her face betrayed her exhaustion. “They have to. Arianna’s so close to winning, Luca. If we don’t act now, she’ll destroy him. She’ll destroy everything.”
Luca exhaled sharply, shoving the documents into the inside pocket of his coat. “How do you want to do this?”
“Arianna keeps a private office at her estate,” Carmen said, leaning against the railing as she spoke. “It’s where she stores sensitive documents, far away from Marco’s reach. If we can plant these there, make it look like evidence she was careless with, it’ll force Marco to confront her.”
Luca turned, frowning slightly. “It’s risky. If we get caught—”
“Then we’re dead,” Carmen finished for him, her voice soft but unwavering. “But this is the only way. We’re out of time, Luca.”
He watched her for a long moment, his loyalty to Marco at war with his growing trust in Carmen. Finally, he nodded. “I’ll handle it. Arianna trusts me just enough to let me move around freely.”
“And I’ll stay in the background,” Carmen said. “I’ll keep coordinating with Vincent’s people in case things go sideways.”
Luca smirked faintly, though his eyes remained serious. “You’ve changed, you know that? The Carmen I remember wouldn’t have gone near something like this.”
Carmen’s expression hardened, her hand drifting once again to her stomach. “I don’t have the luxury of being the old Carmen anymore. I have too much to lose.”
Luca nodded, understanding. “I’ll plant the evidence tomorrow. You’d better be ready for what happens next.”
“I will,” she promised, meeting his gaze. “Thank you, Luca. For trusting me.”
He gave her a small nod before turning and disappearing into the darkness of the estate grounds. Carmen stayed on the balcony, staring out at the night sky. Doubt gnawed at her, but she pushed it aside. There was no room for second-guessing.
If Marco won’t listen to the truth, she thought, then I’ll show him what he needs to see.
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The next day, Arianna’s estate was unusually quiet. The heavy iron gates loomed as Luca’s car pulled up to the front, his expression carefully neutral as he stepped out. Arianna’s men barely paid him any attention as he entered through the main doors, his movements calm and deliberate. He had played his role well, and Arianna had grown used to seeing him around.
Slipping past the main hall, Luca moved quickly down the corridor toward her private office, his footsteps muffled by the thick carpet. He paused outside the door, his heart pounding as he checked over his shoulder. The hallway was empty.
Sliding a set of small tools from his coat pocket, he crouched and began working on the lock. Seconds stretched into minutes, each click of the tumblers echoing in his ears. Finally, the lock gave, and the door swung open with a quiet creak.
Luca slipped inside, shutting the door behind him as he scanned the room. It was pristine, decorated with cold elegance—a desk in the center, shelves filled with books and neat rows of folders.
Moving quickly, he pulled the fabricated documents from his coat and began sliding them into key places—into unlocked drawers, between stacks of existing records, even tucked inside a folder marked De Luca Correspondence. Each piece had to feel natural, like it belonged. Arianna would never suspect that her downfall had been planted with her own careful methods in mind.
As he finished, Luca straightened, taking one last look around to ensure nothing seemed out of place. He slipped back out into the hallway, locking the door behind him.
The moment he stepped outside into the open air, his phone buzzed. It was a single message from Carmen.
“Did you do it?”
Luca smirked faintly, sliding his phone back into his pocket as he walked toward the car.
“It’s done.”
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Back at Vincent’s estate, Carmen sat at the edge of the couch, gripping her phone tightly as she read Luca’s message. Her pulse quickened, a mix of relief and dread washing over her. It was starting. Marco would see the evidence. Arianna would be forced to defend herself, and for once, Carmen would have the upper hand.
But the next move was Marco’s.
“Now we wait,” she whispered to herself, her fingers brushing her stomach protectively. “Just a little longer.”
The clock was ticking, and the pieces were finally moving into place.
