Chapter 26
Marco stood alone in the cavernous dining room of the Venetti estate, staring out the window as dark clouds gathered over the distant horizon. The air was heavy, the stillness oppressive, and yet his mind buzzed with thoughts he couldn’t quiet. The documents had planted a seed—a poisonous little thing that grew roots of doubt and suspicion no matter how hard he tried to rip it out.
Arianna had been at his side through everything, steady and sure when the rest of his world began to crumble. And yet… Those files. He couldn’t unsee them. The handwriting, the coded records, the ties to the De Lucas—how could so much smoke exist without fire?
“Marco?” Arianna’s voice interrupted his thoughts, pulling him back into the room.
He turned slightly to see her standing in the doorway, dressed immaculately as always. She held a glass of wine in her hand, though the faint tension in her shoulders betrayed her otherwise composed demeanor. She smiled softly as she approached, though Marco noticed how carefully she measured each step, as if testing the waters.
“I’ve barely seen you today,” she said gently, stopping just a few feet away. “Something on your mind?”
Marco regarded her for a moment, weighing his words. Finally, he said, “There’s a lot on my mind these days.”
Arianna tilted her head, her smile never wavering. “That much I know. But you look troubled, Marco. More than usual.”
“I’ve been hearing things,” he said slowly, watching her closely. “Things I don’t like.”
Her brow furrowed just slightly—enough to appear genuine, concerned. “What kind of things?”
“Rumors,” Marco continued, his voice careful. “Deals, alliances. Moves being made behind my back.”
“From whom?” Arianna asked, her voice soft but edged with quiet steel.
He hesitated, unwilling to give away too much. “It doesn’t matter where I heard it. What matters is whether it’s true.”
Arianna moved closer, setting the wine glass gently on a side table as she searched his face. “Marco, what are you saying? Do you think I’ve betrayed you?”
The question hung in the air like a weight. Marco said nothing, his silence deliberate. He wanted to see her reaction.
Arianna exhaled sharply, shaking her head. “I can’t believe this. After everything, you’re doubting me now?” She stepped back, arms crossing as her expression hardened. “Whoever’s been whispering in your ear is lying to you. Can’t you see that? Someone is trying to turn you against me.”
Marco’s jaw tightened. “And why would they do that?”
“To weaken you. To weaken us.” Arianna’s voice sharpened as she spoke, her frustration clear. “Think about it, Marco. Who gains the most from you distrusting me? Who’s been feeding these rumors?”
He frowned, watching her carefully.
“Vincent Rossi,” she said finally, her voice dropping into a soft, venomous whisper. “And Carmen.”
Marco flinched at the mention of Carmen’s name, his expression darkening. Arianna saw the flicker of anger and pressed forward.
“They’re working together,” Arianna said, her tone both urgent and careful. “Haven’t you wondered why she’s stayed so quiet? Why she ran to Vincent of all people? She’s feeding him information—plotting with him to undermine you. They’re the ones planting false leads, Marco. They’re the ones trying to tear you apart.”
Marco turned away, pacing toward the window as his fists clenched. “You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do,” Arianna said firmly, following him. “Look at the timing, Marco. Every failure we’ve suffered lately, every step the De Lucas have made—it all started when Carmen disappeared. You said it yourself: she knows this family’s operations better than anyone. And Vincent? He’s been waiting for years to make his move.”
Marco’s shoulders tensed as his mind spun. He didn’t want to believe it—couldn’t believe it—but the anger he’d carried for weeks threatened to resurface. Carmen had run to Vincent. She had stayed silent, hidden away while his empire crumbled.
“Marco,” Arianna’s voice softened again, her hand resting lightly on his arm. “I’m on your side. I’m the one fighting to hold this family together. Don’t let them turn you against me. Don’t let them win.”
Her words lingered, soothing his doubts, patching cracks that had begun to show. Marco closed his eyes briefly, exhaustion bleeding into his features.
“I’ll deal with it,” he said finally, his voice low.
Arianna smiled faintly, squeezing his arm before stepping back. “I knew you’d see the truth. I’ll make sure we’re prepared for whatever Vincent and Carmen throw at us.”
Marco didn’t reply. He only watched as she left the room, the door closing softly behind her.
________________
Later that night, Marco summoned Luca and Sofia to his private study. The air in the room was thick with unspoken tension as they stood before him, the faint glow of the desk lamp casting long shadows on the walls. Marco sat behind his desk, his gaze sharp as he studied the two people he had trusted most.
“I need answers,” Marco said, his voice quiet but hard. “And I need the truth.”
Luca exchanged a glance with Sofia, his expression carefully neutral. “About what?”
“About Arianna,” Marco replied, his eyes narrowing. “And about Carmen.”
Sofia crossed her arms, her posture rigid. “What about them?”
Marco leaned back in his chair, tapping a single finger against the surface of his desk. “There’s been a lot of talk lately—rumors, accusations. Some of it doesn’t add up.” He turned his gaze on Luca. “You’ve been quiet. Too quiet. What do you know that you’re not telling me?”
Luca hesitated, the seconds stretching uncomfortably long. “I know you trust Arianna,” he said carefully. “And I know Carmen’s been sending warnings. But I don’t think either of them is telling you the whole truth.”
Marco frowned, leaning forward. “What are you saying?”
Luca’s expression was impossible to read. “I’m saying you need to look closer, Marco. At everyone. Arianna’s been in the center of all this—every attack, every setback—and yet she’s always the one pointing fingers somewhere else. Doesn’t that seem strange to you?”
Sofia shifted beside him, her gaze flicking toward Marco. “Luca’s right,” she said cautiously. “Things don’t add up. Arianna’s making decisions that don’t always make sense, but she covers it so well that you don’t see it. If you want the truth, Marco, you need to ask the hard questions.”
Marco’s jaw clenched as he processed their words. “You think she’s lying to me?”
“I think she’s telling you exactly what you want to hear,” Luca replied, his voice steady. “And that’s dangerous.”
Marco turned his gaze to Sofia. “And Carmen? You think she’s innocent in all of this?”
Sofia hesitated, but Luca stepped in smoothly. “I think Carmen’s trying to protect you in her own way,” he said, carefully choosing his words. “She may not have gone about it the right way, but you can’t ignore the warnings she’s been sending. There’s something here, Marco. Something you’re not seeing.”
Marco leaned back in his chair, his hands forming fists on the armrests. Luca and Sofia were pushing, chipping away at the shield of trust he’d built around Arianna. The room felt colder now, the silence pressing in.
“Leave,” Marco said finally, his voice low.
Luca and Sofia exchanged another glance before nodding. They turned and walked out, the door clicking shut behind them.
Marco sat alone, staring at the empty room. The walls seemed to close in on him, his mind spiraling as doubt clawed its way back to the surface.
Arianna’s telling me the truth… isn’t she?
But the words Luca had spoken lingered like a whisper in the back of his mind: You need to look closer.
And for the first time, Marco realized he might not be able to trust anyone—not even himself.
