Chapter 29
The first light of dawn seeped through the curtains of Marco’s office, but it did little to lift the oppressive weight in the room. The papers spread across his desk looked harmless at first glance—receipts, transfers, coded messages—but Marco knew better. These weren’t mistakes or misread signals. This was betrayal, plain and undeniable.
Arianna Ricci.
The name tasted bitter in his mouth as he rifled through the stack of documents Luca had brought him overnight. Financial records traced back months, showing Arianna siphoning money into offshore accounts tied to names Marco didn’t recognize. Cross-referenced communication logs revealed back-channel conversations between Arianna and the remnants of the De Luca family—names Marco had assumed were in hiding or dead.
She had played him. For months, she had whispered into his ear, manipulating his decisions, feeding his anger, and guiding him toward the brink.
Marco slammed his hand down on the desk, scattering the papers. The sound echoed in the quiet room, but it wasn’t enough to quell the storm building inside him.
“Boss?”
Marco looked up sharply. Luca stood in the doorway, watching him with the guarded expression he wore when he wasn’t sure which version of Marco he’d encounter.
“You were right,” Marco said, his voice low and dangerous. “She’s been working with the De Lucas the entire time. Every word she said to me, every move she suggested—it was all to weaken us.”
Luca nodded slightly, though his face remained solemn. “I figured as much. What’s the plan?”
Marco exhaled sharply, leaning back in his chair as his hands curled into fists. “I don’t know yet. If I act too quickly, I’ll lose what little control I have left. The men—some of them are still loyal to her. And if I expose her without a solid plan, it’ll tear the family apart.”
“You can’t let this sit for long,” Luca warned. “The longer she’s in play, the more damage she’ll do.”
“I know,” Marco muttered. He stared at the papers again, his mind turning over every possible outcome. Arianna was still in his house, still moving pieces on the board, and now he knew she had every intention of taking him down with her.
“I’ll deal with her,” Marco said finally, his tone cold and sharp as glass. “But on my terms.”
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The Venetti estate was quiet when Carmen stepped out of the black car, the engine still humming softly behind her. She pulled her coat tightly around herself, the cold air biting at her skin as she glanced up at the imposing silhouette of the mansion.
It had been weeks since she’d last stood here. The sight of it filled her with a strange mix of dread and longing, but there was no time for either. Marco needed to see the truth, and she wasn’t going to leave this to chance.
“This is reckless,” Sofia muttered from beside her, glancing nervously at the guards stationed near the front gates. “If Arianna sees you, she’ll come after you.”
“Let her,” Carmen replied quietly. “I’m not hiding anymore.”
Sofia shot her a look but didn’t argue. Together, they slipped through the side entrance Luca had arranged, the hallways dim and silent as they made their way toward the study where Luca waited. Carmen’s pulse quickened with every step, the weight of what she was doing sinking in. She was walking into the lion’s den, with Arianna circling like a viper just out of sight.
Luca was waiting in the shadows near Marco’s study, his expression tense as Carmen approached. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his voice low. “If she catches you—”
“She won’t,” Carmen cut him off, her voice steady. “I need to see Marco. I need him to hear this from me.”
Luca glanced toward the closed door of the study, then back at her. “He’s barely holding it together. If you push too hard—”
“I’m not here to fight him, Luca. I’m here to save him.”
Luca studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Wait here,” he said before slipping into Marco’s study.
Carmen clenched her fists to keep them from shaking, her mind racing as she replayed what she would say.
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Marco looked up as Luca stepped back into the study, a frown creasing his brow. “What now?”
“There’s someone here to see you,” Luca said carefully. “It’s Carmen.”
The name hit him like a punch to the gut. Marco stared at Luca, his expression a mix of disbelief and anger. “Carmen?”
“She has something to show you,” Luca replied, his tone calm but firm. “You’re going to want to hear this.”
Marco’s jaw tightened, his mind spinning. “She’s working with Vincent. She—”
“She’s here to help you, Marco,” Luca interrupted, stepping closer. “Whatever you think she’s done, you need to hear her out. If you don’t, you’re handing Arianna exactly what she wants.”
Marco stared at him for a long moment before finally nodding. “Bring her in.”
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Carmen stepped into the study, the heavy door closing softly behind her. The sight of Marco hit her harder than she expected—his broad shoulders tense, his eyes sharp and unreadable as he stared at her. Weeks of separation had carved deeper lines into his face, and the weight he carried sat heavy in his posture.
“Carmen,” he said, his voice like ice. “You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up here.”
“I had to,” she replied quietly, meeting his gaze head-on. “You need to see the truth, Marco.”
He leaned back in his chair, his expression guarded. “The truth? Is that what you’re selling me now?”
“I’m not here to sell you anything,” Carmen shot back, her voice rising just enough to cut through his bitterness. She stepped forward, placing a small folder on the desk in front of him. “This is what Arianna’s been doing behind your back. Financial records. Communications. Evidence of her meetings with the De Lucas. She’s been playing you, Marco. She’s been setting you up for months.”
Marco’s gaze flickered to the folder, but he didn’t reach for it. “And I’m just supposed to trust you?”
“No,” Carmen said softly, her expression pained. “You don’t have to trust me. Just look. Look at what she’s been doing. Ask yourself why everything started falling apart the moment she became your right hand.”
Marco’s hand hovered over the folder, his face unreadable. “Why do you care?”
Carmen froze, her breath catching. For a moment, she considered telling him everything—about the baby, about the life growing inside her that tied them together no matter how broken they were. But she pushed it down. He wouldn’t hear it, not yet.
“Because I know you, Marco,” she said instead, her voice quiet but steady. “I know the man you are. And I know she’s been turning you into someone you’re not.”
Marco didn’t respond, but his fingers curled around the folder, his knuckles white.
“I’ll leave you to decide for yourself,” Carmen said finally, stepping back. “But don’t wait too long. Arianna’s not going to stop until she has everything.”
She turned and walked toward the door, her heart pounding in her chest. Just as her hand touched the handle, Marco’s voice stopped her.
“Why now?”
She paused but didn’t turn around. “Because I can’t stand by and watch her destroy you.”
The door closed softly behind her, leaving Marco alone with the evidence she had brought. He stared at the folder for a long moment before finally opening it.
As he flipped through the documents, his hands trembled, his chest tight with a fury he could barely contain.
Arianna.
She had lied to him. She had manipulated him, turning him against Carmen, against everyone he loved. Marco leaned back in his chair, the storm building inside him until it was unbearable.
He picked up his phone and dialed Arianna. She answered after two rings, her voice smooth and warm.
“Marco?”
“Where are you?” he asked, his voice calm, too calm.
“At the estate,” she replied lightly. “Is something wrong?”
“Stay there,” Marco said, his tone cold and sharp. “We need to talk.”
He ended the call, his gaze fixed on the scattered papers in front of him. The storm had broken.
And Arianna was about to face the consequences.
