Chapter 30
The fire in Marco’s office had burned low, throwing flickering shadows across the walls. Outside, the estate was quiet—too quiet—while tension built like a storm waiting to break. Marco sat behind his desk, a glass of whiskey untouched at his elbow, the weight of Carmen’s revelations still heavy in the air. The documents she had handed him lay scattered across his desk, damning and undeniable.
Arianna’s betrayal stared back at him in black and white—payments to De Luca accounts, coded messages traced to her network, and plans that outlined a future in which Marco was nothing but collateral damage.
The door creaked open. Marco looked up sharply, his grip tightening around the armrest of his chair. Carmen stepped into the room, her coat draped over her shoulders, her expression wary but resolute. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them crackled with unspoken words and lingering anger.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Marco said finally, his voice rough.
“I had to come back,” Carmen replied, stepping further into the room. “We don’t have time for games anymore, Marco.”
He leaned back in his chair, his gaze sharp as it traveled over her. “You’ve been hiding with Vincent for weeks. And now you show up with ‘proof’ just as everything starts falling apart. You expect me to trust you?”
Carmen’s jaw clenched as she walked closer, dropping a second folder onto his desk—one thicker, heavier than the last. “I don’t care if you trust me. But you need to see this.”
Marco stared at the folder before glancing back at her. “More documents?”
“More truth,” she shot back.
He hesitated before flipping it open. Inside were detailed plans—maps, schedules, and blueprints that outlined Arianna’s final move. Carmen spoke as Marco leafed through the pages, her voice low but urgent.
“She’s meeting with the remnants of the De Luca family tomorrow. Her plan is simple—she’ll set up an attack on their leadership and frame you for it. Once they retaliate, she’ll have the perfect excuse to eliminate you and take control of both families herself.”
Marco froze, his fingers gripping the edge of a map that outlined a hit on a De Luca-owned location. It was meticulous, with Marco’s name tied to every detail.
“She’s been planning this for months,” Carmen continued, her voice trembling slightly. “Every move she’s made—every whisper she’s fed you—has been leading to this moment. You were never her partner, Marco. You were her pawn.”
Marco’s throat tightened as he pushed the folder away, his mind a blur of anger and betrayal. “And you knew all of this?”
“I only pieced it together recently,” Carmen replied softly. “And when I did, I came here. To warn you.”
“Why?” Marco asked, his voice breaking slightly. “Why do you care, Carmen? You ran. You left me.”
Carmen flinched, her own anger bubbling to the surface. “I had to leave, Marco. You pushed me away. You let her poison your mind and make me the enemy.”
“You should’ve stayed and fought,” Marco shot back, rising to his feet.
“I was pregnant,” Carmen shouted, the word slicing through the room like a blade.
The silence that followed was deafening. Marco stared at her, frozen, as the meaning of her words sank in.
“What did you say?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Carmen looked away, her hand drifting to her stomach unconsciously. “I was pregnant when I left. I didn’t tell you because I couldn’t trust you anymore. I couldn’t trust that you would protect me or our child, not with Arianna in your ear.”
Marco’s face paled, his breath unsteady as he stared at her. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not,” Carmen replied, her voice softer now, though her eyes still burned with hurt. “I wanted to tell you, Marco. But you wouldn’t have believed me. And Arianna—she would have used it against me. Against us.”
Marco’s chest tightened, a thousand emotions warring inside him—guilt, anger, confusion. “You should’ve told me.”
“And would you have listened?” Carmen challenged, stepping closer. “Or would you have believed her? Would you have let her tear us apart the way she’s done with everything else?”
Marco didn’t answer. He couldn’t. The weight of everything—Arianna’s betrayal, Carmen’s words, the revelation of the child he hadn’t known about—threatened to crush him.
Carmen took a shaky breath, her voice softening. “I came back to save you, Marco. Whether you believe me or not, I’m not going to let her destroy you.”
Marco looked at her then, really looked at her—at the pain in her eyes, the steel in her voice, and the determination that hadn’t wavered even as she stood before him, vulnerable. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the sound of gunfire erupted outside the study.
Marco’s head snapped toward the door as shouting echoed through the hallway. Carmen turned sharply, her hand flying to the desk for support.
“Stay here,” Marco said, reaching for the gun tucked into his waistband as he moved toward the door.
“No,” Carmen said, grabbing his arm before he could leave. “It’s Arianna. She knows.”
The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. Arianna had been planning her next move, but now she’d accelerated it. And Carmen’s return had forced her hand.
The door flew open before Marco could react, two of Arianna’s guards storming inside with their weapons raised. Marco moved quickly, firing two shots that dropped one of the men instantly. The other lunged forward, slamming Marco into the desk, the gun skidding across the floor.
Carmen scrambled backward, her breath ragged as she searched for something—anything—to use. Her hand landed on a heavy paperweight, and without hesitation, she swung it hard against the guard’s head. He crumpled to the ground.
Marco pulled himself up, his chest heaving as he stared at her, stunned. “Nice shot.”
“Thanks,” Carmen muttered, breathless. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
More shouting rang out from the hall, followed by heavy footsteps. Marco grabbed his gun from the floor and turned to Carmen. “We need to move. Now.”
Together, they slipped into the hallway, moving quickly through the shadows as more guards rushed toward the study. Marco led the way, his gun raised as they crept toward the side exit, the sound of chaos echoing behind them.
As they reached the back of the estate, Carmen paused, grabbing Marco’s arm to stop him. “You can’t let her escape,” she said urgently. “If Arianna gets away, she’ll regroup. She’ll come for you again.”
Marco looked at her, his expression hard but steady. “I know.”
Carmen’s gaze softened, and for a moment, the storm between them calmed. “Be careful, Marco.”
He hesitated, his eyes searching hers. “You too.”
They didn’t have time for more. Marco turned, slipping out of the door with Carmen close behind him. The storm Arianna had unleashed was tearing through the estate, but for the first time in weeks, Marco saw things clearly.
Arianna had betrayed him. Carmen had returned for him. And now, it was time to end this once and for all.
