Chapter 36
The evening sky had turned a murky shade of gray by the time Carmen arrived at Sergio Montini’s estate. The air felt heavy, tinged with the promise of rain, as guards moved to let her black car pass through the wrought-iron gates. Inside, the house was quiet, its vast halls devoid of the usual noise and commotion that accompanied meetings of power.
Sergio met her in his study—a cozy room filled with rich mahogany shelves and the faint scent of cigar smoke lingering in the air. The man himself was seated behind his desk, a glass of wine in hand. Despite his age, Sergio Montini still carried the sharp presence of a man who’d survived too many betrayals and too many wars. His dark eyes swept over her as she entered, searching, measuring.
“Carmen,” he said, rising and gesturing to the chair across from him. “I wasn’t expecting you tonight. What brings you to my humble home?”
Carmen sat without ceremony, her hands folded tightly in her lap to stop their trembling. “I need your help, Sergio. And your loyalty.”
Sergio quirked a brow as he settled back into his chair, swirling his wine idly. “Big words. Loyalty isn’t something I hand out freely these days. You know that.”
“I’m aware,” Carmen replied, meeting his gaze. “But you’ve seen what’s happening, haven’t you? You’ve seen the cracks forming under Marco’s leadership.”
The faintest flicker of interest crossed Sergio’s face, though he said nothing.
Carmen pressed on. “It’s Arianna. She’s been orchestrating this from the beginning. She’s playing both sides—poisoning Marco’s mind while pulling strings with the De Luca remnants. She’s positioning herself to take everything.”
Sergio raised his glass to his lips, but his eyes never left her face. “And what proof do you have of this?”
“I’ve seen the records,” Carmen said firmly. “I’ve tracked the payments, the betrayals, the lies. Arianna’s goal isn’t just to ruin Marco—she wants to control the Venetti empire. And once she’s done with him, she’ll burn anyone who stands in her way, including you.”
Sergio took a slow sip of his wine, his gaze unreadable. When he finally spoke, his voice was measured. “And where does that leave you in all this, Carmen? You come here alone, without Marco’s blessing. What exactly are you offering me?”
Carmen didn’t hesitate. “A chance to survive. When this explodes—and it will—anyone still backing Arianna will fall. I’m building a new line of defense. Quiet, but loyal. Men who want to protect what’s left of Marco’s empire, not tear it apart.”
Sergio set his glass down with a soft clink, leaning forward slightly. “And Marco? Where does he fall in this… new defense of yours?”
Carmen faltered, just for a second. The question hit too close, but she pushed the pain down. “I’ll save him if I can. But I’ll protect myself and my child first. I won’t let Arianna take everything from me.”
Sergio’s gaze lingered on her for a long, uncomfortable moment before he finally smiled faintly. “You’ve changed, Carmen. You’re harder now.”
“You have to be hard to survive,” Carmen replied simply.
Sergio studied her once more before nodding. “I’ll back you—for now. But if you’re wrong about this…”
“I’m not,” Carmen said, rising to her feet. “And when Marco sees the truth, it’ll be too late for Arianna to save herself.”
Sergio stood as well, extending a hand. Carmen shook it firmly, relief flickering in her chest, though it was far from victory.
“Be careful, Carmen,” Sergio said as she turned to leave. “In this game, sometimes saving someone means letting them fall.”
Carmen paused but didn’t turn around. “Then I hope Marco learns to stand before that happens.”
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The soft glow of a single lamp illuminated Carmen’s side of the bedroom that evening. The rest of the space sat in shadow, cold and silent, just like the man who had once shared it with her. Carmen sat at the edge of the bed, a sheet of cream-colored stationery on her lap and a pen poised in her trembling hand.
She glanced around the room, taking in the reminders of a life that felt like it belonged to someone else. Marco’s cufflinks still sat on the dresser, and the faint scent of his cologne lingered in the air. It had been their sanctuary once, a space where they had shared whispers in the dark and promises meant to last a lifetime.
But those promises had been broken.
She exhaled shakily and began to write.
Marco,
I don’t know when you’ll find this letter, or if you’ll even care to read it. But I need you to know the truth before it’s too late.
I’m leaving our room tonight—not because I’ve given up on you, but because I can’t fight a war where I’m the only one trying. Arianna has poisoned everything between us. You don’t see it yet, but you will. And when you do, I hope you remember that I tried to save you, even when you refused to save yourself.
You’ve accused me of many things, Marco, but the one thing I will never be is a liar. I came back because I still care—because I couldn’t let her destroy everything we built together. But I can’t let her destroy me, too.
Our child deserves better than this war. I will protect them, even if I have to do it alone. I wanted you to know about the baby earlier, but I was afraid. Afraid of how you would react. Afraid that the man I trusted most in the world wouldn’t believe me. I was right to be afraid.
I don’t know where this ends, but I promise you this: I will prove my innocence. And when I do, I hope you’re strong enough to face the truth about who Arianna really is.
Carmen.
She signed the letter with a flourish, her hand trembling as she carefully folded it and placed it in an envelope. For a long moment, she simply sat there, staring at it as though it carried the weight of everything she had ever felt for him.
Rising to her feet, Carmen crossed the room and placed the letter on Marco’s side of the bed, near his pillow. The ache in her chest was almost unbearable, but she forced herself to turn away.
She didn’t glance back as she gathered her things—a small suitcase she had already packed and a thin coat draped over her arm. Carmen walked through the doorway and into the hallway, where Luca waited silently.
“You sure about this?” he asked quietly, his voice softer than usual.
Carmen nodded, though her face betrayed her pain. “He’s made his choice. Now I have to make mine.”
Luca said nothing as he led her toward the guest wing, away from the bedroom that had once been hers. The halls were dark and quiet as if even the estate itself sensed the collapse that was taking place within its walls.
When they reached the door to the guest room, Carmen stepped inside, setting her suitcase near the bed. She stood in the center of the room, staring at nothing as tears stung her eyes.
“Do you need anything else?” Luca asked from the doorway.
Carmen shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. “No.”
Luca hesitated before quietly shutting the door, leaving her alone in the unfamiliar room. Carmen sank onto the edge of the bed, her hand resting protectively on her stomach as silent tears slipped down her cheeks.
Marco had made his choice to believe Arianna.
But Carmen was done waiting for him to see the truth. She would no longer let him drag her down with him.
