Chapter 41
The night was still when Marco stepped out of his car, the estate ahead of him quiet except for the faint rustle of leaves in the wind. Carmen had chosen to stay in the guest wing, far from the rooms they had once shared, and Marco couldn’t blame her. She had every right to shut him out. But as he stood there, staring up at the faint glow of her window, he realized he couldn’t leave without facing her.
He hadn’t prepared words, hadn’t practiced the apology that sat heavy in his chest. All he knew was that he had to see her, to explain, even if it wasn’t enough.
Two guards stationed outside her wing glanced at Marco as he approached, exchanging a quick, uncertain look before stepping aside. Marco didn’t slow his stride as he entered the quiet hallway, his footsteps the only sound. He stopped in front of the door to Carmen’s room, hesitating for just a second before knocking softly.
There was silence.
He knocked again, firmer this time. “Carmen.”
The door creaked open a moment later, and Carmen stood there, her expression sharp but weary. The light from the room spilled into the hall, casting a faint glow around her. She looked at him, unblinking, her gaze guarded.
“What do you want, Marco?”
The calm edge to her voice stung. It wasn’t anger—it was distance.
Marco swallowed hard. “I need to talk to you.”
“I don’t think there’s anything left to say,” Carmen replied, though she didn’t close the door.
“Please,” Marco said, his voice low. “Just… hear me out.”
For a moment, she considered him, her jaw tight, her hands curling slightly at her sides. Then she stepped back, allowing him to enter.
The room was simple, sparsely furnished, the contrast to their shared bedroom a sharp reminder of how far things had fallen. Marco stood in the center of the room, unsure of where to begin. Carmen remained near the door, watching him with folded arms, her posture rigid.
“You were right,” Marco said finally, his voice rough. “About everything.”
Carmen’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t speak.
“Arianna’s been lying to me,” he continued, his shoulders sagging slightly. “She set everything up—the attacks, the letters, the whispers about Vincent. I let her twist everything, and I believed her because I was too angry to see the truth.”
“Too angry at me,” Carmen said quietly.
Marco flinched, meeting her gaze. “Yes.”
Carmen stared at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. “And now you think showing up here, admitting you were wrong, is enough to fix this?”
Marco shook his head quickly. “No. I don’t think that. I know I can’t undo what I did—what I said. But you need to know that I see it now. I see how she manipulated me.” He paused, his voice softening. “And how I let her.”
Carmen turned away, walking slowly to the window. She stared out into the dark night, her arms still wrapped tightly around herself. “I tried to save you, Marco. I begged you to see the truth, but you wouldn’t hear me. Do you know how that felt?”
“I know,” Marco said, his voice raw. “And I’ll never forgive myself for that.”
She turned back to him, her expression finally breaking as hurt flickered across her face. “Do you think I wanted to leave? To run to Vincent? I did it because I thought I was protecting our child. I thought I was protecting us. But you made me the enemy.”
“I know,” Marco said again, stepping closer, though he stopped when he saw her tense. “I can’t change the past, Carmen. But I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right. I swear to you.”
Carmen held his gaze, searching his face as if trying to determine if his words were real. For a moment, the silence stretched between them, heavy and uncertain. Then she shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips.
“You think an apology can fix this?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You think words can erase the way you broke me?”
Marco’s chest tightened. “No. But I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to earn back your trust if that’s what it takes.”
Carmen stared at him, her eyes shining, but she quickly blinked back the tears threatening to fall. “You should go, Marco. There’s nothing more to say tonight.”
Marco hesitated, as though he wanted to argue, but the look on her face silenced him. Without another word, he turned and walked to the door. He paused as his hand gripped the handle, glancing back at her one last time. “I’m sorry, Carmen. For everything.”
She didn’t respond, and Marco quietly left the room, the door closing softly behind him.
________________
The news of Arianna’s escape spread quickly, whispered through dark corners of the underworld like a rising storm. She had vanished from her estate just hours before Marco’s men arrived, leaving behind no trace of where she had gone—only that haunting note: “You were too late, Marco.”
But it didn’t take long for her presence to resurface. Reports trickled in from the outskirts of De Luca territory, where Arianna had been seen meeting with what remained of the fractured family. Word spread of quiet gatherings, of mercenaries hired in shadowed alleys, and of Arianna’s chilling promise: revenge.
“She won’t stop,” Luca muttered, pacing in front of Carmen’s chair. They were seated in Sergio Montini’s study, where Carmen had begun gathering her remaining allies. The room was alive with tension, the weight of Arianna’s name pressing down on everyone.
“She doesn’t have the power to come for us yet,” Sergio said, his voice calm and measured. “But if we give her time, she will.”
Carmen nodded, her face set with determination. “Then we don’t give her time.”
Sergio raised a brow. “What are you suggesting?”
“We rally the neutral families,” Carmen said firmly. “They don’t want a war. If we promise protection—and a path forward without Arianna’s chaos—we can bring them to our side.”
“You’re playing a dangerous game,” Sergio replied, though there was a note of approval in his voice.
“Better that than waiting for her to strike again,” Carmen shot back.
Sergio leaned back in his chair, smiling faintly. “You’re starting to sound like a leader, Carmen.”
She ignored the comment, her focus unshakable. “Send word to the families. I’ll meet with them myself if I have to.”
Luca watched her quietly, his expression unreadable. “This isn’t going to sit well with Marco.”
“I don’t care,” Carmen replied, though her voice wavered slightly. “He made his choice. Now I’m making mine.”
Luca nodded, clearly deciding not to push the issue. “I’ll arrange the meetings.”
As the conversation shifted to logistics, Carmen leaned back in her chair, exhaustion tugging at her limbs. The days were growing longer, and her pregnancy was becoming harder to hide, but she wouldn’t stop—not now.
Arianna had tried to tear her apart. Marco had nearly let her succeed.
But Carmen was still standing. And she wasn’t backing down.
Not now. Not ever.
