Chapter 57
The morning light filtered through the windows of Marco’s office, but the warmth of the sun did nothing to ease the tension inside. Carmen stood by the desk, a folder clutched tightly in her hands. Marco sat across from her, his brow furrowed as he rubbed his temples, his eyes heavy with exhaustion.
“You’re certain about this?” Marco asked, his voice low and guarded.
“I wouldn’t be standing here if I wasn’t,” Carmen replied, her tone steady but firm. She placed the folder on the desk, pushing it toward him. “It’s all there—bank transfers, intercepted messages, and the route he leaked to Arianna’s men.”
Marco stared at the folder for a long moment before picking it up. He flipped through the pages, his expression growing darker with each passing second.
“This can’t be real,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Giovanni’s been with me since the beginning. He fought alongside me. He’s family.”
“Family doesn’t betray you,” Carmen said sharply.
Marco looked up at her, his eyes flashing. “You don’t think I know that? But this…” He gestured at the papers. “This doesn’t make sense.”
“It makes perfect sense,” Carmen countered. “He hates me, Marco. He thinks I’ve taken his place. And instead of dealing with it like a man, he’s been plotting behind your back, feeding information to Arianna’s loyalists.”
Marco stood abruptly, pacing the room. “He said he was loyal. He stood by me through everything.”
“And now he’s standing with the people trying to destroy us,” Carmen said, her voice softening. She stepped closer, her hand resting lightly on his arm. “I know this is hard. But if you don’t act now, more people will die. This betrayal won’t stop unless you end it.”
Marco exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. “You think I don’t want to end it? But this is Giovanni. He was like a brother to me.”
Carmen’s voice was quiet but firm. “Then you know what you have to do.”
The confrontation took place in the basement of the estate, where the air was cool and heavy. Giovanni sat in a chair, his hands cuffed in front of him, his face a mask of defiance. Marco stood a few feet away, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. Carmen lingered near the door, her presence unspoken but powerful.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Marco’s voice was low, laced with quiet fury.
Giovanni smirked, leaning back in the chair. “I did what I had to. Someone had to stop you from throwing this family away.”
Marco’s jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists. “Throwing it away? By trusting you? By giving you power and responsibility?”
“By letting her take over,” Giovanni spat, his gaze darting to Carmen. “You’re blind, Marco. She’s made you weak. You don’t see it, but the rest of us do. She’s tearing this family apart.”
“That’s enough,” Marco snapped, his voice rising.
“No, it’s not,” Giovanni shot back, his voice venomous. “You’ve forgotten who you are. You’re not the man I followed all these years. You’re a shadow of yourself, all because of her.”
Carmen stepped forward, her eyes sharp. “This isn’t about me, Giovanni. This is about you. Your greed, your ambition, your pathetic need to prove yourself by stabbing the people who trusted you in the back.”
Giovanni’s smirk faltered, but he quickly recovered, his tone mocking. “Look at you, playing queen while Marco watches like a lovesick fool. You’ve got everyone fooled, Carmen, but not me.”
Marco moved then, closing the distance between them in a flash. He grabbed Giovanni by the collar, yanking him forward. “You don’t get to say her name,” Marco hissed, his voice deadly.
Giovanni met his gaze, unflinching. “Do it, then. Kill me. Prove that she’s made you just as cold as Arianna ever was.”
Marco’s grip tightened, his fury radiating off him in waves. For a moment, it seemed as though he might snap, but then he released Giovanni, shoving him back into the chair.
“You don’t deserve to speak her name,” Marco said coldly. He turned to the guards stationed by the door. “Take him. He doesn’t leave this room alive.”
The guards moved quickly, pulling Giovanni to his feet. He struggled against their grip, his voice ringing out as they dragged him away. “You’ll regret this, Marco! You’ll see! She’s the real enemy!”
The door slammed shut, cutting off Giovanni’s voice.
Marco stood motionless, his shoulders tense and his breathing heavy. Carmen stepped closer, placing a hand gently on his arm.
“You did the right thing,” she said softly.
Marco didn’t respond right away. He turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a mix of anger, pain, and something else—gratitude.
“He was family,” Marco said quietly, his voice breaking slightly.
“No,” Carmen replied, her voice firm but kind. “He was a threat. And you protected the people who matter most.”
Marco nodded slowly, his gaze meeting hers. “I don’t deserve you.”
Carmen’s expression softened, and she reached up to touch his face. “We’re stronger together, Marco. Remember that.”
For the first time in what felt like days, Marco allowed himself to breathe. The betrayal had cut deep, but Carmen’s presence reminded him of what they were fighting for—a future worth protecting, no matter the cost.
