Chapter 59
The east wing was dimly lit, the murmurs of conversation growing louder as Carmen approached. She stepped into the room, her heels clicking softly against the floor, and the men fell silent.
Sergio was the first to stand. “Carmen.”
“Sit down, Sergio,” Carmen said calmly, her gaze sweeping the room. “I’m not here to fight. I’m here to talk.”
Pietro crossed his arms, his expression skeptical. “And what do you have to say that we haven’t already heard?”
Carmen moved to the head of the table, standing tall. “I know some of you think I’ve overstepped. That Marco’s decisions aren’t his own anymore.” She paused, letting the words sink in. “But let me remind you of something—everything I’ve done, every decision I’ve supported, has been for this family. For its survival.”
“And Giovanni?” Pietro challenged. “Was his death about survival?”
“Yes,” Carmen replied without hesitation. “He betrayed us. He would have let Arianna’s men tear us apart. If you think his death weakened this family, you’re wrong. It strengthened it.”
The room shifted uneasily, but no one spoke.
“I’m not here to ask for your approval,” Carmen continued. “I’m here to tell you that we need to stand united. If we don’t, our enemies will exploit every crack, every doubt. And when that happens, no one will be safe—not Marco, not me, and not any of you.”
Pietro leaned forward, his tone wary. “And if we don’t trust you?”
“Then you’ll be making the same mistake Giovanni did,” Carmen said evenly. “And I don’t think I need to remind you how that ended.”
The silence that followed was heavy, but Carmen held her ground. Finally, Sergio nodded. “She’s right. We need to move forward.”
One by one, the men nodded in reluctant agreement.
***
Hours later, Carmen returned to the study, exhaustion tugging at her shoulders. Marco was waiting for her, his expression tense.
“How did it go?” he asked.
Carmen sank into the chair across from him. “They’ll fall in line. For now.”
Marco frowned. “That doesn’t sound promising.”
“They’re scared,” Carmen said simply. “Giovanni’s death shook them, and they’re looking for something—or someone—to blame. But they’ll come around.”
Marco sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t like this, Carmen. The fractures, the doubt… it’s a weakness we can’t afford.”
“Then we fix it,” Carmen said firmly. “But we have to be careful. If we push too hard, we’ll break the trust we still have.”
Marco nodded, though his unease was clear.
Before either of them could speak again, Luca entered the room, a folder in his hand and urgency in his step.
“What is it?” Marco asked, straightening.
Luca placed the folder on the desk. “We intercepted a message from one of Arianna’s loyalists. They’ve got funding—big funding. Someone’s bankrolling them, and it’s not just another rival family.”
Marco’s eyes narrowed as he opened the folder, scanning the contents. “Who is it?”
“We don’t know yet,” Luca admitted. “But whoever it is, they’ve got deep pockets and access to military-grade weapons.”
Carmen leaned forward, her voice sharp. “An international player?”
Luca nodded grimly. “That’s my guess. Whoever it is, they’re not just backing Arianna’s remnants. They’re arming them for something big.”
Marco closed the folder, his jaw tightening. “Then we find them. And we shut them down.”
Carmen met his gaze, her resolve matching his. “Together.”
Marco reached across the desk, his hand brushing hers briefly. “Together.”
The cracks in their circle were still there, but with every step forward, they were learning how to mend them.
And they both knew this new enemy would test them like never before.
