The Double Life of My Pregnant Ex-Wife (Carmen and Marco) novel Chapter 23

The heavy, muted thud of a gunshot shattered the early morning quiet, echoing through the estate grounds like a thunderclap. Marco barely had time to register the sound before glass exploded across his office, shards slicing through the air as he instinctively ducked behind the desk.

“Boss!” one of his men shouted from outside the door, the sound of running footsteps growing louder.

Marco reached for the handgun tucked in his drawer and crouched low, his pulse thundering in his ears. Another shot rang out, this one splintering the doorframe. The bullet struck close—too close—and Marco cursed under his breath, his mind racing.

“Marco!” Arianna’s voice broke through the chaos as the door flew open. She appeared, disheveled and frantic, with two of his men flanking her. “Get down! Are you hit?”

“I’m fine,” Marco growled, rising slightly to peer through the shattered window. Outside, in the dim light of dawn, he could see movement—a black car speeding away, tires screeching on the gravel driveway before disappearing into the distance.

The room erupted in noise as more of Marco’s men stormed in, weapons drawn and shouting orders. One man approached Marco cautiously. “We’ll secure the grounds, boss. Looks like a hit.”

Marco gritted his teeth, rising to his full height and brushing glass off his shoulder. “From who?” he demanded sharply.

Arianna stepped forward, her face pale but composed. “The De Lucas,” she said breathlessly. “Who else? They’ve been escalating, Marco. This was a message.”

“Convenient timing,” Luca muttered from the doorway, his eyes sharp as he surveyed the destruction. His tone didn’t go unnoticed.

Arianna turned to him, her expression sharpening into something colder. “You think this is convenient? Someone just tried to kill him.”

Luca’s gaze didn’t waver, but Marco’s voice cut through the growing tension. “Enough.”

He turned to Arianna. “How did they get so close?”

“It doesn’t matter how,” she said quickly. “What matters is that they did. Marco, this is exactly what I warned you about. The De Lucas want you dead. They’ve been watching, waiting for the right moment to strike. We need to hit them harder, before they try this again.”

Marco’s jaw tightened. He turned back toward the shattered window, his mind a tangle of anger and doubt. Everything was spinning out of control. His inner circle was fracturing. His enemies were closing in. And now this—an attack in his own home, under his nose.

Arianna stepped closer, her voice quieter now. “I can help you fix this, Marco. Trust me.”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he stared out at the empty driveway where the car had vanished, his thoughts clouded by rage. Whoever had fired that shot, it had been a warning—a challenge. And Marco didn’t take challenges lightly.

“Double security,” he said finally, his voice low and hard. “No one gets in or out without my say.”

Arianna smiled faintly, though the warmth didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll see to it.”

Luca watched as she turned and left the room, her heels clicking against the broken glass. His gaze shifted to Marco, who stood rigidly, still staring into the distance.

“Do not trust anyone,” Luca said quietly, before turning to follow the others out.

________________

Carmen kept her head down as she slipped through the side door of a quiet trattoria tucked in a forgotten corner of the city. The air inside was thick with the smell of garlic and old wood, but the restaurant was empty except for a single man sitting in a booth near the back. Sergio Montini, the head of a smaller mafia family that had managed to stay alive by choosing battles wisely, glanced up as she approached.

“Carmen Venetti,” Sergio said, his voice gruff as he gestured for her to sit across from him. “I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to hear from you.”

“I didn’t expect to reach out,” Carmen replied, sliding into the seat and pulling her coat tighter around herself. “But circumstances have changed.”

Sergio studied her, his small, sharp eyes narrowing. “Vincent Rossi’s network has been buzzing with your name for weeks. Hiding out, making moves. You’re not here to ask for a favor, are you?”

“I’m here to make you an offer,” Carmen said plainly.

Sergio sat back, folding his arms across his chest. “I’m listening.”