The Double Life of My Pregnant Ex-Wife (Carmen and Marco) novel Chapter 32

Carmen sat on the edge of the armchair in Vincent’s study, staring blankly into the flickering flames of the fireplace. The warmth on her face felt hollow, unable to push back the cold sense of dread creeping up her spine. Something had shifted. She could feel it—like a thread tugged just out of view, unraveling everything she’d worked to piece together.

Luca’s message had been short and urgent: “Arianna’s alive. Be careful.”

The moment the words hit her phone, her stomach dropped. She gripped the arm of the chair tightly, her knuckles white as she reread it for the fifth time.

Vincent stood across the room, watching her with a sharp eye as he sipped from his tumbler of whiskey. “You’re quiet,” he said finally, breaking the silence. “That’s rarely a good sign.”

“She’s alive,” Carmen murmured, more to herself than to him.

Vincent frowned, lowering his glass. “Arianna?”

Carmen nodded, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “Luca confirmed it. I knew she wouldn’t go quietly, but…” She trailed off, her thoughts spiraling. “She’s still pulling strings, Vincent. Somehow, she’s still in his ear.”

Vincent smirked faintly, though his eyes stayed sharp. “You’re surprised? Women like Arianna don’t fall without a fight. You should’ve made sure she was finished.”

Carmen shot him a sharp look. “It’s not that simple. You don’t know what she’s capable of.”

“Oh, I think I do,” Vincent said, swirling the liquid in his glass. “And I also know that Marco has a blind spot for her. If she’s still alive, that blind spot is going to cost you.”

Carmen stood suddenly, pacing toward the window. Rain streaked down the glass in long, shimmering lines, the sky dark and endless beyond it. “She’s going to twist everything again. If Marco’s listening to her, it means he’s doubting me.”

Vincent’s voice followed her, calm and cutting. “Is he wrong to doubt you?”

Carmen turned sharply, her eyes flashing. “What?”

Vincent tilted his head, his smirk deepening. “I’m just saying… you haven’t been entirely honest with him, have you? He doesn’t know about the baby. He doesn’t know everything you’ve done to get back here. You’re expecting Marco to trust you, but you’ve given him every reason not to.”

Carmen exhaled sharply, her hand drifting to her stomach. “I didn’t tell him about the baby because it wasn’t safe. And I didn’t come back for his trust—I came back to stop Arianna.”

Vincent chuckled softly, setting his glass down with a quiet clink. “Whatever you say, Carmen. But Arianna’s alive. That means she still has a hold on him. And if you’re not careful, she’ll use it to cut you out completely.”

Carmen turned back toward the window, her expression hardening as she stared into the storm. She couldn’t let Arianna win. Not again.

________________

The study was quiet when Marco entered, his footsteps heavy as he pushed the door closed behind him. He was tired—bone-deep, soul-weary tired—and the storm raging outside mirrored the turmoil churning inside him.

Carmen was waiting, her back straight as she stood near the fireplace. She looked calm, but Marco could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands clenched tightly together in front of her.

“You’re here again,” he said, his voice low and sharp.

“Did you expect me to disappear?” Carmen shot back, turning to face him.

Marco ignored the jab, stepping closer as he studied her. There was a time when seeing her like this—her chin tilted in defiance, her eyes blazing—would have stirred something deep and familiar inside him. Now, all it did was make the storm in his mind rage harder.