The Double Life of My Pregnant Ex-Wife (Carmen and Marco) novel Chapter 40

The storm raged outside the Venetti estate, a relentless downpour that mirrored the chaos inside Marco’s mind. The crack of thunder rattled the windows as he sat alone in his office, staring blankly at the drink on his desk. The glass sat untouched, the amber liquid glowing faintly in the low light.

Marco felt hollow. The days had blurred together, each one marked by whispers, accusations, and decisions he wasn’t sure were his own anymore. Arianna’s words echoed endlessly in his head: Carmen betrayed you. She’s building her own empire. She’s planning to take everything.

The doubts had taken root deep inside him, festering like poison. He thought he’d buried his anger, his hurt, but it lingered—feeding his decisions, clouding his judgment.

The knock at the door was sharp, pulling him out of his stupor.

“Come in,” Marco said, his voice low.

The door opened, and Luca stepped inside. He looked disheveled, his shirt wrinkled and wet from the rain, his face pale and set with a grim determination. He closed the door behind him, locking it quietly before turning to face Marco.

“What now?” Marco muttered, leaning back in his chair. “If this is about Carmen—”

“It’s not about Carmen,” Luca said, cutting him off. His voice was firm, edged with urgency. “It’s about Arianna.”

Marco’s brow furrowed. “What about her?”

Luca stepped forward and dropped a thick folder onto the desk with a dull thud. “This.”

Marco’s gaze flickered to the folder, his expression wary. “What is it?”

“Proof,” Luca said simply. “Everything Carmen’s been saying. Everything Arianna’s been lying about. It’s all in there.”

Marco stared at the folder for a long moment, his fingers hovering just above it as though it might burn him. Finally, he picked it up and opened it, the pages inside spilling out like a torrent of ugly truths.

The first document was one of the letters Arianna had shown him—one that supposedly proved Carmen had been conspiring with Vincent Rossi. But now, side by side with the forged counterpart, the differences were clear. The handwriting was close, but not identical. The ink bled slightly at the edges, as though hastily done.

“It’s fake,” Luca said, his voice cutting through the silence. “All of it. Arianna forged those letters to turn you against Carmen.”

Marco’s hands froze over the paper, his throat tightening as he moved to the next page. Financial records—bank statements Arianna had concealed—revealing payments to the De Lucas. Messages, intercepted and decoded, proving Arianna had been orchestrating attacks behind his back.

The attack on Sergio Montini.

The sabotage that led to the Venetti men’s deaths.

The whispers that had fractured his alliances.

Every piece was there, laid bare in black and white. Marco’s vision blurred as he flipped through the evidence, his pulse pounding in his ears.

“This… this can’t be,” he muttered, though his voice lacked conviction.

“It is,” Luca said, his tone hard. “I snuck into her estate myself and found those documents. She’s been working with the De Luca remnants since the beginning. She set up the attack on Montini to frame Vincent, Marco. She’s been playing you.”

Marco looked up at Luca, his expression a mix of disbelief and anger. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I tried,” Luca said sharply. “But you wouldn’t listen. You wouldn’t see it, not when you were so convinced Carmen was the problem.”

Marco flinched at the words, guilt tightening in his chest like a vise. His mind spun, replaying every argument, every accusation he’d thrown at Carmen.