The Double Life of My Pregnant Ex-Wife (Carmen and Marco) novel Chapter 65

The Venetti war room was quieter than usual, but the tension was palpable. Marco stood at the head of the table, staring down at the latest reports with a mixture of anger and frustration. Carmen sat nearby, her arms crossed as she read the same papers. The silence was broken only by the faint murmurs of Sergio Montini and Pietro, who stood in the corner, speaking in hushed tones.

“They’re questioning you,” Sergio said finally, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

Marco’s head snapped up. “Who?”

“Some of the smaller families,” Sergio replied. “They’ve heard the rumors—about the Consortium, about the attacks. They’re starting to think you can’t protect them.”

Marco’s jaw tightened. “I’ve protected them for years. Now, because of a few setbacks, they’re ready to jump ship?”

“It’s not just the setbacks,” Pietro interjected, his tone cautious. “They’re blaming Carmen. Saying her influence is making you… soft.”

The room fell silent. Carmen’s eyes narrowed, but she remained quiet, waiting for Marco’s response.

“Soft?” Marco said, his voice dangerously low. “What part of this war feels soft to them? The bloodshed? The attacks? The fact that my wife has done more to keep us standing than half of them combined?”

“It’s not about the truth,” Sergio said carefully. “It’s about perception. The Consortium knows how to exploit doubt. They’re feeding these rumors to weaken your position.”

Marco slammed his fist on the table, making everyone jump. “Enough. I don’t care about their doubts. If they want to question my leadership, they can say it to my face.”

Carmen placed a hand on Marco’s arm, her voice calm but firm. “Marco, this isn’t just about pride. The Consortium is using this division to break us apart. If we don’t address it, we’ll be fighting a war on two fronts—against them and against ourselves.”

Marco turned to her, his eyes softening slightly. “What do you suggest?”

“We bring them back into the fold,” Carmen said. “Remind them what loyalty means. Show them that standing with us is their best option.”

“And if they don’t fall in line?” Marco asked.

Carmen’s gaze hardened. “Then we remind them of the consequences.”

________________

The next evening, Marco and Carmen sat in the estate’s courtyard, discussing strategies to shore up loyalty among their allies. The air was cool, and for a moment, the chaos of their war seemed distant.

Their moment of peace was shattered by the sound of Luca’s hurried footsteps. He entered the courtyard, his face pale.

“You need to see this,” Luca said, handing Marco a folder.

Marco opened it, his expression darkening as he scanned the contents. Carmen leaned over his shoulder, her stomach twisting as she saw the photographs inside.

A dockyard reduced to rubble. Charred remains of crates and containers. Bloodied bodies of workers who had been caught in the blast.