The Double Life of My Pregnant Ex-Wife (Carmen and Marco) novel Chapter 66

The Venetti estate was unusually quiet, the calm before a storm that no one dared to speak of openly. Carmen sat in the study, Alessandra Ricci seated across from her, nervously twisting a ring on her finger. Alessandra’s sharp features were drawn with tension, her eyes darting to every shadow as if expecting an ambush.

“I’m risking everything by telling you this,” Alessandra said, her voice low but firm.

“And we’ll protect you,” Carmen replied evenly. “But we need to know everything.”

Alessandra hesitated before leaning forward. “The Consortium is led by a man called Il Spectro—The Ghost. No one knows his real name, not even his top lieutenants. He’s a strategist, ruthless and untouchable. His reach extends across Europe, but he operates from the shadows. That’s how he stays in control.”

“And his operations?” Carmen asked.

“They’re coordinated through key supply hubs,” Alessandra said. “One of the largest is a weapons cache outside Verona. It’s heavily guarded and critical to their network. If you take it out, you’ll cripple their arms supply.”

Carmen exchanged a glance with Marco, who stood behind her, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable.

“What kind of defenses are we talking about?” Marco asked.

“Mercenaries, surveillance, and probably a few traps,” Alessandra replied. “It won’t be easy.”

“Nothing worth doing ever is,” Carmen said, her tone resolute.

________________

That evening, Marco paced the war room as Carmen detailed the plan for their allies. The map of Verona lay spread out before them, marked with the location of the weapons cache and surrounding terrain.

“This is a high-risk operation,” Marco began, his gaze sweeping the room. “But if we succeed, we’ll cripple their ability to arm their forces and weaken their position.”

Carmen stepped forward, her voice calm but commanding. “We’ll strike at night, under the cover of darkness. The goal is to sabotage the stockpile, not engage in a prolonged firefight. Speed and precision are key.”

Sergio Montini nodded, but his brow furrowed. “And if something goes wrong?”

“We adapt,” Carmen said firmly. “Failure isn’t an option.”

As the meeting ended, Carmen lingered in the room, organizing the final details. Marco approached her, his expression tense.

“I need to talk to you,” he said, his voice quieter now that they were alone.

Carmen turned to him, raising an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“You’re not going,” Marco said flatly.

Carmen blinked, caught off guard. “Excuse me?”

“You’re staying here,” Marco continued. “It’s too dangerous.”

Carmen folded her arms, her tone sharp. “We’ve had this conversation before, Marco. I’m not staying behind while you lead this operation.”

“This is different,” Marco insisted. “They’ll be expecting us, Carmen. I can’t protect you and fight them at the same time.”

“I don’t need you to protect me,” Carmen shot back. “I’m not some fragile piece of glass, Marco. I’m your partner, and this is my fight too.”