The Double Life of My Pregnant Ex-Wife (Carmen and Marco) novel Chapter 68

The ringing phone cut through the early morning quiet, waking Marco from a fitful sleep. Carmen stirred beside him as he grabbed the phone, his voice sharp with tension.

“What is it?” Marco demanded.

Luca’s voice came through the line, grim and urgent. “They’ve hit us. Three strongholds—Sicily, Naples, and Florence. All at once.”

Marco swung his legs out of bed, his adrenaline surging. “Casualties?”

“Too many,” Luca replied. “Enzo’s gone.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut. Marco’s hand tightened around the phone, his jaw clenched. “I’m on my way.”

“What happened?” Carmen asked as Marco hung up.

“The Consortium,” Marco said, his voice low and cold. “They’ve just declared war.”

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The war room was a whirlwind of chaos by the time Marco arrived. Advisors and guards moved with frantic energy, their voices overlapping as reports came in from across the territories.

“Give me a status update,” Marco barked as he strode in, commanding immediate silence.

Luca approached, his expression dark. “They coordinated simultaneous strikes on three key locations. Enzo was holding the Florence stronghold when it fell. He didn’t make it.”

Marco closed his eyes briefly, the weight of the loss pressing down on him. Enzo had been more than just a lieutenant—he had been a friend, a confidant, someone Marco trusted implicitly.

“They knew exactly where to hit us,” Carmen said, stepping forward. “This wasn’t random.”

“It was planned,” Luca agreed. “They had insider knowledge—details only someone within our circle would know.”

Marco’s gaze sharpened. “You think we have another traitor?”

“I don’t think,” Luca said grimly. “I know.”

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As the day wore on, Carmen and Luca delved into the investigation, piecing together fragments of information from the attacks. Carmen sat at the study desk, reviewing reports and cross-referencing schedules while Luca paced behind her, his frustration evident.

“Whoever it is, they’re careful,” Luca said. “They’re not leaving a trail.”

“They don’t need to,” Carmen replied, her tone thoughtful. “All they need is access to our operations and a way to communicate with the Consortium.”

Luca stopped pacing, his brow furrowed. “But how are they passing information? We’ve locked down communication channels.”

Carmen tapped her pen against the desk, her mind racing. “Unless they’re using something we haven’t considered. A third party, a neutral channel.”

“Someone like Alessandra?” Luca suggested.