Chapter 40: Shadows of BetrayalTh

The air inside the warehouse was thick with the scent of rust and damp wood. Faint beams of moonlight streamed through the high, broken windows, casting eerie shadows across the cracked concrete floor.

Luca stood in the center of the room, his presence commanding, his expression unreadable. The air around him was charged with something dangerous, something sharp and unforgiving.

Marco was on his knees, his hands tied behind his back, blood trickling from a fresh cut above his eyebrow. His shirt clung to him, damp with sweat, but his eyes—those dark, defiant eyes—never wavered.

Antonio stood a few steps behind Luca, arms crossed, his fingers tapping idly against his bicep. His face was neutral, but Anna knew him well enough to see the tension in his stance.

This wasn't just another interrogation.

This was personal.

Luca exhaled slowly, taking a step forward. His shoes echoed slightly against the concrete. "I gave you a chance to explain, Marco."

Marco's lips curled into a smirk. "And I told you I don't owe you an explanation."

A flicker of something—anger, disappointment, something dangerous—flashed across Luca's face. He crouched down, leveling their gazes.

"That's where you're wrong," Luca said, his voice eerily calm. "You owed me the truth."

Marco chuckled, though there was little humor in it. "And what truth do you think you deserve, Luca?"

Luca tilted his head slightly. "The truth about where your loyalties lie."

Silence.

Marco's smirk faded just slightly, but he kept his expression guarded.

Antonio shifted behind them. "We found the file, Marco," he said, voice steady. "The one with your name all over it."

Marco blinked, his jaw tightening.

Luca reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. He let it flutter to the ground in front of Marco.

Marco hesitated, then lowered his gaze. His entire body went rigid as he read the words.

Surveillance. Classified. Enemy Communication Logs.

He inhaled sharply. "This isn't mine."

Luca's expression didn't change. "Then explain why it was hidden in your quarters."

Marco's head snapped up, eyes blazing. "I don't know how it got there, but it wasn't me."

Luca nodded slowly, but the gesture wasn't one of belief—it was calculated, testing. "That's convenient."

Marco clenched his fists behind his back. "You think I'd be stupid enough to keep something like this in my own room? If I were really betraying you, do you think I'd be that careless?"

Luca studied him, his gaze unwavering.

Marco continued, his voice edged with frustration. "Somebody planted that file. Somebody wants you to turn against me."

Antonio and Luca exchanged a glance.

Luca exhaled, dragging a hand down his face. "You expect me to believe that?"

Marco's eyes darkened. "You should. Because if you let yourself be blinded by this, then whoever set this up wins."

Luca didn't respond immediately. He just turned away, his jaw tight.

For the first time since Marco had been brought here, uncertainty flickered across Luca's face.

And that was enough for Marco to keep pushing.

"You know me, Luca," Marco said, his voice lower now, more controlled. "I would never betray you."

Luca closed his eyes for a brief second. Then, without turning around, he murmured, "I used to believe that."

---

Anna's Room – Evening

Anna couldn't sit still. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, her thoughts racing.

Marco hadn't returned.

Luca had been gone all day.

And now, standing in Luca's private study with Vivian, staring at a board full of photographs, files, and surveillance logs, she felt a cold wave of fear wash over her.

Vivian touched her arm. "Luca thinks Marco betrayed him."

Anna shook her head. "No. No, that doesn't make sense."

But the evidence was there. Clear as day.

Vivian glanced at the door nervously before whispering, "If Luca thinks Marco is a traitor, then he's not going to give him a second chance."

Anna swallowed hard. She knew that.

Luca wasn't the kind of man who forgave betrayal.

And Marco…

Marco was running out of time.

---

Warehouse – Late Night

Marco's breathing was labored, but his eyes never left Luca's.

Luca turned slightly to Antonio. "You're sure there's no mistake?"

Antonio hesitated—just for a fraction of a second. But it was enough.

Luca caught it.

His gaze sharpened. "Antonio?"

Antonio exhaled. "I don't know, Luca. Everything lines up too perfectly."

Luca didn't move. His mind was racing.

Marco wasn't an idiot. If he had truly been a traitor, he would have been more careful.

So that left two possibilities.

One: Marco was playing a deeper game.

Or two: Someone was setting him up.

Luca studied his old friend, searching for cracks, for tells.

Marco met his gaze head-on. "If you kill me now, you're killing the wrong man."

A long silence stretched between them.

Then, just as Luca parted his lips to speak—

A single gunshot rang through the warehouse.

Luca spun around.

Antonio grabbed his weapon, eyes darting toward the entrance.

Marco's head snapped up, his eyes widening.

Footsteps.

A shadow moved near the doorway.

And then—

The lights went out.

The room plunged into darkness.