Chapter 137: The Predator And Prey

GIOVANNI’S POV

She nodded. "Yes. He noticed things like missing money, and deals that didn't add up. But he didn't want to believe it.” Isabella shook her head, dabbing her fingers underneath her eyes. “Marco has been with our family since he was a boy. Robert trusted him like a son."

My heart was slowly thudding now but I asked. "What happened tonight?"

"Marco came back late. Robert was still awake, in his study. I heard them arguing." Isabella's voice shook. "Marco confronted him and asked him to stop you from helping search for Arya."

I blinked. "Stop me? Why would he want that?"

"Because Marco didn't want her found." Isabella's hands fisted in her dress. "The argument got worse. Marco said terrible things about how Robert was weak, and how the family had gone soft. He even mentioned that he should have been the one leading instead of taking orders."

The pieces were falling into place. Too many pieces, all of them damning.

"He revealed his alliance with the Riveras," Isabella continued.  “Said he'd been working with them for over a year then he blamed Robert for everything.”

She said the last part with a scoff and shook her head.

So it had been Marco all along.

Marco who had met with her at the café. He was the one who used that meeting as cover for the attack. He orchestrated everything from the shadows while pointing the finger at an innocent woman.

"That son of a bitch," I breathed.

"He shot Robert when Robert tried to stop him from leaving," Isabella finished. "Then he just… disappeared like a ghost."

My hands were shaking with rage. Every terrible thing that had happened over the past year could be traced back to that fucking bastard..

"Robert was going to name him successor," Isabella said quietly. "Before all this. He was going to give Marco control of the family business, make him the next head. That's how much he trusted him."

The betrayal was staggering. I thought I understood betrayal, but this on another level.

I was about to say something when Isabella swayed suddenly, her face going pale.

I caught her before she could fall, my arm around her waist. "When did you last eat?"

"I don't remember,” her brows knitted into a frown, “this morning, maybe?"

"You're going to make yourself sick." I guided her down the hallway toward what I assumed was the master bedroom. "Come on. You need to rest."

She shook her head. "I can't rest. Robert needs me.”

"Robert needs you healthy and strong, not collapsed from exhaustion." I called to a passing maid. "Bring Mrs. Vitale some food. And water. And don't leave her side until she's eaten."

The maid nodded and scurried off.

I helped Isabella to her room, settling her onto the bed. She looked so small suddenly.

This woman who was running the chaos downstairs with iron control was falling apart now that the immediate crisis had passed.

If Robert died…

No. I couldn't think like that.

But looking at Isabella, I felt something I had never expected to feel for anyone in the Vitale family.

Pity. And a strange sort of kinship.

We both lost people we loved to violence and lies.

"Rest," I said quietly. "I'll handle things downstairs."

"Thank you," she whispered. "For coming."

I nodded and left before the moment could get more uncomfortable.

In the hallway, I nearly ran into Christabel. She was  standing outside the door, her eyes red from crying.

"Is Papa going to die?" she asked, her voice small.

The question hit me like a punch. I thought of a dozen things to say but none of them sounded reassuring.

So I crouched down to her level. "The doctor is doing everything he can. Your papa is strong. He's not going to give up easily."

"Marco shot him." Christabel's hands clenched into small fists. "Marco was supposed to be family. He was supposed to protect us."

I smiled tightly. "I know."

"Are you going to find Arya?" she asked suddenly. "Are you going to bring her home?"

The change in topic threw me off balance for a moment but I quickly gathered myself. "I… yes. I'm trying."

"Marco knows where she is." Christabel said it with such certainty that I froze. "I heard him on the phone once but I didn’t tell anyone. I wasn’t sure.”

My heart stopped. "When was this? And what did he say?”

"A month ago. I heard him talk about making sure she didn't come back." She nervously twisted her fingers. “I didn't understand then, but now…"

Her eyes filled with tears again. "He took her away. He shot Papa. He ruined everything."

I pulled her into a hug without thinking. She was so young to be dealing with this kind of trauma.

Christabel wrapped her arms around my neck and held on tight, her tears soaking into my shirt.

"I'm going to fix this," I promised, my own voice thick. "I'm going to find your sister and I'm going to make sure Marco pays for what he's done. I'm going to put everything back the way it should be."

Even if it killed me. Even if it took everything I had.

"Promise?" she whispered, blinking her tears away.

I nodded. "I promise."

We stayed like that for a moment, holding onto each other in the wreckage.

Then Christabel pulled back, wiping her eyes. "Okay."

I stood, and she watched me with eyes that looked too old for her face.

"Take care of your mother," I said. "She needs you to be strong right now."

Christabel nodded and disappeared into Isabella's room.

I stood alone in the hallway, my mind already racing ahead.

Marco had orchestrated everything and according to Christabel, he knew where she was. And he was provavly knee deep with the Riveras.

It made sense why he was sneaking around in Italy. That fucking bastard.

I was done waiting for surveillance and police resources. I was going to find Marco and I was going to make him tell me where Arya was.

And then I was going to make him pay for every lie and every moment of pain he had caused.

He wanted to destroy me? To take everything I loved?

He was about to learn what happened when you backed a wounded predator into a corner.

I pulled out my phone and called Enzo as I headed for the stairs.

"Gio? What's happening? Maria said-"

"Get everyone we have," I cut him off. "Every contact, every resource, every favor we're owed. I want every single detail you can find on Marco.”

He seemed to stumble on his words before responding. "What? Why?"

"Because he's had Arya this whole time. And I'm going to get her back."

No matter who I had to destroy.

Marco had made the fatal mistake of taking what was mine and he was going to regret it for whatever remained of his very short life.