Chapter 135 A Step Ahead
The ride to the warehouse, Luciano couldn't help but believe it as the evidence was there.
It was all right there before his eyes!
"That was close!", Andreas remarked as the van was driven to a space in the warehouse that wouldn't be easily detected.
"Grab a gun...
Just in case!", Luciano said as they all grabbed pistols from hidden spots in the van.
"How about the others?!", He asked, arranging his clothes properly.
"They'll be here any minute now!", Andreas answered as they each stepped out of the van.
Waiting!
A familiar van drove into the warehouse within minutes, the state of the car just as bad as the one Luciano was driven in.
Regardless!
It was still a good thing they were alive and certainly not apprehended.
Luciano huffed!
He couldn't believe that Isabella would do this to him.
There were things he didn't know, and he was going to find out soon.
Following checking up on the men's safety!
They each got in their van and headed back to an Inn on the way to the mansion.
Inns because hotels had cameras and would pinpoint them.
Then he got the message, the message that seemed to confirm his suspicions.
"ONE OF YOURS!", The familiar message read, from the same familiar number he had gotten.
It seemed like she was much more than she was letting on.
At the moment however, he couldn't truly say for sure, as he loved the woman and gave the benefit of the doubt.
That still didn't mean he was going to believe any other thing she says.
The whole ride he kept to himself, wondering if Tomasso had given him a false report.
\~~~
Catalyst!
Of course it was Catalyst behind this!
Except Luciano didn't know it yet.
The encrypted number was none other than Nico trying to warn Luciano of the traitor amongst them.
It certainly wasn't Isabella, but the snake who downloaded information to her anonymous caller, Mia.
Now to the arms deal!
It tanked only because of a bad decision Andreas had warned Luciano about.
Luciano had thought he would use Mei Ling and discard her before she used him, but he was wrong.
She and the catalyst had been a step ahead the whole time.
In truth, Luciano had told Isabella the confidential details of the deal, but Isabella was too powerless in the situation to do anything.
Plus! She didn't go rambling to everyone about it.
She had kept her discretion, perhaps yearning to be Luciano's confidant.
Mei Ling and the catalyst had set up the arms deal and Mr Stan was a nonexistent personality that Mei Ling operated.
So therefore, she knew the plans and had tipped the NBI.
Things were really starting to get steamy.
Luciano doesn't know these facts, and his anger was going to lead him to say harsh words that would significantly worsen his relationship with Isabella.
\~~~
Using the cover of the night the following day, the men arrived at the mansion, with low spirits.
You wouldn't be exactly happy that you were almost caught by the NBI.
There, Isabella sat in the living room, waiting by the entrance for Luciano.
Andreas was the first to walk in, quite confused himself as Luciano had told him what had been going on behind the scenes.
Very unaware that there was more to the story.
'Could she really be behind this?!', Andreas asked himself.
From the time he had known her, he didn't really think so.
However, in their world, it was best to prepare for the unexpected.
"Welcome back!", Isabella said eagerly as she stood up from the couch where she had been dozing.
Andreas looked around!
She had been the only one waiting up for their arrival.
'Madam Paula must have told her!', he thought.
"Hi!
Yes!", Andreas said, confused, he didn't know what to say to her.
"Did you come back alone?!", Isabella asked. She had picked up the fact that Luciano liked to come back in his own time.
"No!", Andreas asked as he heard the door close behind him.
Both turned to look at Luciano who had a passive expression on his face.
"Hello!", Isabella greeted eagerly, however, she was ignored.
She shared a look with Andreas and quickly discovered they were keeping something from her.
'Is this about the other lady?!', Isabella asked herself, her mind going back to the lady she had seen at the entrance of the villa in Umbria (Mei Ling)
"What's going on?!", Isabella asked Andreas as she looked at his broad back climbing the stairs and heading to his room.
Andreas simply sighed as an answer, he honestly didn't know what to tell her.
He ignored her as well, heading to the kitchen to get something to drink.
Huffing, Isabella thought, 'He literally told me he loved me two nights before!'
The man was definitely confusing her.
Isabella couldn't explain what took over her as she headed upstairs and into his room.
"We might leave early in the morning!" Luciano said as he was taking off his clothes.
He hadn't expected Isabella, thus, he thought he was talking to Andreas.
"Why?!", Isabella asked.
Luciano whipped his head at the sound of the voice.
"Leave!", Luciano ordered.
"Why!?!", Isabella asked again, determined to fight for what she thought was there.
Luciano didn't answer her as he kept taking off his clothes.
The silence became infuriating to her, thus she braced herself and stepped into his inner room.
Something she hadn't done since that night three years before.
"Why?!", Isabella asked.
Silence.
"Why?!
I'm not leaving this room till you tell me why!?!", Isabella said, folding her arms beneath her breasts.
She was momentarily distracted by his tattoos, but she quickly recalled why she was in the room to begin with.
"I thought you said you loved me?!", Isabella reminded.
That seemed to get Luciano's attention.
"That was before I found out you were telling my enemies confidential information....
You're a traitor!", Luciano said.
Isabella's heart dropped as she heard Luciano's new conception of her.
"What do you mean?!
I would never!!", Isabella asked, obviously confused by the revelation.
"I loved you!
And I trusted you!
And you betrayed me!", Luciano said, admitting what he felt before he put two and two together.
"I didn't
I didn't betray you!", Isabella said, trying to refute.
"Whatever!
Get out of my face before I do something we'll both regret!", Luciano said, hurting Isabella even more.
"How can you say that to me?!", Isabella asked, her eyes welling up with unshed tears.
"Because that's what you are!
Now leave!
The only reason you're staying here is because of my daughter...
I don't even think she's mine at this...!", Luciano was caught off guard by the strike on his face.
Isabella had slapped him.
"Don't you dare!!!!", Isabella screamed at the top of her voice.
Luciano had just crossed a line he shouldn't have.
"It happened in this room!
Remember!
Where you took away my innocence!
And you dare question me!", Isabella said at the top of her voice.
Silence!
Luciano didn't say anything.
"I didn't say a word to you when I left!
I picked myself up, a baby in my womb as I worked tirelessly!
Three years later you come to my door telling me to follow you!
I did Luciano, I did
I followed you because I trusted your words!
And once again you have fooled me!", Isabella said.
It was the first time she was calling his name straight to his face.
She literally poured herself into the sentence, venting to the man she thought she loved.
"That still doesn't change the fact that you're a traitor!", Luciano looked her dead in the eye and said.
"You really are cold aren't you!?", Isabella asked rhetorically.
However, she was met with silence.
"I'll find you this traitor!
And when I do I'll be leaving this place with my daughter!
When I do!
Don't you dare follow me!", Isabella said before leaving the room.