LUCA
I had a hunch—and it was not a good one. Something was wrong somewhere.
I looked through my records again, and everything seemed fine, yet I couldn't shake off the suspicion I was feeling.
"What's the matter, don? You look tensed," Diego stated, pausing his typing on his phone.
My eyes hardened as I ignored him, staring intently at the numbers on my screen. Nothing was wrong with it.
Then what exactly was wrong? I needed to find out. I picked up the documents on my desk and began to go through them one after the other, looking for a clue but found none.
"Hey. You're going to tear the documents if you keep flipping through them with such vigour. Talk to me," he insisted, dropping his phone.
"Why did Ivanov show up at the ball? He barely ever comes. He only sends his men," I stared, my fingers grazed my chin as I sank into my thoughts.
Diego also mirrored my expression. "It's been in my mind as well. It's almost as though he wanted to check something out."
I hummed, staring out of the huge office windows of my office. This was another of my offices located in the heart of the city. The one I frequented the most. Diego was always with me here, as my underboss.
"And he came to talk to us," I added, deep in thoughts.
Ivanov's confidence and pride as he spoke to us could only read something. He had some form of advantage, which I was yet to understand.
I had searched all my records and gone through every single document, but everything seemed to be pretty straight.
The man I had captured and tortured in front of Marta was a Russian I had caught lurking around my territory. It wasn't a damned coincidence that he was there, was it?
Knowing the Russians, they didn't just appear in my territory, especially in times like this when we were on opposite sides on the battlefield.
Someone was doing something fishy, and I just had to find out who. I had been patiently waiting for the mole to slipup, but it seemed he or she was pretty good at covering tracks.
"The Russian we caught around our territory, did he say anything?" Diego asked.
I shook my head curtly. He was as silent as a graveyard about who he was working with. He claimed he didn't know who he was working with and that he was told that he would know the person when he met with them.
Of course, I didn't believe the idiot. After a series of tortures, he finally told me the mole was living under my roof and very close to me.
My mind instantly painted a picture. Marta. That made me even more furious when I caught her in my office, claiming to be cleaning.
"He said the person was close to me."
I had not had any reason to suspect her after the first time I had captured her, but since the Russian incident, I had my eyes on her like a hawk.
Diego's eyes widened and then narrowed. "Don't tell me you're thinking of Marta?"
I huffed. "We can't trust anyone."
He looked conflicted. "True. Who else? Hugo? Me?"
My palms fisted instantly. "He can't betray me. He's been working with me for so long, and he's never given me reasons to doubt his loyalty. Heck, he'll even give his life for me." I snapped. "And you dare not betray me, or I'll skin you alive!"
Diego chuckled, raising his palms in surrender. "Hey, I was just saying. Besides, for some to even dare betray you, the person must have some form of backing from Ivanov and even the godfather."
I nodded. It was all a matter of time and playing my cards right, and the mole would fall right into my trap.
My phone rang at the instance of that thought, and I frowned, expecting to see my mother's name.
Since the horrible ending of the family dinner, I had avoided picking up their calls or speaking with them.
Father had not even bothered to call, and I was grateful for that. I didn't want to speak to the man either.
Amelia maintained her distance again. As much as I hated to admit it, it stung a bit, seeing as we were close. She was still at me, but what could I do. I was literally looking out for her.
Uncle Mateo had sent me a message, warning me not to forget the ultimate goal—the position as the head of the clan. I couldn't let emotions and silly feelings get in the way of that after all I had done to come so far.
A sigh of relief escaped my lips when I saw Hugo's name on the caller ID instead of my mum.
But I frowned again. Why was he calling? What was wrong? Instantly, I picked up the call.
"Good afternoon, Don," he started, his voice sounding rushed. He seemed to be walking somewhere in a hurry. Wasn't he supposed to be watching Marta?
"Hugo," I responded curtly.
"Don, your wife just passed out. She was poisoned," he stated, his voice sounding even but I could sense the undertone of bitterness in it.
My brows knitted together and muttered a string of curses. What the hell? "Poisoned?! How?" I asked, sipping a glass of water on my table.
"A meal was delivered to her, and she had just finished it when she let out a loud scream and passed out."
I sighed. "Call the doctor, Hugo. She'll be fine. I just need you to do one thing. Find out who poisoned her before I get back home. I need feedback, pronto!"
"On it, Don," he responded sharply, and the call disconnected.
Diego's eyes were wide in shock. "Did I just hear that Marta was poisoned?"
"Yup," I stated, rising to my feet. He mirrored my actions.
The news was shocking, but I didn't care the least bit about her. I only cared about who
had poisoned her and why.
She couldn't afford to die yet. I was yet to have my heirs.