Chapter 64: The Betrayal Uncovered

Antonio sat in his office, his mind racing as he poured over the company’s finances. His normally sharp eyes had begun to miss details, his usually perfect organization now a series of scattered papers and numbers that just didn’t make sense. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

He had been at it for hours, staring at balance sheets and financial reports, trying to pinpoint the issue that had been gnawing at him all day. There was a missing sum. A large one. Three million euros had disappeared from the company’s accounts, and no matter how much he scanned, he couldn’t figure out where it had gone.

His mind raced through every possible scenario. Could it be an accounting error? A glitch in the system? No, that wasn’t possible. His finance team was one of the best in the world, and everything had always been handled with precision. So, what the hell was going on?

Isabella, who had been reading in the corner of the room, noticed the tense expression on his face. She knew him well enough by now to recognize when something wasn’t right.

“Antonio,” she said softly, walking over to his desk. “What’s going on?”

He looked up at her, his jaw clenched. “Something’s wrong with the company’s finances. Three million euros have gone missing. I’ve been going through everything, but I can’t find the source.”

Isabella frowned, her brow furrowing in concern. She wasn’t an expert in finance, but she knew enough to recognize when her husband was overwhelmed. “Maybe I can help,” she suggested, her voice gentle but confident.

Antonio gave her a strained smile, grateful for her offer, but hesitant. “I don’t want to drag you into this, Bella. It’s too complicated.”

But Isabella was persistent, her eyes soft but determined. “Let me help you. I may not be a finance expert, but I know you, and I know this company. Let’s work together.”

He didn’t argue. Instead, he stepped aside, allowing her to sit down next to him. She picked up the sheets of paper and began scanning through them, her eyes moving quickly across the numbers as she searched for something, anything that could explain the missing sum.

It didn’t take long. Within minutes, she stopped, her finger hovering over a line of figures. “Wait, what’s this?” she muttered, flipping back a few pages to double-check. Antonio leaned forward, his attention piqued.

“What is it?” he asked.

Isabella pointed to a line near the bottom of the sheet. “There. A withdrawal of three million euros. But there’s no explanation, no details. It’s just… gone.”

Antonio’s heart sank as he stared at the line of numbers. He had been so focused on the big picture that he hadn’t even noticed the discrepancy before, but now that it was clear, it was as though a heavy weight had dropped in his chest.

“Where did it go?” he asked, frustration beginning to creep into his voice. “How could this happen?”

Isabella didn’t miss the panic in his voice. “Let’s track the transaction. It has to be connected to someone.”

They spent the next several hours combing through the accounts, piecing together the trail left by the missing funds. Isabella’s meticulous eye helped pinpoint the transaction’s origin: a company account under Marcus Russo, the finance director who had been working for Antonio for years. Antonio’s expression darkened as he read the name.

“That’s impossible,” he muttered, his voice tense. “Marcus has been with us since the beginning. He’s loyal.”

But the evidence didn’t lie. Marcus Russo, someone Antonio had trusted with his company, had taken the money out of the accounts without explanation. He had even forged some of the reports, making it look as though everything was legitimate.

“I don’t believe it,” Antonio said, a mix of disbelief and fury burning in his chest. He clenched his fists, feeling the heat of betrayal rise within him. “I never thought he was capable of something like this.”

Isabella looked at him, her face calm but filled with determination. “You need to confront him. Now.”

Antonio nodded, his mind already racing through what needed to be done. He picked up his phone and dialed his head of security, his voice cold as he gave the order.

“Get Marcus Russo to my office. Now. We need to have a conversation.”

---

Minutes later, Marcus entered the office, looking as calm and collected as ever. He didn’t seem nervous, nor did he appear to know what was coming. Antonio’s anger, however, was palpable.

“Antonio,” Marcus greeted him smoothly, taking a seat without waiting for permission. “What’s this about?”

Antonio’s gaze locked on him, his voice low and dangerous. “You know exactly what this is about, Marcus. Three million euros are missing from the company, and the trail leads back to you. Explain yourself.”

Marcus looked momentarily taken aback, but he quickly recovered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, his voice defensive.

“Oh, you don’t?” Antonio’s voice was ice cold now, his patience gone. “I’ve seen the reports, Marcus. I’ve seen the transactions you’ve hidden. Do you really think I wouldn’t find out?”

Marcus shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his eyes darting toward the door, as if looking for an escape. “I—I don’t know what you think you’ve found, Antonio, but I assure you—”

Antonio cut him off. “You’re not getting away with this.” He turned to one of his men standing in the corner of the room. “Take him away. He’s fired.”

Marcus froze for a moment, his face going pale as reality sank in. But before he could speak, the men stepped forward, grabbing him by the arms.

“No! Antonio, listen to me! I can explain! It wasn’t me!” Marcus protested, but Antonio wasn’t having any of it.

“I don’t care to hear your excuses, Marcus,” Antonio snapped. “You’ve betrayed my trust, and you’ve stolen from this company. You’re done. Arrest him.”

The guards moved quickly, and before Marcus could make another plea, he was escorted out of the office. Antonio stood there, his fists clenched at his sides, as he tried to steady his breathing. The fury that had surged through him was still boiling under the surface, but he knew there was no room for weakness. He had to be strong—for Isabella, for Luca, and for the company.

Isabella stepped toward him, her eyes soft with concern. “Antonio… are you okay?”

He nodded, though his expression was still tense. “I’m fine. I just… I never thought he was capable of this.”

“I know,” she said, her hand gently brushing his arm. “But you handled it. You did the right thing.”

Antonio met her gaze, and in that moment, he felt the weight of her love and support. “Thank you, Bella,” he murmured, his voice filled with emotion. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Isabella smiled softly. “You don’t have to do it alone, Antonio. You never have to.”

---

The next day, the news spread quickly—Marcus Russo, the trusted finance director, had been arrested for embezzling three million euros from the company. The story hit the media like wildfire, and soon, the world knew the truth.

The media was quick to latch onto the scandal, but there was an undeniable shift. Antonio’s name remained strong, untarnished, while Marcus’s reputation was obliterated in the press. The public reaction was mixed—some were shocked, others were quick to point out that the warning signs had always been there. But through it all, Isabella and Antonio’s bond remained unshaken.

Later that evening, after the storm had died down, Antonio found himself in the study, sipping a glass of whiskey, when Isabella entered the room. She had always been his anchor, and tonight, she seemed even more radiant than usual.

“You know,” she said, a playful glint in her eyes, “it’s not often I get to see you in action like that. I’m impressed, Mr. De Luca.”

Antonio raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smirk. “I know how to handle business, bella.”

“Hmm, I see that,” she teased, her voice light. She moved toward him, her presence filling the room. “But now that the crisis is over, I think I deserve a reward for helping you uncover the truth.”

Antonio’s gaze darkened as he watched her, his desire for her intensifying. He leaned back in his chair, his voice low and teasing. “And what kind of reward are you thinking of, bella?”

Isabella smiled mischievously. “Well, for starters… a few more of those cute Italian pet names of yours wouldn’t hurt.”

Antonio chuckled, his heart warming at the sound of her voice. “Anything for you, bella mia.”

As Isabella leaned in to kiss him, Antonio couldn’t help but think that no matter what challenges came their way, no matter what the world threw at them, they would always stand together—strong, unyielding, and in love.