Chapter 10: There's something You need to know

Ana
Morning came too quickly. I had barely slept, my mind still caught in the tangle of thoughts and questions that had assaulted me the night before. I dressed in comfortable but appropriate clothing for any eventuality, choosing an outfit that would allow me to move easily. I was adjusting my jacket when I heard my uncle Marco's voice from the living room.
"Ana, come here. We need to talk."
I sighed, knowing that this conversation would be inevitable. I walked into the living room and found him waiting for me, his expression grave. Marco was a strong and determined man, the current leader of our family, and it was clear that he did not approve of my decision to meet with Paolo.
"Uncle Marco, I know what you're going to say, but..."
He raised a hand, interrupting me.
"Ana, this is crazy. Paolo Di Marco is not someone we can trust. Going to that meeting alone is too risky."
I crossed my arms, preparing for the inevitable confrontation.
"I know, but if there's even a slim chance that he has valuable information, I can't ignore it. I need to know what's going on."
Marco frowned, coming closer.
"You can't risk everything we've built. You're the next leader of this family, Ana. We can't afford to lose you."
"I'm not going to be reckless, Uncle. I'll take all necessary precautions. But I can't just stand by and do nothing."
Before Marco could respond, the door opened and Dante walked in. His gaze darkened when he saw us arguing.
"Ana, Marco is right. This is too dangerous. Let us handle it. We can send someone else to the meeting."
I looked at him, feeling a mix of frustration and appreciation. I knew they both just wanted to protect me, but this was something I had to do myself.
"No, Dante. Paolo asked for me specifically. He won't talk to anyone else. If I send someone, he'll shut down and we'll lose any leverage we might have."
Marco let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his gray hair.
"What if it's a trap? What if he's planning something to capture you or worse?"
"I trust my instincts." My voice sounded firmer than I felt. "And I know I can handle this. Plus, I won't be completely alone. I'll have a tracking device on me and I'll be in constant contact."
"Ana, please. Don't do this."
I felt a pang of pain as I saw the concern in his eyes, but I stood my ground.
"I'm going to go, Dante. And you know as well as I do that you can't stop me."
Marco crossed his arms, resigned but still worried.
"Just promise me you'll be extremely careful. We can't afford to lose you."
I nodded, knowing that this was the closest thing to approval I would get from him.
"I promise, Uncle Marco."
Dante sighed, finally giving up.
"Then we'll go with you. We can't leave you completely alone."
I shook my head.
"No, Paolo insisted that I come alone. But I'll be in touch and I'll take every possible precaution. Just trust me."
Marco and Dante exchanged a look, both clearly dissatisfied but with no other options.
"Fine, Ana, but remember, any sign of danger and I want you to get out of there immediately."
"I will," I assured him, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
As I headed towards the door, Dante stepped forward and blocked my path.
"I'll take you, Ana. I'm not going to rest until I know you're safe."
I really don't want to fight.
"Alright, Dante. But just take me. Don't intervene unless it's absolutely necessary."
"Promise."
We left the house in silence. The drive to the old warehouse was heavy with palpable tension. I looked out the window, trying to gather my thoughts. Dante kept his eyes on the road, but his concern was evident.
We arrived at the warehouse and Dante parked the car in a discreet spot. I turned to him, my voice soft but firm.
"Stay here. This is something I have to do alone."
"Ana..."
"Dante, please. Trust me."
He nodded reluctantly, his jaw clenched. I got out of the car and headed towards the warehouse, feeling his eyes on my back the whole time.
As I entered, I saw Paolo waiting for me. He was standing next to a table covered with maps and documents. His expression lit up when he saw me.
"Ana, thank you for coming."
"Let's get down to business, Paolo. What do you want?"
He smiled, taking a step closer.
"You know my interest in you is genuine. But I'm not just here for that today. I want to propose an alliance to you."
I frowned, trying to understand his intentions.
"An alliance? Why?"
"Because together we could be unstoppable. Your family controls many operations, but I have the contacts and resources that you don't. We could complement each other and dominate the territory."
I felt a mixture of surprise and suspicion.
"And what would you gain from this?"
"Power, influence... and you."
His final words made my heart race, but I tried to stay strong.
"Paolo, this is dangerous. An alliance like that could have negative repercussions for both of us. I can't make this decision lightly."
"I know. That's why I want you to think about it. I don't expect an immediate answer. I just want you to consider what we could achieve together."
I looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of deception.
But his gaze was sincere, which only made him more unsettling.
"I'll think about it."
Paolo nodded, leaning closer.
"Thank you, Ana. I know you'll make the right decision."
I turned towards the door, feeling the weight of his proposal on my shoulders. I walked back to the car, where Dante was waiting for me.
I got in silently and he started the engine, starting the journey back.
The drive back home was silent. Dante kept glancing at me out of the corner of his eye, clearly worried about my state of mind.
"What happened there?" he finally asked.
I sighed, not taking my eyes off the passing scenery.
"Nothing I can't handle, Dante."
"Ana, you know you can trust me. What did Paolo tell you?"
My irritation grew. I was tired and overwhelmed by Paolo's proposal, and Dante's constant worry wasn't helping.
"I don't want to talk about it now. I'm tired."
Dante pursed his lips, clearly frustrated but respecting my desire not to talk. We arrived home and I went straight to my room, closing the door behind me. I needed time to think, to process everything that had happened.
As I was lying on the bed, my phone vibrated with a message. I picked it up and saw that it was an unknown number. I hesitated for a moment before opening it.
"We need to talk. It's about Paolo. Don't trust him. -V"
My heart raced. V could be Valeria. What could she know about Paolo? Without a second thought, I called the number. Valeria answered on the second ring.
"Ana, thank goodness you called. I need to see you right now. There's something you need to know about Paolo. I wanted to surprise you by telling you he was back, but this is important. I'm still working, but this is delicate information you need to know."
My mind was racing. If Valeria was worried, it had to be serious.
"Sorry about ruining the surprise. I'm at home, can you come over or should I pick you up somewhere?"
"I'm on my way, I'll be there soon, I'm close."
I hung up and waited, my nervousness increasing with each passing minute. Finally, I heard the doorbell. I rushed to answer it and found Valeria, her face pale and her eyes full of urgency.
"Val, what's going on?"
She walked in quickly, closing the door behind her.
"Ana, I've been investigating Paolo on my own. I wanted to make sure you were safe. And I found something that changes everything."
"What did you find?" my voice trembled slightly.
Valeria took out her phone and showed me a series of documents and photos.
"Paolo isn't looking for an alliance with you just for power and influence. He's under pressure from someone else, someone who wants to bring your family down from within. And the worst part is..."
"What? What's the worst?"
Valeria took a deep breath.
"Paolo is working with... your uncle Marco. They've been planning this together."
I felt like the ground was disappearing beneath my feet.
"What are you saying? That doesn't make sense!"
"I know, Ana. But the evidence is right here. They've been working together in secret to take complete control of the organization, using Paolo's proposal as a trap to destabilize you and make you vulnerable."
My mind refused to process the information. My own uncle, my mentor, planning to betray me with Paolo. Everything I thought I knew was crumbling before my eyes.
"Why would Marco do this?" my voice was barely a whisper.
"I don't know. But we have to act fast. If Paolo knows you've found him out, he could move his pieces before we can stop him."
I felt a mix of anger and desperation. I needed to confront Marco, but I also had to be careful. I couldn't trust anyone else, except for Valeria and, surprisingly, Dante.
"Val, I need your help. We can't face them alone. We have to find a way to expose them without putting ourselves in danger."
Valeria nodded, her determination matching mine.
"Count on me, Ana. I won't leave you alone in this."
Just then, the door opened and Dante walked in, his gaze concerned as he saw Valeria and me in such an intense conversation.
"What's going on?"
I looked at him, feeling a new wave of confidence in our friendship.
"Dante, we have a problem. And I need you more than ever."
I quickly explained what Valeria had discovered. Surprise and anger flashed across his face, but he finally nodded.
"It's that bad?"
"You have no idea."
What started as a simple meeting with Paolo had now turned into a power struggle and betrayal within my own family.