The air in the villa was thick with the scent of burning oil and aged parchment. The flickering torchlight cast long shadows over the marble floor, where the weight of unspoken words and hidden betrayals lingered. Lucius stood at the large wooden table, scanning the documents Cassia had provided. Each parchment detailed the private dealings of Senator Varro—his financial indiscretions, his failed alliances, and most interestingly, his wife’s rumored indiscretions.

  Cassia sat in the corner, reclining against the cushioned bench, a cup of watered wine in her hand. She watched him, her expression unreadable. “You seem interested in that last part.”

  Lucius glanced up, his smirk barely concealed. “A man like Varro prides himself on control. The idea that his wife has secrets of her own... that is leverage worth considering.”

  Cassia tilted her head. “You enjoy peeling back the layers of Rome’s elite, don’t you?”

  Lucius rolled up the parchment and set it aside. “Rome is a beast that thrives on secrets. The question is, who holds the right ones?”

  Cassia let out a soft laugh. “Then it’s fortunate I’ve already arranged something for you.”

  Lucius raised an eyebrow. “I assume you’re about to surprise me.”

  Cassia smirked, taking another sip of her wine. “Come with me, and you’ll see.”

  The moon cast silver light over the villa gardens, illuminating the dewdrops that clung to the leaves of the olive trees. A cool breeze rustled through the air, carrying the faint scent of jasmine and wet earth. Lucius followed Cassia through a narrow passage leading to a discreet side gate. Her movements were precise and deliberate, her steps silent against the stone path.

  Beyond the gate, in the shadow of a towering cypress, a woman stood waiting. She was draped in a flowing silk stola, the fabric shimmering under the moonlight. A delicate veil covered her face, but even through the dim light, Lucius could sense her tension—the slight quiver of her hands, the way her head turned slightly at every distant sound.

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  “This is Diana,” Cassia said smoothly. “Varro’s wife.”

  Lucius raised an eyebrow. He had expected some intermediary, not the woman herself.

  Diana’s voice was soft but steady. “You wish to see my husband fall?”

  Lucius folded his arms, studying her carefully. “I wish to see Rome rid of its corruption.”

  She scoffed lightly. “A noble sentiment. But let’s not pretend there isn’t personal ambition involved.”

  Lucius allowed a small chuckle. “Perhaps. But you are here, which means you also have ambitions of your own.”

  Diana hesitated before stepping closer. The light of the torches flickered across her veil. “Varro is a fool. He believes himself untouchable. He treats his allies like pawns and his wife like property. If he is to fall, I want to ensure I do not fall with him.”

  Lucius narrowed his eyes. “And what do you offer in return?”

  Slowly, she lifted her veil.

  Her emerald-green eyes burned with something more than fear—determination. Her skin was smooth, the curve of her lips poised between hesitation and confidence. Cassia, leaning against a column, arched a brow but said nothing.

  “I offer you everything he has hidden. Every bribe, every betrayal. And...” She stepped even closer, lowering her voice to a near whisper, her lips dangerously close to his ear. “I offer you a scandal that will turn Rome against him.”

  Lucius smirked slightly, watching her carefully. “And what kind of scandal would that be?”

  Diana straightened, tilting her chin just enough to challenge him. “One that involves my husband’s greatest weakness—his own hypocrisy.”

  Cassia let out a low hum of amusement. “Now this is getting interesting.”

  Lucius crossed his arms. “You speak in riddles, Diana. If you want protection, you need to be more direct.”

  Diana glanced between them before exhaling slowly. “Varro is not the man he claims to be. His carefully constructed image of power and piety is built on a foundation of perversion. He surrounds himself with the most virtuous of men, yet behind closed doors, his indulgences would make even the gods turn away.”

  Lucius’s gaze darkened. “And you have proof?”

  Diana smiled, but it was not a kind smile. “I am his wife. I have seen everything.”

  Lucius exchanged a glance with Cassia, who shrugged. “If this is true, you’ve just handed us something far more valuable than gold.”

  Diana lifted her veil once more, turning toward the garden’s exit. “I will send word when I have more. For now, know that we share a common enemy.”

  She disappeared into the night, leaving only the faint scent of perfume lingering in the air.

  Lucius exhaled, his mind already calculating his next move. He turned to Cassia. “What do you think?”

  Cassia smirked. “I think she’s far more dangerous than she lets on.”

  Lucius nodded slowly. “Good. That makes her useful.”

  The night stretched on, and within the shadows of Rome, another piece was moved on the ever-changing board of power.