Circus of Shadows: A Deadly Performance

Chapter 31: Circus Legacies Collide

Bounded by the struggle of single-handedly supporting herself and Marco in their new life, Rosa Lombardi (formerly Ortiz) found herself in dire financial straits. Madame Hattie elaborated. "Back home in their quaint little town of Monte Sorrento in Italy, which is wedged between two mountains, she was feeling the weight of responsibility. Yearning for stability of their son Marco, who was now almost eight years old, eventually she made the heart-wrenching decision to reach out to Lorenzo for assistance."

Summoning her courage, Rosa penned a heartfelt letter to Lorenzo, bearing her hopes for support both emotionally and financially. "Rosa expressed deeply her desire to ensure the stable upbringing of their son Marco, she pleaded for his assistance in facing the challenges of their life in Italy." Madame Hattie spoke solemnly. "To reach out to Lorenzo who appeared to show no interest in Marco, barring a a few postcards and letters, mustered great strength as to admit she was struggling was not in her nature."

However, Mr Lorenzo Ortiz's response came as a cold blow. Instead of empathetic support she had hoped for his reply offered a starkly different proposal. "Lorenzo offered Rosa a one off take it or leave it settlement-a sum of money in exchange for Rosa to relinquish her share and any future claim or ownership to the Circus of Curiosity. Rosa was devastated, not for her will to return to the circus with Lorenzo, but there was no mention of reserving Marco any rights for the future, and at the lack of support Lorenzo wanted to provide his first born son." Madame Hattie revealed with a tinge of sadness in her tone.

The offer was poignant reminder of Lorenzo Ortiz's focus on the circus and building his empire. His desire for sole ownership overriding any sentiments for his former wife Rosa, and his son Marco back in Monte Sorrento.

"Rosa was in a desperate state, torn between her need for financial stability and her emotional attachment to their once shared dreams and future life for Marco. She faced a heart-rendering choice that would irrevocably alter their future destinies. Rosa reluctantly accepted the offer, and Lorenzo paid an unknown fee to take full rights to the Carnival of Curiosity."

Lorenzo's and Rosa's once shared dream was becoming a reality as Lorenzo toured the Carnival of Curiosity around the world, pushing boundaries and breaking the realms of possibility. It was however, Hilda Ortiz (nee Olsen) and their son Ralph who actually got to live out and share this dream, the new dynamic duo of Hilda and Lorenzo helped take the circus to stratospheric heights that it has become today.

The revelations from Madame Hattie about Rosa and Marco Lombardi's chequered past with their relationship with the Carnival of Curiosity, provided Connie with serious consideration that needed to be investigated further. With Felix Bauer, the acrobat twin, in custody, could she now have a new prime suspect? With Rosa and Marco's exclusion from the circus deeds, by Lorenzo's opportunist move, took advantage of his ex-wife's vulnerability.

Detective Black's mind was spinning with questions. She knew she needed to dig deeper into the tangle history of the Carnival of Curiosity. She decided to probe Madame Hattie some more as she was reliving every moment.

"As Marco approached his 18th birthday," Madame Hattie began gazing directly into her crystal ball and moving some trinkets as she reminisced. "An indomitable spirit surged through him, a trait he had from his father, prompted a desire to explore the world he had been distanced from for so long living with his mother in Monte Sorrento. The world of the circus held this enchanting lure to Marco who wanted to seek out where he was destined to be."

"Was Lorenzo pleased to see him?" Detective Black began to enquire. "Were Marco and Ralph aware of each other?"

"Marco had tentative hope for reconciliation with his estranged father Lorenzo, seeking a chance to build a connection and explore a possibility of joining his world." Madame Hattie began to soften her voice once more. "The response from his father wasn't what he had anticipated. Instead of a warm embrace or an open invitation, Lorenzo Ortiz was guarded, suspicious, almost cold."

His father's reluctance to warmly embrace the idea of Marco joining the circus at first or wanting to build a relationship left Marco somewhat disheartened and hurt. The complexities of this situation continued as Ralph, Marco's stepbrother was unaware of Marco's existence.

"It was Hilda," Madame Hattie revealed "she was insistent that Lorenzo did not tell Ralph that he had a stepbrother. Hilda, I believe was concerned any reference to a life before her, which included Rosa as well, was adamant it must be kept secret like it had never happened."

The potential addition to the circus line up of Marco ignited a greater resentment within Hilda, who created an atmosphere that erupted creating the start of an early rivalry between the stepbrothers. They were still unaware of their family ties. A few months had passed when Lorenzo informed his sons of the truth to their connection.

Shocked and stunned by this information at first their desire to compete for the spotlight was born. The thought for Ralph of now possibly sharing the spotlight, and potentially losing his prominence and future prospects, fuelled a palpable jealousy that had intensified the friction between the two.

"Marco was grappling with his feelings during the first few months he joined us." Madame Hattie was remembering "he was still feeling the abandonment and longing for a familial connection which was met with a lukewarm reception and some hostility. He was young and impressionable and was missing his mother deeply. His strained relationship with his father coupled with Hilda, who was not welcoming at all and an envious tension with Ralph forming, I decided to take him under my wing. A shadow was casting over Marco's aspirations to reconnect with his roots and carve his place within the circus that he was originally, the natural heir to the throne."

Almost a year had past but in the wake of still feeling ostracised from the Carnival of Curiosity, Marco's departure marked a significant shift in the dynamics within the troupe. With Marco's departure Ralph was once again left with an unchallenged path to inherit the mantle of the circus, securing his place as the heir apparent.