“The person said if we wanted our child alive, we had to stop searching for Sofia.”
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.”
“But Daniel never mentioned the baby.”
“No.”
“He never threatened the baby again.”
Marcus understood.
“He was testing us.”
“Exactly.”
Khloe looked at the documents spread across the table.
“He wanted to know how much we knew.”
“And when he realized we were close…”
“He attacked the company.”
Marcus stared at her.
“You think the company takeover was a distraction?”
“Yes.”
The answer came instantly.
Marcus studied her.
“What is he really after?”
Khloe looked at the contract.
At the inheritance agreement.
At her mother’s letter.
Then she said:
“Me.”
A cold silence.
Marcus immediately shook his head.
“No.”
“Marcus.”
“No.”
“I’m serious.”
“No.”
His voice became harder.
“I lost my company.”
“I lost my position.”
“I can rebuild.”
“But I will not lose you.”
Khloe looked at him.
And for the first time that night…
Her expression softened.
“Marcus.”
“What?”
“You finally said the right thing.”
He looked confused.
“What?”
“You said you won’t lose me.”
A pause.
“Not that you won’t lose your empire.”
Marcus looked down.
Because she was right.
For years, his identity had been connected to Thorne Global Holdings.
The company.
The name.
The power.
But now…
The only thing he truly feared losing was her.
Then Alexander entered the room.
His expression was serious.
“We have a problem.”
Marcus immediately stood.
“What happened?”
“Daniel called.”
Everyone froze.
Khloe looked at him.
“Why?”
Alexander placed a tablet on the table.
“He wants a meeting.”
Marcus frowned.
“Where?”
“Thorne headquarters.”
“No.”
Alexander nodded.
“I agree.”
Marcus looked at the tablet.
“Then why tell me?”
“Because he gave us a deadline.”
The room became quiet.
“What deadline?”
Alexander looked at Khloe.
“Seventy-two hours.”
Marcus’s expression darkened.
“For what?”
“To surrender.”
A silence.
“Meaning?”
Alexander looked at the documents.
“Daniel wants Khloe to sign the original inheritance transfer.”
Marcus immediately rejected it.
“Absolutely not.”
Khloe looked at Alexander.
“If I sign…”
“You give him legal control of the entire Thorne empire.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“No.”
Khloe looked at him.
“And if I don’t?”
Alexander hesitated.
“That is the part we don’t know.”
Marcus’s face changed.
“What does that mean?”
Alexander looked at the tablet.
“Daniel sent another message.”
He opened it.
A video appeared.
Daniel Thorne.
Sitting behind Marcus’s old desk.
The same office Marcus had used for years.
The same chair.
The same view.
Daniel smiled.
“Hello, Marcus.”
The arrogance in his voice was obvious.
“I know you are watching this.”
Marcus stared at the screen.
Daniel continued.
“You always believed you were different from me.”
“You believed you were better.”
A small smile.
“But we are the same.”
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“No.”
Daniel continued.
“We both want to protect our family.”
“But only one of us understands sacrifice.”
Khloe watched carefully.
Daniel leaned closer.
“Khloe.”
Her expression changed.
“You don’t know me.”
Daniel smiled.
“But I know you.”
“I know about your mother.”
“I know about the contract.”
“I know about the child.”
Marcus stepped closer to the screen.
“Stay away from my wife.”
Daniel laughed.
“There he is.”
“The hero.”
“The protector.”
“Always saving someone.”
His expression changed.
“But tell me something, brother.”
“Who saved Sofia?”
Marcus froze.
The question hit him.
Daniel continued.
“Nobody.”
“Not Claire.”
“Not you.”
“Not Isabella.”
“Not even herself.”
A pause.
“And that is why I am going to finish what our father started.”
The video changed.
A document appeared.
A legal agreement.
Marcus recognized it.
His face turned pale.
“No…”
Khloe looked at him.
“What?”
Marcus whispered:
“That’s the original contract.”
The inheritance agreement.
The real one.
Daniel continued:
“In seventy-two hours…”
“Khloe Thorne will sign away her rights.”
“Or the world will learn what really happened to Sofia Bellini.”
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Because Daniel had revealed his strongest weapon.
Not money.
Not the company.
Not power.
The truth.
Marcus looked at Alexander.
“Can we stop him?”
Alexander was silent.
Too silent.
Finally he answered.
“Yes.”
A pause.
“But we need something.”
“What?”
“The original evidence.”
Marcus looked at him.
“Sofia’s files.”
Alexander nodded.
“The one thing Daniel has been searching for.”
Khloe looked at the old letter from her mother.
“And where is it?”
Nobody answered.
Until Claire spoke from the doorway.
“I know where Sofia hid it.”
Everyone turned.
Claire walked inside.
Her face was serious.
“But there is a problem.”
Marcus looked at her.
“What?”
Claire looked at Khloe.
“The evidence is not hidden somewhere.”
A pause.
“It is hidden inside someone.”
Khloe felt a chill.
“Who?”
Claire looked at her daughter.
“You.”
Nobody spoke.
Khloe stared.
“That’s impossible.”
Claire shook her head.
“No.”
“It is exactly what I planned.”
Marcus looked shocked.
“Claire, explain.”
Claire stepped closer.
“Sofia knew Richard would search everywhere.”
