CHAPTER 2: THE MAN WHO KNEW THE TRUTH
For three minutes, Isabella Rossi believed she was safe.
Three minutes was all she needed.
Three minutes to turn herself from the attacker into the victim.
Three minutes to make Marcus Thorne question the woman he loved.
And she almost succeeded.
Khloe was still lying on the cold marble floor, barely able to move.
Marcus rushed toward her.
“Khloe, look at me.”
His voice was shaking.
Not the voice of a billionaire.
Not the voice of a man who controlled companies worth billions of dollars.
Just a terrified husband.
Khloe slowly opened her eyes.
“Marcus…”
“I’m here.”
He carefully placed one hand behind her head.
“Don’t move. The doctors are coming.”
Khloe looked past him.
Straight at Isabella.
The woman who had tried to hurt her.
The woman now standing in the corner with tears running down her face.
“I didn’t do this,” Isabella whispered.
Marcus looked up.
“What?”
Isabella covered her mouth, pretending to be afraid.
“She came at me.”
Khloe’s eyes widened.
“What?”
Isabella shook her head.
“I know you won’t believe me, but she was angry.”
Her voice cracked.
“She accused me of trying to ruin her marriage.”
Marcus stared at her.
“Khloe would never attack someone.”
“I know.”
Isabella lowered her eyes.
“That’s why I’m so shocked.”
She took a shaky breath.
“She pushed me first.”
Khloe tried to sit up.
“No…”
Her voice was weak.
“She’s lying.”
Marcus immediately turned back to his wife.
“Khloe, don’t talk. Save your strength.”
But Khloe grabbed his sleeve.
“She did this.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Marcus, she pushed me.”
The room became painfully quiet.
Because now there were two stories.
Two women.
Two completely different versions of what happened.
And Isabella knew exactly how to make Marcus doubt.
“You see?”
Isabella whispered.
“She’s blaming me.”
She looked at Marcus with broken eyes.
“I understand. She’s your wife.”
A pause.
“You have to protect her.”
That sentence was carefully chosen.
Because Isabella knew Marcus.
She knew he hated unfairness.
She knew he searched for facts before making decisions.
And she knew doubt was the easiest weapon to use against someone who cared.
Marcus looked between them.
His jaw tightened.
“Security.”
The hospital staff rushed into the room.
A nurse immediately checked Khloe.
“Mrs. Thorne, can you hear me?”
Khloe nodded weakly.
“My stomach…”
The nurse’s expression changed.
“We need to take her to labor and delivery now.”
Marcus felt his heart drop.
“What?”
“She needs to be examined immediately.”
The words terrified him.
His baby.
His wife.
Both in danger.
As the nurses carefully moved Khloe onto the stretcher, Marcus stayed beside her.
“I’m not leaving you.”
Khloe reached for his hand.
“Marcus…”
“I’m here.”
The stretcher moved toward the door.
Then Khloe looked back.
At Isabella.
Their eyes met.
And Isabella smiled.
Just slightly.
A smile that said:
You still don’t have proof.
Khloe saw it.
And she knew.
This wasn’t over.
Not even close.
Twenty minutes later, the private hallway outside the maternity unit was filled with tension.
Marcus stood against the wall.
His hands were shaking.
For the first time in years, he felt completely powerless.
A doctor walked toward him.
“Mr. Thorne.”
Marcus immediately stepped forward.
“How is my wife?”
The doctor remained serious.
“We are monitoring her and the baby.”
Marcus swallowed.
“And?”
“The baby’s heartbeat is stable right now.”
Relief flashed across his face.
“But your wife suffered a serious impact.”
His expression hardened.
“What does that mean?”
“She needs to remain under observation.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
Then he whispered:
“Thank you.”
But before the doctor walked away, another voice interrupted.
“Marcus.”
He turned.
And froze.
Standing at the end of the hallway was a man in his sixties.
Tall.
Confident.
Cold.
A man who looked like he had spent his entire life winning battles.
“Uncle Victor?”
Victor Thorne walked closer.
His eyes immediately moved toward the hospital room.
Then back to Marcus.
“What happened?”
Marcus hesitated.
Victor noticed.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Before Marcus could answer, Isabella appeared behind them.
She had changed her expression again.
The frightened woman was back.
“Victor, I’m glad you’re here.”
Victor looked at her.
He didn’t say anything.
But his eyes narrowed.
Isabella noticed.
“What?”
Victor’s voice was calm.
“Nothing.”
A pause.
“Yet.”
Isabella forced a smile.
“I know this looks terrible.”
Victor looked at the hospital room.
“It does.”
She quickly continued.
“But Khloe attacked me.”
Silence.
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
Victor stared at Isabella.
“You’re saying my niece-in-law attacked you?”
“Yes.”
Without hesitation.
Victor slowly nodded.
“Interesting.”
Isabella frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I want to see the security footage.”
Her face changed.
Only for a second.
But Victor saw it.
Marcus saw it too.
Victor stepped closer.
“Every private hospital suite in this building has security cameras.”
Isabella’s breathing slowed.
“I’m sure the footage will prove exactly what happened.”
The confidence in her eyes disappeared.
Because for the first time that night…
Someone wasn’t accepting her story.
Someone wasn’t fooled by her tears.
Victor pulled out his phone.
“I already called the hospital director.”
Marcus looked at him.
“Already?”
Victor looked directly at Isabella.
“Yes.”
A cold silence followed.
“Because I know one thing.”
He paused.
“People who tell the truth don’t panic when cameras are mentioned.”
Isabella’s face turned pale.
And at that exact moment…
Her phone vibrated.
She looked down.
One message.
From an unknown number.
The words on the screen made her blood run cold.
I saw what you did.
And I have proof.
Isabella slowly looked around the hallway.
Someone was watching her.
Someone knew.
And for the first time that night…
Isabella Rossi was afraid.
Because the game she thought she controlled…
May you like
Had just turned against her.
TO BE CONTINUED...
