CHAPTER 3: THE FOOTAGE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Isabella Rossi stared at the message on her phone.
I saw what you did.
And I have proof.
For the first time that night, her confidence disappeared.
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
The hallway suddenly felt colder.
The expensive hospital lights that once made everything look elegant now felt like interrogation lights.
Someone knew.
Someone had seen everything.
But who?
Isabella slowly looked around.
Doctors walked past.
Nurses checked charts.
Visitors sat quietly in the waiting area.
Everyone looked normal.
Everyone looked harmless.
And that scared her more.
Because whoever sent that message wasn’t afraid.
They were close.
Very close.
“Isabella?”
Marcus’s voice pulled her back.
She quickly locked her phone.
“What?”
Marcus studied her face.
“You okay?”
She forced a small smile.
“Yes. I’m just shaken.”
Victor Thorne watched her carefully.
He had spent forty years building companies, negotiating impossible deals, and recognizing danger before anyone else.
And right now…
Everything about Isabella screamed danger.
“Where were you before you came into the room?” Victor asked.
Isabella blinked.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
She smiled nervously.
“I was downstairs at the gala.”
Victor didn’t look away.
“For how long?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s interesting.”
Her expression changed.
“Why?”
“Because everyone remembers where they were when something terrible happens.”
Victor stepped closer.
“Especially when they’re innocent.”
The silence between them became uncomfortable.
Marcus looked at his uncle.
“Victor.”
But Victor raised his hand.
“No.”
His eyes remained on Isabella.
“Something doesn’t feel right.”
Isabella crossed her arms.
“I can’t believe this.”
Her voice became emotional.
“After everything that happened, you’re questioning me?”
She looked at Marcus.
“Your wife attacked me, and somehow I’m the one being treated like a criminal?”
Marcus didn’t answer immediately.
And that hesitation hurt her.
Because Isabella noticed.
She noticed everything.
The doubt.
The uncertainty.
The small crack she could still use.
She walked closer to Marcus.
“I thought you knew me better than this.”
Marcus looked at her.
“I want the truth.”
Those words hit her harder than an accusation.
Because Marcus had always been fair.
He had always searched for facts.
And now facts were coming.
Fast.
Inside the maternity room, Khloe slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was the ceiling.
The second thing she felt was the pain.
She immediately reached for her stomach.
“My baby…”
A nurse rushed over.
“Mrs. Thorne, please stay still.”
“Is my baby okay?”
The nurse smiled gently.
“The heartbeat is strong.”
A tear rolled down Khloe’s cheek.
Relief.
Pure relief.
But then the memories returned.
The red dress.
The cold eyes.
The shove.
The pain.
Isabella.
The door opened.
Marcus walked inside.
The moment Khloe saw him, she broke.
Not from pain.
From everything she had been holding back.
“I thought I lost my baby.”
Marcus rushed to her side.
“No.”
He held her hand.
“No, Khloe. You’re both okay.”
She looked into his eyes.
“Did you believe her?”
Marcus froze.
Khloe’s voice became quieter.
“When you saw us…”
A pause.
“Did you think I did something to her?”
Marcus looked away.
And that was enough.
Khloe’s eyes filled with disappointment.
“Marcus.”
“I didn’t know what to think.”
The honesty hurt.
But it was better than a lie.
“She was crying. She looked scared.”
Khloe swallowed.
“She was pretending.”
“I know.”
Marcus looked back at her.
“I know now.”
Khloe stared at him.
“What changed?”
Before Marcus could answer…
The door opened.
Victor walked in holding a tablet.
His expression was different.
Serious.
Certain.
“Because we have the answer.”
Khloe immediately looked at him.
“What happened?”
Victor placed the tablet on the table.
“The hospital gave us access to the security footage.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“Already?”
Victor nodded.
“Yes.”
Khloe’s heart started racing.
“Did you watch it?”
Victor looked at her.
“Yes.”
A long silence followed.
Then Victor said the words everyone needed to hear.
“Isabella Rossi lied.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
A mixture of anger and disbelief crossed his face.
“Show me.”
Victor pressed play.
The video appeared.
The hospital suite.
The perfect angle.
No blind spots.
No excuses.
And then…
Isabella entering the room.
Her calm expression.
Her confident steps.
Her confrontation with Khloe.
Every word.
Every movement.
Every moment.
The room became silent as they watched.
Then came the attack.
The shove.
The impact.
The second attack.
The kick.
Marcus’s face changed.
The man who had remained calm through billion-dollar lawsuits and business wars looked completely broken.
Because he saw the truth.
His wife had been telling the truth.
And the woman who tried to destroy her had been lying from the beginning.
When the video ended, nobody spoke.
Then Marcus whispered:
“She hurt my wife.”
Victor nodded.
“And your child.”
Marcus looked at the screen.
His hands slowly formed fists.
“She thought she could get away with this.”
Victor looked toward the door.
“No.”
A pause.
“She thought she was smarter than everyone else.”
Victor picked up his phone.
“But she forgot one thing.”
“What?”
Victor’s eyes became cold.
“She left evidence.”
At the same time, Isabella sat alone in a private hospital lounge.
She had received no updates.
No calls.
No reassurance.
Only silence.
And silence was dangerous.
She opened her phone again.
The unknown number had sent another message.
This time, there was an attachment.
A photo.
Isabella clicked it.
Her face immediately turned pale.
It was a picture of the hospital security room.
And underneath it was one sentence:
You are not the only one who knows how to play games.
Her breathing became faster.
Someone wasn’t just threatening her.
Someone was hunting her.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She stared at the screen.
For several seconds, she considered ignoring it.
But curiosity won.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A man’s voice came through.
Calm.
Cold.
Familiar.
“Isabella Rossi.”
She stood up.
“Who is this?”
The voice laughed softly.
“The person who knows every lie you’ve ever told.”
Her heart stopped.
“What do you want?”
The man paused.
“I want you to remember something.”
“What?”
“You didn’t just attack Khloe Thorne tonight.”
Silence.
“You attacked the wrong family.”
The call ended.
Isabella slowly lowered the phone.
And for the first time…
She realized the truth.
Khloe Thorne was not the woman she needed to fear.
The people standing behind Khloe were far more dangerous.
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And they were coming for her.
TO BE CONTINUED...
