CHAPTER 4: THE SECRET BEHIND ISABELLA ROSSI
Isabella Rossi had spent her entire life believing one thing.
Money could solve anything.
A perfect dress could hide anything.
A beautiful smile could convince anyone.
And a carefully prepared lie could destroy anyone who stood in her way.
But that night, sitting alone in the hospital lounge, she finally understood something terrifying.
Some people could not be bought.
Some people could not be manipulated.
And some secrets were too dangerous to bury.
The phone call kept replaying in her head.
You attacked the wrong family.
Isabella gripped the edge of the table.
“Who are you?”
She whispered to the empty room.
No answer came.
Only silence.
The kind of silence that made fear grow.
She quickly stood up and looked around.
The hospital lounge was almost empty.
A security guard stood near the entrance.
A nurse walked past.
Nobody looked suspicious.
But Isabella knew someone was watching.
She could feel it.
Her phone suddenly vibrated again.
Another message.
This time, only three words.
Check your email.
Her heart sank.
Slowly, she opened her email.
There was one new message.
No name.
No address.
Only an attachment.
A file.
Her hands trembled as she opened it.
The first image appeared.
A photograph of Isabella.
Years younger.
Standing outside a law office.
The second image appeared.
A document.
A signed agreement.
The third image appeared.
A bank transfer.
Large amounts of money.
Sent to someone named:
Dr. Samuel Hayes.
Isabella stopped breathing.
“No…”
Her voice became barely audible.
She immediately closed the file.
But it was too late.
The memories came rushing back.
The secret she had spent years protecting.
The secret nobody was supposed to discover.
Across the hospital, Marcus Thorne sat beside Khloe’s bed.
He had not moved for almost an hour.
He held her hand tightly.
“I’m sorry.”
Khloe looked at him.
“Marcus…”
“I should have believed you immediately.”
She stayed quiet.
Because the pain wasn’t only physical.
It was emotional.
For a moment, she had been lying on that floor wondering if the man she loved would believe a stranger over her.
“I wasn’t asking you to choose me without proof,” Khloe said softly.
Marcus lowered his eyes.
“I know.”
“I just needed you to know me.”
That sentence hurt more than anything.
Because she was right.
He knew her.
Or at least he thought he did.
“I failed you tonight.”
Khloe squeezed his hand.
“You were confused.”
“No.”
Marcus shook his head.
“I was supposed to protect you.”
A tear slipped from his eye.
“And I wasn’t there when you needed me.”
Khloe looked away.
She had forgiven him.
But forgiveness did not erase fear.
Then the door opened.
Victor entered.
His expression was serious.
“We have a problem.”
Marcus immediately stood.
“What happened?”
Victor looked at Khloe.
“Isabella may not have acted alone.”
The room became silent.
Khloe frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Victor placed a folder on the table.
“She planned this.”
Marcus opened the folder.
Inside were printed documents.
Hospital visitor records.
Phone records.
Financial transactions.
Victor continued.
“For three weeks, Isabella has been researching Khloe’s schedule.”
Marcus’s expression darkened.
“What?”
“She knew about the gala. She knew you would leave the suite for several minutes. She knew security would be reduced during the event.”
Khloe’s face went pale.
“She planned everything.”
Victor nodded.
“Yes.”
Marcus looked furious.
“But why?”
Victor hesitated.
And that hesitation worried everyone.
“What?”
Victor looked at Marcus.
“Because this may not only be about jealousy.”
He opened another document.
“This is a transfer record.”
Marcus looked down.
His eyes narrowed.
The name on the document made him freeze.
Thorne Holdings.
A payment had been made.
From a hidden account.
To someone connected with Isabella.
Marcus looked up.
“She was after my company?”
Victor didn’t answer immediately.
But his silence said enough.
Meanwhile, Isabella was walking quickly through the underground parking garage.
She needed to leave.
She needed to think.
She needed control.
But as she reached her car, she stopped.
A man was standing beside it.
Waiting.
Isabella froze.
“Who are you?”
The man turned around.
He was older.
Gray hair.
Calm eyes.
The kind of eyes that had seen too much.
“Hello, Isabella.”
Her face changed.
Because she recognized him.
“No…”
The man smiled.
“Yes.”
She stepped backward.
“You’re supposed to be gone.”
The man laughed.
“That’s what you told everyone.”
Her breathing became uneven.
“What do you want?”
He slowly walked closer.
“I want what you took.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do.”
His voice became colder.
“You destroyed one family years ago.”
A pause.
“And now you tried to destroy another.”
Isabella’s face turned pale.
“You have no proof.”
The man smiled.
“Actually…”
He lifted a small device.
“I have everything.”
Isabella stared at it.
“What is that?”
“A copy of the original recording.”
Her heart dropped.
“What recording?”
The man stepped closer.
“The one that proves you lied about what happened to Marcus’s father.”
The world seemed to stop.
Because Isabella knew exactly what he meant.
A secret from fifteen years ago.
A secret connected to the Thorne fortune.
A secret that could destroy more than her reputation.
It could send her to prison.
She whispered:
“Who sent you?”
The man looked toward the hospital building.
“Someone who finally decided your time was over.”
Back inside the hospital, Marcus received a message.
Unknown number.
One sentence.
You think Isabella Rossi is your biggest enemy.
Another message appeared.
She isn’t.
Marcus stared at the screen.
Then came the final message.
Ask your uncle what really happened the night your father died.
Marcus slowly looked toward Victor.
His face changed.
“Uncle…”
Victor turned.
“What?”
Marcus held up the phone.
“Why would someone tell me to ask you about my father’s death?”
The room went completely silent.
Victor’s expression changed.
Not fear.
Not surprise.
Something worse.
Regret.
And Khloe immediately realized something.
There was another secret.
A secret Marcus had never known.
Victor looked at them both.
Then quietly said:
“Because the story you were told about your father…”
A pause.
May you like
“Was a lie.”
TO BE CONTINUED...
