Chapter 10 - Marcus Remembers the Night
“I was there.”
Khloe felt something inside her break.
Marcus did not deny it.
He did not hesitate.
He simply stood beside the window and repeated the words.
“I was there.”
Gabriel shut the door.
“When?”
“The night Lorenzo died.”
Khloe stared at him.
“You told me you were in London when Isabella’s father died.”
“I thought I was protecting someone.”
“Who?”
“My mother.”
Marcus sat down.
For the first time since the attack, he looked less like a billionaire and more like a frightened son remembering something he had spent years forcing himself to forget.
“Isabella called me.”
His voice was quiet.
“She was crying.”
“She said her father had discovered something and had locked himself in his study.”
Marcus swallowed.
“She begged me to come.”
Khloe waited.
“I went.”
“What did you find?”
“Lorenzo was alive when I arrived.”
Gabriel moved closer.
“You saw him?”
“Yes.”
“He was angry.”
“He kept saying my father had betrayed everyone.”
Marcus rubbed his hands together.
“He showed me a folder.”
“What was inside?”
“Bank records.”
“The shell companies?”
“I didn’t understand them then.”
“What happened next?”
Marcus looked at the floor.
“My mother arrived.”
Khloe frowned.
“Margaret?”
“Yes.”
“She and Lorenzo argued.”
“About what?”
“I couldn’t hear everything.”
“But I heard my father’s name.”
“And Northstar.”
Gabriel and Khloe exchanged a look.
Marcus continued.
“Lorenzo told my mother that if Conrad didn’t stop the Atlas plan, he would go to federal investigators.”
Khloe’s eyes widened.
“Atlas existed eight years ago?”
“Not as the company it is now.”
Gabriel understood.
“The acquisition strategy was planned years ago.”
Marcus nodded.
“Then Lorenzo told me to leave.”
“I did.”
“An hour later, Isabella called.”
“Her father was dead.”
Khloe could barely breathe.
“And you never told police you were there?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because my mother begged me not to.”
Marcus’s voice cracked.
“She said Lorenzo had collapsed after I left.”
“She said if anyone knew I had been there, Isabella’s family would accuse me.”
Gabriel’s expression hardened.
“And you believed her.”
“I was twenty-eight.”
“That isn’t an excuse.”
“I know.”
Khloe closed her eyes.
For weeks, she had felt Isabella humiliating her.
For hours, she had believed the story centered on jealousy.
Now it involved hidden accounts, a dead financier, Conrad, Margaret, Silas, and Marcus himself.
Khloe finally agreed to see Isabella.
The meeting took place through reinforced glass.
Isabella sat on one side.
Khloe sat on the other.
Marcus watched from another room.
Isabella picked up the phone.
Khloe did the same.
“You knew Marcus was there.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell the police eight years ago?”
“My mother told me Marcus killed him.”
Khloe froze.
“Did you believe her?”
“For years.”
“And now?”
Isabella stared at her.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because three months ago, my mother died.”
Khloe waited.
Isabella’s eyes filled with tears for the first time that did not look rehearsed.
“She left me a recording.”
“What recording?”
“One she made the night my father died.”
Khloe’s heart pounded.
“Where is it?”
Isabella leaned closer to the glass.
“Conrad has been searching for it ever since.”
“Do you have it?”
Isabella smiled faintly.
“No.”
Khloe’s hope collapsed.
May you like
Then Isabella added one final sentence.
“But I know who does.”
