Chapter 15 - The Lowest Point
By Sunday morning, Khloe’s name was everywhere.
Some headlines called her a victim.
Others called the attack a staged confrontation between wealthy families.
Anonymous sources claimed Khloe had been emotionally unstable for months.
One article suggested Marcus intended to divorce her.
Another claimed the unborn child’s paternity had become a private dispute.
Khloe threw her phone across the room.
Marcus picked it up without speaking.
“They’re trying to break you before tonight.”
Khloe stared at him.
“They’re doing a good job.”
Marcus sat across from her.
“No.”
“You don’t get to tell me how this feels.”
“I know.”
“No, Marcus.”
Her voice remained controlled, which made the anger sharper.
“You lied about Isabella.”
“You deleted messages.”
“You hid that you were at her father’s house.”
“And now every person who wants to believe I’m some hysterical pregnant billionaire’s wife has exactly enough smoke to ignore the fire.”
Marcus lowered his eyes.
“You’re right.”
Khloe expected excuses.
He gave none.
“I made it easier for him to do this.”
“Yes.”
“I thought hiding ugly things would protect us.”
“It protected the ugly things.”
Marcus nodded.
Then he removed his wedding ring.
Khloe stared at him.
He placed it on the table between them.
“If you want me gone, I’ll go.”
She felt an unexpected ache.
“I don’t know what I want.”
“That’s fair.”
“I don’t know whether I can trust you.”
“That’s fair too.”
Marcus stood.
“But whether you stay married to me or not, I’m stopping him.”
He walked toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To the board.”
“They’re removing you tonight.”
“Then I’ll make sure they hear why.”
Khloe looked at the ring.
After he left, Gabriel entered.
He placed another report on the table.
Khloe barely looked at it.
“What now?”
“We lost the emergency motion.”
She turned.
“What?”
“The judge declined to dismiss Conrad’s petition before the board session.”
“So he controls my shares?”
“Not yet.”
“But if the board accepts the contingency clause tonight, he might.”
Khloe closed her eyes.
Everything had collapsed at once.
Her marriage.
Her privacy.
Her trust.
Her corporate control.
Then Gabriel said something even worse.
“Isabella changed her statement.”
Khloe looked up.
“What did she say?”
“She now claims Marcus knew Conrad planned to pressure you.”
Khloe stared at him.
“Is that true?”
“I don’t know.”
Marcus had already left.
His phone went unanswered.
For three hours, nobody could locate him.
At 4:20 p.m., security finally traced his car.
It was parked outside Thorne Tower.
Khloe watched news helicopters circle the building from her television.
Then a breaking-news banner appeared.
MARCUS THORNE ENTERS EMERGENCY BOARD MEETING ALONE.
Khloe felt something sink inside her.
Gabriel’s phone rang.
He listened.
Then looked toward Khloe.
“What?”
She demanded.
“Conrad just offered Marcus a deal.”
“What deal?”
Gabriel’s expression hardened.
“Marcus keeps his company.”
“And?”
“Conrad gets your shares.”
Khloe stared at the screen.
May you like
The boardroom doors closed.
And for the first time since the attack, she truly did not know which man Marcus would choose.
