Chapter 7 - THE HUSBAND AT HER BEDSIDE
Khloe’s face went blank when she saw Richard.
He placed white roses on the table as if he were visiting after a minor accident.
“My love,” he said softly.
Harrison stepped between them. “Get out.”
Richard ignored him. “Khloe, Vanessa is surrendering. She attacked you. I’m going to make sure she pays.”
Khloe stared at him. “You didn’t come down the stairs.”
Richard’s expression flickered.
“What?”
“I remember falling.” Her voice was weak but clear. “I remember looking up. You were standing there.”
“I was in shock.”
“You looked at her.”
Harrison watched the lie form behind Richard’s eyes.
“Khloe, you suffered severe trauma. Memory can be unreliable.”
“Get out,” she whispered.
Richard’s smile disappeared.
He leaned closer. “We should talk privately about the baby and the divorce.”
Harrison pressed the nurse-call button. “You heard her.”
Two security officers arrived. Richard allowed himself to be escorted out, but before leaving he looked at Khloe.
“You don’t know everything your brother has done.”
The door closed.
Khloe turned toward Harrison. “The prenup.”
“It’s forged.”
“Your signature is there.”
“Copied from the corrected version. I have the original email chain and metadata.”
She studied him for a long moment.
Then she reached for his bleeding hand.
“I believe you.”
Harrison’s composure finally cracked. He bowed his head over her fingers.
“I should have protected you sooner.”
“You did. You told me not to go back.”
“But you went to the courthouse alone.”
“I thought I was signing temporary support papers. Richard changed the hearing.”
Her eyes sharpened. “And Vanessa knew I had the cloud files.”
“What happened before the push?”
Khloe closed her eyes, forcing herself to remember.
“She demanded my phone. She said Richard promised her the penthouse and custody of the baby.”
“Custody?”
“She said they needed my daughter to secure the Cole family trust.”
Harrison felt the room tilt.
Their late father’s trust transferred controlling voting rights to the first grandchild of either sibling. Khloe’s baby would inherit shares worth hundreds of millions.
Richard had not merely planned a divorce.
He had planned to control the child.
Khloe gripped Harrison’s wrist. “Harry, the trust documents are in my safe deposit box.”
“Which bank?”
“First Commonwealth.”
Harrison called his office.
His chief investigator answered with panic in his voice.
“Someone accessed Khloe’s box twenty minutes ago.”
“Who?”
May you like
A pause.
“Your mother.”
