CHAPTER 11 — THE NIGHT THEY TOOK KHLOE
CHAPTER 11 — THE NIGHT THEY TOOK KHLOE
At 11:47 p.m., Marcus Thorne received two messages.
The first came from the hospital.
EMERGENCY BOARD VOTE SCHEDULED FOR 7:00 A.M.
The second contained only three words.
THEY TOOK HER.
Marcus stared at the screen.
For several seconds, he couldn't breathe.
Then he called the hospital.
No answer.
He called the security chief.
Nothing.
He called Daniel.
Straight to voicemail.
Marcus grabbed his coat and ran.
The hospital corridor was almost empty.
Too empty.
Marcus pushed through the emergency doors.
A nurse saw him and immediately froze.
“Mr. Thorne…”
“Where is my wife?”
The nurse's face changed.
“Which room?”
“Khloe Thorne.”
The nurse looked down.
Marcus already knew.
“Where is she?”
“I…”
“Where is my wife?”
The nurse finally whispered:
“She was transferred.”
“Transferred where?”
“We received authorization.”
“From whom?”
Silence.
Marcus's voice became dangerously calm.
“Who authorized it?”
The nurse looked terrified.
“A physician.”
“Name.”
“Dr. Adrian Vale.”
Marcus's blood ran cold.
“That doctor doesn't work here.”
The nurse stared at him.
“I know.”
Marcus ran toward Khloe's room.
The bed was empty.
The heart monitor was still running.
A blanket lay on the floor.
The IV line had been cut.
A syringe remained on the table.
Marcus picked it up.
His hand began shaking.
“Where is she?”
Daniel appeared at the end of the corridor.
Marcus turned.
“You.”
Daniel stopped.
“I was trying to reach you.”
Marcus walked toward him.
“Where is my wife?”
“I don't know.”
“You were supposed to protect her.”
“I know.”
“You were the one who told me the security system was secure.”
“It was.”
“Then how did they get inside?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Marcus grabbed his collar.
“Tell me.”
Daniel looked at him.
“They used your authorization.”
Marcus released him.
“What?”
“Someone cloned your biometric credentials.”
Marcus stared.
“Who?”
Daniel's voice dropped.
“Someone inside the company.”
At 12:05 a.m., every television inside Thorne Industries suddenly switched to the same broadcast.
The company's chairman appeared on screen.
But Marcus was not the chairman anymore.
The headline read:
THORNE INDUSTRIES FACES EMERGENCY CONTROL TRANSFER
A news anchor spoke rapidly.
“Following recent financial instability, several major shareholders have called for an emergency leadership change…”
Marcus stared at the screen.
Daniel looked at his phone.
His face turned white.
“What?”
“The board vote was moved forward.”
“To when?”
“Six hours.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“They planned this.”
Daniel nodded.
“Your wife's disappearance and the takeover are connected.”
Marcus looked at him.
“How?”
“Because the only thing stopping Victor from controlling the company is the trust.”
“And the trust?”
“Requires your approval.”
Marcus understood.
If he was forced to surrender control of the trust to rescue Khloe, Victor would gain the company.
If he refused, Khloe might never come home.
It was a perfect trap.
At 12:31 a.m., Marcus's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Where is she?”
Victor's voice came through.
“You're learning quickly.”
“Put Khloe on the phone.”
A pause.
Then he heard her voice.
“Marcus.”
He closed his eyes.
“Khloe.”
“Don't give him the trust.”
Marcus's heart tightened.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“I don't know.”
Victor took the phone.
“She is safe.”
“If you touch her—”
“You'll do what?”
Marcus said nothing.
Victor continued.
“At seven in the morning, your board will vote to transfer operational control of Thorne Industries.”
Marcus looked toward Daniel.
“Unless?”
“Unless you surrender the Legacy Trust.”
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“You want me to sign away the company.”
“No.”
Victor's voice became almost amused.
“I want you to admit that the company was never yours.”
The call ended.
Marcus stood motionless.
Daniel approached.
“You can't give him the trust.”
Marcus looked at him.
“My wife is missing.”
“I know.”
“He has her.”
“I know.”
“Then what do you expect me to do?”
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Fight.”
Marcus laughed.
“With what?”
“Evidence.”
“What evidence?”
Daniel reached inside his coat.
He pulled out a small encrypted drive.
“I stole this from Victor.”
Marcus stared.
“What is it?”
“Everything.”
They entered a private conference room.
Daniel connected the drive.
Thousands of files appeared.
Payments.
Emails.
Contracts.
Photographs.
Medical records.
Share transfers.
Marcus stared at the screen.
Then he saw a folder.
PROJECT KHLOE.
He opened it.
The first document was dated three years earlier.
SUBJECT: KHLOE RIVERS
Marcus froze.
Her maiden name.
The report continued.
OBJECTIVE: MONITOR AND CONTAIN.
Another file.
MARRIAGE CONTINGENCY.
Another.
IF SUBJECT MARRIES MARCUS THORNE — ACTIVATE PLAN B.
Marcus scrolled faster.
Then stopped.
The final document contained a sentence that made his stomach turn.
The subject must never discover her connection to the original trust.
Marcus whispered:
“Connection?”
Daniel looked at him.
“We need to find out what that means.”
Marcus opened another file.
A family tree appeared.
His grandfather.
His father.
Victor Hale.
And then a name he had never seen before.
Evelyn Rivers.
Khloe's mother.
The document connected her directly to the original Thorne trust.
Marcus stared.
“My grandfather didn't create the trust alone.”
Daniel nodded.
“No.”
“Khloe's mother helped create it.”
“Yes.”
Marcus leaned back.
“And Victor knew.”
Daniel looked at him.
“That's why he wants her.”
At 1:42 a.m., Khloe woke inside a dark room.
Her wrists were free.
Her stomach hurt.
She looked around.
A single lamp illuminated the room.
Victor sat across from her.
“You're awake.”
Khloe stared.
“Why am I here?”
“You already know.”
“The trust.”
Victor smiled.
“Not exactly.”
“What do you want from me?”
“Your mother left something.”
Khloe's heart stopped.
“What?”
“A key.”
“I don't have it.”
Victor leaned forward.
“You do.”
“No.”
“Your mother gave it to you before she died.”
Khloe shook her head.
“I don't remember.”
“You were young.”
“I was twenty-four.”
“You were grieving.”
Khloe stared at him.
Victor continued.
“She told you never to open the blue box.”
Khloe's face changed.
The blue box.
She remembered.
It had been in her mother's bedroom.
She had kept it for years.
She had never opened it.
Because her mother had told her:
When the time comes, you'll know.
Victor smiled.
“You finally remember.”
Khloe whispered:
“Where is it?”
Victor's expression hardened.
“You tell me.”
“I don't have it.”
“You're lying.”
“No.”
Victor stood.
“Then Marcus will lose everything.”
Khloe looked at him.
“You're threatening my husband.”
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“I'm threatening the man who thinks he can save you.”
At 2:17 a.m., Marcus made his decision.
Daniel stood across from him.
“You can't do both.”
Marcus looked at the city through the window.
“What?”
“Save the company and rescue Khloe.”
Marcus remained silent.
“Victor has designed this so you must choose.”
Marcus finally turned.
“No.”
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
“I refuse.”
“To choose?”
“To accept the choice.”
Daniel stared at him.
Marcus picked up the encrypted drive.
“Victor wants me to believe Khloe and the company are separate.”
“They aren't.”
“Exactly.”
Marcus pointed to the documents.
“He needs Khloe alive because she has something connected to the trust.”
Daniel nodded.
“And he needs me to surrender the trust because the board is about to seize the company.”
Marcus's eyes hardened.
“So we stop both.”
“How?”
Marcus looked at him.
“By letting Victor think he has won.”
At 3:03 a.m., Marcus sent Victor a message.
I'll sign.
Victor replied almost instantly.
Good.
But I want proof Khloe is alive.
A video arrived.
Khloe sat inside the room.
She looked directly into the camera.
“Marcus…”
She paused.
“I love you.”
Marcus watched silently.
Then Khloe said something Victor clearly hadn't expected.
“Remember the blue box.”
The video ended.
Marcus stared at the screen.
Daniel looked confused.
“What blue box?”
Marcus stood.
“Something her mother left her.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“Then we find it.”
At 3:41 a.m., Daniel located the address.
An old storage unit registered under Khloe's mother.
They drove there immediately.
The unit was almost empty.
Old furniture.
Boxes.
Photographs.
Books.
And one blue metal box.
Marcus picked it up.
It was locked.
Daniel found a key taped beneath the bottom.
Marcus opened it.
Inside was a letter.
A photograph.
And a small black card.
The photograph showed Khloe's mother standing beside Marcus's grandfather.
But there was someone else.
A baby.
Marcus stared.
“Who's the child?”
Daniel looked closer.
Then his face changed.
“That…”
“What?”
“That child is Victor Hale.”
Marcus froze.
“What?”
Daniel pointed to the photograph.
“He was born into the Thorne family.”
Marcus stared at the image.
The impossible suddenly became possible.
Victor wasn't an outsider.
He wasn't merely an employee.
He wasn't just an old rival.
He had been connected to the Thorne bloodline.
And the letter explained everything.
Marcus opened it.
The first sentence read:
If Victor ever comes for Khloe, do not trust anyone who tells you the trust belongs to the Thorne men.
Marcus continued reading.
His face grew paler with every line.
Then he reached the final paragraph.
The true beneficiary is not Victor.
It is my daughter.
Khloe.
Marcus looked up.
Daniel whispered:
“That's why he took her.”
Marcus nodded.
“And that's why the board wants control.”
He folded the letter.
“Khloe is the trust.”
At 4:25 a.m., Victor received a message.
Marcus has discovered the blue box.
Victor stared at the screen.
For the first time in twenty-three years, fear crossed his face.
He immediately called Adrian.
“Move her.”
Adrian hesitated.
“Where?”
“Somewhere Marcus cannot find her.”
“And the trust?”
“Forget the trust.”
Adrian froze.
“What?”
Victor's voice became urgent.
“The girl is more important.”
At 4:37 a.m., Marcus's phone rang.
Victor.
“You found it.”
Marcus smiled coldly.
“Yes.”
“You don't understand what you've found.”
“I understand enough.”
“No.”
Victor's voice cracked.
“You have no idea who Khloe really is.”
Marcus looked at the photograph.
“She is my wife.”
Victor said nothing.
“She is the rightful beneficiary.”
Silence.
Marcus continued.
“And you have spent twenty-three years trying to erase her.”
Victor finally spoke.
“She was never supposed to survive.”
Marcus's expression hardened.
“You should have thought about that before you kidnapped her.”
“You think you can save her?”
“I will.”
“You think you can save your company?”
“I will.”
“You can't do both.”
Marcus looked at Daniel.
Then at the documents.
Then at the photograph of Khloe.
“Yes,” he said.
“I can.”
He ended the call.
At exactly 6:00 a.m., Marcus arrived at the Thorne Industries headquarters.
The board was waiting.
Investors were waiting.
Lawyers were waiting.
The takeover vote was ready.
Daniel stood beside Marcus.
The chairman's seat was empty.
An executive stood.
“Mr. Thorne, the board is prepared to vote.”
Marcus walked into the room.
He placed the blue box on the table.
Then the trust documents.
Then the encrypted drive.
The room went silent.
“I know about the takeover.”
Several board members exchanged looks.
“I know about Victor Hale.”
Silence.
“I know about the surveillance.”
More silence.
“And I know someone inside this company betrayed me.”
Daniel looked down.
Marcus continued.
“But you made one mistake.”
He opened the blue box.
“You assumed I would choose between my wife and this company.”
He smiled.
“You were wrong.”
The doors behind him suddenly opened.
Federal investigators entered.
The board erupted.
Marcus looked toward the stunned executives.
“The choice isn't between Khloe and Thorne Industries.”
He held up the evidence.
“The choice is between the people who built this empire honestly…”
“And the people who tried to steal it.”
His phone vibrated.
A message.
WE FOUND HER.
Marcus's heart stopped.
He opened it.
A photograph appeared.
Khloe.
Alive.
But standing beside her was someone Marcus never expected to see.
His father.
Impossible.
Because his father had been dead for six years.
Marcus stared at the photograph.
His face went completely pale.
Then another message arrived.
He's alive.
And he's the one who ordered Khloe's disappearance three years ago.
Marcus looked up.
The boardroom disappeared around him.
Because Victor Hale had never been the final enemy.
The man behind everything…
had been Marcus's own father.
May you like
And if the message was true, the greatest betrayal in the history of the Thorne family had only just begun.
TO BE CONTINUED…
