Chapter 10 — The Woman Who Tried to Take Khloe’s Place
Chapter 10 — The Woman Who Tried to Take Khloe’s Place
Marcus did not sleep that night.
He sat beside Khloe's hospital bed with his hands clasped together, staring at the city lights beyond the window.
Every few minutes, he looked at his wife.
Then at her stomach.
Then at the phone in his hand.
Sofia's voice wouldn't leave his mind.
She looks like you.
I think she's your sister.
There were too many secrets.
Too many lies.
Too many people who seemed to know the truth before he did.
And somewhere in the middle of it all was a woman who looked like him.
A woman who might be his sister.
A woman who had been hidden for years.
At 4:17 a.m., Khloe opened her eyes.
“Marcus?”
He immediately looked up.
“I'm here.”
She studied his face.
“You look terrified.”
He forced a smile.
“I'm fine.”
“You're a terrible liar.”
He reached for her hand.
“I have something to tell you.”
Khloe squeezed his fingers.
“Tell me.”
Marcus hesitated.
Then he showed her the phone.
“She called me.”
“Who?”
“Sofia.”
Khloe frowned.
“Isabella's daughter?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
“She said she's being held somewhere.”
Khloe's eyes widened.
“By who?”
“We don't know.”
“What else?”
Marcus stared at the floor.
“She said there was a photograph of my family.”
Khloe waited.
“She said there was a woman in it.”
“What woman?”
“She said the woman looked like me.”
Khloe's expression changed.
“Your sister?”
“She thinks so.”
Silence.
Then Khloe asked:
“Do you believe her?”
“I don't know.”
“Then find out.”
Marcus looked at her.
“You aren't afraid?”
“Of course I am.”
She placed his hand over her stomach.
“But fear doesn't make the truth disappear.”
Marcus kissed her fingers.
“I love you.”
“I know.”
“And none of this changes that.”
Khloe smiled faintly.
“Then don't let them convince you otherwise.”
At 7:30 a.m., Marcus left the hospital.
Nathan followed him.
“Where are we going?”
“To see my father.”
Nathan frowned.
“Your father is dead.”
“Not his grave.”
Marcus held up a photograph.
“His old office.”
The building had been closed for twelve years.
No employees.
No security.
No business.
Yet the moment Marcus entered, he felt as though the place had been waiting for him.
Dust covered the furniture.
The walls were empty.
A single desk remained.
His father's desk.
Marcus walked toward it.
Nathan stayed behind.
“What are you looking for?”
“I don't know.”
Marcus ran his fingers along the wood.
Then stopped.
There was a small scratch beneath the desk.
A symbol.
A triangle crossed by a line.
Nathan stared.
“What is that?”
“I've seen it before.”
“Where?”
“In the trust documents.”
Marcus knelt.
He pressed the symbol.
Nothing happened.
Then he pressed it again.
A hidden drawer opened.
Inside was a photograph.
Marcus pulled it out.
His father stood beside two women.
One was Evelyn.
The other was a young woman.
She looked almost exactly like Marcus.
Nathan stared.
“That's her.”
Marcus couldn't speak.
On the back of the photograph was a name.
ELENA THORNE.
And beneath it:
DO NOT LET HER FIND MARCUS.
Marcus's hands trembled.
“She knew about me.”
Nathan nodded.
“Or someone wanted you to believe she did.”
Marcus looked at him.
“What are you suggesting?”
“That someone may have created this entire story to manipulate you.”
Marcus frowned.
“Why?”
“Because whoever controls Elena can control you.”
A sound came from the hallway.
Both men turned.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Marcus reached for the concealed weapon beneath his jacket.
The door opened.
A woman stepped inside.
Marcus froze.
She had his eyes.
His jawline.
His father's expression.
She looked at him for several seconds.
Then whispered:
“Marcus.”
He lowered his weapon.
“Elena?”
She nodded.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I've been waiting twelve years to meet you.”
Elena looked nothing like the woman Marcus had imagined.
She wasn't dangerous.
She wasn't cold.
She looked exhausted.
Like someone who had spent years running.
Marcus couldn't move.
“You're my sister.”
“Yes.”
“Biologically?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Elena looked at Nathan.
“Can we speak alone?”
“No.”
Marcus's answer was immediate.
Nathan stayed.
Elena nodded.
“Fair.”
She walked toward the old desk.
“I was born before you.”
“When?”
“Three years.”
Marcus stared.
“Why didn't I know?”
“Because your father gave me away.”
The words hit him hard.
“Gave you away?”
“To protect me.”
“From who?”
“My mother.”
Marcus frowned.
“Evelyn?”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Elena looked at him.
“Isabella Rossi.”
Marcus froze.
Nathan stepped forward.
“That can't be.”
Elena smiled sadly.
“Why?”
“Isabella's daughter is Sofia.”
“Yes.”
“Then who are you?”
Elena took a breath.
“I am Sofia's half-sister.”
Marcus stared.
The room seemed to tilt.
“Isabella had two daughters.”
“Yes.”
“Why did she give you away?”
“She didn't.”
“Then who did?”
Elena's voice became quiet.
“David.”
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“David took you?”
“He paid someone to hide me.”
“Why?”
“Because my existence threatened the trust.”
Marcus shook his head.
“How?”
Elena reached into her coat.
She pulled out a document.
“This is my birth certificate.”
Marcus read it.
Mother:
Isabella Rossi.
Father:
Unknown.
Marcus looked up.
“Who is my father?”
Elena stared at him.
“Your father.”
Marcus froze.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You're saying Isabella had a child with my father?”
Elena nodded.
“Before you were born.”
Marcus stepped backward.
“That isn't possible.”
“It is.”
Nathan took the document.
He examined it.
“This could be forged.”
Elena shook her head.
“Then test me.”
Marcus stared.
She pulled out a sealed medical envelope.
“DNA sample.”
Marcus looked at Nathan.
Nathan nodded.
“We can verify it.”
Elena's expression hardened.
“Do it.”
The test took six hours.
Six hours of waiting.
Six hours in which Marcus said almost nothing.
Elena sat across from him.
Neither knew what to say.
Finally, Nathan entered.
He held a report.
Marcus stood.
“Well?”
Nathan looked at Elena.
Then Marcus.
“She's your half-sister.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
The world seemed to stop.
He had spent his entire life believing he was an only child.
Now there was Elena.
And Sofia.
Two women connected to the same family.
Two women hidden by the same people.
Marcus looked at Elena.
“Why did you come now?”
“Because I found something.”
“What?”
“The woman who tried to take Khloe's place.”
Marcus frowned.
“What woman?”
Elena hesitated.
“Me.”
Silence.
“What do you mean?”
Elena looked down.
“They told me I could replace Khloe.”
Marcus's expression hardened.
“Who?”
“David.”
“What did he offer you?”
“Everything.”
Marcus stared.
“Everything?”
“My father's name.”
“Your father's inheritance?”
“Yes.”
“Your place in the family?”
“Yes.”
“And Khloe?”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“They wanted me to marry you.”
Marcus froze.
Nathan stared at her.
“What?”
Elena's voice broke.
“They wanted Khloe removed.”
“Why?”
“Because if you married me, the bloodline issue would disappear.”
Marcus shook his head.
“You're my sister.”
“I know.”
“They knew.”
“Yes.”
“And they still wanted it.”
“Yes.”
Marcus felt sick.
“This is insane.”
Elena nodded.
“They didn't care about morality.”
She looked at him.
“They cared about the trust.”
At the hospital, Khloe woke to find someone sitting beside her.
Isabella.
Khloe immediately tensed.
“What are you doing here?”
Isabella looked exhausted.
“I came to apologize.”
“You don't get to apologize.”
“I know.”
“You almost killed my baby.”
“I know.”
“You destroyed my life.”
“I know.”
Khloe looked away.
“Then leave.”
Isabella didn't move.
“I need to tell you something.”
“I don't want to hear it.”
“You should.”
Khloe stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because they are coming for you again.”
“Who?”
“David.”
Khloe's face hardened.
“He already tried.”
“He hasn't finished.”
Isabella leaned closer.
“They don't want you dead.”
Khloe frowned.
“What?”
“They want you to disappear.”
“Why?”
“So Elena can take your place.”
Khloe froze.
“Who is Elena?”
Isabella looked toward the door.
“Marcus's sister.”
Khloe's heart sank.
“She exists?”
“Yes.”
“Why would she replace me?”
“Because she has the blood they need.”
“What blood?”
Isabella hesitated.
“The Thorne bloodline.”
Khloe touched her stomach.
“And my baby?”
“That's the problem.”
Isabella's voice became almost inaudible.
“Your child is the only person who can expose them.”
The door opened.
A nurse entered.
“Mrs. Thorne, you have a visitor.”
Khloe looked up.
“Who?”
The nurse smiled.
“Your husband's sister.”
Elena walked in.
Khloe stared.
For several seconds, neither woman spoke.
Then Elena said:
“I don't want your life.”
Khloe swallowed.
“Then why did they send you?”
“Because they thought I did.”
“What do you want?”
“The truth.”
Khloe studied her.
“Do you love Marcus?”
Elena looked horrified.
“No.”
“Good.”
“I could never.”
Khloe relaxed slightly.
Elena sat beside the bed.
“I need you to trust me.”
Khloe laughed bitterly.
“Everyone says that.”
“I know.”
“Why should I?”
“You shouldn't.”
Elena placed a folder on the bed.
“Read this.”
Khloe opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Marcus as a child.
Evelyn.
Isabella.
David.
And one more person.
A man Khloe recognized immediately.
Her father.
Daniel Parker.
But beside him stood another man.
Khloe's face went pale.
Anthony Vale.
Her supposed grandfather.
She turned the photograph over.
A date.
Then a sentence.
THE CHILD WAS NEVER DANIEL'S.
Khloe looked at Elena.
“What does this mean?”
Elena shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“Then why bring it to me?”
“Because I found another document.”
She handed Khloe a second paper.
Khloe read it.
Her eyes widened.
The document contained a DNA test.
Daniel Parker.
Khloe.
Probability of biological relationship: 0.00%.
Khloe's hands began to shake.
“My father wasn't my father.”
“No.”
“Then who was?”
Elena whispered:
“We're trying to find out.”
Suddenly the hospital lights went out.
Khloe grabbed Elena's hand.
“What happened?”
The emergency lights flickered on.
A loud alarm sounded.
Elena stood.
“We have to leave.”
“Why?”
“Because someone just breached the hospital.”
Footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Then a man's voice came through the intercom.
“Mrs. Thorne.”
Khloe froze.
“Bring us the child.”
Elena stepped in front of her.
“No.”
The voice laughed.
“Then bring us the mother.”
Elena looked at Khloe.
“They're here.”
Marcus was still in the parking garage when his phone rang.
It was Khloe.
He answered immediately.
“Khloe?”
No response.
“Khloe?”
Then a man's voice.
“Your wife has been moved.”
Marcus's blood ran cold.
“Where?”
“You have one hour.”
“Who are you?”
“You already know.”
The call ended.
Marcus turned toward Elena.
“She was taken.”
Elena's face went pale.
“Who?”
“David.”
Nathan shook his head.
“Impossible. Security—”
Marcus cut him off.
“There's no time.”
He started toward the car.
Elena followed.
“I know where they're taking her.”
Marcus stopped.
“Where?”
“An old property outside the city.”
“How do you know?”
“Because that's where they kept me.”
Marcus stared.
“When?”
“When I was six.”
Elena's voice trembled.
“I remember the room.”
She looked toward the highway.
“And I remember the man who locked the door.”
Marcus asked:
“Who?”
Elena looked at him.
“Your grandfather.”
Marcus froze.
“My grandfather is dead.”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
She whispered:
“That's another lie.”
Marcus's phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
COME ALONE.
Then another.
OR KHLOE LEARNS WHO HER REAL FATHER IS.
Marcus looked at Elena.
For the first time, she understood the truth.
The woman who had been offered Khloe's place had never been the real enemy.
She had been another victim.
And the person controlling all of them had finally stopped hiding.
Marcus opened the car door.
“Let's go.”
Elena climbed inside.
Nathan followed.
Marcus looked at the message one last time.
Then he whispered:
“This ends tonight.”
But he didn't know that waiting at the old property was the one person he had trusted more than anyone.
May you like
And when the door opened—
Marcus would finally discover who had been betraying his family from the beginning.
