Chapter 9 — The Betrayal Inside the Family
Chapter 9 — The Betrayal Inside the Family
For several seconds, Marcus could only stare at the name.
ANTHONY VALE.
The letters seemed to burn through the page.
Khloe sat beside him in the wrecked SUV, one hand protectively covering her stomach.
“My father…” she whispered.
Marcus looked at her.
“Who is Anthony Vale?”
Khloe shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You've never heard the name?”
“Never.”
Nathan carefully took the document from Marcus.
His expression changed.
“Where did you get this?”
“It was in the folder.”
Nathan read the page again.
“This isn't part of the original trust.”
Marcus frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“This clause was added later.”
“How much later?”
Nathan examined the ink.
“Years later.”
Marcus looked toward the driver's seat.
Evelyn was still unconscious.
“Can you wake her?”
Nathan checked her pulse.
“She has a concussion. We need emergency treatment.”
Khloe suddenly gasped.
Pain crossed her face.
Marcus immediately turned toward her.
“What is it?”
“My stomach.”
Nathan knelt beside her.
“Khloe, look at me.”
She did.
“Is the pain constant?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“It comes and goes.”
Nathan's expression tightened.
“We're leaving now.”
Marcus opened the damaged passenger door.
“Can she walk?”
“No.”
“I'll carry her.”
Nathan nodded.
Marcus carefully lifted Khloe into his arms.
She wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Don't let anything happen to our baby.”
Marcus looked into her eyes.
“I won't.”
Behind them, Evelyn slowly opened her eyes.
“Marcus…”
He turned.
“Mom?”
Her voice was weak.
“Don't trust…”
She coughed.
“Don't trust David.”
Marcus froze.
“Where is he?”
Evelyn tried to sit up.
“He took the folder.”
Marcus looked down.
“No.”
“The folder…”
“It was here.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“What did you see?”
“Anthony Vale.”
Her face went completely white.
“You found it.”
“What does that name mean?”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Everything.”
The ambulance arrived nine minutes later.
Khloe was taken inside first.
Marcus followed.
Evelyn was placed in another ambulance.
Nathan stayed with Marcus.
The paramedics moved quickly.
“Blood pressure is dropping.”
Marcus felt the blood drain from his face.
“What does that mean?”
The paramedic didn't answer immediately.
“She's experiencing contractions.”
Marcus looked at Khloe.
“No.”
Nathan grabbed his shoulder.
“Stay calm.”
“She isn't due for months.”
“I know.”
“Then why is this happening?”
Nathan looked at the monitor.
“Stress. Trauma. The accident.”
Marcus squeezed Khloe's hand.
“Stay with me.”
She looked at him.
“I am.”
“I need you to breathe.”
She tried.
Another contraction hit.
She cried out.
Marcus felt helpless.
For the first time in his life, money meant absolutely nothing.
Power meant nothing.
His name meant nothing.
There was only the woman he loved and the child they had been waiting for.
A doctor rushed in.
“We're taking her to obstetric emergency.”
Marcus nodded.
“I'll come.”
“You can't.”
“I am her husband.”
“You can wait outside.”
Marcus looked at Khloe.
She nodded.
“Go.”
He kissed her forehead.
“I'll be here.”
The doors closed.
Marcus stood alone in the corridor.
Nathan joined him.
“You need to prepare yourself.”
“For what?”
“If the contractions continue…”
Marcus stared at him.
“No.”
Nathan looked away.
“Let's hope it doesn't come to that.”
Three hours later, Marcus sat beside Evelyn's hospital bed.
She was awake.
A nurse had treated the cut on her forehead.
Marcus stood beside the window.
He didn't look at her.
“Tell me everything.”
Evelyn swallowed.
“About Anthony?”
“About everything.”
She was silent.
“Dad.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Your father wasn't the man you thought he was.”
“I've heard that before.”
“He made mistakes.”
“Everyone makes mistakes.”
“Not like his.”
Marcus turned.
“What did he do?”
Evelyn stared at the ceiling.
“He built the first version of the Thorne Trust.”
“I know.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You don't.”
“The trust was supposed to protect our family.”
“It was supposed to protect a secret.”
“What secret?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“Your father discovered that the company had been built on stolen assets.”
Marcus frowned.
“Stolen from whom?”
“Anthony Vale.”
Marcus froze.
“The man named in Khloe's file?”
“Yes.”
“How are they connected?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Anthony Vale was your father's closest friend.”
Marcus stared.
“And Khloe?”
“His daughter.”
Marcus's heart pounded.
“You're saying my father knew Khloe's family?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Your father and Anthony built an investment company together before the Thorne empire existed.”
Marcus sat down.
“What happened?”
“They became enemies.”
“Why?”
“Money.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Not just money.”
“Then what?”
“Anthony discovered your father had transferred assets into the Thorne family.”
“Why would he do that?”
“He believed Anthony was going to expose him.”
Marcus rubbed his face.
“And David?”
Evelyn's expression changed.
“David helped.”
“Helped my father?”
“Yes.”
“To steal from Anthony?”
“Yes.”
Marcus stared.
“But David always said Dad betrayed him.”
“Your father betrayed everyone.”
She paused.
“But David betrayed him first.”
Marcus felt a chill.
“What did David do?”
“He told Anthony where the documents were.”
Marcus frowned.
“Then why would Anthony be listed as Khloe's grandfather?”
“He wasn't.”
Marcus looked at her.
“What?”
“The name on that document doesn't mean what you think.”
“What does it mean?”
Evelyn's voice dropped.
“Anthony Vale wasn't Khloe's biological father.”
Marcus stared.
“Then why is he listed?”
“Because he was supposed to be.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It will.”
Evelyn took a deep breath.
“Anthony had a son.”
Marcus waited.
“His name was Daniel.”
Marcus froze.
“Daniel Parker?”
“Yes.”
“So Daniel was Anthony's son.”
“Yes.”
“And Khloe was Daniel's daughter.”
“Yes.”
Marcus looked down.
“Then why did you say Anthony wasn't her biological grandfather?”
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“Because Daniel wasn't Anthony's biological son.”
Silence.
Marcus slowly stood.
“Then who was?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Your father.”
The room seemed to disappear.
Marcus couldn't speak.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“Daniel was Dad's son?”
Evelyn nodded.
Marcus stumbled backward.
“Then Khloe…”
“Is your half-sister.”
The words shattered everything.
Marcus stared at his mother.
“No.”
“Marcus…”
“No.”
“That is why they are terrified of the DNA test.”
He shook his head violently.
“No.”
“Because if Khloe is your half-sister—”
“Stop.”
“—then the child she's carrying…”
“Stop!”
Evelyn fell silent.
Marcus covered his face.
His entire relationship with Khloe.
Their marriage.
Their child.
Everything.
He had believed they were strangers who had fallen in love.
But now—
Their blood was connected.
Marcus backed away.
“Did you know?”
Evelyn's voice broke.
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Before you met her.”
Marcus stared.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“And you let me marry her.”
“I tried to stop you.”
“How?”
“I told your father.”
Marcus froze.
“My father knew?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't he tell me?”
“Because he was already dying.”
Marcus looked at her.
“What killed him?”
Evelyn didn't answer.
Marcus whispered:
“Who killed him?”
Evelyn looked away.
“Your father killed himself.”
Marcus froze.
“What?”
“He couldn't live with what he'd done.”
Marcus stared.
“No.”
“He left the final recording.”
“You said he was murdered.”
“I lied.”
Marcus's voice became hollow.
“Why?”
“Because the people who knew the truth wanted you dead.”
Marcus shook his head.
“I'm married to my sister.”
Evelyn immediately said:
“No.”
Marcus looked at her.
“Then what are you saying?”
“Khloe isn't Daniel's biological daughter.”
He froze.
“Then who is her father?”
Evelyn whispered:
“We don't know.”
The door opened.
Nathan entered.
“Marcus.”
Marcus turned.
“How is Khloe?”
“Stable.”
“And the baby?”
Nathan smiled faintly.
“Still fighting.”
Marcus exhaled.
“Thank God.”
Nathan closed the door.
“There is something you need to see.”
He held out a tablet.
A laboratory report.
Marcus looked at it.
“What is this?”
“An emergency DNA analysis.”
Marcus stared.
“Between whom?”
“You and Khloe.”
His heart stopped.
“Why?”
“Because I needed to confirm something.”
Marcus looked at the result.
NO BIOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP DETECTED.
He read it again.
Then again.
Nathan watched him.
“You aren't related.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
A wave of relief nearly knocked him over.
Khloe wasn't his sister.
Their child was safe.
His marriage was real.
He looked at Nathan.
“Then Anthony Vale?”
Nathan pointed to the second result.
“That's what we need to talk about.”
Marcus opened it.
A DNA comparison had been made between Khloe and an old biological sample belonging to Anthony Vale.
99.98% PROBABILITY OF GRANDFATHER-GRANDCHILD RELATIONSHIP.
Marcus stared.
“Then Anthony really is her grandfather.”
“Yes.”
“But Daniel wasn't his son.”
Nathan nodded.
“That means Daniel wasn't Khloe's biological father.”
Marcus's stomach tightened.
“Who was?”
Nathan hesitated.
“That's the problem.”
“What?”
“We don't have his DNA.”
Marcus looked at him.
“But we may have his name.”
Nathan turned the tablet around.
A birth certificate appeared.
Khloe Parker.
Mother: unknown.
Father:
MARCUS THORNE.
Marcus stopped breathing.
“No.”
Nathan immediately said:
“It's fraudulent.”
“Who created it?”
“We don't know.”
“Why would someone put my name there?”
Nathan looked at him.
“To make you believe you were the father.”
Marcus stared.
“But I'm not.”
“No.”
“Then who is?”
Nathan's expression became grim.
“That's what the next test will determine.”
Across the city, David Sterling entered a private office.
Isabella was waiting.
Her shoulder was bandaged.
She looked exhausted.
“You betrayed me,” David said.
Isabella smiled.
“No.”
“You told Marcus about Anthony.”
“Yes.”
“You told him about the trust.”
“Yes.”
“You told him about the recording.”
“Yes.”
David slammed his hand against the desk.
“You were supposed to keep quiet.”
Isabella didn't flinch.
“I kept quiet for twelve years.”
“You should have continued.”
“You threatened my daughter.”
David stared.
“I never threatened her.”
Isabella laughed.
“You didn't have to.”
“What does that mean?”
“You know exactly what it means.”
David's expression changed.
“Where is Sofia?”
Isabella leaned forward.
“You tell me.”
“I don't know.”
“Liar.”
David's jaw tightened.
“She is alive.”
“For now.”
Isabella's eyes filled with hatred.
“Where?”
David didn't answer.
She pulled out her phone.
“I have something you want.”
“What?”
“The final recording.”
David froze.
“You don't have it.”
“I do.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere you will never find.”
David stared at her.
“What do you want?”
“My daughter.”
“She's not yours anymore.”
Isabella's expression hardened.
“She's always been mine.”
David smiled.
“You should have thought about that before you betrayed us.”
Isabella looked at him.
“You're afraid.”
“Of you?”
“No.”
She leaned closer.
“Of Marcus.”
David's smile disappeared.
“Because once he learns who really ordered the murder…”
She paused.
“…he won't stop.”
At the hospital, Marcus stood outside Khloe's room.
She was sleeping.
The baby was still safe.
For the first time that night, he allowed himself to breathe.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Marcus.”
A woman's voice.
Young.
Terrified.
“Please don't hang up.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Sofia.”
Marcus froze.
“Isabella's daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“I don't know.”
“What do you mean?”
“I'm locked inside a room.”
Marcus looked around.
“Who has you?”
“I don't know.”
“Tell me what you can see.”
“A window.”
“Anything outside?”
“Trees.”
“Anything else?”
She started crying.
“There's a photograph on the wall.”
“Of what?”
“Your family.”
Marcus's heart stopped.
“What photograph?”
“It shows your father.”
“Anything else?”
Sofia whispered:
“There's a woman standing beside him.”
“Who?”
“I don't know her.”
“Describe her.”
Sofia's voice trembled.
“She looks like you.”
Marcus stopped breathing.
“What?”
“She has your eyes.”
The line went silent.
Then Sofia whispered:
“Marcus…”
“Yes?”
“I think she's your sister.”
The call ended.
Marcus stared at the phone.
Behind him, Khloe suddenly woke.
“Marcus?”
He turned.
She looked frightened.
“What happened?”
He walked toward her.
He didn't know how to answer.
Because the family he thought he understood was collapsing around him.
May you like
And somewhere in the darkness, another woman who looked like him was being held captive.
The betrayal inside his family had only just begun.
